Ep.220 – Tricks and Treats Vol. 2 - 3 Stories of Halloween Mayhem!

WEBVTT

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Tonight you're getting three, count them, three terrifying tales of Halloween night.

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These stories are guaranteed to raise the
hairs on the back of your neck.

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But remember, you can only hope
that you're listening to them alone. I

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am skeptical. Feel the chill in
the air. Listen to the leaves Russ

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Ross as they die and fall to
the ground. It is Halloween, you

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will experience tales of our ghosts and
death. It is not recommended for the

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week at heart. Join me for
a tale foul. This is weekly Spooky.

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Hello, my spooky's It's October and
that means some more spooky for your

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weekly. I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto, and we have quite

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a show for you tonight. In
fact, this episode kind of takes over

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for me. You know. Usually
I'm the host with the most in these

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kinds of situations, but tonight's story, three terrifying tales of Tricks and Treats,

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has its own host, so I'll
throw it over to him in just

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a moment. But first I want
to say thank you so much for listening

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to the program. I really do
appreciate it. In October we get a

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lot of brand new listeners. So
if you're one of those new listeners,

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I just want to remind you make
sure you're subscribed, because we never stop

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when October's over. We're still publishing
all year long. Every Monday and Wednesday,

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like clockwork. You'll have a little
taste of Halloween to go with whatever

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you're doing, whether it's January,
February, March, or any of the

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other months that aren't October. We
really appreciate all the people who stick along

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with us, and I want to
take a moment to say a humongous thank

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you to so many of you have
helped me with a fundraiser I've been running

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to help pay off my dog's chemotherapy
bills. We're almost at one hundred percent

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paid off and I couldn't be more
thankful. So if you want to help

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us get to the final stretch on
Chicano's chemotherapy bills, you can go to

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Weeklyspooky dot com and click on help
my Dog. Any amount helps. But

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if you want to help and get
a little something for your money, you

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can go to Weeklyspooky dot com and
click on Patreon. For as little as

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one dollar a month, you get
a bonus show every single month but now,

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my friends, the air is getting
chilly, and I think I need

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to hand the microphone over to a
different host. For this one. I

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know you're going to enjoy it.
It features three stories by three authors,

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and it's a hell of a lot
of fun. We'll get to that right

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after these quick words from our sponsors. Tricks and Treats Volume two, so

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nice. We had to do it
twice. A cool breeze blue down the

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sidewalk, past the swarms of costumed
merrymakers stirring up small cyclones of discarded candy

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wrappers, haunted house leaflets. A
lone figure stood in the center of the

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chaos, head down, like a
stage actor waiting for the curtain to rise.

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The tall, impossibly thin man had
on a top hat and wore a

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bright, gaudy suit with tails.
With his handlebar mustache and Van Dyke beard,

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he looked like a demonic circus ring
master. He leaned on a cane,

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blocking a substantial part of the sidewalk, but the revelers unconsciously parted around

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him like he wasn't even there.
Suddenly, as if someone flipped a switch,

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the strange man sprung into action.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, writers

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and wrongers, killers and pray,
he said as he spun in a circle,

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his cane whipping through the air,
barely missing some of the pedestrians.

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I am the Count of Carnage,
the Prince of the perverse. He's a

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phantom of the faithless and your humble
host, he said, winking Jack Scratch.

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He performed an impossibly low bow,
his hat almost touching the ground.

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Standing up straight, Jack began strolling
down the sidewalk. Tonight is a special

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night, the unholiest of knights,
all Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as you

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humans call it. Jack spoke,
this is the one night a year that

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I can leave the infernal flames of
Hell and walk among you mortals. He

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paused to light a cigar, the
pure joy of it registered on his face.

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As Hell's director of talent acquisition,
I have been all over your world.

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I've seen the worst you have to
offer. However, there is one

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place that never disappoints, one place
where killers seem to multiply like rabbits and

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mothers constantly Wheat Jack stopped and spread
his arms Strickfield, Ohio. He took

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a long, deep breath and seemed
to shiver with anticipation when he exhaled,

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you can just smell the crazy in
the air. Ah, he continued,

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strolling down the sidewalk. Strickfielders love
Halloween. Just look at them, he

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said, pointing to the mob of
tricker treaters crowding the streets. An entire

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town raised to love the gruesome and
the macabre, so used to murder in

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Mayhem that they spend an entire month
celebrating it. Just thinking about it brings

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a tear to my eye, Jack
said. What happens when someone doesn't appreciate

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the darker side of life? One
who moves into a community but rejects what

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they hold deer. Jack stops and
points at a house across the street.

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Well, there's no time like the
present, so let's find out. This

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one is called Beggars Can't be Choosers
by Morgan Moore. Now go away,

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kid, you bother me. The
sound of the doorbell ringing brings Melissa White

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to her front door with a sigh. She scoops up the bowl set by

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the door, opens it and is
greeted as she had been all night,

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by a group of kids dressed up
for Halloween. They all shout at once.

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Oh wow, look at you all, You're so spooky. Melissa doesn't

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even attempt to mask how over the
night she was. She quickly hands each

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child a piece of candy with the
best smile she can muster. All right,

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then, you scary kids, don't
eat too much and be safe out

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there. Before a child can even
blink at her actions, Melissa shuts the

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door and releases a sigh. God, I hate Halloween. The irony was

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not lost on Melissa that for how
much she hated the holiday, she moved

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to Strickfield, a town which didn't
just celebrate the holiday yearly, but around

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the clock come October. If she
would have known about the village's infatuation with

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the damned day, she would have
never moved there. But it was affordable,

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and she wasn't going to turn down
the small house that she had inherited

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from her aunt. What made it
seemingly more insufferable than any other Halloween was

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the costumes she saw. It was
one thing for a kid to dress up

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like a movie monster or a psychopath, but she saw child after child dress

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like actual killers. Upon announcing her
intentions to move to Strickfield, and once

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getting there, Melissa quickly learned the
village had a history of killings and numerous

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serial killers, some of which taking
on near idle status in the small community.

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So since October started, she got
to learn all about every last one

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and got to see every child up
to adults dressed as those lunatics. It

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made her sick. Melissa rolled her
eyes and walked over to her couch and

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plopped down on it. She looked
at her hand, which still had the

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bowl she was using for candy.
With a shrug, she reached into it

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with her other hand. Nothing touched
her fingers or palm as she searched for

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something to snack on. Melissa looked
into the bowl and was met with the

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sight of nothing but her he hand
being inside. Ah shit, she muttered.

