Halloween Terror Tales: Scary Stories of Masks, Mazes, and Madness

0:00 Hello, my spookies. October isn't over yet, and we're not letting it go without a fight. Tonight, We're diving deep into the Weekly Spooky Vault one more time to bring you eight of the scariest, weirdest, and most Halloween soaked stories we've ever shared, packed with haunted cornfields, cursed costumes, masked killers, and late night terrors on the airwaves. Some of these tails will chill your bones and others might just make you check your closet yet again, but all of them are here to make sure you're in that spooky season mindset no matter what you're doing, whether you're going on a nice fall walk or working a double shift.

0:52 We here at Weekly Spooky want you to have a good time with scares, shadows, and to touch of Mayhew. Okay, more than just a touch. I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto, and I ask you please settle in light that pumpkin scented candle and prepare yourself and remember tomorrow there's a brand new horror tale for you to enjoy. Now, let the Halloween horrors begin. Never enter the Old corn Maze On Halloween by William Rayne. There are always plenty of strange rumors circulating in small towns across the world.

1:36 The one I grew up in has everything from tales of lizard creatures beneath the woods to a bizarre bridge that leads you somewhere else if you can cross it on foot. Still, the one tale that I can personally attest to is the haunted corn Maze just outside the city limits. The labyrinth had been out there since law before I came along. What always unsettled me about the thing, be it from simple urban legend or the truth of things, nobody seemed to know who even made it. Another unnerving aspect of it was that, while there was no caretaker, it never became overgrown or unkempt. Sure, the elusive individual who put the whole thing together may well have family members who maintained it when nobody was around. Given the fact that it was out in the middle of nowhere, but nobody knew one way or the other. It was a strange thing, for sure, But the rumors of that place throwing open the door to the other side on that one particular day of the year always freaked me out.

2:45 When I was a kid, it was the Halloween of two thousand and five that I learned this was not a place to be so casually visited, not by the living anyway, not on the thirty first of October. I was around thirteen at the time, while my brother was approaching seventeen. I idolized Derek had since we were kids. Even when he was younger. He always seemed to be so much more worldly than I am, though I imagine just about anyone with a few more years under their belt would come off as more knowledgeable than a wide eyed and curious kid. He had already abandoned the sacred traditions of trick or treating, something I was not yet ready to give up. But when he invited me to attend a party with him on the night of the thirty first, I both eagerly and reluctantly agreed. As much as I loved spending time with my brother, I wasn't thrilled about turning my back on the opportunity to score a bagload of candy. Derek knew how much I loved getting dressed up and going door to door, so he promised me he'd take me around the neighborhood before we headed out that night. Being a costume part alar we were headed to, he decided to bring a bag himself when he joined the crowd of kids playfully running from one house to the next. In all honesty, he looked as happy as I was while we toured the surrounding blocks. Sure, his vampire costume wasn't exactly the most extravagant garb for

4:20 the occasion, slick back hair, phony fangs in his mouth, and a long black coat. Honestly, it paled in comparison to my Michael Meyer's outfit. But I knew his girlfriend Alicia was going to meet up with us at the party, so I couldn't blame him for dressing more stylishly cool and all. Supposedly, her little sister was going to be there as well, something that left me both nervous and a little intimidated. If I'm being honest, I had only recently started appreciating the opposite sex at that time, but it was enough to make my palms sweaty while restricting my tongue's ability to function properly when attempting to form words. Regard Tredless of my apprehensions, I was having a great time just hanging out with Derek even with his friendly reminders that I needed to just be myself when we got there. When the sun finished its descent for the night, it was time for us to head back to the house to pick up my brother's car. We dropped the candy in the house, gave an obligatory goodbye to our folks, and got on the road. I hadn't been informed about where the party was taking place, but I had just assumed it would be at one house or another. When we passed by the last neighborhood before the city limits sign, the butterflies dancing in my stomach began to sink to the bubbling acid below. Where are we going? I asked, though I had a solid idea of the answer. I didn't tell you, Derek said, looking genuinely uncertain. The parties

5:51 out at the old corn Maze. Oh, come on that please? Don't still freak you out, does it? He asked, with a chuckle. What, No, of course not, I just didn't. There's nothing to be scared of, kid, We ain't going into it or anything. Just seemed a good kind of creepy spot for the party, is all I couldn't argue with that. It was one hell of an eerie spot out there in the middle of nowhere. I knew some of the older kids would go out there sometimes, but I still felt uneasy about it. I was certain that most of the stories folks told about the old maze were made up, just spooky tales to mess with the younger generation and all, but they would still get my imagination going. You sure we should be going out there tonight, though, I asked, attempting to hide the trembling in my throat.

6:43 They're just stories, Danny, Derek said, with a smile. You know that, right, I mean, yeah, but it's only to scare people. Kid. Halloween was invented by the candy companies. You know, nowhere gets haunted just because it's the third first. It's all bullshit, just like every other stupid story around these parts. You gotta stop being so scared of everything. When I head off to college, you're gonna be on your own. I love you, kiddo, but I ain't always gonna be around to protect you. It was hard to argue with him, as he fully believed every crazy urban legend to be false, this one more than others. I still felt a little embarrassed by the way he talked to me. Yeah, I was very easily freaked out at that age, but I was getting better that creepy old Labyrinth, though I never wanted to get within a shout of that place. I trusted my brother on just about anything, but I couldn't convince myself to side with him on this.

7:45 A few years before, some guy named Jackson Fiddle supposedly went missing while investigating the Labyrinth just around the thirty first Sure, I didn't even know if he was a real person, being that just about everyone seemed to know everyone in our life town, and I had never heard of the guy before the rumors of his disappearance. The story about the woman who showed up at the emergency room on the morning of November one of ninety eight, all bloody and beaten, though, that one messed me up for a while. From what she said, or from what folks said, she said her car broke down out by the old corn Maze. This being before everyone and their mother had a cell phone, she couldn't reach out to anyone, so she just started walking somehow or another. Whether she got turned around or just wasn't paying attention, she ended up strolling right into the neatly preserved labyrinth. When they asked her why she didn't just turn around, she claimed she tried, but it closed up behind her as soon as she crossed into it. As far as what happened to her when she got lost in there, that varies from person to person. Some say that some local boys up to no good followed her inside after having sabotaged her car to break down. According to that version of things, they beat her and raped her, leaving her for dead in that damned place. After she crawled her way out

9:17 of there, she managed to get back to town, but was never the same since. Other more exaggerated stories claimed that she came up on some devil worshipers in there who tried to sacrifice her before she managed to make her escape. Some even say that she ran into anything from supernatural creatures where wolves or Wendy goes and the like, to aliens looking to run some experiments on her. I think the alien one came around because the pathways through the maze aren't so much cut down as the stalks are folded flat against the ground. Seems like it's sort of like how crop circles are arranged where supposedly no man or machine could have bent them so perfectly, and all that craziness. Oh yeah, a lot of tall tales came from that old place. I suppose my story is no different, or will be when I get done telling it.

10:16 I imagine most will read these words with as much skepticism as Derek had back then. I can't blame any of you, of course, truth be told, I still have a hard time believing it to this day. For the sake of picking up the pace, or in not dragging this out any longer than necessary, I won't waste time getting into much concerning the party itself. Yes, there was a veritable herd of teenagers out there when we arrived, each one dressed in everything from lazy to extravagant costumes. That alone set my mind more at ease when we got there, the fact that everyone there looked to be just having a good time, hidden behind one mask or another.

10:59 We spent more most of our time hanging out with Alicia and Sandra, her sister. She was a bit younger than me, but she was a really cool girl, also quite pretty in her gender swapped Freddy costume. The fact that we were both dressed as eighty slashers made it easier for me to get over my nerves. We talked a lot about scary movies and the like, something we were both huge fans of. Everything was going great, even after I took it upon myself to sneak a beer from the table they had set up beside the keg. It would not be until later in life that I developed a taste for it. That first sip of whatever cheap brand the underage drinkers had gotten their hands on, damn near flipped my stomach. Derek full On slapped the red Solo cup out of my hand when he noticed it, looking at me with an expression of disappointment and anger, before cracking up so hard he spilled his own drink across the grass. Can't blame you for trying, kid, he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, when a couple of the older looking guys walked up, causing my brother to visibly tense up. Our night went from a fun and relaxing time to something that still haunts my dreams to this day. Got some balls showing up here, Russell said, the guy wearing the cheaply made Frankenstein costume, something quite fitting to his considerable bulk. The fact that he called my brother by our surname made me believe this wasn't

12:29 just friendly badgering. Yeah, what we gonna do about this? The other, smaller, more slender guy dressed as a mangy looking werewolf, asked, cracking his knuckles. Back off Nate, Derek said, pushing himself in front of Alicia and me. Everyone's just trying to have a good time, guys. We can settle this another time. Nah, Bud Frankenstein said, how about we settle up right now? Head back to the car, Danny, my brother, said, giving me a quick glance before turning his attention back to the duo before him. I'll be there, and his words were cut short when the werewolf pushed him, causing him to almost topple over his girlfriend. Most of the crowd stopped whatever they were doing, turning their attention to the fight that was likely to break out any minute.

13:24 There were murmurs throughout the group as they gathered around us, forming a makeshift circle, something that assured me that things were about to get messy. Not here, Derek said, not now, They're not a part of this. Sandra and Alicia were attempting to back away while I was darting my eyes from my brother to the guys who had some score to settle. Tell you what, the big guy said, placing his hand on his buddy's shoulder as if commanding his guard dog to heal. I got an easy resolution to everything.

14:06 If you guys got the balls, dude, just drop it. Okay, this is didn't say you could speak yet, Frankenstein cut in, pushing my brother back again with one hand. Derek looked fit to burst. I knew he could hold his own in a fight. I'd seen it myself when some bigger kids were giving me a hard time at school. Sure they were a year or two younger than him, but he taught them both a solid lesson after he caught them trying to clean my clock. He kicked both their asses, barely breaking a sweat. Still, the big guy with the poorly applied makeup looked like he could easily bench press my brother's chevy. So what do you say, willing to get your hands a bit dirty to make all this go away? Frank said, glaring down his nose at Derek. Fine, he replied with a heavy sigh, What the hell do you want me to do? Do? No? No, not just you He glanced over at me with a menacing smile.

15:07 This is for you and Junior both. Hell, how about the little ladies too? Go to hell, Nate, Derek sneered. They got nothing to do with this. They do with Nate says, they do. The Weasley werewolf added, this is between you and me, don't it's okay? Alicia cut in, having walked up beside her boyfriend. We'll play his stupid little game. Sandra nodded, folding her arms, while I gave another token nod. I can't say I was thrilled about whatever they had in store for us, but I would be damned if I was about to turn my back on my brother. Derek whispered back and forth with his girl for a moment before turning back to his opponent.

15:53 All right, what the hell do you want us to do? Simple enough, he said, cutting his game to the old corn maze. Y'all spend one hour in there, just one whole hour to the second, and we're good. That's it, Derek replied, while my fingers began to tremble. One hour. That's it, buddy boy. You gotta go in, though, Don't just hang out in the entrance or nothing. Like walk around and shit, can't just stand there waiting for the time to run out. Then we're done. You and I squeaky clean. Nothing more to be said or done. Okay, then, Derek said, glancing back at me and the girls, nodding his head. One hour and we're good. I'll even pour you a beer when you come out, Frankenstein said, with a satisfied smile. But you' all come out even one minute early, and I'll kick your ass so bad you'll be eating Thanksgiving dinner through a feeding tube. You got me one hour, Derek said, holding his hand, and out one hour. The big guy nodded, shaking my brother's hand.

17:06 I'm so sorry about this, Derek said. As we approached the entrance to the Old Corn Maze. I didn't expect them to be here. No worries, babe, Alicia said, rubbing her hand on his back. Yeah, Sandra said, I say we go in, find a place to chill and tell some scary stories for an hour, then come back out and party some more. I just nodded, trying my best to keep the trembling of my extremities as hidden as possible. I can't lie. I was scared even with Derek convinced that the stories of the labyrinth were blown out of proportion. The idea of actually entering the thing had me shook. Of course, I wasn't about to reveal that, especially since I had already developed a bit of a crush on the girl in the Freddy costume who came off like this was just as simple as strolling into a grocery store with her folks before. Before we walked in, we all looked back to see every face of every costumed party goer glaring in our direction. From the expressions on a few of them, I could tell that I was not alone in my fear of the old Maze, something that didn't exactly help my concern at the time. See y'all in an hour, Frankenstein called out, don't chicken out, now, we'll be watching. For the first few minutes, we just walked in silence. I never really took in the height of the cornstalks before, how they almost towered over our heads,

18:40 just like the stories told. It wasn't just grass or dirt under our feet, but perfectly flattened stalks. They crunched slightly as we strolled onwards, but I couldn't even make out the sounds of the crowd outside. After we entered, the aisles weren't particularly wide, causing us to walk two by two as we see enttered on. Derek and Alicia walked in front of Sandra and me, but I just gazed around as we moved deeper in, even with the moon shining down from above. I was actually quite surprised how easy it was to see. Still. I wasn't about to let my guard down, and neither was anyone else from what I could tell. Anyway, I say we round this corner, Derek said, gesturing to the right turn up ahead, and just plant our asses and wait. Works for me, I said, feeling no inspiration to bury myself any deeper in this place than we had to. As my brother suggested, we took that turn, stopped, and sat down on the cozier than expected ground. Perhaps, had we a little more time to appreciate how comfortable flattened cornstalks can be, this would not be a worthwhile tale to tell. Before I so much as allowed my butt cheeks to snuggle themselves into a comfort trouble setting the blood curdling squeal that echoed from somewhere ahead of us very nearly inspired every ounce of blood pumping through my veins to stop cold.

20:11 Derek and Alicia looked as freaked out by this as I was, while Sandra darted her head between each of us. What the hell was that? She asked, placing her palms against the ground. Probably someone trying to mess with us, Derek suggested, Looking as uneasy as the rest of us. That far ahead, though, I asked, I could see from behind us, But how could another scream much closer than the last? Cut my words short? I got back to my feet, as did Eric and the girls. This is a setup, my brother said, appearing confident in his theory. Nate probably sent someone in while we weren't looking. They might have been in here for a while, just waiting to have some fun with us. It did make sense.

20:59 The big guy and the Frankenstein costume did come off like he knew something when he gave us that friendly reminder before we entered. Given the fact that whatever beef he had with my brother would be set right by this little dare, it would stand to reason that he wasn't going to make it easy for us. Yeah, I thought they just want to force us to take off running, make us embarrass ourselves in front of everyone before he kicks the crap out of Derek. Three more screams, each coming from different directions, assured me that our working theory was right. While the girls looked back at my brother and me, both smiling at us, I nodded my agreement.

21:40 Hell with it, Derek said, with a mischievous grin. Let's go see what they cooked up for us. Yeah, Yeah, I said, feeling the most confident I had since walking into this labyrinth. I can't deny that somewhere in the back of my grapefruit, I still felt uneasy about both my surroundings and the unsettling shrieks, but a higher percentage of my mind fully believed this to be what we thought, that my brother's adversaries wanted to put on a little show for us, who were we to deny their invitation. After walking for another five minutes or so, right turn here, up a few more feet, another left and right, and on to another straightaway, with the occasional dramatic, painful yells guiding our path, we finally caught sight of one of the likely handful of people who were screwing with us this particular pathway looked to be a good twenty feet long, with one opening to the left and another right about half way up at the far end. Standing directly in front of another wall of cornstalks, was a tall, slender individual in a filthy black robe, with the hood pulled down low enough to only reveal the wider than human toothy grin. When I first saw it, my heart skipped a beat or four. It wasn't until Derek let out a soft giggle that I took in how comically sinister the costumed person was trying to come off. They just stood there, heaving in exaggerated breath, keeping their head tilted

23:13 down with their arms somewhat outstretched from their sides. It was sort of like how that quintessential douchebag at the gym looks after knocking out that first handful of reps that I'm swollen now because I lifted heavy stuff sort of thing. When all of us started to laugh at intermittent intervals, the mimicked heavy breathing became more agitated, inspiring the hooded figure to wail out in one final attempt to intimidate us. Unfortunately, for our cose playing friend, we weren't buying it. Even after two more similarly dressed individuals walked out from the left and right openings ahead, our laughter didn't let up. Gotta try harder than that, boys, my brother shouted, practically daring the trio to take their taunted to the next level. With one last howling scream, the one at the far end came charging toward us, slipping some sort of dagger from inside of its robe.

24:11 Oh here we go, Derek said, still chuckling. This ought to be good. I'll never forget that smile he gave me when he glanced over his shoulder. He was so confident that he had this whole thing figured out. So was I, for that matter. Even when the robed figure showed no sign of slowing from only a few feet away, my brother still looked back at me, wearing that care free smile. The transition of our circumstances, going from something fun and care free to one of anguished shock and horror, barely allowed my mind to accept what was happening. It was the sound of the blade tearing into my brother's gut that hit me more so than the blood that spat from his still smiling mouth. I don't know if it was Alicia or Sandra who screamed first, perhaps both of them, for all I knew at the time. Three more times I heard that meaty thunk as the knife was pulled free and inserted back into Derek's Torso run, Danny, he spluttered, spritzing more specks of crimson onto his shirt.

25:24 I was frozen in place, barely aware that I still had a body attached to my reeling mind. When one of the girls grabbed me by the wrist, attempting to pull me back with them as they began to run back the way we came. I still could not so much as hope to break my gaze from my beloved brother's wide and horrified eyes. If whoever, or whatever these things were could so easily put an end to someone who had always been so much stronger and more confident than me, I had no doubt I would not survived this. In some ways, I didn't even care. I felt so weak and pathetic at the time. I couldn't do a single thing to help Derek. I just stood rooted to the spot, preparing myself to share the same fate as my closest friend and brother. Snap out of it, Alicia demanded slapping me hard across the face. That exaggerated smile under the dusty black hood stared back at me as the blade was pulled from Derek's stomach for the last time, dropping him to the ground while his girlfriend still screamed at me. I was practically paralyzed by the sight of blood dripping from the long, jagged blade, blending with the pool forming around where my brother lay barely twitching. Damn it, Daniel,

26:56 she yelled again, slapping me even harder than before, finally inspiring my mind to collide with my body. I looked at her and back to the robed figure, who was wiping the dagger caked in my brother's blood across its chest. We got a run, kid, you with me? I just nodded, something that was likely difficult to differentiate from my bodily spasms at the time. As the robed figure began to move in closer, stepping over Derek, I started to back away as he, she, or whatever the hell it was, lunged at me. It fell hard to the ground itself as my brother clutched its ankle go he moaned. That was enough to finally inspire me to run. Alicia and her sister were already a good ways ahead of me while I kept stealing glances over my shoulder. It was during one of those intervals when I turned back to what lay ahead of me, only to see no trace of anyone, that I skidded to a halt once more, Alicia, I called out, barely more than a whisper, Sandra, where'd you go? Nothing. I began to move steadily forwards in whatever direction we had been going before I lost sight of my companions. But when I heard the crunching of quickly paced footsteps coming from behind, I had no more time to waste. I took off, hoping to be out of sight before the robed figures caught up to me.

