LAW OF HADDONFIELD

DISCLAIMER

FILMS & PORTRAYALThis part addresses few things important to this blog and my portrayal of Laurie Strode which bases heavily on Halloween 1978 (original film). This blog has also a heavy Dead by Daylight AU which takes 5 years after events of the 1978 tragedy. Plus some pre-set AUs! The only canon continuity I follow is Halloween 2018 trilogy, including little bit of cherry picking from other films. The 2018 continuity is future what I would call if Laurie lives on without ever facing her fears or getting help, living alone with her ptsd, dealing with depression, family and substance abuse by letting her paranoia on loose - she has ran, prepared, hurt her own daughter(s) and hid all these years without ability to escape the true bogeyman: her mind.LAURIE & MICHAELConsidering continuity chosen for this blog does not view Michael Myers and Laurie Strode as siblings. Her parents Pamela and Morgan Strode are her biological parents. Not Myers. I'd personally find that route far more disturbing considering the events of the story. Original film resembles something of an old gothic horror where female hero becomes target of an obsessed man, her husband, lover or random bystander.To me, the whole power of terror in the first film was in the fact Laurie is just an innocent, ordinary high school teen. Smart, sensible and kind, taking school seriously, good relationship with her father, hanging out with great friends, sprouting an interests in romantic relationships, doing little bit mischief, and the most importantly had a bright future ahead of her. She did nothing to deserve what came on her way, which makes it so much scarier. Just like many unfortunate cases, the darkest sides of the life, it's proof an evil can just come and can flip an ordinary, sleepy life to a hell ride.MENTAL ISSUES
Laurie is traumatized from the events. She is suffering ptsd, depression and heavy paranoia to the point she is obsessed about Michael Myers - in future of events in Halloween trilogy, it is clear she messed her daughter's mental health too. To Laurie, Michael is the bogeyman. One she expects to see when shower curtains open, when she glances over her shoulder, the shadow in her peripheral, even after he is known to be locked away.
With heavy plotting with a friend of mine, we came to conclusion: to achieve peace, Laurie would have to face her fear, whether it is violent confrontation or not.It is what will affect all her relationships, platonic and romantic. The fear.OTHERIf you prefer Halloween II (and on), Rob Zombie adaptations etc. that's great, you go! I only ask not to push me having to follow story lines of these films when I write Laurie. I am not into debates about which is better which is not - because there is no right answer. Each film has the strengths of their own. These are my opinions why I chose this, why I dislike something, it does not take your experience away from you.