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She was screwed. On the one
hand, it gave her an excuse

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to just turn off the lights and
call it a night, but she knew

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better. She had been seen handing
out candy, and even with it being

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nine o'clock, there were still people
roaming the streets in search of treats.

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Eventually her doorbell would be pushed and
then knocked on until she would be forced

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to answer it. Heavens knew what
would happen if she did and had to

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announce to the beggars that there was
no more candy to be had. Keep

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participating in this rotating psycho fashion show
and get more candy, or call it

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a night and probably have the house
and my car messed with. Melissa contemplated

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her options. It didn't take her
long to reach the conclusion to grab her

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purse and keys and find a store
that somehow still had candy to buy.

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Melissa slowly drove through Strickfield, her
speed due to the number of people blindly

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walking through the streets. She groaned
at the snail's pace she was going.

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All would be fine, as Melissa
had passed a few stores that were clearly

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still open, yet the heavy foot
traffic made it next to impossible to turn

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into any of them. As her
drive progressed, less and less buildings became

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present as scenery. From what little
she had traversed the village in her short

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time there, Melissa had never come
out this far. Most of the activity

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was in the heart of the village, not out in the boonies. On

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the plus side, being this far
out meant there was no foot traffic to

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hinder her driving, but Being out
this far in the dark on Halloween definitely

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sent a shiver down Melissa's spine.
Melissa continued her drive through what started to

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look more and more like countryside.
Her attention said suddenly snapped to the left.

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Was that she questioned. Having driven
past whatever it was too quickly,

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Melissa put the car in reverse and
slowly backed up to what had caught her

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eye. The sight of it brought
a smile to her face. In front

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of her was an old general store
that was still open. Thank god.

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Melissa maneuvered the car into what could
pass as a parking lot for the store

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and turn the car off Outside.
She shivers as the autumn air brushes against

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her. Crisp and chilly, Melissa
made her way toward the general store,

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cautious of the environment and its lack
of outdoor lighting. Only the faint glow

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of the light from inside the store
led her way. As she opened the

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door, a bell chimed and nearly
gave her a heart attack. God,

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this place is old, isn't it. Melissa walked around the store, the

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light inside faint as it was from
the outdoors. The place reminded her of

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an Amish store she visited once in
Indiana. Everything on the shelves appeared to

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be home made, stored in either
plastic bags or Mason jars. Handwritten labels

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carefully glued to each item with what
it was and how much it cost.

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Melissa was certainly impressed by the amount
of items the store seemed to have and

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its owners had made. Melissa continued
to walk through the store in search of

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any kind of candy she could find. Rounding a corner, she found what

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she was looking for, a small
wooden shelf against the wall filled with bags

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of home made candy. Perfect,
she exclaimed. Melissa plucked a couple of

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bags from the shelf with a smile. She turned around to head back toward

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the front of the store, only
to find her path blocked by a man.

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He was only a few hairs taller
than her, but was very visibly

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over double her age. May I
help you, he asked. The old

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man, while taller than Melissa,
spoke with a softness that she assumed came

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from his old age. His attire, whether a Halloween costume or his everyday

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clothes, reminded her of a pioneer
or the Amish, only without the beard.

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It seemed rather fitting for him.
Oh, sorry, I think I

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was just trying to find some candy, Melissa fumbles out. The old man

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looks her up and down and smiles. Well, it looks like you found

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some Is that all you need?
I would say, yes, Melissa responded,

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great. Well, then let's get
you cashed out and on your way.

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The man smiled and turned to head
toward the front of the store.

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Melissa raised an eyebrow quizzically, but
shrugged and followed after the man up front.

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She tossed the bags on to the
counter. Run out tonight, did

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you, he asked, Yeah,
didn't expect to get as much foot traffic

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as I did. Must be new
to the area, aren't you, bingo,

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Melissa replied with a slight smile.
Oh, there's a pretty smile.

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I'm not surprised you weren't more prepared. Then. Halloween is a big night

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and a big deal for those here
in Strickfield, always has been, the

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old man explained, so I've heard. Melissa answered with a small roll of

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her eyes. Not a fan of
Halloween, the man asked, after catching

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her rolling her eyes. Not really, I always found it kind of goofy

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growing up. If anything, living
here has made me dislike it more constantly

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being surrounded by it doesn't no favors
for me not to mention it's pretty revolting

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seeing kids dressed up as serial killers. Well, it's up to the parents

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what their children want to do.
That's part of the problem. It's disgusting.

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How okay it is that this,
and forgive me for saying it.

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Backwoods town idolizes mass murderers and a
stupid holiday that's only point is to drive

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candy sales and horror movie reynolds.
Truth be told, I wouldn't even be

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buying this if I wasn't afraid of
having the little rugrats kick my door down.

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They'd probably try to eat me in
place of the candy, Melissa ranted

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to the store owner. She paused
after finishing her sentence and looked at the

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old man. His face, which
minutes ago showed an old warmth and pleasantness,

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was now replaced by cold eyes and
a frowned, furrowed brow. Something

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about the old man's face and how
he was now holding his body made the

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hairs on Melissa's neck stand up and
put her on edge. It was as

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if her insulting the holiday had a
offended the once kind sales clerk. Having

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committed a mortal sin. Melissa felt
her cheeks grow hot from embarrassment at the

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situation. Uh uh, how much
do I owe you? She asked cautiously.

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Well, dear, let's just call
it paying it forward. He answered,

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I don't get it, She responded
in confusion. Well, paying it

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forward means I give you these because
of generosity I've received, he explained.

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Oh okay. Melissa carefully reached across
the counter and took the bags of candy.

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She went to walk away and head
back home, but paused. The

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words the old man had just said
rewound and then replayed in her head.

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Melissa turned around and looked at the
old man. Hey, may I ask

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you something? Of course, he
replied, you said you received a generosity.

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I'm curious as to what it was. Melissa questioned. Ah, well,

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let's see. You gave me some
sourness, which, as you could

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expect, is something we use in
many of our goods. Besides, you

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got some chocolate coins, so we
can just consider those your pay for the

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ferryman, the old man elaborated,
before ending with a warm smile. Melissa

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looked in confused terror at the old
man. On one hand, She didn't

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understand what any of this had to
do with generosity, Yet something about how

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he spoke and the way he was
smiling made her feel as if a terrible

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event was going to happen. Right, well, I gotta go, Melissa

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choked out. She turned around to
leave, only to find herself surrounded by

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what she assumed was the old man's
family. Each one was dressed in the

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same amish like attire, the only
difference being for the girls, who wore

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00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:02.119
dresses of the same fashion. Melissa
couldn't believe they had appeared as quickly as

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00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:06.440
they did, and found herself equally
unable to find a way to escape their

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encircling of her. As they got
closer and closer, Melissa felt panic overtake

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her, shutting down all brain function
and leaving her like a defenseless newborn baby.