28:28 I could still see the unnervingly wide grin on the surface of my brain as I ran from one aisle to the next, Getting myself so turned around, I had not the slightest clue where I was anymore. Even with the acknowledgment that I would not easily be making my way out of that god forsaken labyrinth, I still kept going, darting from right to left, up and down, over and over. After running on fumes for the better part of ten or twenty minutes, if I even had the slight hope of guessing any sort of time frame. I slowed down, hoping to catch my breath before it left me passed out on the flattened cornstalks. When I stopped, blindly charging onward, I tried to regulate my wheezing while attempting to listen out for any sounds around me. I couldn't hear a thing, no footsteps, no screams, no voices, only the thumping of my pulse against the inner lining of my ears. When the image of my brother falling lifelessly to the ground flashed before my eyes, I fought to shake it away, hopeful to focus on my escape before dwelling on whether he may or may not have survived this. If I get out, I thought, I'll get help. He's still alive.

29:49 I know he is, I fought to convince myself. But you can't get him the help he needs if you're dead too. Yes, with that sound of my brother's flesh being torn and apart by the lengthy serrated blade beating against my ear drums, as much as the images flashing behind my eyes, I didn't believe it for a second, but I had to convince my legs to get moving again. It was while I waged that inner battle that another stomach churning squeal snapped my attention back to my dire situation. It was close, alarmingly close, but I knew I had to check it out. Given that it sounded as though it was one of the girls screaming this time, as opposed to those we had thought to be only messing with us, I knew I had to at least attempt to do what I could to save them. Sure, I was certain I wouldn't stand a chance against any of the robed figures, but I had to try. Perhaps it was little more than my desperation to not be alone in this anymore that drove my actions, but it was something again. I ran from one turn to the next, pursuing yet another horrifying shriek. As I plundered onwards, It didn't take me long to locate the source of the new sound to accompany those already haunting my subconscious. But when I found what I was looking for, I knew that there was nothing I could do to help. The red and green striped mini dress was almost treaded in places, revealing torn flesh and tissue, spilling more crimson fluids across

31:22 the ground. My legs gave out, dropping to my knees beside the young girl, whose eyes glared lifelessly up at the night sky. Her long brown hair was matted with blood and chunks of gore, seemingly thrown back at her from the sequence of attacks that ripped her apart. I lost it. I just started crying and wailing out, unable to even hope to battle against such a formidable foe. The impact of my brother's death hit me at full force, colliding with the surface of my brain as though it was launched from a cannon. I continued to howl my hopelessness into the night even and when I felt myself being lifted from the ground, it was as though I was floating weightlessly as the robed individual carried me through the maze, having thrown me over its shoulder like a healthy sized bag of dog food. I didn't fight, I didn't rebel. I didn't attempt to escape. It had been futile to begin with, just the thought that I could survive something that my brother could not. When my escort stopped walking, I was still out of it. While my wrists and ankles were bound to some sort of wooden prop Through the tears that still flowed, I could see that I was in a much wider spot in the maze, one that was at least four or five times the size of the slender pathways I had been running in and out of. Could this be the center of the maze?

32:47 I thought, glancing around as much as I could. There were six of them now, the robed figures, each with their own unsettling grin peeking out from the darkness of their hoods. Once my extreme were sufficiently restricted, the one who carried me there backed away to join the others in line. They all just glared at me, heaving their heavy breath while maintaining their sinister smiles. What are you waiting for? I asked through gritted teeth. I was beaten, I was done for. I did not doubt that. Why were they just glaring at me? What the hell are you waiting for? Still nothing? They just stood there like robed statues. They weren't even forcing out that exaggerated wheezing anymore.

33:41 Just get it over with you, bastards. As one of them broke from formation, slowly coming closer to me, I wasn't afraid anymore. My heart ached for the loss of the person I cared most for in this world. If they took him away from me, they could have me too. For all I cared no more running, no more tears, no more. As it moved in closer, stopping only inches from me, it leaned over at the waist, almost pushing its face right next to my own. I closed my eyes, readying myself for the blood to spill freely to wading cornstalks pressed to the ground, when happy Halloween baby brother whispered into my ear. When my eyes blinked back open, they met not the malicious, grinning thing that sought to lay me to rest, but the smiling face of the person I had idolized since I was a child, Derek.

34:45 What the I could barely form anything close to a legible sentence as Alicia and Sandra lowered their hoods, pulling away the grinning masks, followed by the two guys who forced us in here, and another blinde I'd never seen before. They weren't laughing at me, only smiling warmly, as though they thought this torment they had put me through to be a heartfelt gift of some kind. You're alive, You're all I stuttered, while the truth of things struck me like a serrated blade to the mid section. Are you kidding me? I belted, wrestling against the bindings holding me in place. How could you? Why the hell would you?

35:31 It's okay, kiddo, Derek said, still smiling, chuckling a little under his breath. It was just a joke. I just wanted to give you one good scare for Halloween, one good scare. I thought you were dead, I shouted, still pulling against the ropes around my limbs. Whoa danny, my brother said, reaching out to hold my arm. Still, You're gonna hurt yourself. Let me, don't touch me. Do you have any idea? What do you put me through? I could tell that my brother's accomplices were growing steadily more uncomfortable as they stared on with varying, though equally uncomfortable expressions, but I didn't care. I felt betrayed by the actions of the one person I thought I could truly trust in this world, not only for this ridiculous charad, but for leading me into this damned maze in the first place.

36:25 You know how I feel about this place, I said, lowering my voice. You know it scares me exactly, he said, resting his hand on my shoulder. That's why I chose it, kid, I'm going off to college next year. I need to know you'll be all right without me. It's time to face your fears and grow up some believe me, Danny. I'd never do anything like this if I didn't have a good reason. Cut me down, I said, refusing to look him in the eye. He just stared back at me, or so it looked through my periphery. The smile faded from his face by the time I allowed my eyes to meet his again, but I was still angry, still betrayed.

37:09 Cut me down with a heavy sigh. He reached into his robe, pulling out the pocket knife he had carried for the last few years. After the last rope was cut, I just stood there, looking up at him, rubbing the raw flesh on my wrists from my writhing against the coarse ropes. Danny, I just get me out of here. You know your way out right, you guys sure as hell got around well enough, yeah, he said, lowering his head and looking defeated. This way, come on, Danny, Sandra said, pulling off the heavy looking robe to reveal the wounds that appeared so much more fabricated than they had through my fear altered vision. We didn't mean leave me alone, I said, swatting away the hand shoes reached out. Think we went too hard on him, Frankenstein asked Derek as we passed by him. Maybe I didn't think. Wait, my brother said, cutting his head from side to side. Where's the It wasn't until then that I noticed the circular clearing no longer had any visible exits. Assuming this to be just another part of the night's festivities, I felt my face begin to flush once more. Seriously, guys, I said, turning to face the group of suddenly bewildered looking teens.

38:35 Enough already, can we just this isn't us? Daniel, Alicia said, looking thoroughly perplexed as she glanced from her sister to her boyfriend Nate. Is this you, guys, Derek asked? Nuh uh, I don't even It's all planted in the ground, the blonde guy said, tugging at the stalks two at a time. What What the hell is this, Derek, A very uneasy sounding Alicia asked, before screaming out again when something rolled across the ground towards us. Alicia wrapped her arms around her sister, who had begun to whimper slightly, while the big guy in the Frankenstein costume muttered curses under his breath.

39:26 When the pumpkin came to a halt, staring straight up with a fierce and mocking smile carved into its jack o' lantern face, everyone grew silent and still. I just glared down at the thing with my jaw unhinged, still battling to wrap my mind around everything that had occurred up until this point. When the long cornstalks began to rustle violently, making it appear as though the whole labyrinth was quaking around us, it was hard to differentiate my own involuntary shivering from my surroundings. A low humming sound was barely audible above the trembling leaves, but it gave me the impression that something was drawing closer, as if gradually escalated push through. Frankenstein said, waving his hands between the stalks, it's just corn. We can shit. We all spun to see him wrestling against the vines that were wrapping around his arms and legs. Derek ran to his side, quickly slicing through the attacking greenery with his pocket knife.

40:31 Help me, my brother shouted, while cutting and pulling the stems away. As Moore continued to wrap around the big guy. I ran up with the skinny werewolf and blonde guy, and we all attempted to yank at the weeds, which were practically engulfing the writhing Nate. Sarah had dropped to the trembling ground, shaking her head and whimpering louder, while Alicia stood seemingly frozen in place with her hands cupped around her mouth. Within seconds, no matter how hard we fought against the cornstalks, as ridiculous as that sounds, we could no longer see even a hint of the boy in the Frankenstein costume. While we still frantically battled to free him, he was swiftly pulled away from us, with only his muffled scream in his wake. When his yelling fell silent, I still stood there, just staring at the opening he had left behind, mentally checked out, while Derek snatched me by the wrist, shouting for the others to follow.

41:30 When the deep and guttural laughter echoed from seemingly all around us. It didn't take much convincing for everyone to start running. Yeah, the haunting voice spoke, run, run, run away, My little darling, Sandra squealed out a high pitched shriek, while the blonde guy whined and moaned, What the hell is that? Derek, the visibly shivering boy in the werewolf costume, asked, while we can continued sprinting across the slender pathway left in the wake of his friend's hasty withdrawal. How should I know, my brother barked, still not letting go of my wrist. Run Run, run, run, r run away away, bellowed out, with each word coming from a different direction, ending with a sinister laugh. That damn near knocked my feet out from beneath me. Keep going, Alicia said, now helping her little sister remain upright. Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, our path became blocked as another wall of thick corn stalks burst from the ground.

42:40 The blonde guy, who had been running the fastest, lost his footing as he skidded to a halt, falling with his back flat against the ground, stopping just short of the newly formed blockade. As the werewolf reached to help him back to his feet, the flattened stalks sprang to life, wrapping around him. Likedls No, he screamed, help me. His words were quickly muffled as the vines constricted, yanking him flattered to the floor of the labyrinth. Given the blood curdling squeal that erupted from his mouth, I was unsure if he was being pulled into the ground to be buried beneath it, or if the snapping sounds that accompanied his horrified wails or his bones fragmenting as the stalks returned to their previous state. When the blood began to bubble and seep through the thin gaps, spitting and spraying against the still trembling greenery around us, I needed no further clarification on his fate. Holy hell, the slender boy said, backing away while attempting to wipe the fresh bloodstains from his furry shirt. This way, Derek said, heading back the way we had come, gesturing to a left turn a few feet back. Come on, Jordan, there's nothing we could do for him. The where still glared down at the crimson pool where his friend once lay, shaking his head from side to side as he backed away from it.

44:09 Move Jordan, we have to. My brother had no chance to finish, urging his friend to run before more of those vines shot from each side, instantly swallowing him whole. I stared on again, with my lower lip quivering as I could only make out the lone horrific eye peering out from within the tendrils of green. For a moment, it was as though everything fell silent around us as we gazed upon where the maze had claimed another soul for its own. It wasn't until the vines retracted on each side, carrying with them whatever section of the boy in the werewolf costume they held that each of our screams blended into one again. My brother snatched me by the arm, while his girlfriend did the same to her sister.

44:56 By this point, I was only vaguely aware of anything, with my mind still reeling from the shock of everything. I knew I was running. I knew I was speeding alongside the person I trusted most in this world, but beyond that, everything was a blur. We sped right straight for a bit, then left and right again, every move almost guided by what the labyrinth would allow pathways opened and closed around us, leading this way and that, while that guttural voice continued to mock our desperation. Ah, yes, yes, this way, no, no that, Which will it be? What will you see? Shall you set yourselves free?

45:40 Free? How long will it take do you think to find me? It laughed again, a loud and haunting belly laugh at our expense. I felt my senses begin to return, only to find us still charging onwards in search of an exit. I noticed that Derek was now carrying a hysterical Sandra, while Alicia held on to my wrist. I almost wanted to ask her to let go, as I found it difficult to move as freely with her clutching onto me. But it did make me feel ever so slightly safer like this, Even if I did believe our escape attempt to be feudile, we were in its domain. Whatever the hell it was it was toying with us. We ran the path it chose, not one of our own selection. Still, regardless of those undeniable facts, I knew we couldn't let up. Unfortunately, this inner rationalization came to a quick halt when we came face to face with our inevitable end. When the opening before us closed shut, forcing our hasty retreat short.

46:48 I felt my stomach lurch at the sight of only more tall cornstalks to our sides and backs. There we stood, each gasping for breath, while the young girl in the tattered red and green striped mini dress sobbed in my brother's arms in a space maybe five by five feet, with nowhere left to go. Just let us go, Derek shouted into the night. Not just yet, my good lad, there's far too much fun fun to be had. What do you want from us? It was you who came to me, dear boy, would you so abruptly put an end to my joy? Please? Alicia begged, tears forming in her eyes. Just let my sister go take me, Derek said, glancing back at me. Let the others go, and you can do whatever you want with me. No, I barked, don't just give up an interesting offer you have presented to me. But should that be enough to set your friends free? I have each of you now to do with as I please, but you still beg for unwarranted release.

48:02 They're innocent, my brother said, in a cracking voice. This is all my fault. Please, just when the stalks parted to our left. I once more felt my jaw drop. It looked as though it could very well be that same circular clearing we began running from, but it was not how we left it. The wooden prop I had been tied to was now replaced by a large throne, pieced together by a combination of vines and bones, some of which appeared as though they had been freshly pulled from some unsuspecting corpse. When I noticed the bloodied and matted fur poking out in places, I had to assume that theory to be quite accurate. After taking in the sight of the torn slivers of the werewolf costume, it didn't take long to see the strips of green latex that once belonged to a cheaply made Frankenstein outfit. Come in, Come in, Come in, Come in to my home. Do not leave me here to linger alone. It wasn't until I spoke again that I took note of what was sitting upon the gore lined throne. That same pumpkin, which had rolled into this very area, now gazed down at me from a skeletal frame composed of just as much greenery as the chair upon which it sat. The robit war looked to be one of those my would be

49:35 kidnappers left behind, though the elongated emerald bones of the arms and legs protruded considerably more than its previous owners. Welcome, Welcome, my travelers, for now, what exactly possessed you to come through my door? We all stood in a row, glaring up at this abomination before us. With every word it spoke, the carved expression on its face adjusted to fit. It was my fault, my decision to come into your maze, my brother said, with confidence in his words. Is that true? The pumpkin asked? Was it all because of you? Yes?

50:20 So please don't punish them. Just take no more words, the creature said, holding a leafy finger to its mouth. The fact that not only had its voice deepened even more, but a rhyme did not follow his lone sentence made me fear our time was at an end. You do not belong here, it screamed, spitting pumpkin guts and seeds to the ground. How would you feel if someone just let themselves into your home? Would you let them leave unscathed? I'm so sorry, I know more words. It lifted itself from its throne, standing twice the height of Derek as it glared down from its hollow, triangular eye holes. As what felt like minutes dragged by, we held this silent, staring contest. Given all I had witnessed, I knew it wouldn't let us leave this place with our lives. When the apparent lord of this maddening place finally broke the suffocating silence, I would find my assumptions proven wrong once more.

51:29 Three lost, three may yet be free? Which one of you will stay here with me? Before I had the slightest chance to intervene, Derek stepped forward as the creature slipped off the robe, revealing more of its hauntingly thin frame. My brother looked back at me with a smile, tears dripping down his face. I love you, kiddo, were his last words before the filthy blow. Black fabric was thrown over my head, hiding whatever happened next from my eyes. When I pulled the robe away to see only the outside of the old corn maze before me, I fell to the ground, unable to prevent the scream from breaching my lips, even when the arms wrapped around my back while the girls attempted to lift me back to my feet.

52:23 My agonized wail would not let up. In the weeks following the disappearance of my brother and his friends, the authorities searched every square inch of that labyrinth, as well as the woods surrounding it, but nothing was ever turned up. They even plowed the whole thing down before digging in search of anything that remained of its victims. Ultimately, they couldn't find so much as a trace of anyone it claimed for its own, but there was nothing left of the old corn maze by the time the work was done. I can't say that it surprised when it turned back up the next Halloween, though I couldn't help but wonder whether it grew back the natural way or just sprouted out of the ground overnight, Given that I didn't return to that awful place until the following October thirty first, I have no idea how it returned, but I knew it would be there, didn't doubt it for a second.

53:25 I didn't go trick or treating that year or any other after that last time. Sure, I let my folks think I did, but I had made arrangements for the ride back out there long before that night. I just had to see it for myself, you know, just face off against that damned thing and beg for it to give back what it took from me. Before I could enter, though, the pathway was blocked to me not by the stalks forming another wall, but by the one who chose to stay behind to grant us freedom. In many ways, I wasn't surprised to see him either, even if the hope of pulling him free from that place were short lived.

54:07 We talked for a while that night and every Halloween that came after it. Even all these years later, he still looks as young as he did that last time we went door to door in search of bag loads of candy. It may be the only time I can see him, and he refuses to tell me what his existence consists of the other three hundred and sixty four days of the year. But I will carry on this tradition for as long as I am able. Sandra and I are going to be parents. Sing Yes, we've both been through our fair share of therapy over the years, as has her sister, But that awful night brought us all closer than I could ever have imagined. Maybe it's simply the fact that we could only confide in each other after that night, as nobody would believe our account of things. While the psychiatrists help, we haven't exactly been forthcoming about everything with them. Given my wife's condition, I'd say there's a good chance our son could be born any day now. I just hope that he doesn't decide to wait until Halloween to make his grand entrance. I have an appointment to keep, after all, one that I hope to have him accompany me on when he's old enough.

55:24 It's only right that he meets the man he's named after. I don't know why that thing allowed us to leave that night, something that Derek claims he doesn't have an answer for either, though I suspect he understands far more than he's letting on. Perhaps someday, though, when my life has passed me by and I'm nearing the end of my journey, maybe then I'll have the answers I seek When my final Halloween comes, when I visit that labyrinth for the last time, maybe it'll allow me to enter it again. If I can't free my beloved brother, perhaps I can join him and whatever truly lies beneath the old Corn Maze just outside the city limits. I went on a Halloween hiking trip with my friends. My reading light saved my life by Michael Kelso. If only Jolene hadn't worn that stupid mask, things might have ended differently.