CASE STUDY

DETAILSFull name: Laurie Strode
Year of birth: 1961 ( AU depended )
Age (current): 22-23 (Dead by Daylight AU). Films: 17 (Halloween 1978, when her life turned upside down). Post Halloween canon timeline 18 - 57 years old ( by Halloween 2018)
Occupations: Graduation student / Babysitter / At times helping with her father's real estate company.
Zodiac: Virgo
Hometown: Haddonfield, Illinois
Family: Morgan Strode (Father) / Pamela Strode (Mother / Absent)
Friends: Annie Brackett (killed by Michael), Lynda Van Der Klok (killed by Michael)Hair: Dirty blond
Eyes: Green
Height: 5′ 7″ / 170 cm
Colors: Blue / Green / Beige
Scars: A clean, notable vertical scar on her left arm, right below the shoulder. Small light cuts around hands.Personality traits: Resourceful / Sensible / Helpful / Organized / Smart / Obsessed / Paranoid / GentleLaurie was always in time. An A student who kept her word, never in trouble. Bit introverted and bit shy. Even deadly afraid, she never hesitated to take action and confront the killer, just to protect the children she babysat.Laurie is the voice of reason, someone to take responsibilities seriously - whether it is a job to do or school work - even at the cost of leaving out of something fun. Laurie rarely was rebellious during her youth. Sensible Laurie, as she once was nicknamed.Even if the events of the Halloween night changed her life to the worst, it changed her perspective. It made her more spontaneous and question her old and current goals in life, which could end at any time. She bloomed from shy and withdrawn young woman into someone who wants to live in a moment and experience.Background:
Laurie was just like any ordinary young woman. Doing her best at school, hanging out with friends Annie and Lynda - gushing about crushes, enjoying films and popcorn, sharing dreams and desires. Laurie lived together with her sole parent, her father Morgan, who also ran Strode real estate company. Needless to say the small family was wealthy. Two of them inhabiting a big two story house with multiple bedrooms and comforts of the time.After events of Halloween 1978, Laurie Strode was a shell of her former self. In one night all shattered: going to a prom with her crush, celebrating graduation with friends, going on a long road trip across the states before college...Suddenly, she was alone. All that was left were memories of her best friends since the childhood, and the bitter sweetness of the broken dreams the girls shared.While others enjoyed the consumerism of the 70 and 80s, movies, boldness and vibrant colors, Laurie wandered in shadows of her mind. After few attempts in therapy, she was expected to move on. And Laurie as well, rather hoped to push aside the memories, run away from the pain of loss and fear of the runaway killer.Trying to adapt to the new reality which felt nothing more like a bad dream she hoped to wake up from. Every attempt of of normality was shadowed not only by how people saw her now: like a wolf among the sheep, but also by the terror haunted the back of her mind.Sleepless nights, dropped grades, evenings spent within four walls. A grade girl had fallen from grace. She felt like a stranger among the crowds in the high school. Formerly invisible in the halls, her name was now upon everyone's lips. Her peers, locals, strangers. How, they would ask.
How did she become the one who got away? Some people avoided her like a bad omen, some had packed their things and moved already. The close ones around her had died, what if the same happened to them? Rumours spread like wild fire. About her. About Michael. How the two were connected...Journalists swarmed around her. Papers, tv, radio... at first she would give them her word. But they were never satisfied. It all returned back to Michael: What she knew about him. What does she think about him. What does she think he thinks about her?Same wound torn open over and over again until she couldn't see her name in the news again. After a while, she would refuse to talk at all.Visions of future felt meaningless. But somehow she managed to crawl her way out of the high school - do odd jobs, go out, see people. Party until dawn. Lone road trips and camps in the fresh air. As far away from Haddonfield as she could, only then, she would feel free.Even far away, every corner she looked at. A shadow in peripheral, an odd distant figure, or mere flick of curtains. She thought about seeing him. While pain and trauma slowly became her life companion, each Halloween returned her to the past. The laughter of children, costumes and candies held now a sinister meaning.

VERSES

DEAD BY DAYLIGHT
5 years after the incident, on fifth Halloween, 22 years old Laurie was chased deep into the Fog by the Bogeyman, forcing her to face the terror she had tried to ignore.Laurie, along with other survivors became trapped in trials of a death game, as a prey to be hunted. Seeing her new allies suffer and die, over and over again like a stuck record.She hasn't lost hope and is trying to find answers from what looks like Haddonfield, spending more and more time there. The houses, her home, resembling more and more hers the more she visits it. Ironic, as before she had wanted as far from home - to disappear, now she yearns back, back to her old, imperfect life.TCMIt took few years. But finally, she is ready to start fresh far from Haddonfield. An opportunity to move and start studies in south, Texas. Far enough no one would know her by looks or name. With a licence and a car, she has more freedom than ever. And at first, those idyllic landscapes she could drive by anytime filled her with joy.However, the new place, even new friends, hasn't proved the salvation she had hoped for: She may escape Haddonfield, but not her mind. The sense of threat lurks in her thoughts - in every corner. Even if she so hard tries to ignore that inner voice. The radio, speaks of crimes that occurred. Terrifying things. She is trying to act normal, hide the fact she is an outsider with a past to hide. However, people talk past borders. Things happen. Darkness indeed lurks around. Soon, she may arrive before a mystery hidden within the small town. Perhaps, every place has the dark secrets, after all.FRIDAY THE 13TH
Some work in fresh air with peers across the country would do good for body and mind. Forget it all! What about Summer, away from old streets and familiar faces, making unforgettable memories to children attending. Sounds good, right? With that record of baby sitting, experience of cooking and cleaning, not to forget the former good grades, getting such a job is no problem.And so, Laurie finds herself dropped by the gates of the camp. Whole Summer, away from it all. Whether being assistant in the kitchen or supervising the kids - it would be time she won't surely forget...

RELATIONSHIPS

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