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She dropped the candy save for the
chocolate coins, remembering what the man

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had said. Yes, yes,
I think this might be the best treat

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we could have gotten this year.
Now, remember, children, we must

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remember to pay it forward. Strickfield
gave us this wonderful package of ingredients.

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Yes yes, new from crows in
hand Old Time General Store, short on

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00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:49.920
candy bars, but need something sweet
for your tricker treaters. Try our new

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00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:55.599
sour nut clusters. All the salty
crunchiness of the nuts you love with the

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00:19:55.720 --> 00:20:00.240
sourness and coating of your favorite candies. They're so crunchy and sour you'd almost

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00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:04.200
think we made them from your worst
enemies. So come on down and get

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00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:10.359
yourself our new sour nut clusters at
croz in hand old time general store.

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00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:19.319
My mind, Jack said, popping
a piece of candy into his mouth.

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00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:26.640
I'm not normally a fan of recycling, but he eats another one. You

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00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:32.400
can't argue with the results. Best
damn sour nuts I've ever tried. Jack

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00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:37.759
began to stroll down the sidewalk,
his cane twirling in his hands. Strickfield

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attracts killers and fiends of all types. Humans, ghosts, vampires, werewolves,

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Everything and anything is possible in Strickfield. It baffles me why any good

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00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:56.640
hearted mortal who makes it out would
ever come back. But if they did,

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00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:03.839
wouldn't it be grand if if they
unintentionally brought death and destruction with them.

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Not only is Strickfield a cruel bitch, it also has a wicked sense

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of humor. He grandly gestured at
a pair of women across the street.

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00:21:14.839 --> 00:21:18.039
Well, we'll see what happens to
these two young ladies in just a moment.

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00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:25.599
But first, here's something even more
terrifying for you. A word from

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00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:30.720
our sponsors. What you think hell
pays? Well, not a chance.

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00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:38.880
Halloween Cookies by Keith Tomlin. Children, teenagers, and even adults walked the

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00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:45.000
streets in costume, their laughter reverberating
in the chilly October air. Two women,

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Megan Smith and her aged mother May, turned off the sidewalk and headed

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up a walkway to the front door
of a modest, yellow two story home.

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May was all smiles as she looked
around the neighborhood she lived in for

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00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:04.359
most of When they reached the door, Megan rapped sharply and they waited.

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Within a few seconds, the door
was opened by a slightly overweight man in

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his early thirties dressed as beetlejuice.
Trick or Treat. May yelled, trick

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00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:21.000
or treat, the man said back
to her. Suddenly, his eyes grew

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00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:25.680
wide as he realized who was standing
at his door. Auntie, May,

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00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:30.960
is that you, Daniel? I
wouldn't have recognized you if Megan hadn't told

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me that you lived here. Daniel
stepped forward and gave May a gentle hug,

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00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:41.920
trying not to smash the covered tray
that she was carrying. I haven't

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00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:47.359
seen you in what fifteen years?
Let me get Sarah. Daniel stepped back

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00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:51.240
inside and yelled for Sarah, his
wife. After not hearing a response,

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he apologized. She's giving the baby
a bath and putting him to bed.

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00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:57.119
Why don't you come in and wait? She would love to see you.

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Sorry, dear May said, patting
his cheek. I have a lot of

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houses to visit tonight. After all, it's Halloween. Don't worry, though,

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I'm moving back to Strickfield, so
you'll see a lot more of me.

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00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:15.039
I'm moving in with Megan and her
boyfriend. She lowered her voice.

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I was living with my other daughter
in Phoenix, but she's getting divorced and

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00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:23.759
had to move into a smaller house. Mother, don't air our dirty laundry

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in public, Megan said, aghast, oh, hush, Daniel is family.

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May retorted. When May lived in
this neighborhood, she considered any kid

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within eight blocks of her house and
their parents family. She would give every

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00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:45.160
kid small but thoughtful gifts for birthdays
and Christmases. She never said no to

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00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:49.400
babysitting, and her house was a
wonderful, chaotic mess of children. She

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00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:53.759
loved every second of it. Twelve
years ago, after her husband passed,

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00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:57.640
her health began to fail, and
her children convinced her to move to the

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warm and dry cloth climate of Arizona. The losses of her beloved husband and

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00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:07.720
her adopted family blew out the spark
she had in her eyes, and her

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00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:14.279
life in Arizona became one of mere
existence. But now that she was back

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00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:18.880
in Strickfield, there was a new
bounce in her step. May was about

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00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.839
to ask about Daniel's parents when she
noticed a young, green faced child with

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big eyes peering around his legs.
My who is this, May exclaimed.

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00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:36.319
Daniel gently scooted the child forward.
This is Chloe, my daughter, he

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00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:41.400
said proudly. I'm a Ninja turtle. Chloe said, shyly, pointing at

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00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:45.920
her Leonardo costume. Oh that sounds
like fun. Do you eat flies?

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00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:51.640
May asked, bending down to look
the little girl in the face. Chloe

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00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:56.920
laughed, No, silly, I
eat pizza. Good choice, May said,

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00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:02.599
do you eat cookies? Chloe's eye
brightened at that, Yes, Ninja,

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00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:07.119
turtles can eat cookies, she exclaimed. May looked up at Daniel,

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00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:11.960
who nodded. Let's see, she
said, as she opened up her tupperware

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00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:15.720
tray. We don't have turtles,
but we do have bats, spiders,

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00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:22.920
kitty cats and wolves. Oh I'll
take a wolf, Chloe said, excitedly,

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00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.279
reaching out. There you go,
Dear May smiled as she handed the

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little one a sugar cookie shaped like
a wolf. Chloe turned and ran deeper

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00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:34.960
into the house, holding the cookie
to her chest like she was afraid that

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00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:40.720
someone would take it from her.
Daniel called after her, Hey, come

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00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:45.000
back and thank Auntie May. Sighing, he turned back and apologized. May

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00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:49.240
waved the apology off, and after
her daughter helped her stand back up,

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00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:56.240
she held out the tray to Daniel
care for a cookie. Daniel's shoulders slumped.