56:37 I might have called off the whole trip and saved everyone. It all started as I stood at my mailbox, waiting like a little kid who had ordered a toy from a cereal box. The mailman usually came at three o'clock, never failing unless something had happened. I stood at my mailbox, staring at my watch that said three ten. So what was the hold up? Did he have a flat tire? Did a terrorist attack? Did a bear grab him when he was trying to deliver me my precious delivery. Just as I was about to turn and go back to the house, I saw the little yellow light flashing on top of a car coming my way and nearly jumped out of my skin. This was it. If it didn't come today, there was no way I'd have time to order another one before leaving for the camping trip. The car slowly pulled up to the mailbox and I said hello.

57:35 Instead of putting the mail in the box, he handed me a few letters and looked away. My heart sank as he turned and faced the road. Isn't there anything else for me? I said, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice. He turned and looked in the back seat. Oh wait, it looks like there's something I forgot, he said, reaching in the back and handing me a brown envelope with the address on it I'd been looking for. He smiled and waved as he drove off, leaving me holding my prize. This was going to be a good camping trip now. I nearly skipped back to the house, threw the other mail on the table without looking at it before ripping open the package. There it was my glorious booklight. I'm an avid reader and an avid camper.

58:29 It's always been a struggle to read during camping trips. I took along various battery powered lamps and flashlights, but nothing seemed to work for me. Getting comfortable enough to really settle into my book was a challenge. When I saw this light advertised on Instagram, I instantly knew this was what I needed. It was a booklight that wrapped around your neck with a light at each end that would shine write down on your text. There was no doubt it would be perfect, and I ordered one right away. Finally I could finish packing for the camping trip. My friends and I loved to go hiking and camping. With a huge state park so close, it was a no brainer that we would be there as often as possible.

59:14 Every time we decided to go, we would all meet up at the trailhead and hike to the site together. This time would be the exception. There were scheduling conflicts, and if we wanted to go at all, it wouldn't be at the same time. Dawn and Rose could barely get away for the weekend. They would have to catch up to us later at the camp site. At the last minute, even Jolene called and said she was running behind and might not make it until later. In retrospect, I should have seen it coming, seeing what the date we had set for our trip was, but instead of canceling and choosing another time, I just shrugged it off as conflicting schedules and hef did my backpack, then started down the trail. Being by myself on this trail never really bothered me before. I hiked this many many times and never had a problem. I decided to go early and get the camp set up so we could have maximum time together. My schedule had been cleared for the entire trip, and I was going to take full advantage.

1:00:16 The sun had set by the time I started down the trail, and it would be dark by the time I got to our campsite. Hiking at night wasn't the best thing to do, even though I knew the trail. But aside from getting camp set up, I was also excited to use my new booklight. It worked surprisingly well lighting up the trail and made it much easier to use my walking stick for the more difficult parts. Taking it slow, going at my own pace, and enjoying as much scenery as I could was a luxury I was enjoying. Usually Dawn would lead the group and drive us hard until we got to camp. I wanted to get out my book and read as I walked, but I figured that would be tempting fate, and I had no desire to face plant on the trail. After discovering a tree route the hard way, as I walked, lost in thought, suddenly the forest became eerily silent. The birds stopped singing, squirrels stopped chattering, even crickets stopped chirping. It was so quiet I could hear my own footsteps. It was very unsettling.

1:01:22 I stopped and slowly turned around, using my light to search for anything unusual. After a full circle, without seeing anything out of the ordinary, I tried to shake off the feeling and just kept going. It didn't take long for me to begin speeding up. Every step was somehow more desperate than the last, as if getting to my campsite would somehow protect me from whatever was out there, making the animals and creatures of the night afraid to make a sound. By the time I could see the clearing where we camped rising in the distance, I was power walking, nearly running. All of a sudden, the noises started back up again, as if someone had flipped a switch or I had somehow stepped out of some invisible danger zone. I paused and turned back to see if there was any physical sign of what had happened, if there was some kind of creature lurking behind me or something.

1:02:20 But there was nothing, and nothing seemed to be even more unnerving. It wasn't until later, after everything was over, that I realized how stupid it was for me to travel this trail by myself, let alone in the dark. I guess it was a combination of things that made me do it. First of all, just the disappointment of everyone nearly canceling at the last minute. Secondly was my surprise package that came on time, and just wanting to use this cool new light in any way I could. But the really big thing that did it for me was my stubbornness. I had decided I was going camping, come hell or high water. I didn't realize it would be the former. It didn't even register that I was heading out alone on a trail at night on October thirtieth, the day before Halloween. It didn't take me long to get my tent set up, and I didn't bother with a fire. I just dove straight inside and zipped up the entrance, somehow believing that the thin layer of tent material would keep me safe from anything that went bump in the night. I lay there on the bare tent floor, breathing hard in sheer terror, wondering why I was so frightened.

1:03:36 There hadn't been any tangible proof of anything following me. I had seen nothing. What had gotten me so worked up? This is what I told myself over and over until my breathing slowed back to normal as I unpacked my backpack to settle in. Once I was secure in my sleeping bag, I finally dug out the book I'd brought along for the trip. It was a domestic thriller called Secrets, about a woman whose life was turned upside down. I turned on my light and began reading. It didn't take me long to become so engrossed in the story that the world around me disappeared. That was when the adrenaline crash from the fear grabbed my face and said, you're going to sleep now. Some time later, I woke up and pulled my face out of the small puddle of drool that had soaked into my sleeping bag. I sat up, wipe my mouth, and stretched. To my great surprise, the book light was still on and I hadn't broken it by laying on it. The darkness outside had given way to a dull gray. It must have been just before sunrise.

1:04:49 Pulling myself out of the sleeping bag gave me an instant reminder of how cold autumn mornings can be in the forest. While pulling on my jacket, I froze there was something or someone moving around just outside my tent. Zipping up my jacket quietly, I slid towards the zippered tent window in hopes of getting a closer look. My hands shook as I pulled the tabs slowly, hoping to make as little noise as possible and sneak a peek at whatever was out there. My eyes slid up to the opening and peered out. All I could see through the slit were dim outlines of trees through the growing morning light. I scanned around as much as I could through my limited view, when suddenly a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the window. I screamed and threw myself backward onto my sleeping bag, landing with a thump that took my breath away. The shadow of the creature moved from the window to the main tent flap. I lay there helpless as the zipper undid itself and the hideous face of the monster poked itself inside. It roared so loud I clamped my hands over my ears. My life flashed before my eyes as it slowly entered the tent.

1:06:04 Growling and snarling. Regret filled me. Why didn't I wait for my friends. But then why should they die with me? Maybe it was better they were late. They would find my horribly mutilated, impossibly eaten body, but they might survive if they ran away. As these thoughts chased each other around in my brain, I noticed something. The creature was wearing a sparkly bracelet. Not only that, but it seemed to have a manicure. Now that I looked more closely, it was wearing a T shirt and sweatpants. I reached up and grabbed the creature's face, then ripped it off with all my might. Ouch, it said, as the fur came loose. In a heartbeat, I was holding the creature's face in my hand and Joline stood there rubbing her ears.

1:07:00 You think you could yank my ears off next time, she said, sure, after I'm done having a heart attack, you jerk, she smiled, still rubbing her ears. Happy Yalloween, Screw you, I said, throwing the mask at her and storming out of the tent. Wait you're not really mad, are you, I heard her say from behind me as I tromped down the trail. I didn't bother to turn answer or even slow down. Where are you going? She said? The thought registered in my head, but I couldn't seem to answer the question where was I going? I was just stomping down the trail with no destination in mind. The sun was peeking over the horizon as I passed a clearing in the trees. Without thinking, I slowed to a stop and stood there, admiring the simple, elegant beauty of the sunrise. I heard and felt a presence beside me as I stared into the rising sun. Beautiful, isn't it?

1:07:57 Jolene said. I turned to her, and I should throw you off this cliff, I said. She took a step back, her eyes filled with uncertainty. Sucks being afraid, doesn't it? I said, yeah, she said, staying a healthy distance away from me. I guess it. Does. You know what I should do with that mask? I said, I'm sure you have a few creative suggestions, she said carefully. I turned to her, with a gleam in my eyes. You should scare the hell out of Dawn and Rose. Her look slowly transformed from fear to confusion as the edge of her lip slid up into a grin. It was late afternoon when Dawn and Rose came huffing and puffing up the trail to the campsite. I'd started a fire and made some lunch. There was also some coffee brewing on the flames. Well, you too, sure took your time, I said, poking at the fire and adding another piece of wood.

1:09:00 You're lucky we came at all, Don said, I was going to call and cancel like Jolene did. I said, trying my best to sound upset and disappointed. Are you kidding me? Rose said, dropping her backpack. After we busted our butts to get up here, fraid so, I said, that's great, Don said, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket. You wait until I talked to her. I wasn't sure if Jolene had silenced her phone or not. Don's call could ruin the whole prank. My mind searched frantically for something to do. Don't bother, I said, I already tried calling her this morning. It went straight to voicemail. Hmm, Don said, putting her phone back in her pocket. She's probably snuggled up in bed sleeping. Well at least you two made it, I said, pointing to the logs around the fire. Take a load off. They looked at the log with disdain, but shrugged and sat. I guess exhaustion will lower your standards regarding where you rest. We chitchatted for a while, mostly about how upset we were with Jolene for skipping out on us. Then I helped them set up their tents. We had just finished when off in the distance we heard a roar and a scream.

1:10:21 What was that? Dawn said, looking around, trying to determine what direction it had come from. I don't know, I said, putting on an Oscar level performance of looking frightened while trying not to smile. Jolene had outdone herself. She said she would look for roaring sounds on her phone, but that was so loud. I didn't know her phone could get that loud. Light was just beginning to fade, making it even harder to see if there was anything coming out of the trees towards us. Rose was having a full panic attack. What do we do? What do we do? She said? Let's just go in our tents and hope whatever it is doesn't care about finding us. I said we should leave, Rose said, her eyes darting all around searching for danger. I think so too, Don said, If there's something out there, it could come after us. I tried to do a quick pivot to save the prank.

1:11:19 Where would we go? I said, our cars are miles away. If that thing was after us, it would stalk us on the trail too, and we wouldn't have our tents made up to hide in. They stared at me with what looked like suspicion that turned into resignation. I guess you're right, Don said, we should just go in our tents and hope that thing goes away. Are you kidding me? Rose said, why not just wrap ourselves in our sleeping bags and serve ourselves up as burritos for that thing? Don't you think you're overreacting? I said, we don't even know what that was. Maybe it was some animal calling for a minut eight, and the scream could be someone saw it and was scared. Dawn watched our back and forth conversation. Let's just get to our tents. She said no, Rose said, I want to leave right now. There's the trail, I said, pointing, no one's stopping you. She looked from the trail to Dawn to me. I turned and went into my tent. A few minutes later, I heard another tent flap rustle, followed by a third. A smile crept across my face. This was going to be fun. I was so excited I barely read any of my book.

1:12:40 Within an hour, I heard something outside the tent, rustling through the campsite and knocking things over. Here we go, I whispered. It was all I could do to stay in my tent. When I heard Rose scream. There was no way I could watch Jolene chasing them around with that ridiculous mask on and not howl with laughter. I wanted to give the prank time for them to be scared before revealing our devious plan. Fits of laughter fought to escape me, but I held them in as I heard Dawn screams join the fray from the sound, they were all running around, destroying the campsite. Between the growls, running knocking into things, and screams of terror, the whole cacophony of it was nearly impossible to sit through. Every inch of me was aching to jump out and yell Happy Halloween, we got you. After a few minutes, the noise died down. Everyone must have gotten tired. I was still waiting for the aha moment when I heard Dawn or Rose curse at Jolene. The mask wasn't that convincing once you calm down and got a close look at it.

1:13:48 Any minute now I leaned close to the wall of my tent, but all movement had stopped. It was like everyone had just laid down and took a nap. I couldn't take it in any longer. I ripped open my tent and jumped out, yelling surprise, happy, Hallop. The rest of the word died on my tongue. The campsite wasn't in disarray, it was destroyed. Both Dawn and Rose's tents were flattened. As I stepped closer, I saw rips and gouges in there as well. As I looked around the campsite. At the carnage, my first thought was, Wow, Jolene really overdid it, But that thought didn't hold for long. The more I moved through the camp, the more I saw claw marks and huge footprints, something that Jolene couldn't do.

1:14:39 All doubts ended when I came across Dawn. She lay in a pool of blood, and at first I thought it was a trick, that they had turned Jolene back against me, And now I was being pranked. However, that thought died a quick death when I saw Don's severed arm lying a few feet from her. Her eyes were wide open in shock. She looked at me with a blank stare of accusation and tried to whisper something, but I couldn't hear it. I leaned closer, and she whispered again, her final words haunting me. This couldn't be Jolene. It wasn't a trick or a prank. Something real had just invaded our camp and destroyed my friend. Fear gripped me as I looked around to see if this creature was lying in wait to kill me too. As I searched the rest of the camp, hoping moment by moment that this thing was gone, I also didn't find Rose. Eventually, I found a large pool of blood not far from her tent, but nobody was around. The trail of blood led from the pool off toward the woods, and I had no desire to follow it. The next thought that came to my panicked mind was if this wasn't Jolene, then where was she. She purposely didn't tell me where

1:16:11 she was hiding, so I wouldn't unintentionally give away her position by glancing at a certain spot. It was a smart plan until she went missing, and I have no idea what's going on. The next thought was calling for help, but when I got out my phone, I found it was also dead. Even though I didn't want to, I went over to Dawn's now dead body and searched for her cell phone, but I found it in pieces. There would be no call for help. Despondency smothered me and pulled me to the ground. I sat in the middle of the campsite, beside a pool of blood that used to be one of my friends, only a handful of feet away from the broken body that used to be another one of my friends, having no idea where my third friend was. I'd never been in such a desperate place in my life, not only physically but mentally, and I hoped I would never be in such a place again.

1:17:12 I had no idea what to do or where to go. The realization began to set in that I had lost three of my closest friends in the space of a day. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I sat there in the growing darkness, with only the embers of the dying fire to keep me company. Should I sit here and hope that help would stumble by in the form of another hiker, or even better, a park ranger. It was late October and the trails weren't very well traveled once the weather turned cold. As I sat there, a gust of wind blew through, tearing at the few remaining leaves clinging to their branches. They began to fall, as if the forest was crying with me or for me. I wish I was aware of what the forest knew about this thing that had destroyed my friends and my life, and how I would get out of here alive, and most of all, about what had happened to joe Lean.

1:18:13 As much as I wanted to just sit there and mourn forever, I knew I couldn't. I knew I had to get up and go figure this out. How would I get out there? How would I survive? Maybe my tent held the key. By some miracle, my tent was undamaged. I started digging through my backpack. There were always things in everyone's backpack that they have for emergencies that never happen. Usually it's a snake bite kit, a length of rope, or band aids that seldom if ever get used. But as I was digging, I came across some things that might be useful. There was a can of pepper spray and a small pocket knife. At this point, I was happy to have anything I could use as a weapon.

1:18:59 They went in my pocket along with the rope. So now it was decision time. Do I pack up my stuff right now and leave, hiking down the trail in the dark, having no idea if this thing is still on the hunt? Or do I lay down and get some rest, wait for morning and hope it doesn't know I'm here. Neither one was a great option. There was no way I could even consider burying dawn. I didn't have a shovel, and I would need all my energy to hike back out of here if I hoped to survive. Thankfully, the decision was made for me. As I lay there, mind whirling from everything that had happened, I fell asleep.

1:19:44 I woke hours later to a bright morning sun peeking through my open tent window. I yawned and stretched, thinking about what a beautiful morning it could be. When I suddenly remembered everything that had happened. That's when I heard the growling. It was just loud enough to get my attention. Fear gripped me as I tried to figure out what to do. My brain went into full useless mode as run out of the tent. Screaming rose to the top of possible options. The growling didn't seem to get any closer. As I lay there awaiting my fate. Encouraged by the fact that I hadn't become the monster's breakfast yet, I got up to my knees and quickly looked out the window.

1:20:28 What I saw disgusted and enraged me. There were two mountain lions having their breakfast. Normally I wouldn't care about such a thing more than staying as far away as possible, But today their breakfast was my friend's dead body. I did exactly what was at the top of my brain's list, ran out of the tent, screaming. At first, I ran straight at them, hoping it would scare them off. They both just stopped and stared at me as if I was some rude interlooper interrupting them having morning tea. The next thing they did was turn and take a few steps toward me. As I stared at their blood soaked faces, I realized I had done the worst thing possible. I lowered my hands and started backing away, trying to look as non threatening as possible. This seemed to encourage them to increase their pursuit. I was almost back to my tent, but it didn't seem like diving inside and hiding was an option. Not now they were aware of me and very interested in me, Possibly as lunch. As my list of potential actions dwindled to wait for death, my hand brushed against my leg and I felt something in my pocket.

1:21:48 It was the pepper spray. I pulled it out, having no idea if it even worked on cats, and aimed it at them. They didn't slow. In the slightest it looked like a stream of water sprayed out of the can and landed on the first cat's face. Its reaction was immediate. It let out a massive yell and began clawing at its face. The second paused in confusion, watching its companion devolve into convulsions of pain. When it looked back at me, I had already sprayed its face, causing the same reaction. For a long moment, I was treated to the insanely comical sight of these two predators twirling in circles trying to claw their own faces off, and then the impossible happened. They both decided breakfast wasn't worth the cost of admission and ran off. I looked down at this small, innocuous looking spray can that had just saved my life. It was tempting to give it a kiss in celebration, but I didn't want to take any chance of getting any spray on me. Writhing in pain wasn't high on my list of things I wanted to do today. Having just escaped down death, I decided on my plan of action. My backpack was packed in under half an hour, and I was on the trail, having said my goodbyes to Dawn and what was left of Rose.

1:23:10 A sharp pang of guilt stabbed me as I left the campsite. Dawn's last whispered words haunted me. Shouldn't have come. She was right, of course. If any of us had known what was about to happen, there was no way we should have been here. But that's the whole point of life. I guess none of us know what's going to happen at any minute. As if I wasn't depressed enough as it was, that thought sent me into a near panic as my eyes darted all around searching for danger. Now it wasn't only the monster, but the mountain lions and any other creature whose home I had invaded. Right then, I knew I would never visit this place again. Even the woodland creatures were quiet out of respect for my fallen friends. How would they know? As if? In answer?

