Cruel Summer Chapter 5 Commentary

 

Chapter 5 Commentary

Note: As the prologue and epilogue cover more details that I only vaguely covered in Chapter 5 I will not be touching on them until my final commentary.

Rocki is the story's final girl.  If you are not familiar with the "Final Girl" troupe you can go here for the information: Final Girl. Since Sienna was killed she has been evading the killer to the best of her ability until the very end of Chapter 4.

The chapter begins with Rocki escaping to the Main Hall with the sole purpose of drawing the killer there.  The killer believed that Rocki would go to the second floor and barricade herself into one of the second floor rooms.  The killer could not see Rocki's foot prints in the dark mat so they go up to the second floor which in theory is more secure and easier to lock down.  Chad had locked his room prior to trying to fix his car so naturally that when the killer hits the locked door they instantly believe that Rocki is hiding there.  Pounding on the door trying to break the lock, Rocki is able to slip out the back making very little noise so that the Killer is not drawn to her escape. 

Rocki is smart and the secondary reason she went to the kitchen was to collect a plastic garbage bag so that when she hides in the deep brush, she can step into it and her legs will remain dry during the rain storm.  Leaning forward, she might not be comfortable but she will be camouflaged and dry as she is also wearing a waterproof jacket.

I do try and give you more of a glimpse into the killer's thoughts in this chapter.  Obviously until the big reveal I had to keep their thoughts angry but gender neutral so as not to give away my big secret.  I also tried to convey how methodical they had been up until that moment in time.  My biggest clue to the readers that the person in black was not Jackson was that they kept referring to Rocki as "The Bitch".  Even in a psychotic break I doubt that he'd refer to her as that (unless she had stabbed him, then all bets are off).

The 1:32AM sequence is important because the killer's attention is diverted back to the burnt out Range Cabin.  The killer goes there to look for Rocki thus giving her almost another half hour of rest  (Every little bit helps).

The final showdown occurs just after 2AM.  Rocki goes to the tool shed behind the main camp area to collect the machete that Chad's father purchased for clearing brush around the main areas of the camp.  She then sneaks along the cabins until she can reach the canoe rack.  Rocki cuts the ropes to the canoes and as she begins to pull one to the lake the killer activates 4 portable flood lights.  While I never stated where they came from the lights were also from the tool shed.  The killer rigged them during Rocki's initial 90 minute nap.  It was an educated guess on the killer's part that she would try and escape via the water.

The noise Rocki generates quickly drew the killer's attention and the lights came on illuminating the dock area.  Once the killer has Rocki in their sights they close the distance but not enough for Rocki's weapon to be effective.

The moment of truth arrives and the Killer disengages the electronic voice distorter from around their neck before undoing their hood and finally unmasking.

Now, for the role of the killer I cast Dove Cameron as my Cook/Killer.  When I was originally in the plotting stages of the story I had originally planned for Dove's character to fake her death via a harness to keep her neck from snapping (and obviously not use the main hall much).

Dove was always going to kill the original cook and take her place but by luck I came across a picture of Peyton List and upon comparing it to Dove Cameron (and getting multiple opinions of the pictures in my pinterest) realized I could make the two sisters (one good, one very bad).  I originally had Ann's body buried in a spot in the woods but again, it helped me with "Ann's Death Scene" in chapter 2 to keep her on ice for the big fake out. 

Sidenote: I had to forgo listing Dove & Peyton's real heights as Dove is 5'3" and Peyton is 5' 7".  I didn't know this when I started the story and didn't want to change the labels on my actresses as they might have given away my big reveal.  Note to writers, have everything planned out before you start writing things like that. 

Jessica is the biological daughter of the original Camp Killer: Diane Kimble.  I took the character's names (Jessica & Diane Kimble) from the movie Jason Goes to Hell.  I originally considered naming them Voorhees like the family from Friday the 13th but then altered my plan for a less obvious family line.

While Rocki has Jessica monologuing Rocki begins moving from the canoe rack a couple of steps to her right.  This prompts Jessica to move the same amount of steps to keep Rocki sighted correctly.  

 During her monologue she gives Rocki the highlights on the deaths of the characters that she did not witness and detailed Ethan's so Rocki knew exactly how he died.  She relays her plan to entice Jackson who is sleeping somewhere, she suspects the bath/shower room as it is locked and has been since the storm began.

It is during this time that Rocki positions herself directly in front of the pier.  She then reveals to Jessica first what she thinks about her to incite rage in her opponent (it works).  She then makes her own big reveal... Rocki is actually Mrs Jackson Fuller, and has been for some time.  She has been wearing her wedding & engagement rings on the necklace that she had been wearing during the story.  The only times it was never on Rocki were trips to the shower & the swim party where she was in a bikini.

The sudden distraction gives Rocki's husband the chance to take his shot and bury an arrow in the killer's spine.  The reason he doesn't go for something more fatal is that he still has a sedative in his system and while he is functional his vision is still not completely focused so he had to aim center mass and from the back that meant hitting her in the spine.  Rocki then deliverse the fatal blow to Jessica ending her reign of terror.

I will cover some of the remaining questions after the epilogue is posted as I do my best to tie up all the loose ends in that chapter.