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00:25:56.160 --> 00:26:00.440
I wish I could. I always
loved your cookies, but I'm diabetic

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00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:03.480
and I have already dipped into her
candy bag more than I should have this

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00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:08.680
evening. They stood there for a
few minutes more and exchanged their goodbyes,

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00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:12.880
ending with May promising to stop by
on Saturday to meet the rest of the

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00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:18.720
family. As the women turned to
walk away. Megan realized that she hadn't

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00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:25.279
seen her mother this happy since before
her father died. Chloe played with her

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00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:30.559
teenage mutant Ninja turtle action figures,
acting out scenarios where they saved April O'Neill

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00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:34.559
from a rampaging wolf in the form
of May's sugar cookie. When this became

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00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:38.839
boring, she had Leonardo cut the
head off the wolf cookie, ending the

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00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:45.799
threat. She celebrated by eating the
cookie head first, savoring each bite.

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00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:49.960
Chloe put her figures away, grabbing
her coloring books, and began to carefully

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00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:55.759
draw within the lines. After a
few minutes, she started to sweat and

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00:26:55.839 --> 00:27:00.799
a feeling of intense fear began washing
over her. She started to yell out

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00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:06.079
for her father, but something,
a feeling of apprehension, held her back.

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00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:11.000
A figure passed her open door,
causing Chloe to shrink back in terror.

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00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:17.519
The creature looked like a monster,
one of the wolfmen from the scary

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00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:22.079
movies that her parents didn't let her
watch, but she did anyway. She

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00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:26.440
heard the front door open, snarls
and howls floated down the hall, ending

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00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:33.200
when the front door was shut.
She sat there on her bed paralyzed until

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00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.839
the creature walked by again, Pausing
in her doorway, it stared at her,

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00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:42.920
its lips curled back in rage,
spittle spraying from its mouth as it

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00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.480
glowered at her. Chloe broke her
stillness as she screamed and rolled off the

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00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:52.960
bed. Grabbing the plastic katana from
her costume, she dove under the bed.

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00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:59.160
She waited, trembling with fear,
until the wolfman on his knees,

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00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:03.799
pulled the blame think It aside and
peered at her, his long teeth glinting

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00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:10.880
in the lamplight. Chloe screamed again
and thrust the sword forward, catching the

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00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:15.640
monster in the face. It pulled
back and led out a horrific howl as

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00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:23.079
she scuttled out the other side and
ran out of the room. My god,

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00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:26.319
it's so good to see you,
aunt, May, Christine said,

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00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:30.200
giving the old woman another hug.
Same here, my dear, it's so

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00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:36.200
good to be back. I've been
gone for way too long, May replied.

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00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:40.680
Christine waved her daughter over and presented
her to May. This is d

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00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:45.200
She would have been two or three
the last time you saw her. My,

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00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:51.119
she's grown into such a lovely girl. May exclaimed, Christine looked down

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00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:55.680
at her daughter and pointed at May. D. This is Auntie May.

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00:28:56.119 --> 00:29:00.640
She was everyone's favorite neighbor when we
were growing up. D looked at May

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00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:04.480
and, in a flat, bored
tone, said hi. She looked back

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00:29:04.519 --> 00:29:07.359
at her mom and asked, can
I go to my room and listen to

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00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:15.880
music. Christine sighed fine, go
D began to walk away when May spoke,

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00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:21.079
Oh, I almost forgot. Do
you want a Halloween cookie? She

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00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:26.319
held out the tray to the girl. D hesitated and nodded, grabbing a

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00:29:26.359 --> 00:29:30.599
cookie shaped like a spider before walking
off. I'm sorry, you know how

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00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:36.920
teenagers are, Christine said, apologetic, Oh, dear, no need to

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00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:41.000
tell me. May responded, pointedly, looking at Megan. Nonsense. I

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00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:45.720
was an angel, Megan said,
playfully, smacking her mother on the shoulder.

328
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:52.480
D flopped on the bed, grabbing
her phone out of her back pocket

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00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:56.000
and putting in her earbuds. She
absently ate the cookie as she scrolled through

330
00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:02.279
Instagram posts and listened to music.
After a few minutes, she began to

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00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:07.400
feel strange, like someone was watching
her. The hair on the back of

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00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:14.519
her neck was standing up. She
removed the earbuds and heard screeching and scratching

333
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:19.519
coming from the other room. She
slowly rose from the bed and made her

334
00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:26.720
way into the hall. Scott is
working second shift at mir and Automotive.

335
00:30:27.079 --> 00:30:30.599
He'll be sorry he missed you.
Let's all get together and have dinner some

336
00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:36.160
night at Denoyer's grill, Christine said, Noticing the look on May's face,

337
00:30:36.279 --> 00:30:38.599
she said, sorry, I forgot
you have an issue with that place.

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00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:42.759
Mom is slowly getting over it now
that she's not able to cook as much

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00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:48.720
as she used to. Megan said, May couldn't contain herself. I don't

340
00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:52.559
think you can call something homemade if
it's being cooked in the back of a

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00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:56.319
kitchen of a diner. Besides,
I still say that they stole my recipe

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00:30:56.400 --> 00:31:06.319
for country fried chicken gravy. May
huh d snuck down the hall, the

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00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:11.400
clicking and scraping getting louder with every
step. She stopped at the doorway to

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00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:15.240
the living room and peered around the
corner. She quickly pulled back, stifling

345
00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:21.119
a scream. Fighting the panic that
threatened to a mobilizer. She looked around

346
00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:26.160
the corner again. Standing where her
mother had been was a humanoid creature with

347
00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:30.160
the head of a spider. In
addition to the two legs the creature was

348
00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:36.960
standing on, there were six thin
spider like legs sticking out of its back.

349
00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:42.519
The legs absently tapped and scraped along
the open front door and the walls

350
00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:48.839
surrounding it. Two other spider creatures
stood on the porch, and all three

351
00:31:48.920 --> 00:31:53.799
were emitting high pitched noises. D
slowly backed down the hall, her heart

352
00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:59.640
racing as she tried to clear her
head. She thought, what would Dad

353
00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:05.799
do? Then she remembered the shotgun. Every year on his birthday, he

354
00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:08.759
took her to the Sportsman Club to
shoot skeet. So she knew how to

355
00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:14.920
use a shotgun and she knew where
he kept it. Decision made, she

356
00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:21.319
turned and ran toward her parents' room. Daniel looked at his eye in the

357
00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:24.119
mirror. It was swelling shut and
he couldn't see anything out of it.