1:24:04 The monster stepped out onto the trail and stared down at me. It was massive. I'd never seen anything that tall. Not only was it tall, but its shoulders were a good five feet wide. It was covered in dark fur that had splotches of wet, dark stains down the front of it. My mind told me that that was all that was left of Rose. It unleashed a deafening roar that made a small river flow down my pant leg. My mind was like a little dog chasing its tail, trying to figure out what to do. As I stood there, frozen to the spot. It took two steps and was right in front of me. When it reached for me, some basic survival mode kicked in and I went back to the last thing that had saved my life. I whipped out the pepper spray and emptied the can in the monster's face. It reared back and screamed so loud I had to hold my ears as I ran around it and sprinted down the trail. My heart was pumping pure adrenaline. My feet barely touched the ground. I had never run so fast in my entire life. The trees were a blur as I wound back and forth along the trail. All I could think was just get away, just get away. As hope soared that I might be able to do just that, I heard a noise coming from behind me. It was like a bulldozer with legs.

1:25:25 I heard pounding and crashing, as if something was destroying whatever got in its way. I glanced back and the monster was gaining on me, but it was flailing its arms around in front of it, as if to protect its eyes from whatever might be there. That momentary distraction was just enough. My foot caught on a branch I wasn't looking for, and I went tumbling at full speed off the trail and into the brush. I hit a tree hard with my back. I was sure I heard a crack. It was all I could do just to stay conscious. I watched through bleary eyes as the monster and passed me on the trail. There was no way I could celebrate or even move. Running so fast for so long had taken its toll, and now having fallen and possibly injuring my back, had just added to my immobility.

1:26:14 It took me a few long moments to catch my breath. Once I did, I slowly moved body parts to make sure they still worked. I saved the worst for last. Trying to sit up caused pain to shoot down my back. That wasn't a good sign. It seemed like I would be here for a little bit, at least until I recovered enough to make another try for my car. I knew it was less than a mile away, but right now I couldn't even think about getting up to walk, let alone run. I painfully pulled my backpack off and sat it beside me. Next, I tried to cover myself in my pack with the loose leaves that blanketed the ground. Within ten minutes, I was satisfied that no one would be able to see me from the trail without looking very closely. There was a peep hole I had left open to keep an eye on the trail. The monster would be back eventually. There was no doubt about that.

1:27:09 Once it realized I wasn't on the trail anymore, it would backtrack looking for me spraying. It may have saved my life, but it also doomed me to be its enemy forever. It would search high and low to find me. I was as sure about that as anything. Even though it was mid morning, the trees here were dense and light had to filter through a lot of them to make it to the ground. Reaching into my pack, I pulled out my reading light, which was surprisingly still in one piece. I used it to check my wounds and found they were mostly cuts and scrapes. As my adrenaline crashed, I could feel myself being once again dragged into unconsciousness.

1:27:50 My eyes drooped, then suddenly shot open as I heard something. The part of the trail I could see through my peep hole was quite small. I leaned to the left a little bit, trying not to make any sound. That's when I heard the sniffing and saw the monster coming slowly back up the trail. It was on all fours, smelling the ground. One eye looked like it was swollen shut, and the other was bloodshot. It got to the point in the trail where I had fallen and stopped, then turned and looked right at me. My blood turned to liquid nitrogen. The monster stalked straight towards me, as if it could see me plain as day. I glanced down and realized, to my horror that my reading light was still on. I panicked if I turned it off, the monster would know I was there. If I left it on, it was a beacon, leading it right to me. I gently pulled it from around my neck, trying to move it as little as possible. Once I had it off me, I set it on top of my backpack so it was at the same level as it had been around my neck. As I slid away from the pack, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the knife, then opened it. The monster was so close I could smell the stench of death coming from its mouth. It got right up to the light and brushed the leaves away.

1:29:17 To see what this thing was, there was only one shot for me to survive. I swung the knife with all the strength I had left, stabbing it in the eye that wasn't swollen. It reared back and screamed in pain. I didn't wait around to see what was going to happen. Every ounce of energy I had went to running away from this homicidal monster. My back screamed at me, but I ignored it. The creature screamed again, this time and rage rather than pain. It tore off after me, but couldn't see, so it ended up slamming into a tree three feet behind me. My legs kept pumping, driven by sheer terror. As I glanced back, I saw the monster listening to me run away. It followed my sounds and ran after me again. I pivoted and ran up the side of the trail, just in time for it to miss me and fall face first on the trail. It wasn't far to the trailhead. Now I knew it was getting close. There was a hard turn in the trail where I had to be careful of my footing. It was narrow and there was a steep drop that ended in the river below. I ran to where the turn was and suddenly stopped. The monster had gotten up and was listening for me again. It was a gamble, but I stood at the turn and jogged in place, as though I was still running away. It listened, then launched itself toward me as soon as it began to run.

1:30:39 I quietly stepped around the corner and softly walked down the trail a few feet. If my gamble paid off, I would be home free. If it didn't, I would be dead. Time slowed as the beast galloped towards the turn. I watched and waited until finally I saw the bloody fur of its face with the knife still sticking out. At the last moment, it seemed to sense me around the corner and tried to turn, but momentum had already carried it past me, and it had no chance of staying on the trail. I leaned over and watched as it fell helplessly over the edge and tumbled down to the water below, hitting its head on several trees as it went. It had just come to rest at the bottom when I took off running. The trail had loomed in front of me, and I didn't want to take any chances of that thing recovering and catching me. Before I got to my car, I'd never seen a more beautiful sight than my beat up Toyota Corolla. When I approached it, I paused yet again and looked around for who or what might be watching me. Hanging from my driver's side mirror was the mask Jolene had worn. I took it off the mirror and looked at it in shock and confusion. Inside was a note there was a crash from the woods that told me the monster hadn't given up. I jumped in the car through the mask on the passenger seat and broke every speed log getting out of the park. Even once I was on the

1:32:10 main road, I pushed the pedal down to make the car go as fast as it could. My speedometer needle was vibrating when I hit eighty. It wasn't until I was close to home that I slowed down. I got out and went into my tiny house, bringing the mask with me. I collapsed on the couch as my back complained I would have to schedule an appointment with my chiropractor. Once I was safely inside, I picked up the mask and pulled out the note. It read, I'm sorry to leave without telling you. The girls were coming up the trail and I was about to jump out at them when I saw this monster following them through the woods. I couldn't warn them or you without the monster seeing when they set up their tents. It was watching from the edge of the woods. I panicked and quietly left while it was busy watching the camp. I hope you're alive to read this, and if so, you can someday forgive me Jay. I lay the note beside me on the couch, and all I could think of as tears streamed down my cheeks was Dawn's final words to me.

1:33:20 Shouldn't have come The Strictfield Slasher by Rob Fields Prologue. I was at the Strickfield Town Center Mall on Halloween morning. I was very much surprised when it was announced in one of my classes this week that Strickfield University wasn't having any classes today or tomorrow, something about how it was made into village law that there's no school or college on Halloween as well as November first, unless you went to Strickfield Academy. In light of that, I decided to head out to the mall for the first time ever and check it out. The mall itself was okay, not too many stores in here for a big mall, but I noticed some of the vacancies were being filled, probably for the holidays. When I reached the other end of the mall, that was when things started getting better.

1:34:29 I went into Spirit Halloween and picked up makeup for my costume for tonight. After that, I went into a women's clothing store next door. I was so happy to be able to find a pair of sexy bib overalls in my size for more of my costume. When you're chunky like me, finding stuff in your size can be hit or miss, but not today, thankfully. When I finished my shopping, I got a text from my boyfriend, Dillard Fuller. Heard from your roommate. You're at the mall. Can you pick pick up my board game I ordered from the bookstore. I'll pay you back tonight at the party, I replied, and said I would. Then I started walking to the other end of the mall to go to the bookstore.

1:35:11 When I looked down one of the far wings of the mall, I saw a faint light. Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to see what was there. I reached the light and saw only a single store called Tinkers. It looked like a junk or oddity shop. Since I walked down this way, I figured I might as well go on in. I started looking at all kinds of knickknacks, but didn't find anything I just had to have. After a time I felt I wasn't alone. Can I help you? A man appearing to be fifty asked, just looking around, I replied, looking for Halloween things. The man brightened up, why don't you come up to the counter.

1:36:01 I have some Halloween items you might be interested in. I humored the man and followed him to the counter. He had things in there, from old video game consoles to board games. He even had some Halloween things on display, ranging from old vinyl records to unopened original Ben Cooper costume mask sets to even what's that? I asked, pointing to it. The man, who introduced himself as Isley Tinker, opened the case and pulled out what looked like an old movie on video cassette called The Strickfield Slasher. It was in a professional looking clamshell. I opened it to see the video cassette. My boyfriend actually watches these things, I said to mister Tinker. He still got his VCR DVD combo deck hooked up. What's this movie about? Mister Tinker explained that Backer. Around nineteen seventy one, these film students set out to make an independent horror movie for a class project. For Halloween. Damian Carnivosh was a person who might have been considered goth by today's standards based on how he looked and dressed. However, back in those days it wasn't cool anyway. Damien came from money, much like the Mirons I'd heard so much about. Since he had money, Damien had no problem securing the cast he needed to make his movie. Also, there was no way

1:37:33 he was going to film the movie at his family spooky old mansion on Pleasant Valley Road, since it was known to be haunted. Damien had found another old mansion where he wanted to shoot his film, grim Manner. The problem was the old plantation was located in the backwoods of Strickfield, and people weren't too inclined to go in there. Damien made it known that he wasn't afraid. Also, hasn't it always been said that money talks? Again, Damien had plenty of money. He easily got the cast to accompany him out to grim Manor. He even got a benefactor who agreed to put up a special grade of film for Carnivoge to use in exchange for a producer credit.

1:38:20 Among the cast was this huge beefy football player who would play the title character of the strict Field Slasher. What Damian either didn't know or didn't tell the cast was that grim Manor was also supposed to be haunted, much like his family's Carnivoche estate. The cast and crew would live in grim Manor as they were filming. In the beginning, they would leave the old plantation house to go to their classes, then return to film at dark. As time went on, it was becoming more and more evident that the big beefy football player Scott Mead started losing his sanity and was taking his role as the Strickfield Slasher way too seriously. I'd better stop here, Tinker said.

1:39:15 The rest of the story isn't something a charming young lady like yourself would want to hear. It's very sensitive stuff. I smiled at mister Tinker for the compliment, and said, our group likes watching horror movies, especially my boyfriend who's into these VHS tapes. Please go ahead and finish the story. It's not like I'm going to die from hearing it. At first, mister Tinker didn't seem to want to. Then he took a soft, deep breath. Okay, but I warned you. Mister Tinker continued the story and said that on that dark, stormy Halloween night, Scott me And had finally lost his mind and started attacking his fellow actors and crew members, brutally slaying them one by one. It didn't take long to see just how he had horribly painted the walls and stained the floors of the rooms where Meade killed his fellow cast and crew. No one ever knew what became of Damian Carnivosh, except that he was never seen again.

1:40:28 Whether or not he turned up like the others making the Strickfield Slasher, nobody knows, mister Tinker finished. Then I became skeptical. Okay, so how did you come to know all about this? I knew you might doubt me, young lady, mister Tinker replied, Make no mistake, there was an official police report regarding what I just disclosed. After several missing persons reports were filed, the Strickfield Police went out searching for the missing students and eventually traced their whereabouts to grim Manor. It was there where they found the bodies, or rather what was left of them. They also found a few cameras and several cans of film that contained the footage, which was how the police were able to determine what had happened to those students. Mister Tinker also mentioned that the police had found some more bodies that were brutally slaughtered at the Old House on the Hill located at one eight five Indian Hollow Road, much like the horrible scenes at grim Manor, the bodies of a group of college kids having a Halloween party were found.

1:41:43 What's more, Scott Meade himself was never found. In addition to Damian Carnivoge, mister Tinker continued, it was a few years ago when someone brought a VHS collection into my shop wanting to unloak. I bought the collection from him, since VHS tapes are highly sought after here in Strickfield and the surrounding areas. I looked through the collection and found that video cassette you're holding. I had seen things about this movie posted on your university's website and knew I had a rare piece. When I found it in the collection, I raised my eyebrow. I think my roommate and I did see something about this. Mister Tinker. Zoe Griest and I had been spending nights in our dorm room and looking over all the different legends on Strickfield University's website. In fact, I think it was just last night that we saw what you're telling me. I sighed, what are you asking for this movie? I know my boyfriend would absolutely love this. Mister Tinker took the tape back and looked at it again. Based on the back cover, there weren't that many copies of this movie made. Possibly given the reasons I just explained and the fact that only fifty copies were made based on the numbering on the back cover, this video cassette is probably a collector's item. However, you are the only one who asked about it since

1:43:14 I acquired it. He seemed to think about it. Tell you what, I'll let you have it for twenty dollars done, I exclaimed, and opened my purse to fish out a twenty. After finishing the purchase, I left the store with the movie. I looked over the clamshell case again as I made my way to the bookstore. When I reached it, I suddenly remembered the mall's bookstore itself was on the university's website, something about how two girls went completely crazy and started eating people in there. I walked into the bookstore and easily picked up Dillard's board game without any issues or anybody wanting to eat my brains. Afterwards, I went back to my dorm. When I got back, I saw Zoe was out again. I found myself looking at the Strickfield Slasher.

1:44:06 I couldn't tell you why, but I felt I really wanted to watch the movie. Only thing was I didn't own a VCR. I could have just waited until the evening to surprise Dillard, but I just had to see it. Fortunately, I knew right where to find a VCR. I left my dorm and went to one of the empty classrooms at University Hall that I knew had one. I quietly closed the door and got everything going. I took the tape out of the clamshell case and slid it right into the slot. The machine pulled the tape in and began playing on its own. There were no trailers for upcoming releases or even a copyright warning. The video was in black and white and actually looked like it was filmed in four K, even though everything looked like it was right out of the early seventies. Seeing that everything was okay. I went over to a table and sat down.

1:45:08 From there, I began watching The Strickfield Slasher. As soon as I saw the dark and stormy sky that started the film, I knew right then it was going to be scary. Chapter one. It was around seven pm when Zoe and I were riding our scooters from Strickfield University to Dillard Fuller's party. We both stopped fast when we reached the driveway. Now we were looking at each other. What is it, Brianna, I asked. I pointed right up at the house. Don't you recognize it, Zoe? This is one eight five Indian Hollow Road. That's the same house where all those college kids were having their Halloween party back in nineteen seventy one, the night Scott Mead left grim Manor and made his way here. We just saw that on the university's website. Now Zoe looked worried. We were both dressed up as sexy clowns, but I thought she looked way cuter than me, especially with looking as scared as she was. Maybe we should just leave, Zoe suggested.

1:46:20 Then she pointed to me. Also, the webpage said Scott Mead was never found. I shivered a little after remembering what me did in the movie. I wasn't sure if those kills were real or practical effects. Still, Zoe, we're long past nineteen seventy one. I doubt Scott Mead's going to be out prowling around tonight in search of well. Zoe pointed at me again, say it. I gave her a worried look. Young sexy college girls like us. We both consider things and eventually decided to ride our scooters up the hilly driveway. We parked them at a nearby tree and brought our bags to the front door. As soon as I rang the doorbell, there was this really loud, blood curdling scream, like some girl was being murdered inside.

1:47:18 Zoe and I both shrieked and then got a grip when we saw normal movement in the house. Then I had an idea and rang the doorbell again. Again we heard the horrifying scream. A few moments later, Dillard Fuller himself answered the door, dressed up as a mad doctor. Halloween songs were playing inside, not loud enough to wear. It was blasting everywhere. Zoe Brionna, glad you guys could make it. He said, nice fucking doorbell, dill hole. Zoe muttered, we thought some chick was really being slaughtered in there.

1:47:58 Dillard laughed a little. Yeah, I didn't know about the doorbell being rigged until you two rang it just now. Anyway, come on in. He stepped aside. The two of us entered and looked around to see how creepy this house was. We came into the living room where the others were. I turned to Dillard, did you rent this place or something? Babe? Don't you know about the history of this house? We did? Xander Weiss called out, and we do. Eddie Prance added Dillard. Xander, Eddie, and Rock Harris were all members of the Sigma Chi fraternity in addition to playing football for the Serpents. Along with Zoe and me, there were three other girls. Nancy Lyles was the only sorority girl here and belonged to Alpha Delta Kappa, while Ganice Vender and Misha Bolton House were university cheerleaders. There were nine of us total. Seriously, why would you guys even throw a party here? I asked them? And after that shit that happened back in nineteen seventy one, why not Rock grumbled. We got it all to ourselves, super cheap. It's ours till tomorrow afternoon, Eddie added. Then Dillard wrapped his arms around my waist.

1:49:22 Did you pick up my game? Honey? We shared a quick kiss. I held up the bag right here. There's something else in it too. He kissed me again. When we came apart, I handed him the bag. No way, Dillard gasped. When he pulled the Strickfield Slasher out. He looked right at me. Where did you get this, Brianna? He opened the clamshell and looked at the tape. Yeah, this is the real deal here, He looked at me again. You know how extremely rare copies of this movie are. You can't even f he's on eBay or Etsy or even the more obscure websites. I told him where I found the tape, as he whipped out his wallet and paid me back. Never heard of no store called Tinkers, Eddie said, skeptically. You sure it's in the mall. I go there every day and I ain't never once seen that store there. Look, I know where I went and found that movie at I snapped. Dillard looked Eddie's way, don't sweat it man. Maybe the store just opened. It is getting closer to the holiday season, maybe, Eddie muttered.

1:50:37 Sure enough, Dillard brought his VCR DVD combo deck to the party. It was hooked up to an old school TV. I mean we're talking boob tube here. Dillard popped the tape in. Gather around, everybody, It's time to watch a very rare piece of horror cinema. The nine of us were sitting together and watching The Strickfield Slasher. Now Dillard wanted me to sit on his lap. Even watching it for the second time, this movie still creeped me out. Then Dillard told everybody some trivia about how the movie was filmed on some special black and white film which made the picture quality look like it was filmed in four K like before. The movie started out on a night just like tonight, except in the movie it was both dark and stormy. There were nine people attending the Halloween party at grim manor Funny Thing. There were the same number of guys and girls like at our party, and they were wearing similar costumes too. A few of the other guys agreed on how good the picture quality was for an old VHS. The characters were talking among each other and doing party stuff. Many of them were drinking canned beer. A few of the girls were being flirty with the jocks, one of them showing her boobs without reservation. It wasn't long before they decided to kick the party up a notch. They all gathered around in

1:52:10 the living room to play a sexy version of Truth or Dare. Zoe, who sat next to me and Dillard, took my hand and held it. When the game was really getting interesting, Scott Mead crashed the party and started brutally killing people. I squeezed Zoe's hand a few times too at how scary Mead was. When I watched The Strickfield Slasher earlier, I was holding myself at how scared Scott Mead made me feel. He was playing some big monster of a man who escaped from the Eerie City Asylum a real place. Eventually, he made his way to grim Manor and went on a murder spray. Like mister Tinker told me earlier, Mead went totally batshit crazy and viciously killed nearly everybody. Then he left grim Manor and made his way across the village until he came to a house on a hill where some other college kids were partying the very same house we were in at that moment. Getting back to the movie, Scott Mead was creating a hell of a bloodbath with the partiers. I still wondered if the kill scenes were fake or if we were actually watching a snuff film. The blood, gore, and nudity certainly weren't toned down in any way. Even the screams were as blood curdling and realistic as could be.

