Laura

## Season 4

**Laura Crane** is an associate professor -- who fittingly teaches a Film Studies Course on 20th-century slashers. She, presumably, is a newcomer to the United States who moved to New York City from Australia about two months prior.

After the opening kill of Laura, the show actually shows us the identity of Ghostface for the first time, and then proceeds to show how the killers in this franchise can blend back into society with frightening ease. Worse, unlike the majority of *Scream* cold opens, this is something that could -- *and does* -- happen in real-life.

She's only on-screen for about five minutes, but is well-liked for being a film studies professor who comes off as a kind-hearted woman and dies a totally undeserved death at the hands of one of her own students.

## **Physical Appearance**

Laura is a gorgeous young woman. Her small frame is inviting, and her face is kind and soft. She has big, blue eyes and long, wavy blonde hair.

## **Personality and Traits**

Only on-screen for about five minutes, Laura seems like a genuinely nice person. She seemed so understanding from the onset with regards to the delay of her date; was constantly embarrassed about her "nerdy" remarks and was very modest about being a professor and just her overall bashful demeanor, despite being tremendously gorgeous. Her demeanor was so sweet that you felt so bad for her outcome. Especially because Laura was running to save someone she never met.

## **Role in Season 1**

### ***Pilot***

Halloween time. It’s supposed to be known as the happiest time of the year, right? Endless candy, fun with family, holiday specials coming on TV, limited time flavors, what’s not to love? The inside of the New York City building was bursting with activity. Only days before Halloween was here, everyone was buzzing with excitement as groups of friends sat around tables, couples sat having dinner, but most importantly, Laura Crane.

    She sat alone at a barstool, her nerves on end as she constantly checked her phone over and over, waiting for a certain person to answer her text, to give her some sign that she wasn’t being ghosted. She had a Tinder date planned out with a guy who seemed to be nice enough. She could faintly hear a phone ringing behind her, turning to look over her shoulder, seeing a waiter standing next to a landline phone, her brows furrowing. It seemed like everyone seemed to be getting a call except her.

    She watched as a couple was led away from the entrance by the waiter, letting out a soft huff of annoyance when she heard her phone ding. Her eyes went wide with excitement, pulling her phone out and checking her messages, seeing she’d finally got one from the person she’d been texting non stop. She smiled at her phone, reading the text that read nothing other than a simple

     ***‘Hi!’***. Laura watched as the person on the other end of the phone typed, letting out a giggle when she saw two more messages pop up. ***‘This is embarrassing...’*** and ***‘I’m lost’***, seeming as if they were meant to be a part of the same sentence but sent in different messages. She replied with a simple response, just two laughing emojis. The blonde grabbed her drink off the counter and finished it off, feeling the buzz of the alcohol faintly clouding her mind. Not enough to be considered fully intoxicated or wasted, just a little tipsy. She placed the empty cup back down, keeping her eyes on her phone. She received another message with a beeping sound filling her ears, reading the text on her screen once more.

     ***‘Can I call?’*** is what the message read out, the girl giving a thumbs up as she was offered another shot, politely accepting it and picking up her phone which had just started ringing, answering the call. “Hi! Hi Reggie!” She said nervously, slightly embarrassed at how she’d picked up the phone call. *‘Laura hi!’* The person on the other end of the line said with a laugh, this was Laura's first time actually calling the man she was going on a date with. “Hello!” She replied hastily, with a wide grin sticking to her face. *‘So nice to phone meet you in this... incredibly embarrassing way.’* “Oh! You know, no -- no problem. It’s fine.” Laura was still incredibly nervous, her accent shining through what felt like more than the usual amount. *‘Uh -- This is what I get for picking a trendy place with no sign out front, huh?’* “Yeahhh, why do they do that here?” *‘I don’t know, I’ve only been in the city for a few months.’* “Me too! No way!” *‘Oh wow!’* “Yeah!” The two conversed lightly, not having any negative tension between them. Laura felt that it was extremely easy to talk to Reggie, as if he were an old friend rather than a stranger. “Well, uhm. It’s a very cool restaurant.” *‘Yeah, uh. Is it on Hudson?’* “Yes!” *‘Am I on Hudson...’*

     “I don’t know.” *‘I am not on Hudson. Shit.’* Laura let out a small laugh at the comment, it was amusing to her how he talked to himself, as if it were some sort of entertainment. *‘Uhhh, I am now walking towards Hudson.’* “Okay.” *‘I am so, so sorry, this is not the first impression I wanted to make on a college professor.’* “Oh, pffft. Associate Professor, and it’s just Film Studies so, you’re safe.” *‘Film Studies? That's... cool.’* “You say that, but try teaching a class on 20th-century slashers to a heap of hungover 19-year-olds.” Laura loved her job but it could get exhausting from time to time. She was just glad that she finally got a day off so she could relax to herself. *‘Slashers, huh? What’s your favorite scary movie?’* “Uhmmm, not *that* one!” The pair exchanged a laugh over the topic, Laura actually finding herself enjoying the conversation. *‘So why slashers?’* “Uhm, well, I just, you know, I think it’s interesting, you can really examine the culture of the moment by looking at the tropes of the time. Like, um, the masked killer, the final girl, the different rules: don’t split up, don’t have sex.” She let out a nervous laugh, bringing her fingers to her nose bridge as she reflected upon her choice of words for a second, silently scolding herself. *‘Don’t answer the phone!’* “Exactly, exactly, exactly! It’s all cliché, but out of those clichés comes an opportunity for outsider art! A voice for the voiceless, you might say” *‘Mmm.’* “Jesus Christ...” She whispered to herself, embarrassed at everything she was saying. She was trying to go on a date but she was sitting here rambling about her job of all things. *‘Yeah, I’m more of a rom-com guy, to be honest. Okay, I think I’m on Hudson.’* “Okay.” *‘Uhm... What color is the outside of the restaurant?’* “I -- I think it’s red.” *‘I don’t see anything red.’* “I, um -- I could be wrong. Let me just, um... Let me go have a little look-see!” *‘Oh okay, thank you!’*