358
00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:29.039
His wife, Sarah, walked into
the room and put her arm around him.

359
00:32:29.720 --> 00:32:34.759
How's your eye, she asked,
Not good? I'll probably have to

360
00:32:34.759 --> 00:32:38.519
go to the er. Daniel said, Chloe's not in her room. Sarah

361
00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:44.240
said, I wonder what got into
her. I have no idea. I

362
00:32:44.359 --> 00:32:46.640
was asking her if she liked the
cookie when she freaked out and hid under

363
00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:51.319
the bed. When I checked on
her, she jabbed me with that damn

364
00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:55.799
sword, Daniel said, wincing with
pain as he dabbed a damp washcloth around

365
00:32:55.799 --> 00:33:00.480
his eye, cleaning up some of
the fresh blood seeping from it. I'll

366
00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:05.279
keep looking for her. Hopefully she
didn't leave the house. His wife said,

367
00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:09.039
she was scared to death, poor
thing. As soon as we find

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00:33:09.079 --> 00:33:13.319
her and calm her down, I'll
head to the hospital. Daniel said,

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00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:16.640
No, I don't want you driving. We should call an ambulance, Sarah

370
00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:22.720
said. Daniel was about to protest
when he heard light footsteps running down the

371
00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:30.319
hall. Chloe stormed into the room, wearing the full Leonardo costume and brandishing

372
00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:36.279
a large butcher's knife. She began
swinging it wildly with almost superhuman strength,

373
00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:43.559
plunging it first into her father and
then into her mother, over and over

374
00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:50.160
again. A few minutes later,
Chloe stood over the remains of the two

375
00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:53.920
wolf monsters. She was wiping blood
from her face when she heard the high

376
00:33:53.920 --> 00:34:00.119
pitched howling coming from the baby's room. She gripped the knife with determination and

377
00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:12.000
turned, walking out of the bathroom. Christine examined the cookie in her hand,

378
00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:16.119
shaped like a cat. Wow,
the details on these cookies are amazing,

379
00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:22.480
she exclaimed, I know, perfect
for Halloween. When I moved in

380
00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:27.360
with Megan, she gave me an
amazing set of horror themed cookie cutters.

381
00:34:27.400 --> 00:34:30.280
May said, I found them at
some hole in the wall antique store near

382
00:34:30.320 --> 00:34:37.679
the Strickfield Town Center mall called Tinkers
or something like that. The owner was

383
00:34:37.719 --> 00:34:42.880
a bit peculiar, but the prices
were amazing, Megan interjected. Christine was

384
00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:46.480
about to take a bite when she
heard a yell behind her. As she

385
00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:58.239
turned the unmistakable sound of a shotgun
being racked filled her ears. Jack holds

386
00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:04.039
up one finger like he's waiting for
something off in the near distance. You

387
00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:09.119
can hear gunshots, and Jack swings
his hands back and forth like he's conducting

388
00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:15.360
a symphony. The people milling about
the street jump startled and look around,

389
00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:22.639
Not seeing any immediate threat, They
hurry on about their business. When the

390
00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:29.039
last shot ends, he sighs,
Oh, well, that was fun while

391
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:32.440
it lasted. You have to give
it up for Isley Tinker. He does

392
00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:37.079
good work. I don't know how
he stays in business selling cursed antiques at

393
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:45.199
such low prices. Artists. Jack
rolls his eyes. Jack begins to continue

394
00:35:45.239 --> 00:35:51.760
strolling down the street when suddenly he
stops. Wait. I know that smell,

395
00:35:52.599 --> 00:36:00.280
the sickly sweet scent of decay,
Jack said, breathing deeply. I

396
00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:05.480
think we're in for a treat,
he said, almost giddy with anticipation.

397
00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:10.519
That's what I love about Strickfield.
You never know who you'll run into.

398
00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:15.920
He turns and points at the house
up the block. Ah, there we

399
00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:22.000
go. I wish I had popcorn
because I am expecting quite a show.

400
00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:27.119
Smoke him if you got him,
Jack said, as he lit up another

401
00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:40.360
cigar. After a quick word from
our sponsors, of course, h Beggar's

402
00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:49.559
Night massacre by Rob Fields. As
I walked down Park Avenue with my plastic

403
00:36:49.599 --> 00:36:52.880
pumpkin basket and my drink bottle,
I got to thinking more about how the

404
00:36:52.960 --> 00:36:58.719
village of Strickfield made Tricker Treating a
full week instead of just one night.

405
00:36:59.519 --> 00:37:04.400
This year, I heard people calling
the last full week of Halloween Beggar's Week.

406
00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:07.320
I think I can see why the
people here call it that. By

407
00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:13.400
definition, Beggar's Night is when tricker
Treating falls on any other night but Halloween.

408
00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:19.519
But now there are six additional nights
of tricker treating prior to Halloween right

409
00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:24.280
here in this village, meaning the
first six nights are technically beggars nights.

410
00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:29.400
I take a quick drink of the
red liquid from my bottle and see the

411
00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:32.599
porch light of my next house.
I walk up to the door of nineteen

412
00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:38.480
Park Avenue and ring the bell.
I can hear Bobby Pickett's Monster Mash playing

413
00:37:38.519 --> 00:37:44.960
inside. The door opens, making
the music louder, and that's when I

414
00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:51.480
see her, Megan Harris. I
ask, Megan's dressed like a sexy vampire.

415
00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:55.840
I am also dressed as a vampire, only I look more like Dracula.

416
00:37:57.639 --> 00:38:00.880
Megan opens the screen door. I
think you're too old to be trick

417
00:38:00.960 --> 00:38:05.840
or treating, Richie, she says, holding the large bowl of candy in

418
00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:10.400
her arm. I smirk. Not
in Strickfield, anybody can trick or treat

419
00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:16.840
here. No judgments or age discrimination. Never has been anyway where you been

420
00:38:16.920 --> 00:38:22.760
hiding. People at Strickfield High have
been saying you disappeared two years ago.