1:53:37 Just hearing Scott Meade scream each time he went to murder somebody kept making shivers go down my spine. We were at the part of the movie where Scott Mead went upstairs to the bathroom. He opened the door and found the flirty girl who was showing her goods, all hot and naked and taking a shower. Dillard pointed to the screen. Today, a final girl could get away with being nude like that in a slasher movie, but back then, yeah, she's dead meat. Suddenly a huge flash flickered at the windows, making everybody shriek. Then a loud rumble followed. It seemed we were getting a dark and stormy night on Halloween and Strickfield ourselves. Then I noticed Rock was sneering at me. Hey, Brianna, you think you could be a final girl in a scary movie?

1:54:33 Oh? I knew where that asshole was coming from, you heard Dillard. Even though I'm fat, I'd probably be able to survive in a horror movie made today, I sighed. But I think even i'd be dead in this movie. I've never seen any slashers where a fat girl became a final girl. Dillard pointed right at Rock. Lay off, Brianna, I mean it. I won't put up with you giving her a hard time. When Rock finally shut up, Dillard turned to me, you okay, hun, I nodded, I'm not offended. Really. The truth was I was easily chunky, maybe considered big, not morbidly obese. However, plenty of guys checked me out when I came to Strickfield University, but Dillard was the one who acted on me.

1:55:25 I had been with him for a good two years now. Even now, he didn't have a problem with me sitting on his lap as we kept watching the movie. When Zoe squeezed my hand again, I gulped at, knowing what I was about to see on a repeat. Viewing what everybody else would see. For the first time, you just knew the guys were appreciating the shower chick, especially when her nudity was quite graphic. The chick tried being seductive to the killer while letting the shower rain down on her. It seemed as though Scott me would spare her. Suddenly he screamed like a crazy person. Then he grabbed hold of her and ripped her arms right out at the roots.

1:56:09 When the girl screamed and started bleeding everywhere, the others all groaned at how grotesque the scene was. Mead finished her off by grabbing her head and twisting it off in his hands. Even seeing that similar scene in Creep Show made me WinCE man. No wonder the Strickfield Slasher never really saw the light of day, Dillard said, The story's just terrible. It's all extreme violence and nudity just for the sake of having it. Whatever made Damien Carnivosh want to film this piece of shit? Anyway, Those Carnivoche people were always fucking crazy. Nancy muttered, No wonder that house on Pleasant Valley Road has always talked about so much.

1:56:53 You keeping the movie, Zoe asked Dillard. Yeah, I'm definitely keeping it, he assured her. Brianna here found it for me, and it's a rare collector's item. He don't throw stuff like that away. It was then when I realized, hey, we never turned the music down to watch this movie. Eddie took a drink of his beer and got up. Yeah, yeah, I'll get it. He went to the stereo the guy's brought, then started pushing the stop button. Huh, what gives man, Rock called over his shoulder. It's called the stop button, you moron. Eddie turned around. I did push the stop button.

1:57:40 Rock got up and went to Eddie. He opened the CD and tape decks. Both ain't nobody playing nothing in here? Then he looked around, where the fuck's that music coming from? Then Jennie stood up and stammered, anybody suddenly the front door or practically exploded. We either gasped in surprise or screamed when we saw this mountain of a man wearing a sack cloth over his head. He looked exactly like the character Scott Mead played in the movie. This guy was so tall he had to lower himself to be able to get through the doorway. Upon smashing through, he was so drenched in muscles. He easily made Rock look scrawny, and he was holding the absolute biggest meat cleaver any of us had ever seen. I wasn't sure about the others here, but I was definitely scared as hell. Any of you guys order him, Edie asked, uneasily, not as drunk as I thought. When nobody spoke up, I knew right away we were all in for a world of shit.

1:58:54 Chapter two. The giant looked over everybody in the house and started heaving. Then he looked up to the ceiling and screamed, the same way Scott Mead screamed in the movie before going after his victims. Nobody stuck around to see if this guy was real or not. Funny thing. The music we were hearing suddenly got quicker and louder as we all moved and scattered in different directions. Okay, no, Zoe turned and ran with me. As it turned out, Mead turned and chased after Zoe and me. First, for a giant of a man, he could run like a regular sized person. Oh Jesus Christ, Zoe shrieked, why is this happening? I don't know, I shrieked back, like Scott Mead and the Strickfield Slasher. This guy never spoke a word, He just growled, roared, and screamed. Soon Zoe and I reached the stairway and ran up. It was a good thing we didn't stop, because that a big meat cleaver would have got me in the back for sure. Zoe screamed when we turned to see the blade embedded in the wall at the top of the stairs. When we heard Scott Mead coming up, we turned and ran. We made it into the open room that was probably the master bedroom. Zoe slammed the door and locked it. We didn't have much time to catch our breaths when Scott Mead exploded right through this door too. When he screamed again,

2:00:27 Zoe and I slipped past him and got back out. We were almost to the stairway when we heard him coming for us again. Zoe and I had to take the steps two at a time. As soon as we were a few steps away from the stairway, the music got really loud. Then it drastically changed. After Mead had jumped the stairway and landed right by us. He took one long look at me and then suddenly turned his eyes on Zoe. She screamed when Mead grabbed her by one of her pigtails and pulled her back him. Oh God help me, she screamed as Mead grabbed the other pigtail. When I moved to try and save her, he pulled on both of Zoe's pigtails until he pulled her face apart right down the middle. You could literally see just her eyeballs, muscles, and bone. Now blood was quickly flowing down Zoe's body and wetting her costume. Her eyeballs went up to the ceiling as she screamed her final scream before she dropped to the floor forever. The music changed to match this dismal event. Mead growled and picked up his cleaver. Then he took another long, hard look at me.

2:01:52 Chapter three. I shook my head quickly and suddenly ran out the front door as Mead screamed like a deranged lunatic behind me. Now, Mead roared as he came outside and started chasing me down. I knew there was no way I could outrun him. In a matter of a few minutes, he would easily carve my fat ass up into fine cuts of meat. Suddenly, a big pickup truck passed in front of me and breake to a stop. Eddie Prance was in the back, holding his hands out. Get in here, he yelled. I grabbed his hands to let him pull me in back, but Mead reached the truck. Suddenly. Eddie cried out when he sprang forward to escape and fell on top of me. I gasped when I saw the meat cleaver slam into the back of the truck, making the entire front end come right up off its wheels.

2:02:42 Eddie and I were right where Mead could easily reach us. We got to our feet and tried to run. Come on, Brianna, Eddie yelled. Suddenly Mead was right there and grabbed Eddie by his long hair. Oh shit, he screeched, Oh God, help me, help me. I grabbed Eddie's hands and tried to pull him my way. Eddie really clinched his teeth as Mead pulled his hair harder. The next thing I knew, Eddie's neck skin was pulling apart. Suddenly, Mead had Eddie's entire face and hair right in his fist, as if it were a Halloween mask. The rest of Eddie and me fell and tumbled over each other. Now, Eddie screamed as he got up and started running around like a chicken with its head cut off, except he had a bare skull with just eyeballs, muscles, and bone. Blood ran down his body and soaked his costume. Mead marched right after him. Then Eddie started to slow down and sink to his knees. Before Eddie could sink any further, Mead grabbed his neck bone and yanked up hard to take his skull and his entire spine along with it. What was left of Eddie's body slumped over forever. Mead held his cleaver up as he screamed at the sky. Rock tried attacking Mead from behind, but all he made the Strickfield slasher do was move just slightly. Now the killer

2:04:17 turned around and saw Rock. Mead screamed insanely again before he swung Eddie's spine and skull hard at ROC's head. The impact made ROC's head shatter like it was ceramic. I screamed really loud on seeing that graphic horror right in front of me, knowing it was very real. ROC's headless body stood for many long moments until it wobbled and fell to its knees. Then it toppled over and landed hard on its chest. I looked past Mead to the truck and saw everybody else who was in it was getting away. It was then when Dillard Fuller came to me and took my hand. Come on, honey, let's move.

2:05:01 As the two of us turned to run away, Mead focused right on me again. Then he pointed and screamed, bloody murder. Once more, Dillard and I ran like hell with Mead in hot Pursuit. Chapter four. Dillard and I ran until we reached the barn. We went inside and pulled the door shut. He found a baseball bat. Just as Mead crashed right through the door. He turned and saw Dillard and I again, he pointed right at us and screamed with madness. Dillard roared as he jumped his skinny ass up and swung the baseball bat, catching Mead right on top of the head. I think I actually felt the impact of the bat and knew Dillard didn't hold back. When my boyfriend landed on his feet, Mead just stood there and looked down at him. Then he pointed right at Dillard and screamed again, Oh shit, Dillard yelled as he turned back to me. Run, Brianna, Run.

2:06:10 Dillard and I ran out a side door when he slammed it behind him. Mead still crashed right through it. Suddenly, Dillard took me down, saving my life as that huge cleaver flew right over us. Come on, Dillard yelled, grabbing my hands and helping me back to my feet. I stayed with him as Mead chased us down again. We gained a little time since Mead stopped to pick up his weapon. Soon he was pursuing us again. For a giant man, he was running like he'd gotten his full ride to Strickfield University in track and field instead of football. Also for a chunky girl. I wasn't doing too bad and keeping up with my boyfriend. Then we heard Mead screaming behind us again and knew it wouldn't be long before he'd catch up to us. Suddenly, Rock's truck came right out of nowhere and slammed into Mead. We turned to see Xander Weiss was driving it. Mead was holding on as Xander eventually rammed him right smack into a tree.

2:07:16 I swore I could feel my own bones breaking on impact. I knew I was fine, but just seeing the way they crashed. Then I screamed when I saw Mead was on his feet and shouting with utter derangement. Suddenly, Mead started pushing the truck back. Xander was flooring it to try and keep him pinned where he was. Die, you fucking bastard, die, Xander screamed, just as crazily, fuck you. Even though there had to be a shit ton of horsepower under the hood. Mead was screaming his insane screams and actually started pushing the truck back. You could literally see the tires spinning in the dirt and grass. Mead screamed an even more insane scream before he lifted the right front end and turned the truck over onto its side.

2:08:13 Xander might have been better off staying in the truck. When he tried to escape Scott, Mead was right there to grab him and raise him up over his head. Oh shit, were Xander's last words when Mead ripped him in half like he was made out of cloth and stuffed with cotton. After doing that, Mead became slickened from head to toe with blood. We gotta get out of here, Dillard yelled. Then he grabbed my hand, making me turn and run with him. Why the fuck is this happening, I screamed, This was just supposed to be a Halloween party tonight, right. Guess somebody didn't tell him that. Dillard called back. As I was trying to focus to keep up with him. I knew I wasn't feeling right. Maybe seeing all that carnage was making me sick inside. Still, I managed to stay with Dillard. Chapter five. Dillard and I ran into some woods nearby. I let him continue to lead the way. I was hoping we'd lose Scott Mead, But why was he here and chasing after us?

2:09:30 Now? After all this time? He was obviously young and strong. Back in nineteen seventy one, you'd think Mead was old enough to be retired and collecting social Security. By now, looking at him, you'd swear he was still hitting the gym every hour of every day. He was still able to run fast. We couldn't see under his sack mask, but it was like the bastard never aged a single day. Dillard and I came out of the woods and ran across some farmer's field. It wasn't long before we could hear Scott Mead screaming his maddening scream behind us. Christ, if we don't lose that big fucker, we're both gonna be dead. Dillard gasped, No two ways about it. We were both running out of steam. Still, we kept running and running. It wasn't long before a car pulled right up in front of us. It was Mancy and Janice.

2:10:29 Get in you two. Let's get the fuck out of here, Maancy cried. Dillard and I quickly got in the back. Genie floored the gas. At least we could catch our breaths now, But our rescue and relief was very short lived when Scott Mead was suddenly right up in the road ahead of us. Chapter six. Mancy and Janice screamed. Then Janice slammed on the brakes. How the fuck did he get ahead of us like that? Nancy gasped, I could have sworn me left his ass back there. Who cares? Dillard yelled, get us out of here. Janice put the car in reverse and floored it. Soon she was able to turn us around. She put it in gear again and did some squealing and peeling. Scott Meade landed right on the hood. Before I could think I felt my head hitting the roof of the car. I was seeing stars and was dizzy. Now. I wasn't even aware of Dillard pulling me out of the car, Brianna, he yelled to me. He sounded like an old record being played really slow. I was still too dizzy to shake the cobwebs.

2:11:44 I was sure I felt skinny Dillard lifting my big body up and on to his shoulder. I was also sure I heard more screaming, probably from Genie and Nancy. God damn you, I heard Dillard yell at meed, you motherfucker. I think I passed out when I felt Dillard running with me on his shoulder. Chapter seven. I finally woke up and recognized where we were. Then I saw my boyfriend was right there. You okay, Brianna, Dillard asked, holding my hand. I nodded, I think so. I got up and attempted to walk. Dillard was there with me. When I was doing okay and not feeling dizzy or sick.

2:12:38 I looked back at him, Yeah, I'm fine. Ow. I put my free hand to where my head's still hurt. Feels like I got cracked by a baseball bat. I raised my eyebrow and you really carried me on your shoulder. Dillard squeezed my hand. You bet I did. But you're okay, right, I nodded, Yeah, I think I'll be fine. Then I recognized our surroundings. Why the fuck did you bring us back here? Don't you think Scott Mead will double back here to find us? Dillard sighed and shook his head.

2:13:18 I don't know, honey, but seriously, why are we being terrorized by Scott fucking Need Isn't the Strickfield Slasher just a fictional movie, a fictional character? I had to think. Then I saw the VHS tape of the movie sticking out of the VCR. I let go of Dillard's hand and went to it to pull the tape out. Honey, I'm really sorry, I groaned as I threw the tape on the floor and tried smashing it with my shoes. What are you doing, Dillard demanded. I don't know. The Strickfield Slasher is here in the real world trying to kill our asses. Right, maybe if we destroy this fucking tape we can send him back. I even jumped up and down on the tape, hoping my weight would be enough to break the casing when I stepped off of it.

2:14:14 Oh bullshit, the tape isn't even cracked. I turned to Dillard. I know I way enough to be able to destroy a fucking videotape. Dillard even tried destroying it, but no matter what he did, Okay, I don't get it. Then Dillard had an idea. He put the tape back into the VCR. I'm glad that oversized idiot didn't destroy my equipment. What are you doing, I asked, Let's watch the credits. Dillard said, sometimes you learn things by watching those. There wasn't much of the movie left no surprise. The Strickfield Slasher was never stopped. The movie ended with him walking off into the sunrise. From there, the credits rolled. Dillard and I watched them carefully, and then I saw it right there, Dillard, I yelled, pointing at it. When he paused the movie. I pointed to the credit special film stock donated by E Tinker. I looked at Dillard. The man I bought the tape from this morning introduced himself as Isley Tinker. You think it's a coincidence, he sighed and looked back at me. Okay, we'll have to go on that. We finished watching the credits and saw that E.

2:15:41 Tinker also had a producer credit. Finally, the tape reached the end. Then the VCR automatically started rewinding. Dillard and I looked at each other. What do we do now, hun, I asked, you're the film student here, what do we do? What the holy shit? Dillard shrieked. It happened just like that. Suddenly everything went from color to black and white. We weren't watching the movie, but you'd swear we were looking just as four K as that VHS tape did. Before we could think about what to do next, we turned to see Scott Mead was standing right there, just outside the front door he had crashed through earlier. To let us know he was back. He raised his big cleaver and screamed like a madman once again. When Scott Mead finished screaming, Dillard and I didn't think about it and ran upstairs again. I saw the split in the wall where Mead threw that cleaver when he was chasing after me and Zoe earlier. We made it upstairs and had to think, fast, shit, there's nowhere for us to run.

2:16:57 Brianna Dillard grown when we heard Scott Meade screaming again. We knew it would only be seconds before he'd be on us. Then I had an idea. I want you to listen to me very carefully. Then I explained my plan. When Scott Mead found me in the bathroom, I was naked and glistening wet from the water raining on me from the shower nozzle. Oh believe me. I knew I was crazy, but Dillard and I were never going to make it back downstairs with me blocking our way, which was why I was doing the brainless bimbo thing from the movie itself and taking a shower. Mead was looking me over as I turned and presented myself again, I wasn't the sexiest girl in our group, with being chunky and having a bubble butt. At least I had the tits that came with having my chunky frame. I also said I found it hard to believe skinny Dillard wanted to date me just after we met at the university. Hell, guys didn't even want to date me back in high school.

2:18:12 I only said I was sexy earlier because Dillard would tell me so. He made me feel good about myself. Now, Scott Mead was looking me over as I kept soaping myself up. I was expecting him to do to me what he did to that porn looking girl from the original movie. I really didn't want to die, but I wasn't going to let this giant buffoon get my boyfriend if I could help it. Well, what are you waiting for, I demanded, I'm all wet and sexy, baby, I screamed when Mead suddenly reached out and grabbed my throat. His hand was big enough to almost go completely around my neck.

2:18:53 One sudden movement of his wrist would snap my neck. Easily closed my eyes and waited for everything to end. Then Mead suddenly roared in pain. I opened my eyes and saw the tip of the sword sticking out of the Strickfield Slasher's chest. I looked past him and saw Dillard. No, you were supposed to run, you were supposed to live, I yelled. Our story ain't ending like that, Brianna. He called back, I love you and we're getting out of this together. Now, come on. Dillard snatched my hand. When Scott Mead fell to his knees, I moved past him and came to my boyfriend. I grabbed my clothes off the floor and quickly got dressed. Then Dillard and I ran out of the bathroom and were soon leaving the house.

2:19:45 We realized we were the last two left out of our Halloween party from earlier tonight. I hope you killed that son of a bitch, I told him. Yeah, I hope so too, Dillard replied in a that told me he wasn't believing it either. We found the scooters Zoe and I had used to come here and took off on them. I was sure we both knew it was only a matter of time before Scott Mead would recover and find us again. We continued riding the scooters until we made it back into Strickfield limits. We knew we had to reach the police station and get help. We parked the scooters outside the station and got off to go in. As soon as we reached the double doors.