     As she got up from her barstool she grabbed her purse, slinging it over her shoulder as she slowly walked outside of the bar, keeping the phone held up to her ear. Her heels clicked against the ground loudly, finding herself outside after a short walk. “Alright, um...” She started as she backed up from the building, looking up at the building and taking in a good look of it, smiling as people walked by. “Yep, it’s definitely red.” *‘Yeah, I’m not seeing anything red here.’* “Sure you’re on Hudson?” *‘Um... Oh, crap. I’m still a block over. Oh! It looks like there's an alley I can cut through. Is the restaurant near an alley?’*

     “Ummm...” She looked around for an alleyway, spinning in circles for a second before finding one across the street, making her way over to it. “Yes, yes. There is an alley!” *‘Oh, perfect. I’m coming down the alley.’* Laura stared between the two buildings, eagerly waiting for her date to walk through. She could feel soft butterflies in her stomach as she stood with an excited smile on her face, her brows furrowing when she didn't see anyone. “I don’t see you.” *‘Wait, really? Are you sure?’* “Uh... Let me just...” She made her way into the street, apologizing to cars as she hurriedly got to the other side, standing in front of the alleyway, slowly making her way inside of it. *‘Well uh -- There's some dumpsters about halfway down. Do you see them?’*

     “I see them but I don’t see you!” *‘Yeah... I don’t see you either. This is... creepy, right?’* “Uh, a little bit!” Laura heard the person on the other end of the line chuckle, not giving one in return as she started to get anxious. The ambience of the alleyway had her on edge, a small bit of fear creeping into her voice. *‘20th-century slashers, huh?’* “Yeah, are you sure you’re walking towards Hudson?” *‘I’m sure. Oh wait! I think I see you, can you wave?’* The anxiety eased up a bit at that comment, a smile coming back on her face as she stepped further into the alleyway, waving her arm at what seemed to still be an empty alleyway. “Can you see me?” *‘Uh, the person I’m looking at isn’t waving... They’re just staring at me.’*

     “Are you sure?” ‘Okay this is weird... Um, now they’re moving towards me.’ “Are you okay?” *‘Shit, he’s following me.’* “I don’t see anybody.” Concerned laced her voice as she made her way further into the alleyway, clutching the phone next to her ear as she looked around, trying to find any sign of someone. She still couldn’t see anybody, which made her nerves even worse. *‘Holy shit! He -- he’s after me! He’s got a knife! He’s got a knife!’* “What!?” *‘That's not the worst part! The worst part is...* **You teach a class about slashers and you still walked into a dark alleyway. Alone.**’ Laura froze in her tracks, staring at the dark crevice of the alleyway. The voice on the phone had changed so quickly she didn’t even process it until after. Once she realized, staring into the alley still, she finally mustered up a reply. Maybe this date was just into cruel jokes or something. “Okay, that's not funny.” All that could be heard through the phone was breathing from the changed voice, fear creeping down the back of Laura’s spine as she stared deeper into the alley.

     **‘No. It’s not.’** More breathing could be heard from the other end of the line, before hearing a scream from the end of the alleyway, causing her to turn around and look, seeing a simple group of teens playing with each other, walking past the alleyway. She let out a relieved sigh, going to turn before she heard a loud grunt, and felt a sharp pain in her chest as a knife was being plunged into it. She let out a scream of pure fear and pain as she was slammed up against the wall, being stabbed again quickly in the other side of her chest, her screams continuing.

     She leaned forward feeling weak in her legs due to the shock of the situation, another stab going straight into her stomach, letting out a longer, more pained scream as blood dribbled out of her mouth. She slid down the wall as the killer that hovered above her stabbed into her stomach several times, going over and over again as she just screamed. She couldn’t do anything with the overload of pain shocking her systems at that moment. She knew this was how she was going to die. In this alleyway, by the hands of a slasher villain. The irony of it was all too well for Laura to process in her final moments, her pains of scream coming to a stop as she felt her consciousness fading, sliding down onto the ground. She stared up at the masked killer, the mask itself being pristine and white. She felt the knife being taken out of her body as the killer rose it back. **‘Now I see something *red*.’** That last slash of the knife echoed wetly through the alleyway, familiar blade ripping that pretty yellow fabric to shreds as blood sprayed upward and onto the ceramic of his mask. The night was still as he crouched, hands resting on the edge of his knees as he inspected each lash and cut that had been etched so neatly into her skin. Crimson dripped thickly from pretty red lips, mixing with saliva as it fell to join the growing trail on her chest. The fabric of her dress clung tightly to her skin, a soft diluted pink as it dampened with blood.

     The murder that he’d committed. It felt so good, even though it was so wrong. He crouched down in front of her corpse, staring at her for a few seconds before grabbing the underside of his mask, just pulling it off. Jason Carvey, the man behind the mask, stared at the body some more, seeing the blood soaking her shirt red and the guts hanging out of her opened chest. He took a glance to his left and then his right as he heard someone laughing down the alleyway, not being too concerned about it.

Laura is mentioned by Kirby Reed when Kirby explains about Jason and Greg wanting to murder her, while looking at the crime scene bulletin board with Detective Bailey. Laura's bloodied corpse is seen in a photograph.