421
00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:29.039
Megan smiles a little. I'm here
now. Just then, this beefy guy

422
00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:32.320
comes and stands at the door with
her. I don't care what Strickfield Law

423
00:38:32.440 --> 00:38:37.239
says about trick or treating. You're
too old, Dweb. Then he grins,

424
00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:44.159
Yeah, maybe you're in your second
childhood. He scowls now get lost,

425
00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:49.480
fuck stick, but I ignore him. You know I've been looking everywhere

426
00:38:49.480 --> 00:38:52.519
for you, too, Megan.
Then the guy whom I recognize as Mike

427
00:38:52.599 --> 00:38:59.239
Stanley opens the door and steps out
onto the porch. You deaf nerd beat

428
00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:04.079
it or I am gonna beat your
ass, Mike. Just stop. Megan

429
00:39:04.119 --> 00:39:08.320
snaps, this is my house,
just like that. The buffoon listens to

430
00:39:08.360 --> 00:39:13.360
her and backs off, and I
know he'd like nothing better than to lay

431
00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:19.159
into me. Megan turns back.
Hey, since you're here, I'm inviting

432
00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:22.639
you to my party. Come on
in, Richie Hawthorne. Are you fucking

433
00:39:22.840 --> 00:39:29.679
serious, Megan, Mike protests.
Megan glares at him again. Last time,

434
00:39:29.960 --> 00:39:31.960
shut the fuck up, or you
can leave right here and now.

435
00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:37.360
This is my house and I'll invite
whoever I want. I don't give a

436
00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:42.679
rats ass what, Ken says.
She points to him again. Just stop

437
00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:46.639
again, Mike obazer. Then Megan
steps aside to let me come in.

438
00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:52.159
There are plenty of people from Strickfield
High here at Megan's shindig and in costume,

439
00:39:52.599 --> 00:39:58.280
people are drinking cups of what looks
like red punch. The TV's on.

440
00:39:58.679 --> 00:40:02.000
A news report about people disappearing from
area high schools is on. I

441
00:40:02.119 --> 00:40:07.679
watch the report, attentively reading the
lips of the people talking over the loud

442
00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:13.679
music. Then Megan comes up beside
me. Listen. I'm really glad you're

443
00:40:13.679 --> 00:40:16.800
here at my party tonight. I
let Megan bring me into the kitchen.

444
00:40:17.280 --> 00:40:22.119
She opens the fridge and gives me
a can of soda, even though the

445
00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:24.679
others are drinking out of two big
punch bowls on the dining room table.

446
00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:30.440
Megan just stands there expectedly. I
turn and follow her through the kitchen and

447
00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:36.119
out the back door. As soon
as we're private enough. She turns and

448
00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:40.920
faces me. I've been watching the
news. I tell Megan, how long

449
00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:45.159
did you think it would be before
your parents ended up being featured on it?

450
00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:49.360
How long were they out looking for
you after you disappeared from Strickfield.

451
00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:53.679
Megan kind of looks desperate. Now
I know you haven't lived here in Strickfield

452
00:40:53.760 --> 00:40:59.159
for long, Richie. You have
no idea how my parents constantly smothered me

453
00:40:59.199 --> 00:41:01.920
with their religion. It was always
them telling me to read my bible,

454
00:41:02.039 --> 00:41:06.800
or tuck my shirt in, or
my skirt's too short. I couldn't take

455
00:41:06.840 --> 00:41:10.840
it anymore. I had to lose
them. I raise my finger. Yeah,

456
00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:15.639
but you just ran away from home. You never showed up at school.

457
00:41:15.280 --> 00:41:20.079
The police were out looking for you. If you were that desperate to

458
00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:24.440
leave, you should have just left
Strickfield. But here you are, out

459
00:41:24.440 --> 00:41:30.039
of the blue, having a Halloween
party and hosting trick or treating? Aren't

460
00:41:30.079 --> 00:41:35.519
you afraid people might recognize you?
Cops are stepping up their patrols this week.

461
00:41:36.039 --> 00:41:38.760
What if they saw you? Face
it? Megan, You're not exactly

462
00:41:38.800 --> 00:41:43.679
a subtle kind of girl. The
two of us look at each other for

463
00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:47.360
a long while, and then things
are about to get serious when we hear

464
00:41:47.400 --> 00:41:52.119
people hooping and hollering nearby. As
soon as we go back inside, this

465
00:41:52.239 --> 00:41:58.079
gang of hoodlums enters Megan's house.
The others already here don't seem to care.

466
00:41:58.639 --> 00:42:04.360
They're all drinking their red and doing
whatever. I remember seeing these guys

467
00:42:04.360 --> 00:42:08.519
at Strickfield High. The leader is
ken Stover. He's probably been in more

468
00:42:08.559 --> 00:42:15.400
trouble with Principal Van Deste than Bella
Tabon and Ronnie Brunswick combined. Suddenly,

469
00:42:15.519 --> 00:42:20.920
Ken pulls Megan to him and locks
her in a hungry kiss. Megan wraps

470
00:42:20.920 --> 00:42:24.239
her leg around him and kisses him
back. When they finish, he shoves

471
00:42:24.239 --> 00:42:29.679
her away. Then he goes and
smashes the sound system to kill the music.

472
00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:35.800
Now everyone's looking right at him,
Look at you fuckers having a Halloween

473
00:42:35.920 --> 00:42:40.480
party. Then Ken screams at Megan, you didn't invite us, you stupid

474
00:42:40.519 --> 00:42:45.280
bitch. He quickly shoves her to
the floor. Did you forget who's running

475
00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:51.480
the show around here? Yeah?
Not inviting us ain't polite. Darren Jeevers

476
00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.320
adds, we ought to just give
Megan to the cops and tell him she's

477
00:42:54.440 --> 00:43:00.719
back. Bart Parker suggests. Then
Gerald Atkins points right at me. Who's

478
00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:05.800
this fuck? He ain't one of
us. Ken comes right at me.

479
00:43:06.519 --> 00:43:10.639
I know nobody invited you to our
group? Know why because ain't nobody part

480
00:43:10.679 --> 00:43:15.920
of this group? Without me saying
so, I invited him? Megan snaps,

481
00:43:16.079 --> 00:43:22.360
standing up. Ken points right behind
him at her, and I'm uninviting

482
00:43:22.440 --> 00:43:25.079
him. He points at me.
Now get the fuck out of here,

483
00:43:25.199 --> 00:43:30.360
you panty waste. But Megan isn't
done yet. We all know the Master's

484
00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:36.000
coming. What if he decides Richie
might be a worthy offering. You never

485
00:43:36.119 --> 00:43:40.519
disappoint the Master, I can tell
Ken still wants me gone. He backs

486
00:43:40.519 --> 00:43:45.559
off, however, and pats my
shoulder. Enjoy yourself, fuck face.