2:20:32 That was when tragedy struck. Scott Mead was suddenly right there with his big meat cleaver raised high. Also, we should have realized things weren't over when we never stopped hearing that horrible music all around us. When Meade screamed, so did we. Then I screamed even louder when he brought the cleaver down and sliced Dillard in half on the spot. I screamed even more when both halves of Dillard Fuller each fell to a knee and then split apart to fall onto their perspective sides. Then I fell onto my knees as Scott Mead screamed his loudest yet and raised his cleaver for what would be his final kill.

2:21:25 Dillard and I should have known we weren't going to get out of this horrible Halloween nightmare, especially when everything was still in black and white. I probably could have gotten up and ran, but what was the point. No matter where I'd run, Scott Mead would be right there waiting. He would always find me. I would never have any peace whatsoever. Also, the Strickfield Slasher himself had just taken the love of my life. I was on my knees in both trembling and at knowing I had just lost Dillard, and that goddamned music was just horrible. Now for the final time, Scott Mead raised the big butcher's cleaver. Then everything started to go dark when the cleaver came right down on me. Fast epilogue back in the real world Isley, Tinker stopped the VCR and pressed the rewind button. When the video cassette was finished, he ejected it and placed it back inside the clamshell case. From there, he returned it to the display near the cash register. Once more, the Strickfield Slasher was available to purchase. It wasn't long before some new prospects had entered his establishment at Strickfield

2:22:58 Town Center Mall. More college kids from the university or the high school coming in to look for Halloween items. No doubt, Like before, he would approach the students and offer his assistance. He would bring them up to the counter and show them what he was selling for Halloween. Of course, someone would inquire about the Strickfield Slasher. Tinker would tell the story the same as he did with all his previous customers. Of course, they just had to have that copy of that extremely rare movie filmed around Strickfield. Tinker would sell it for twenty dollars, which would guarantee both the sale and more profit for him. From there, it would be only a matter of time before one or more people would sit down to watch The Strickfield Slasher.

2:23:57 Summoning the possessed title character himself. Tinker had indeed been the one who supplied the special film stock to Damian Carnivosh, earning him a producer credit. Just as people had their Halloween traditions, so did Issley Tinker. His was, of course, the Strickfield Slasher, in which the movie was both cursed and possessed by one of the restless spirits of grim manner. As long as the spirit was kept satisfied, it would continue its existence within the black and white, fictional yet realistic world of Strickfield itself. Tinker himself knew it would only be a matter of time before the video cassette would find its way back to him, so that the vicious cycle could begin again. He would continue to make money on selling it, and the spirit contained within the medium would get more victims. Tinker sighed after his latest customer had just left with The Strickfield Slasher. Ah, Yes, I do so love Halloween Stalk by Mike Eskewey. I'm bored, lonely,

2:25:29 and horny. This is not exactly a great combination for an exciting reading week. The exceptional and brilliant life of me Joshua Fox or Foxy to most of my friends I wish the nickname suggested more success with the ladies, but well, let's say it's been a long, dry summer, and fuck if I'm not thirsty. Canadian Thanksgiving, the less cool cousin of American Thanksgiving, happens in October. But hey, it's reading week, so it kind of works out. I'm coming home to my old stomping grounds from being away in the big city of Toronto. It'll be a week of getting together with some friends, playing some dungeons and dragons, and maybe putting on the skates for a few games of Beer League hockey with the boys. Maybe I was expecting college to be like in the movies, and ladies would be throwing themselves at me. I am somehow getting the idea that the sexy comedies of the eighties might have lied to me. There was a distinct lack of pante raids, and it was more study your ass off and get your homework done than endless fun. I'm lucky that I got my college education paid for courtesy of the Ontario government and a summer of manning a hot dog cart at the Blue Jays games. The drive home

2:27:00 up Highway six was as always long, boring, and well, if you've never seen a cow, then hold onto your butts because you are in for a treat. I parked my ass at my parents' house and Owen Sound and hoped that this week doesn't suck. My mom and dad have taken off to somewhere warm, sunny and probably filled with conservative nut jobs like Florida. Come to think of it, maybe Owen Sound and Florida have a lot in common, just with less alligators on meth. Then again, I laughed at my own stupid thoughts and continued driving. Fortunately, Foxy wasn't totally without a clue or a plan for the week ahead. In some ways, there is this cool thing called the Internet. Heard of it? Of course, you have all the debauchery and raunchy shit you can imagine, and all available at the click of a mouse. Kind of figured the boys might blow me off for the week with work, girlfriends, and kids. So I had to come up with a plan B. What's plan B, you ask, Internet hookups? Yeah, I know, fuck sexy MILFs in your area right now. Just pay nine to ninety nine and enter your major credit card. Nah fuck that. I tried the sensitive approach and cast a wide net and tried the college dating website scene, and I'll see what happens

2:28:31 when I cast a line. Before leaving my dorm, I fired up the old laptop and sent off a few messages to some girls up in the area. I knew a few of them from going to high school, and some I knew by reputation alone. I kind of had a feeling that my odds of success weren't great. But hey, as a great wise man once said, you can't score if you don't take a shot right now. Wait, you're thinking, am I really this lonely and desperate? Yes? And no. Before I left for school, I did have a girl I was going steady with, but well, it didn't work out.

2:29:13 Maybe it was her, Maybe it was me. Maybe I shouldn't have tried to fuck her best friend Courtney. Maybe TLDR. I'm an idiot and got what I deserved. However, who says that good guys don't get a second chance? Am I a good guy? Well? I'm not Hitler. That has to count for something. Coming into Owen Sound was something that I always looked forward to. The lovely fall colors of the trees and the big hill coming into the downtown. Sure this place sucked to grow up, but I'll be damned if it wasn't a gorgeous place to look at for a little while. I drove up to my parents' house on the west side of town by the old Blockbuster and unloaded my backpack and hockey back. Walked into the old house that was clearly built before people knew what HVAC was and half decent wiring. It's quiet here, even the dog is gone.

2:30:11 They almost never take that yappy thing with them on vacation. That's pretty weird. Guess the neighbors finally said, fuck you. Your dog won't stop shitting on our lawn, so no, Bob and Linda, I won't look after your mud. My room was just as I left it. It looked like a bomb went off in it. Dirty clothes, fast food wrappers, and I'm pretty sure a half empty can of red Bull stuffed up under my computer desk. Speaking of my computer, I fired up the old desktop that I didn't take with me to school. I logged onto a few of the college dating sites that I was on before I left, and kind of hoped that I'd find someone to help take my mind off things for a while. Seems like more than a few swiped away from yours truly, but hey, this is just separating the wheat from the chaff. The strong survive. Right after sorting through like twenty messages and getting shot down almost consistently a hit, I've never been so happy to see a blinking notification on a website that wasn't only fans click that so fast that I thought the mouse would disintegrate in my hands. It was from Tracy Kidd, totally out of my league, totally not into me yet. Hey, Josh, glad to hear your coming back to town for a week. When was the last time I saw you? Was it the baseball attorney in Sawble Beach or at jeans party in Chesley? It's been

2:31:41 way too long. I was totally surprised to hear from you, though, such a pleasant surprise. Sorry to hear that your friends ditched you for the week or likely will that totally sucks, blah blah, get on with it. But I kept reading with anticipation, as this could go my way, or I'm spending my week with a jar of vasileene and porn hub so I'm stuck this week by myself too, And I was wondering if you'd like to get together, no pressure or anything. I have to close my parents' cottage for the winter, and I could totally use a big strong man to help me out. Well, more like, I'd rather not be alone in a giant house by myself for a week. So tell you what, why don't you come up when you're here and we'll get together, have a few laughs, go in the hot tub and drink what's left in the liquor cabinet. Now, this is what I am talking about. I texted her so fast, and after literally a few seconds, she replied back, Holy shit.

2:32:42 She gave me a winkie face emoji and said she'd be available later tonight. I texted back and asked for the address, but tried to play it cool. Pretty sure, I look dumb as hell, but it's a bold move, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out. Got the address. I had a vague idea on where it was, Sauble Beach. It sounded like it was close to Soggin First Nation Territory, the Indian Reservation. I'd been there a few times for hockey and had a few friends from there. Good guys, deaf, the kind of people you want backing you in a fight. You don't fuck with res kids. Had an idea that kid was Ojibweh, but didn't want to ask. It's cool though.

2:33:27 Native girls have the most intense dark eyes and that amazing black hair. I knew Tracy had a rep, but it was well earned. She didn't take any crap from any of her boyfriends, so she had that tough girl air about her. She was confident, undeniably sexy, but so far out of my league. It was like a ten year old kid playing in the NHL with a broken arm. I can't deny that. I'd love to have a face off with her and jersey her if you catch my drift still, she responded to. So if I didn't have a shot, then she wouldn't have answered me. Maybe this reading week is gonna work out after all. Get together with a pretty girl, fuck her brains out, and return back to the dorms with an awesome story. I could also totally brag to my buddies Ryan and Dylan how I got laid and they decided to ditch me for things like jobs and Beer League losers. I texted her back and said I'd take a quick shower and grab some supplies and head up her way within the hour.

2:34:34 It was late afternoon, but I'd still make it up there before it got too dark. And then the real fun began. I got in the shower and tried to imagine all the ways that i'd be all mister super sexy and smooth oper Radar. Something felt kind of off as I got out of the bathroom, though, it kind of felt like someone was watching me. It only happened for a few seconds, but for a moment or two, I swear I saw a pair of eyes dart by my bedroom window. That would be crazy because I was up on the third floor. Maybe cut back on the red bulls before I leave for her place, got my luggage together, some condoms I had stashed for just such an occasion, and a six pack of Canadian from the fridge.

2:35:23 I'm sure Dad won't mind if I take a few beers to entertain a lady again. Something seemed weird as I was just getting my keys off the kitchen table and I looked out towards the back door. I swear I saw the biggest damn dog I'd ever seen, just peering in at me and looking at me. Now, who the hell, let that monster off the leash. Should I call the cops or help someone find their dog? Well, if it's important enough, then someone will come looking, and I'm sure that Kujo, the giant dog will find his way home. My car felt like something out of Fast and the Furious as I hit the gas and hit every single light out of town and up Highway six towards Soble Beach. I cranked up the radio and started singing along badly to whatever was on it. Frankly didn't matter.

2:36:15 Tonight was gonna be great and I wasn't gonna let anything spoil it. This fox was on the prowl Baby, passed by a few small towns along the way to Soble Beach. This place was world renowned as a tourist destination, huge white sand beach, thriving beach community, and of course racial tensions because you know, northern Ontario. I mean, why do people gotta be shitheads? Everyone shit stinks, so why can't we all just get along? Right right? Leave it to me. I'll solve all the world's problems, like the fucking United Nations. The only part of the ride that wasn't full of fun and fantasy was still shaking, that weird feeling of those eyes watching me. The main road in Dissamble was quiet, like so quiet you could hear a mouse fart for miles. This place rolled up the sidewalks after Labor Day weekend and it was just the locals left here till the winter comes for the snowmobile crowd.

2:37:20 Everything was closed or being closed up, and the only thing open was a convenience store that sold stuff to tourists at inflated prices, and the locals knew better than to drive to Owen Sound. I used to spend a lot of summers here with the boys and even my on and off girlfriends. We'd hang out by the giant sign at the beach entrance and walk downtown and not have a care in the world. Those summers were amazing and I never wanted them to end. We'd usually rent a cottage a few times a summer along the beach and it was nothing but parties, loud music, weed, and staying up all night playing poker or an old till we passed out. My GPS started droning on its directions to get to Tracy's place. Where in the hell was it?

2:38:08 Back roads, twists and turns, and I don't even think I was anywhere near people at this point. If you lived back here, you either valued your privacy or had more money than sense to build this far back. It was dirt roads, trees, dense bush, and even an occasional swamp. Truly paradise, come to think of it. The GPS lady sounded kind of hot. Wait, we are not fantasizing about fucking Skynet before Tracy, are we? We are? It's a new level of sadness, but that's okay. It'll be prime time soon enough. Finally I found the address and it was tucked back about as far as one could go without being totally off grid. I think your neighbors must be easily fifteen or twenty minutes away, and I haven't seen any cars pass me, and at least that long.

2:39:04 On the plus side, no one will hear her scream my name when we get down to it. I drove carefully along the dirt road, trying not to bottom out my car. I'm still paying this thing off, and the last thing I need is to take it in because I knocked off my muffler. Her cottage comes into view and it's way bigger than I expected. Looks like someone built this place by hand, and they had amazing taste as well. Two stories, big glorious windows, and a gorgeous wrap around deck and even a little swing set. This place was like something out of a TV show or a movie. I pulled up beside her pickup truck and started to get out when I noticed something as I opened the car door. What in the hell was that smell?

2:39:54 It smelled like a wet dog mixed with something else. It almost smelled like rotten meat that had been left out in the sun for a few hours. You spend enough time in the woods and you know what trouble smells like. And this did not exactly scream friendly. Must be roadkillers. Something died in the woods nearby. I mean there were bears, coyotes, and foxes around here. Probably safe to assume that I should get inside quickly. I'd rather not end up as something's dinner tonight. I probably taste great. One last thing to prepare, I sprayed a little bottle of axe body spray on myself before I went up to the door. Might as well smell like desperation and a little bit of horniness in a can, right, I headed up the deck stairs and knocked on the big wooden door. I waited a moment or two and then knocked again and nothing. Did I get the wrong house.

2:40:56 I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone to text her, but of course, no cell service. I'm pretty sure even if I got a bar of service out here, it would be a minor technological miracle. Maybe she was fucking with me. I mean, it's entirely possible. I started to walk back towards my car and defeat and shame when I heard a voice call out from an upstairs window. Josh, hold on a few, I'm just getting out of the shower. The door's unlocked. Head into the living room. I'll be down in a few. That was Tracy. I opened the door and walked into the cottage, and man, what a trip. This place was decked out in all sorts of things. On the walls. There was a gigantic painting of a pack of wolves above a fireplace, and pictures of what I presumed were her family. They also had tons of handmade things that looked like they must have come from the reservation. I think I had heard that her brother John was a big shot dancer in the powwow circuit. It's pretty bad ass looking, to be honest, I mean, I somehow managed to fuck up coloring books, so this was way beyond my skill level.

2:42:10 I sat down on her sofa and just kept looking around the place, half being amazed by all the stuff and the other time being kind of snoopy and way too curious. After about ten minutes, I hear footsteps coming down the staircase behind me. I can't contain my excitement, and I spin around on the couch and try to look cool. It didn't work, as I turned around so fast that I almost fell off the couch. I looked up and saw Tracy Kidd for the first time since last summer. She looked gorgeous, long black hair, Her makeup was done just right to make her eyes pop, and she wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a crop top black hoodie. She was beautiful. Hey Foxy, long time, no see have any trouble find the place? She said in a playful tone. Yeah, my GPS tried to take me into Lake Huron, but I got here all right. Man.

2:43:09 Her folks certainly made sure this place would be the biggest pain in the ass for a pizza guy or Amazon to find. You'd be surprised how easily all the cousins find it. After pow Wow and John comes home for a few weeks, she laughed. I'm glad I was able to come up. By the way, thanks for messaging me back, Trace, I needed a friendly face or two while I was home. I'm more than happy to help. I even brought up a few beers as well. Well, aren't you a fucking gentleman, she laughed. Don't worry. I'm fully stocked out here as I got to close this place up for the winter, and I'm not supposed to leave anything behind. My parents said, do what you want, but make sure the locks are tight, the windows closed, and the power is off before Thanksgiving Monday. I'm just glad to be out of the city for a few days, so anything you need I got. I'll admit it took a lot of restraint to not say anything stupid or push my luck too far before we even had a chance to get comfortable together. Anything huh, Well, that remains to be seen. Her voice and demeanor changed for just a second, and I think if I played my cards right then I likely would not be sleeping on the sofa.

2:44:28 I'm pretty handy and I can count to ten without using my fingers, so that as to count for something. I joked back with her to see if I was gauging the room right. She smiled back at me, and it was the kind of look that suggested I could lower my defenses and see where things led, but slowly, and try to play three D chess as it were. Tracy sat down on the couch next to me and we just caught up on old times and what we've been up to since last summer. She was working for the conservation Authority and doing some stuff for her brother, like helping him book gigs. So kind of like Showbiz meets Captain Planet. It did sound pretty cool, if very busy and time consuming. I told her that I was at Humber College for photography. I wanted to live my dream of being a sports photographer, maybe someday work for the NHL or the Canadian Hockey League. As the night passed, we started developing into deeper topics and it was actually pretty pleasant. She asked me why we never hung out more in high school. I always thought you were too cool for me. You always had a boyfriend, and let's be real, most of these guys make UFC fighters seem like cuddly little kittens. In comparison, you could have just asked Fox, you were a good guy, kind and not too much of an asshole. I didn't care much for that Dylan friend of yours, but always thought you were all right. I remember the first time I saw you

2:46:01 and your boyfriend fight at school. You punched him so hard when he laid his hands on you. It was like watching wonder Woman come to life. It was pretty fucking awesome. Funnier when he begged you not to do it in front of his friends. Yeah, he had it coming. I dated a lot of jerks back then. I could handle myself though. My grandmother taught me a lot of things. She taught me mostly to take shit from no man and to end it decisively. She looked at me differently when she said that. To me, the air in the room seemed to shift, and it wasn't just idle chit chat anymore. It was something more real. I'm sorry that you had to go through that trace. You deserve better, a lot better. Tracy inched closer to me on the couch and actually started to cuddle into me. I actually felt all my bravado and all my intent ooze away as she did. I was vulnerable, and so was she.

2:47:05 This was the make it or break it moment. This is where I either have an amazing night or I fuck it up completely. I've been lonely for a while, Josh. Things got different after you left. She almost whispered it like it was a secret she wasn't supposed to tell anyone. What do you mean, what's wrong? I asked, and genuinely meant it. The idea of getting laid kind of became secondary now. I mean, what if this was something else? What if this was one of those moments where something becomes really real. I know why you came here, but I'm not mad. Oh fuck no, No, it's fine. I wanted you to come. It's more than just a hookup. Right.

2:47:58 How do I answer this? Maybe I'll play honestly because I don't know. She can lay me out cold and leave me for the bears outside to eat. I'll admit it. A lot has changed since I came here and actually started talking with you. It's one thing to have a hot girl answer you on a dating site, and another thing to have said hot girl, invite you up to a cottage for a few days. I get the feeling that you've been really real with me, and I haven't had that since Melissa, my ex, the one you tried to cheat on. Yeah, I own that fuck up. I didn't expect to say that out loud, but it came so naturally. If I'm going to be present and here in the moment, then I had better be on my best behavior. You're not a bad guy, Josh. I can smell it on you. Okay, that's a weird thing to say, but sure, that's just the body spray. I nervously laughed.