487
00:43:45.480 --> 00:43:51.800
Suddenly the doorbell rings. The gang
answers the door to see two pizza delivery

488
00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:58.480
guys standing there with a bunch of
pies delivery for nineteen Park Avenue. One

489
00:43:58.519 --> 00:44:01.840
of them stammers. Ken opens the
screen door and yanks them both inside.

490
00:44:02.159 --> 00:44:07.639
The pizza boxes spin or drop to
the floor. Then I see the entire

491
00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:12.800
gang shut her before they charge.
Their hands become claws, their faces get

492
00:44:12.840 --> 00:44:17.880
even uglier than they already were,
and then the others here are transforming.

493
00:44:19.559 --> 00:44:24.679
Ken tells everybody, pizzas here,
help yourselves. The pizza guys scream in

494
00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:29.920
total terror as they leap to their
feet and try running. But where can

495
00:44:29.960 --> 00:44:36.280
you run in a house full of
bloodthirsty vampires. Suddenly Ken shoves me aside

496
00:44:36.400 --> 00:44:40.000
out of the fucking way, milksop. The pizza guys keep running before Mikey

497
00:44:40.039 --> 00:44:45.679
Stanley snags one of them. Megan
snatches the other one. He points to

498
00:44:45.719 --> 00:44:50.159
the pizza guy Megan has give me
that one, but Megan won't give him

499
00:44:50.159 --> 00:44:54.760
over. We save them for the
Master. Ken raises his hand to Striker.

500
00:44:55.280 --> 00:45:00.480
You keep forgetting your place here,
bitch. I'm calling the sho shots

501
00:45:00.480 --> 00:45:04.119
here. Only reason I took you
with me was because you was running from

502
00:45:04.159 --> 00:45:08.480
the Master. He made you,
but you ran away when I found you.

503
00:45:08.480 --> 00:45:13.079
You needed blood. He kept saying, the Master's coming. We still

504
00:45:13.079 --> 00:45:15.679
ain't seen him. If he's so
fucking bad ass, how come he ain't

505
00:45:15.719 --> 00:45:20.559
never found you? Huh? Also, you ain't never seen what he looks

506
00:45:20.639 --> 00:45:24.519
like. Megan shakes her head.
I'm telling you, Ken, you're greatly

507
00:45:24.639 --> 00:45:30.679
underestimating him. I did escape,
but I can feel he's very close.

508
00:45:30.519 --> 00:45:35.119
I never should have run away.
You can't beat him, Ken, He'll

509
00:45:35.199 --> 00:45:38.159
kill you. She addresses the others
at the party. Now all of you

510
00:45:39.039 --> 00:45:44.559
now. Ken finally strikes her,
sending her to the floor again. Nobody

511
00:45:44.599 --> 00:45:49.199
comes to her aid. Ken turns
and points at me. Grab him too,

512
00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:53.360
there's another mortal for us. Megan
suddenly jumps on Ken's back. Run

513
00:45:53.480 --> 00:45:58.599
Ritchie, get off of me,
bitch, Ken yells, get the milksop

514
00:45:58.679 --> 00:46:02.199
guys. I quick turn and run
through Megan's house. I grab my pumpkin

515
00:46:02.280 --> 00:46:06.760
basket of candy. As I reach
the back door and escape, I don't

516
00:46:06.800 --> 00:46:10.079
get far when I'm grabbed and pulled
back into the house. Now I'm thrown

517
00:46:10.119 --> 00:46:15.239
to the floor next to the pizza
guys. Ken rubs his hands together.

518
00:46:15.000 --> 00:46:21.119
Boys, we are gonna have a
banquet. He points to Mike. How

519
00:46:21.159 --> 00:46:24.920
about you order us some more pizzas
Mike pulls his cell phone out and starts

520
00:46:24.920 --> 00:46:30.039
to punch in a number. Then
I hear some of the other vampires making

521
00:46:30.119 --> 00:46:36.039
noise about something. Now I see
the house is catching fire, just like

522
00:46:36.119 --> 00:46:40.360
that. What the fuck? Ken
yells. Now the fire starts burning the

523
00:46:40.440 --> 00:46:46.159
vampires until they're being smothered by it, all except Megan, Me and the

524
00:46:46.199 --> 00:46:51.440
pizza guys. Megan quickly grabs my
arm. Let's get out of here.

525
00:46:51.559 --> 00:46:54.400
The master's here. He's burning everybody
in here alive. I won't let him

526
00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:59.440
take you two. The four of
us make it through the burning vampires and

527
00:46:59.480 --> 00:47:02.559
to the back door. We're out
in the backyard and keep moving. As

528
00:47:02.599 --> 00:47:07.800
soon as we're far enough, we
turn to see the houses completely engulfed in

529
00:47:07.840 --> 00:47:13.480
flames. We even hear the vampires
inside screaming as their immortality is ending.

530
00:47:13.800 --> 00:47:17.320
Most cruelly. Megan and I keep
moving with the pizza guys until we're in

531
00:47:17.320 --> 00:47:22.440
a small wooded area. We made
it, richie. Megan says, we're

532
00:47:22.480 --> 00:47:27.559
safe, We're free. Now.
She's about to take my hand, but

533
00:47:27.679 --> 00:47:31.920
suddenly I slap hers away. Did
you really think I would never find you,

534
00:47:32.039 --> 00:47:36.599
Megan? You were a fool to
think you could truly escape me.

535
00:47:37.400 --> 00:47:40.519
I use my power to force Megan
to fly back and hit hard against a

536
00:47:40.519 --> 00:47:45.800
big tree and fall forward. She
lifts her head up and looks at me

537
00:47:45.119 --> 00:47:52.960
with utter horror. Now you can't
be the master. I smile cruelly now

538
00:47:52.639 --> 00:47:58.679
and lean forward and slash both of
the delivery guy's throats with my long,

539
00:47:59.239 --> 00:48:04.599
sharp claw. Then I drink them
both up. When I'm finished, I

540
00:48:04.679 --> 00:48:08.840
look right at her, you ungrateful
cow. I came to you and offered

541
00:48:08.880 --> 00:48:14.320
you a way out of your miserable, mortal life. I gave you immortality,

542
00:48:14.440 --> 00:48:17.320
and running away is how you repay
me. At least now I know

543
00:48:17.719 --> 00:48:24.360
and understand where your kind come from. You only care about yourselves, truly.

544
00:48:24.440 --> 00:48:30.239
I was foolish to sire you for
your beauty alone. No it's not

545
00:48:30.400 --> 00:48:37.119
like that, Megan protests, standing
up I point to her. Now too

546
00:48:37.199 --> 00:48:42.679
late. You've abused the gift of
immortality, giving it to all those unworthy

547
00:48:42.880 --> 00:48:46.920
vermin back there. You even killed
your own parents in cold blood. When

548
00:48:46.960 --> 00:48:54.119
will you understand you became mine?
When I sired you mine, I would

549
00:48:54.159 --> 00:48:59.719
have given you your heart's desire.
All you had to do was stand by

550
00:48:59.800 --> 00:49:07.280
me and obey me. Now I
must destroy you. I reach into my

551
00:49:07.360 --> 00:49:13.400
suit coat and pull out a very
sharp steak. No, ritchie, Megan

552
00:49:13.440 --> 00:49:16.760
begs, please, No. I
could have just left you to burn in

553
00:49:16.800 --> 00:49:21.280
that fire with the others, but
that would have been showing you mercy.

554
00:49:22.360 --> 00:49:28.440
You need to suffer for your betrayal
and your treachery. I kick Megan to

555
00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:31.800
the ground and get on top of
her. Megan screams as I raise the

556
00:49:31.880 --> 00:49:38.000
steak and end her. Once she's
nothing but ash, I stand up and

557
00:49:38.119 --> 00:49:44.880
retrieve my plastic pumpkin basket. There's
still plenty of time to go trick or

558
00:49:44.920 --> 00:49:54.519
treating while looking for more food.
That's the problem with kids today, ungrateful

559
00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:59.480
for the gifts they are given,
Jack stated as he shook his head.

560
00:50:00.039 --> 00:50:04.440
As a fire truck pulled up to
the burning house, sirens blaring. Jack

561
00:50:04.519 --> 00:50:08.039
took a peek at his watch.
Oh my, it's getting late. I

562
00:50:08.159 --> 00:50:13.519
have to head down south soon,
but I can't leave without partaking in the

563
00:50:13.559 --> 00:50:20.679
best sport that Strickfield has to offer. Hmm, let's see. Jack opened

564
00:50:20.760 --> 00:50:24.360
up his jacket to show a row
of knives attached to the inner lining.

565
00:50:25.480 --> 00:50:32.920
Decisions, decisions. Jack finally selected
a long, thin razor sharp blade and

566
00:50:34.039 --> 00:50:38.559
tested the balance in his hand.
I must leave you now. I prefer

567
00:50:38.599 --> 00:50:47.599
to do my wet work alone.
Goodbye until next year. Toodles my friends,

568
00:50:49.360 --> 00:50:59.079
Jack said, waving goodbye. I
consider myself quite a host, but

569
00:50:59.320 --> 00:51:02.280
I gotta admit Jack Scratch, he
knows what's up. Thank you so much

570
00:51:02.320 --> 00:51:07.360
for enjoying. Get another episode of
Weekly Spooky as we do thirty one shows

571
00:51:07.840 --> 00:51:12.239
in thirty one days of October.
It has been a fun experience. I've

572
00:51:12.280 --> 00:51:15.199
even heard from a bunch of you
guys. You've been leaving comments over at

573
00:51:15.199 --> 00:51:20.079
Spotify and sending emails to me at
Weekly Spooky at gmail dot com. And

574
00:51:20.119 --> 00:51:23.440
I just want to say I encourage
that. Remember that if you send a

575
00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:28.760
comment over on Spotify, if it
publishes, that means I read it and

576
00:51:28.800 --> 00:51:31.159
I appreciated it. And if you
send me an email at Weekly Spooky at

577
00:51:31.159 --> 00:51:36.559
gmail dot com. I'll write back
to you immediately, so before we get

578
00:51:36.599 --> 00:51:38.079
out of here, I do want
to mention if you're a big fan of

579
00:51:38.119 --> 00:51:43.840
Strickfield and of course this episode,
which took place in the in Weekly spookys

580
00:51:43.920 --> 00:51:49.360
world of Strickfield, you can get
a brand new Strickfield High School sweatshirt at

581
00:51:49.400 --> 00:51:54.039
the Weekly Spooky store at Weeklyspooky dot
com. Grab yourself one today and show

582
00:51:54.079 --> 00:51:59.880
your love and support for the Strickfield
villagers. Go fight and pitchforks. I

583
00:52:00.119 --> 00:52:02.679
appreciate all the merchandise sales we've made
so far this month. You guys really

584
00:52:02.719 --> 00:52:07.760
help us keep the spooky going.
And speaking of keeping the Spooky going,

585
00:52:07.800 --> 00:52:10.960
I want to say an extra special
thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters,

586
00:52:12.000 --> 00:52:15.599
folks who pay just a little bit
more to hear their names on the show.

587
00:52:15.800 --> 00:52:20.800
And they are Johnny Nicks babotopia dot
com, Megan Hua, Julia Kersh,

588
00:52:21.000 --> 00:52:23.800
Brent mccallaugh, Steve King, Karen
we Met, Jack Kerr, and

589
00:52:23.920 --> 00:52:28.000
Craig Cohen. Thank you all from
the bottom of my black heart. And

590
00:52:28.119 --> 00:52:30.239
if you want to hear your name
at the end of every episode of Weekly

591
00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:36.719
Spooky, just go to Weeklyspooky dot
com, click on Patreon and choose any

592
00:52:36.760 --> 00:52:40.760
tear at fifteen dollars or higher to
hear your name out of my silky smooth

593
00:52:40.840 --> 00:52:44.400
voice. And if you want to
hang out with us all on Facebook,

594
00:52:44.719 --> 00:52:49.000
just go to Facebook and type in
weekly Spooky's Tomb of Terror, where myself

595
00:52:49.039 --> 00:52:52.840
and many of our authors hang out
and share memes and scary stories and all

596
00:52:52.880 --> 00:52:55.239
that good stuff. But anyway,
my friends, I'll be right back here

597
00:52:55.280 --> 00:53:00.159
tomorrow with a brand new novella you've
never heard before and you will not want

598
00:53:00.159 --> 00:53:04.159
to miss it. For myself,
for my producer Dan Wilder, for my

599
00:53:04.199 --> 00:53:07.440
executive producers Joshua Butler and Rob Fields, and my composer Ray Matis, I'll

600
00:53:07.480 --> 00:53:13.960
talk at you tomorrow. Thank you
for listening me. Make sure to find

601
00:53:14.000 --> 00:53:19.840
your way back next week week.
But for now, you are safe,

602
00:53:20.760 --> 00:53:21.840
trust me,