2:49:02 She sat up and sat on my lap and looked deep into my eyes. She was a lot heavier than I expected to be. Honestly, she was built like a tank. She didn't look this strong, but looks are deceiving. I'm pretty sure she could bench press me and not even break a sweat. No, Josh, it's perfectly fine. We all have needs, and so do I. It's nothing to be ashamed of. She touched the side of my face and traced a line from my hairline to my cheek and cupped my chin in her hand. Normally, this is where I'd get down to business and go to town. But here I was absolutely in her hands. I was her plaything and she knew it. She had this animalistic power over me. And on one hand, it was kind of scary how much I knew she could overpower me, but I kinda wanted it that way. I looked back into her eyes, and there was something in there I didn't expect to see. I could see this primal hunger and this ferocity you see in a wild predator like a wolf for a lynx. This is a weird line between sexy as fuck and scary. I think I'm turned on but also kinda terrified. What would you say to a little game? You win, you can have your way with me, and if I win, then I can do whatever I

2:50:33 want to you. Okay, what do I have to do? Answer me honestly, and I'll know if you're lying, she said in a flirty but also serious tone. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and didn't take her deep brown eyes off me. She was sizing me up in a way that I can't say I've ever seen outside of a Nature dot Com documentary. Suddenly I felt like a kitten. Trapped in a cage with a lioness. This is either gonna get kinky or weird, probably both. Relax your body and let me guide you. I need you to trust me, Josh. She took my hands and placed them on her sides, and she kept eye contact with me. I relaxed as much as I could. I was a little hard, because well, I'm a guy. She smiled at me and winked, and then got serious again.

2:51:36 Do you trust me, Josh? She took my hands and put them on her breasts and kept her body taut against mine. Okay, this is going places. I do, I stammered out. Do you want me, Josh? I do? This is happening. Would you still want me if I told you a secret? Sure? I mean it's not like you killed anybody, right. I could feel her body tense up as soon as I said that, And what if I did? Okay, not sure. I like where this is going. I don't think you're a murderer. Kid. Tough as shit, but you're not a killer. Tracy took my hands and guided them to her face and held them against the side of her head, and we just held hands like that for a moment. There was a tenderness and a longing. In this moment, I could feel my cheeks flush and my heart beating out of my chest like a jackhammer. What if you're wrong about me? Would you still want me?

2:52:47 She relaxed our hands and leaned in to kiss me. I could feel her breath just as our lips were about to touch, and for a moment, it was like the first time I was with someone and I totally forgot the peril I was likely in. Yes, good, she whispered as she kissed me, long and deep, passionately. This wasn't an I want to fuck you kiss. This was an I want you forever kind of kiss. Now you only have to do one more thing, and it's simple.

2:53:27 I want you too, But you have to prove how strong and clever you are. Can you do that? At this moment, I'm pretty sure I would have sold meth to nuns. I can do that. I want you to play hide and seek with me for ten minutes, and I'll give you a head start. Seriously, all I gotta do to sleep with this amazing, enchanting sexual goddess is play hide and seek for ten minutes. This is gonna be so awesome. Okay, that's it, I laughed. That's it. I might suggest you start running now, though, what run? Why?

2:54:15 This seems a little hardcore for for play, don't you think, I thought to myself. Tracy leaned in and kissed me again, and this time it almost felt sad, like a goodbye in a sense. She took herself off my body, off the couch and stood up to her full height. If you're going to mate with me, then I need to know how strong and clever my pupps will be. As soon as she said that, I thought I was going to shit my pants. This little five foot eight, dark skinned girl started to grow in front of me, like something out of a nightmare. Her skin started to ripple, and a rough, dark brown furry merged like a wave.

2:55:00 Her features twisted and snapped, like muscles and bone snapping into new shapes. The face of Tracy Kidd was replaced by a long, wolf like snout filled with sharp, unforgiving teeth. Those once kind hands shaped into impossibly long claws that scraped the hardwood floor beneath her. She towered over me at easily nine feet tall. A rough, almost unrecognizable voice growled out of her horrifying visage. I'm going to count to thirty and then, if you can survive for ten minutes, I'm all yours. I screamed and screamed till my voice was hoarse, and I started to run in any direction.

2:55:47 But where I was, Tracy Kidd was a fucking werewolf. Fuck, I gotta run, gotta run, gotta run. I threw open the front door and tripped down the stairs as I went and landed hard on the grass out front and felt the wind to get knocked out of me. I felt my car keys jab into my leg, and Jesus Christ did that hurt. I started stumbling towards my car and thought about how the hell I was going to get out of here when I didn't even know where here was in this dark it was so pitch black, and her porch lights were off. I struggled to get my car keys in the lock. They wouldn't turn. I kept turning the keys, but the door wouldn't open. Shit, I must have bent the key when I fell. Fuck, I'm gonna die here, aren't I? I felt beads of sweat run down my face and start to sting my eyes.

2:56:42 Panic had gripped my entire body. This was it, wasn't it. This is where it all ends for me. I started running down the dirt laneway towards what I assumed was the main road that I had came in on. I didn't even look back, as I kept focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and doing my best to keep my forward momentum going. I just wanted to get with a girl this week. I just wanted to get laid right now. I just want to live to see tomorrow. Fuck. I'll take surviving the next hour if it means I can keep breathing. I kept running further and further into the darkness, and eventually the lights from Tracy's cottage could barely be seen because of the thick mess of pine trees. Looking around for anywhere to hide, or at least a place to gather myself for a second and to catch my breath. I'm not exactly in the worst of shape, but I could feel my legs start to turn to jelly and each breath start to burn as I gasped for air. Peeking off the lane way, I started dashing into the woods, and when I finally got into an area too dense to run, I started to slow down and carefully walk so as not to make too much noise. I couldn't hear anything except the faint sounds of a distant owl and the lapping of some nearby body of water. It's too quiet out here, and all I can truly hear is the blood pumping in my ears. I have a lot to be sorry

2:58:12 for if this is where it all ends tonight. I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. I know you wanted me to go off to school like my sister and become a doctor, but I wasn't smart enough. I'm mostly sorry to my ex girlfriend Melissa Hugh didn't deserve what I tried to do to you. I thought I was something special because someone else besides you took a liking to me, and I let it go to my head. I fucked up, and I made a lot of people unhappy in my life. Maybe I deserve to be torn apart by this creature or turned into a weird breeding thing for her. I probably deserve this. I leaned back against a tree and let out a and just looked up at the sky for a second. I don't know how long it's been since I ran from the house, maybe five minutes and that's probably being generous. I could smell that rotting flesh again. Shit. Suddenly, something wet and heavy slammed into my chest and knocked me hard against the tree. Felt like it cracked a rib or ten. I crumbled into a heap at the base of the tree and was instantly dazed. I tried to keep from passing out from the pan and keep focused enough to get my wits about me. I opened my eyes, and I instantly regretted that decision. Once again,

2:59:43 I found myself face to face with something that shouldn't exist yet here it was, right here in front of me. There was enough pale light cast from the overhead moon that I could see the face of the creature looking right into my soul trace or whatever. She was kept inching closer to me with her gigantic mouth drooling. Her spit glistened in the moonlight like dew. Okay, this was really it, Tracy. If you're gonna kill me, make it quick, and please don't make my mom and dad have to worry that I disappeared. Give them something to bury, I croaked out in a weak voice. The werewolf stood up to its full height and cocked its head and looked at me. I looked up into the eyes of the creature, and suddenly they weren't the eyes of a monster. They were Tracy Kid's eyes. Tracy's lupine form leaned down and moved closer to my body and nuzzled it like a dog would to an injured friend or owner. Her big wolf like head against mine and touched the side of my face gently. This is not what I expected. Her form began to shift back into the nineteen year old native girl I had a crush on once she was naked,

3:01:15 but at that moment it didn't matter. Josh are you afraid to die? Yeah? I am. I don't want my parents to worry or my sister. I'm sorry for a lot of things in my life. I'm sorry that I came up here looking to take advantage of you. I'm sorry for everything. I whispered quietly. I know you are I can smell it on you. You're a lot of things, Joshua Fox, but you're not a bad guy. She reached out again with her hands and cupped mine in hers and touched my face. I'm sorry, Tracy. What would you say if I said I was still interested in you? Okay, I went from preparing to meet the almighty to whatever this is. I'm confused, what do you mean? I didn't know how to process what exactly was happening at that moment.

3:02:26 I'm lonely, Josh. I want to be with someone who can be honest like you are right now? What if I offered you a chance to be like me, strong, powerful, and to be a part of something different? What exactly was Tracy asking me? She took back her left hand and extended one of her fingernails to an unnatural length and pointed it at me. Be with me, Josh. When we meet with another we take on strong spiritual and personality traits from the partner. I want my pupps to have that honesty and that vulnerability you showed tonight. You could have tried to fuck me and then left in the morning, but instead you chose to talk and open up.

3:03:15 You went with plan B, even though you didn't immediately mean to. Will I be just like you like a monster? Yes and no. I'll have to show you how to control your new life, and you'll be different from everyone else, but you'll meet others like me. It's not as scary as it sounds trust me, I found out from my grandmother in high school. How did you think I got so strong? Will it hurt? Just for a minute. Tracy leaned in and pressed her naked body against mine, and I felt her fingernail cut deep across my back and fire seared across the wound, and I wanted to throw up but couldn't. I immediately passed out. The next day, I woke up next to Tracy in an unfamiliar bed, and all my wounds had healed. I felt weird, like everything was moving in slow motion, but I was hyper aware of everything. I could hear birds and things that seemed miles away. I felt like I was stronger than I'd ever been in my life. I got up out of bed and noticed I was also naked. Oh that's unexpected. Well,

3:04:51 if I had any fun last night, it seems like I wasn't totally present for that little escapade. I passed by a mirror and noticed something different about myself. I had the same animalistic look in my own brown eyes that Tracy did when we were on the couch last night. Well this is going to take some getting used to, isn't it? Special? Halloween Hours by Rob fields. When I started my freshman year at Strickfield University, I wanted to get an evening job to both occupy my free time and make some cash. One of my professors said a great place to get a job was in downtown village itself.

3:05:51 I couldn't believe my eyes when I first came into downtown Strickfield. This part of the village truly is an area that time seems to have mostly forgotten. Sure, there's internet service HDTVs, video game consoles, and smartphones. Far from that, most everything else that seemed long forgotten is still here. Downtown village has things like a twenty four hour video game arcade that's part of a donut shop called Roth's Rings. There's a daily newspaper printed called The Strickfield Journal, and paper carriers on bicycles deliver them. People here still use landline phones. There are even payphones, including operator service. There's also this soda parlor called Big Edds. There's even a vintage movie theater called the Strickfield Centennial. Just outside the main village is a diner called Denoyer's Grill that'll take you back in time with their menu, the floor, the booths, and even the jukebox. Even the drive in theater plays by vintage rules where only the driver pays admission, not to mention all the vintage movies they play on film. Now, you'd take one look at me and you'd think right away I don't belong here. I know, I stand out with all my tattoos, my long hair, my piercings. Yet who'd have thought fortune was with me? As soon as

3:07:23 I stepped into Strickfield Video. Yeah you heard me, There really is a video rental place here in downtown Strickfield. When I walked in, my jaw practically hit the floor. This place is huge and rents VHS tapes to DVDs to Blu rays. Strickfield Video carries movies from every genre. The horror section is easily the biggest one here. They even sell movie theater style snacks and other novelties. It wasn't long before this middle aged man who looks like a gangster a hear right behind the counter. You like what you see? Yeah, he even sounded like a gangster when he saw me with all my tattoos, piercings and leather clothes. I thought he was gonna kick me out, but he didn't. You hear about the job. Kid help wanted sign out there, you're really hiring, was all I could say, and that was it. No formal interview, no filling out an application or handing over a resume, not even a background check. The gangster guy whose name is Lenny, hired me right on the spot. He sneered again and told me to relax as he showed me around Strickfield Video.

3:08:43 Like I said, this place is huge, he said, new movies come in all the time, and I would have my busy moments. Even though I didn't look normal, it didn't bother him. Here's my bodily dimensions. I got long jet black hair going down to my rear end. I'm really skinny, but don't look like I don't eat. The one thing people quickly notice are my sparkling blue eyes. Like I said, I got tattoos all over my body. I also got piercings, multiple earrings, lip hoops, eye hoops, tongue stud, nose hoop, and a belly button stud. Even my leather clothing speaks volumes, a top showing my tummy, a mini skirt and boots going up past my knees with fishnets. I also got rings on my fingers. Hey, when you come from a biker family. In fact, my Harley Davidson's parked right outside. What's your name, kid, Lenny asked, Charlie.

3:09:46 I replied, Charlie Brewster. My name's supposed to be pronounced Charlie, but when people see it in print, they call me the guy's name. I finally gave up correcting people and go by what I told Lenny. Long story short. Lenny explained everything to me on that first day. He also said I'd get some weirdo characters that come in from time to time, but not to worry about them. Everybody comes in here because they want to watch movies. Nobody's gonna hurt you here, kid. Just find them what they want, ring them out, and you're done. That's simple. Honestly, I wasn't sure Strickfield Video was gonna be open that much longer.

3:10:27 I mean, come on, it's all about streaming these days. Nobody cares about renting physical videos right not here in Strickfield. It was only my first day with Lenny breaking me in, but Strickfield Video was busy. Believe me, I got lots of hands on experience. When Lenny felt I could do things myself. He started backing off. This place opens at ten am each day and closes late, with even later hours Friday and Saturday nights. Before long, I settled into what might be a job. I got comfortable enough to be able to work on my homework during the times I wasn't busy. I could even order out for food.

3:11:08 It was just Lenny and me working Strickfield Video. Usually he'd open up and I was the night shifter. When one of us needed a day off, the other one would cover the entire day. When it was closer to October thirty, first, Lenny said there'd be special Halloween hours for that night. When he gave me my schedule for that week, I saw my hours for Halloween night were six pm till We're open all night on Halloween. Lenny, Strickfield Video has been open all night on Halloween since my father first opened it back in nineteen seventy eight. He said, then there's the gangster sneer again. What's the matter, kid? You scared? I raised my hands in front of me. No, No, I can work Halloween night still sneering all night? Sure, I quickly said. He patted my shoulder. I believe in you, but I'll come and check on you to see if you're all right. Now it's Halloween knight. I'm riding my girl into downtown village. Sometimes I ain't sure if I want to live here or gun my motor and get away. Still, I pull my girl into its usual parking place and cut the motor. I dismount and walk into Strickfield Video with my backpack. On time as always, kid, Lenny says.

3:12:31 When I walk in, seeing Lenny's got lots of customers, I get behind the counter and help him out. When we're caught up, he turns and points to a new coffee maker. Make all the coffee you need. Then he hands me some money, and get yourself some dinner. You've been doing great work here, he sighs. Hope you're here for the long haul. Good help is so hard to find today, Thanks, I say, Lenny sneers and pats my shoulder. Lots of stock that's gotta be put out. You're gonna be busy tonight for sure. And remember, kid, you're gonna get plenty of weirdos coming in tonight. Just rent the videos out like you've been doing, and you're gonna be fine.

3:13:17 He assures me again I'll be okay and leaves. Now it's just me here at Strickfield Video Seeing I'm okay at the moment. I make some coffee and pour myself a cup yum. He did not buy the cheap stuff. Lenny's right about this place being busy on Halloween. As part of my job, I play a movie that feeds to every TV in here, including the one in the main window. Since it's Halloween, I've been playing nothing but horror movies. To be honest, I love working here. Even though Lenny looks and talks like a gangster, I look forward to seeing him every day. Also, he pays me good as for benefits. He leaves me money for dinner.

3:14:00 He also lets me take videos back to my dorm. With all the foot traffic coming in here, this place ain't closing for good anytime soon. Who knows. Maybe I can keep working here all through my years of college. Now it's half past eleven, new inventories cataloged and out in the sections. Lenny ordered many more copies of Veronda Queen of the Night. We already have tons of them, but they're hard to keep in during October. Even after putting out all the new copies they still flew right off the shelves. The people renting them also buy lots of candy and microwave popcorn. At first, I wondered if I'd be okay being the only girl working here at night with all the foot traffic coming in, You'd think there'd be more than just Lenny and me. But Lenny taught me how to get my rhythm going. I can ring out customers, restock inventory, except new inventory, study, make coffee, eat, go smoke. I can really do it all. When I get another break, I go outside and smoke a cigarette.

3:15:04 Lenny was here a couple times to check up on me. There's still lots of people out trick or treating at eleven thirty pm. Come to think of it, trick or treating has been going on all week here in Strickfield. Lenny explained. It's a full week here and there's absolutely no age discrimination. Anybody can do it. Oh yeah, I even hand it out the candy Lenny brought over. I finish my smoke and go back inside. After midnight. Tricker treating is done for Halloween night and the week after. I pop in the classic Carnival of Souls a fresh wave of people come pouring in. I get a few copies of Veranda Queen of the Night, back in, only to rent them back out just as quickly. This next wave of rentals lasts about an hour. When I get another break, I make more coffee. Then I pour a cup and savor it. Just then this group of four water walks in. Lots of weirdos come in tonight. Like Lenny said, this group definitely fits that profile. There are two guys and two chicks. Then again, they could have been trigger treating or at a Halloween party. Anyway, they've all got on dark clothes, got pale skin and gleaming red eyes. Unlike me, they're dark clothes, ain't leather. I finish my cup of coffee as they look over the selections.

3:16:29 Suddenly a blonde chick breaks away and comes right to me. She checks me out and smiles, nice costume, sweetie. Um, I ain't wearing no costume. I tell her I really am a biker. She looks outside and sees my Harley still parked. Cool. She leans on the counter with her elbows and smiles. We can't find Veranda, Queen of the Night, your boss said. More copies were coming in. I smile a little. They sure did, but they all rented out faster than I put them out. Suddenly she stands up straight.

3:17:10 Now she looks upset. Her red eyes glow hot. Now. Then she calls out to the others she ain't got Veronda in. Now they're all looking right at me as they approach the counter. Their red eyes are glowing hot too. Then the other girl, the purple haired one, points right at me. You better be joking by her, chick. See, my baby's sister here really wants to see that movie, and she wants to see it tonight. I shrug. I'm sorry, but we're sold out. I did get a few copies returned a little bit ago, but they went back out just as fast. The blonde girl slams her palms on the counter and shows me her teeth. I gasp when I see they look like that cover from Right Night, which I had showed earlier. Also, those teeth are one hundred percent real. I mean, when these people came in, they had normal looking mouths. But now the blonde hisses and points to the drop box. Why don't you go check?

3:18:21 I nod and do what she says. Got a few returns, I stammer, pulling them out and looking them over. No Vernda. The purple haired girl now has the same teeth as the blonde I said. She wants to see Veranda. She's been waiting a long time to see it. She slams her fists on the counter. I can't even find it for in stores. I shrug. I'm sorry, we had it in. We really did get those extra copies in today, but they all rented out quickly. Maybe if you'd come in earlier. Suddenly, the blonde vampire hops over the counter. She comes up to me and blinks her eyes quickly. Clearly, you don't understand how things work, she hisses a little. We can't exactly be out during daylight hours, so it's a bit hard for us to get here earlier. Now I look past her and see the others in their scary teeth.

3:19:25 Look at me when I'm talking to you, doll. The blonde snaps, then she growls with those rows of sharp teeth again. I want Vernda, one way or another. I am going to see that movie on Halloween night tonight. I gulp. I don't I don't know what to tell you. We rented out all our copies. The chick still won't back off. Oh, she's as mad as all get out. Then she sniffs at my bare neck. You smell good, you know, cutie. I think maybe I'll take you home instead.

3:20:06 When I see those rows of sharp teeth again, I know exactly what she's wanting. I really love my job here at Strickfield Video, but I ain't willing to die for it. I reach behind me and grab the coffee pot. When she hisses loudly again, I shriek and splash her with the remaining hot liquid, making her scream. What the One of the male vampires yells, are you serious? Serious enough? I yell back, leaping over the counter and running out the front door. As the vampires are coming out, I'm already on my Harley and firing it up. You gotta love old American made machinery. I'm quickly gunning down Main Street.

3:20:50 I check my mirrors and see I'm free and clear. Then I remember fright night, vampires don't reflect in mirrors. I look over my shoulders and see four wolves making tracks following my tracks. Lenny said there'd be weirdos coming into the store, but I don't think he meant real life vampires. The wolves keep running to where they can stay with my bike. Then I show them I ain't just some chick that can simply ride. Nah, my parents taught me how to handle my girl. In fact, they weren't gonna let me have her until they knew I could. My parents spent lots of time teaching me everything they knew.

3:21:32 I make a quick, sharp turn down another road. Those wolves weren't expecting it, slowing them down a little. It ain't long before they're after me again. Those red eyes are really glowing hot now. I'm almost wondering if I could light a smoke off them. No way, I'm letting those vampires get me. They'll ravage me and drink me dry. Yeah, they'd get an interesting mix out of me. Caffeine from the coffee in it, energy drinks, nicotine from my smokes, and the kick from the spicy sauce out of the pizza I ordered from Alfredo's for dinner. Those vampire wolves keep chasing me through downtown village. I get back to the video store so I ain't leaving it unattended and letting people come in and steal stuff. I park the bike and get to the front door. I run inside and slam it, locking it from the inside. Now those wolves are standing right outside and growling. They turn to look at the people trying to come in and growl at them, making them run away. I get time to move to the back door and slip out that way.

3:22:37 I'm figuring I can make my way back around and get back on my bike, and that's hoping those vamps don't trash it. After pulling the back door shut, I move and make my way to an alley. Thankfully, my knee high boots don't clack when I'm walking. I reach the other side of the alley and come out. Then I see Roth's Rings across the streets, all also a light on at boble Topia. I figure I can head across the street and get into one of those places. When I reach boble Topia, it ain't actually open. I think someone's inside doing inventory or something. I hurry along and reach the entrance of Roth's Rings. I open the door and am almost inside when I'm suddenly grabbed and pulled back. Now I'm being pulled into another alley where I got those vampires looking right at me again. They're not sporting their fright night, looking teeth like before, but their eyes are still glowing hot. Then the spunky blonde girl stands in front of me again. I ain't asking for much. All I want is to see Veronda, Queen of the Night. Now. I tighten my fists and snap.

3:23:48 I told you we're out of it. Then I get bold and rush past them to escape yet her, I hear the purple haired chick hiss. I reach my Harley and make tracks. I'm surprised those vamps didn't trash it or turn the motor off. Geez, how is this even happening? Vampires ain't supposed to be real, right, I'm thinking now, I gotta get out of Strickfield. Are those vampires gonna follow me that far out? The problem is, I ain't gonna get out a strickfield. I'm about to cut through Gunter Square, a park, when one of those wolves suddenly appears right in front of me. I scream as the wolf leaps up and is on me. I squeeze the brakes to stop, but I'm wiping out. The bike's on its side. Now as I'm on my back with that wolf on top of me, it ain't making no attempt to bite me, but it's showing teeth and growling loud.

3:24:44 Now the other wolves are right there. Leave me alone. I yell at them. The wolves change back into people. It's the crazy blonde chick again. Now she's sitting on me again. Her teeth look like the Fright night cover. Now she's show clawed fingers and brings it to my shoulder to tap me with each word she says, I want to see Veronda. I scream and shover off me. I can't get my bike back since those other vamps are right there. I turn and just run for it. Next thing I know, I'm being tackled. Now I hear the other girl talking in my ear. You don't understand, honey, she purrs. Today is China's birthday and she really wants to see Veranda, Queen of the Night. Suddenly she's off me and pulls me to my feet. She's holding onto one of my arms. Then one of the male vamps is there to hold the other one. The vampire called China is back in front of me. That's right, cutie, We hawthorns always get our birthday wishes. Now I know you can do something to make my wish come true.

3:25:57 I groan, why can't you under stand we are out of Veronda, Queen of the Night. We did get more copies in today, lots more, but they all rent it out faster than I put them out. Don't you understand we are out? We ain't got no more. You could always stream it, couldn't you. China groans back. Not acceptable, babe. I want one of your store's copies of Veranda tonight, and I intend to have one. I groan more. Now, God, I give up already. I fight my way out and make it back to my bike. I get it back on its wheels and get back on it. As soon as I'm escaping, I feel arms wrapping around my waist.

3:26:42 Where are we going, Cutie back to the video place? Right? Ah? No, China's on my bike with me and holding onto me. I scream and lose my concentration. As I wipe out again, I moan softly and feel myself moving. I'm coming back to life. As I open my eyes. It's dark in this place where I'm at now. There are fire eurns in different areas. I don't know where I'm at, but it looks like some room. Am I in a warehouse? Maybe a studio. Then I go pard, it's a crypt. I'm in a cemetery somewhere. Oh good, you're awake. A familiar voice calls out. Now I see that crazy vampire chick, China standing in front of me. Then she kneels down and takes my hands. Sorry, honey, it wasn't my intention to make you spill like that. I groan and yank my hands back. Why are you torturing me like this?

3:27:45 Suddenly she's right on top of me. Give me what I want and I'll leave you alone. I look her in the face. Now, what's it gonna take for you to understand? Strickfield video is out of Veronda. Ye, we are out stream it if you want to watch it so bad, She hisses at me. Then she growls wrong answer. Also, does it look like we can stream movies here? Also, Veranda's not available on streaming. You're my one shot here. I scream, like some nuthouse escapee. Not because I'm in a crypt full of vampires, but because I just can't make China listen to reason. She's got it dead set in her mind. She's gonna see Veronda Queen of the Night tonight. I already explained this to her over and over.

3:28:40 Lenny's told me the customer is always right. But ah, I shove China right off me and spring off the stone slab I was on. Then I quickly see it's a burial vault. I'm ready to run out the door when the other female vampire is suddenly there. I look to either side and see those two male vs Empires. Then I feel China's arms wrap around me from behind again. Listen, Toots, if I can't have my movie, then I'm going to have you for my birthday gift. I'll sire you. You can be my new best friend. We can watch and talk about movies forever. I point to the others, But you have friends here. You don't know the situation, Charlie, is it? China peurs in my ear. Epiphany here is my older sister. The problem is she loves playing with her two boy toys here a great deal. She found them and sired them both years ago. She still ain't tired of them after one hundred and twenty plus years.

3:29:47 The vampire called Epiphany raises her finger. I promised my darling little sister here that she could have whatever she wanted for her birthday, I promised her. You understand, China loves her horror movies. She's been dying to see the original Veranda Queen of the Night movie ever since she started watching Up All Night with Veranda Friday nights on Channel sixty one over the air. We can never find a copy of the movie anywhere, So it's you who doesn't understand mortal China's going to watch that movie. I'd say it's up to you to locate a copy for my sister, or she's going to haunt you until she gets it. Like she said, she may even sire you.

3:30:30 I put my hands to my forehead and groan as I shake my head. I keep telling you people, again and again, we don't have it. I shake China off and run past Epiphany, knocking her to the side. I escape the crypt and come outside. You gotta be kidding me. This graveyard looks like it stretches for miles and miles. How am I ever gonna get out of here? As if God just answered my prayer, my heart is right there. I quickly mount up and starter. When those vampires are outside, I turn the bike and go full throttle again. I look over my shoulder and see wolves and giant bats chasing me down. I swear as soon as I see Lenny, I'm quitting Strickfield Video and finding another job. I did not sign on for this. I know he said there'd be weirdo customers, but vampires are too weird. Leave me alone, I scream. I show these vampires I can ride when I'm taking these sharp curves and fast turns. Eventually, I make it to the main road and pull out. Now I remember where I am and make my way back to downtown village. I look over my shoulder and see those vampires are still following me. I ride past a bank with a clock showing it's almost three am. There were no classes today, and I'm glad there aren't any classes tomorrow. Lenny told me it's village law that they there's no school or college on either Halloween or the

3:32:03 day after unless you go to Strickfield Academy. Anyway, I'm really irritated. Now I ride my girl right back to Strickfield Video and Parker in my usual spot again. The lights are still on. Inside, I turn off the motor and dismount. I unlock the door to go back in and get back behind the counter. It ain't long before those vampires come right back in. I'm about ready to lose my mind again with knowing I'm gonna have to repeat to China what I've been trying to tell her about Veranda Queen of the Night. But then I remember the dropbox and go to it. Looks like quite a few videos came back while I was out being chased by these vampires. I put the returned rentals right down on the counter, and then I see it. I pick it up and look right at China. Here a copy of Vernda Queen of the Night finally came back. I'll gladly wring you out so you can go back to your crypt and watch it. China gasps with this news.

3:33:06 Then Epiphany places the money on the counter. She'll take it. Happy birthday, Sis. China turns and hugs her sister. Thank you. Epiphany gives me her account number. Seriously, these vampires got memberships here. I punch the number into the computer and pull the account up. Her account's in good standing. I take her money and give her her receipt and the movie, which she hands to China. You only have a day to watch it, she tells her sister. You don't bring this back. I'll bring it back, sis, I promise. China squeals. The vampires are finally leaving, or so I thought. China stops at the door and turns to me. Now she looks sad. I'm really sorry about tonight, Charlie. I give her an uneasy smile. We're good, China, go home and enjoy your movie. She still looks sad. Will you watch this with me? I really want another movie girl to watch this with. Epiphany's going to be hanging with her boy toys. She ain't interested in watching movies with me. Please.

3:34:20 Then Epiphany looks at me as if I'd be doing China a huge favor. I sigh and hold out my hand. China comes and hands me the video. Then Epiphany and her two guys leave. I put Veranda, Queen of the Night in and play it. I work on putting the returns back out and waiting on other customers as I'm watching the movie with China, who doesn't give me any more trouble. I try offering China some of my leftover pizza, but vampires can't eat food. She does accept some coffee when I brew a fresh pot. In fact, China ends up staying here with me for a while. I watched Veranda Queen of the Night twice. Between China and me, we had some quality girl time together. The two of us actually became friends. She apologized again for all the trouble earlier, but she was really dying to see that movie.

3:35:16 It's around six thirty AM when China and I say goodbye to each other after we exchange phone numbers. It sounds like we'll be watching more movies together in the future. Wow, I'm really friends with a vampire. Now. At around seven fifteen am, Lenny comes in and sees I survived the night. It's still dark, but I'm still wide awake. He's got a box with him and opens it up to offer me donuts from Roth's Rings. Like I said, my gangster looking boss here takes pretty good care of me. I'm ready to bite into one of my donuts. Then I glare at him. You never told me vampires actually rented movies here. Now I tell Lenny everything that happened during the night. He just chuckles. Now we live in Strickfield, kid. Also, it ain't just vampires who got accounts here. I got all kinds of different monsters coming in here to rent movies. In this business, you can't be selective on who you rent to. Everybody loves watching movies, no matter if you're alive or dead.

3:36:24 He pats my shoulder. So were you gonna tell me you quit? I calm down now, No, I mean I was. But when you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense. He seems satisfied. Good. That means I'll see you back here tonight. I nod. You got me scheduled for six pm again. Go home and get some sleep, kid, he tells me. I got it now. I grab my stuff. When I'm leaving to go back to my dorm, I turn to Lenny. Thanks for everything, Thanks for giving me a job here. Lenny nods, you do good work here, kid, See you tonight. I yawn as I mount my Harley and head back to Strickfield University to go to bed.

3:37:13 One thing's for sure, it was definitely a Halloween night. I'll never forget. I'm already feeling in my tummy. There's gonna be more weirdo stuff happening at Strickfield Video. Never buy a Halloween mask from a yard sale. You could be getting more than you bargained for by Michael Kelso. I always loved taking my eight year old daughter Chrissy trick or treating, ever since she was old enough to walk. I'd dress her up as a ballerina or a princess, or whatever cute character would draw the most smiles and oh aren't you adorable? Comments. If I'd known how things were going to end, I never would have taken her trick or treating in her entire life. It started in late September when I hadn't picked out an outfit for Chrissy yet. We were hitting the end of season yard sales and my neighbor had told me that the one we were going to had lots and lots of Halloween costumes.

3:38:24 When we got there, I discovered she was not kidding. The one side of her garage was nothing but costumes hanging on racks. I wondered why there were so many. When I checked out the prices, mystery solved. Her prices were only a few dollars less than in a department store. Why do people do that, assume that there's stuff that's been sitting around in their attic or garage is worth so much money. I still made a polite show of looking through the outfits and hopes that I would stumble across something cute and cheap, although with the rest of the prices being so high, anything cheap would be immediately suspect.

3:39:09 As I was searching in vain Chrissy came to me holding a mask. Look, Mommy, she said, I can go as a witch this year. I looked at the mask of an old woman's grotesque face. Is that really what you want to go as? I said? Why not a princess? Oh? Mom, I go as a princess every year. How about a unicorn? I just really want to go as a witch this year, I sighed, holding the unicorn outfit in my hand and looking into her pleading eyes. Please all right, I said, putting the unicorn back and digging out the rest of the witch outfit. In the end, it saved me ten dollars.

3:39:58 I guess the witch was selling well. I wish with everything in me that I could return that ten dollars and undo everything that happened. We walked up to the old woman, missus Henderson, who was selling the clothes, and paid for the outfit. It struck me as we were walking out how much her face reminded me of the mask. We were barely in the door at home until Chrissy ran off with the outfit to try it on. I carried in the rest of my yard sale fines and set them down to find places for them. Later, I turned around and my heart skipped a beat as a tiny witch stood staring at me. Oh, Chrissy, I said, you nearly scared the life out of me. I'm sorry, mommy, she said, But it wasn't Chrissy's voice that came out.

3:40:58 It sounded high pitched and garb. I see that mask has a little bonus to it, I said, that's not all, she said in her modified, high pitched garble. Looking through it is really cool too. It was a little disturbing hearing that voice, but knowing it was my daughter's saying the words if she were older, I was sure she would use this to scare me several times before Halloween came around. Let me see, I said. She had a little difficulty taking the mask off, but once she did, I put it on and looked through the red lenses that were sewn in. It made the world look a lot different, not just the color, but there seemed to be an aura around objects. I shrugged it off and lunged at Chrissy, saying boo. She jumped and squealed as I chased her around the table. I'll get you, Oh my pretty, I said. As I chased her into the living room. She dove onto the couch and tried to hide behind some pillows. I slowly circled the couch, closing in for the kill, when I saw something dart away out of the corner of my eye. I didn't think she could move that fast, but I pursued the new target down the hallway toward the bedrooms. Mommy, where are you going? I heard Chrissy say behind me. I pulled

3:42:32 off the mask and she was standing in the living room by the couch watching me. I glanced back at the hallway and shrugged it off. It must have been my imagination. I went back into the living room and gave her the mask. Are you sure you'll be able to see in that thing on a dark Halloween night, I asked. I'll be okay, Mommy, there's plenty of street lights, and besides, you'll be there with me. Oh yes, I almost forgot. She smiled and hugged me, then grabbed the mask and skipped away happily. Over the next week, she took the time to scare me with it on a daily basis. It got to the point where I had to threaten to take it away from her. I still caught her wearing it quite often. With Halloween quickly approaching, I could barely keep the thing off her head. Finally, the big night came, Chrissy was bouncing off the walls with excitement. She was dressed in her costume and ready to go an hour before trick or treating even started.

3:43:42 All through the day, I'd been keeping an eye on the storm clouds that were brewing, threatening to put a damper on our fun, But before the evening rolled around, they had blown off and left a nice evening that wasn't too warm or too cold. We left the house, making sure to leave our porch light off so as not to tease any tricker treaters with the false pretense of candy at our house. We started down the dark street, lit by the occasional street light. At first, Chrissy was pulling on me like a dog straining against a leash to get to the first house, but as we walked, she drew closer to me. The first house was everything you'd expect. The nice woman who answered the door asked, and what are you supposed to be? I'm a witch, was Chrissie's enthusiastic response, but being said through whatever filter was in the mask made the woman jump, Oh my, that's quite a costume. She politely held out the bowl for Chrissy to choose two candies from, then disappeared back into her house. We hadn't seem but a few other trigger treaters until we turned onto the main street, and they seemed to be everywhere, dodging back and forth across the street. They wore every kind of costume you could

3:45:13 think of, from the classic ghost to cartoon characters, to zombies to princesses. I looked wistfully at the princesses when the little witch holding my hand suddenly pulled against me. What's wrong, Sweetee, I said, as she huddled close to me. I'm scared, mommy, she said in that high pitched screechy voice. The mask somehow produced of what baby? The monsters? I looked and there was a zombie Frankenstein and a werewolf walking together towards us up the street. Baby, they're just costumes, I said, just like every other year. Are you sure, she said, her death grip on my hand loosening just a bit, of course, honey, I said, everyone is just dressed up to have fun, just like you. Don't you think some other little girl will look at you and be scared of the witch? Her grip loosened to normal, I guess. So we started down the street, following along with a crowd of superheroes and other colorful characters. The more houses we went to, the more she seemed to relax and enjoy herself. There were still a few times when she would walk so close to me that she almost tripped me, mostly when there were large groups coming

3:46:46 toward us. Frankly, I was surprised she could see much of anything out of that mask. There were a few spots where the street lights were further apart, and I struggled to see the sidewalk on the whole. Though the evening had been going well, her bag was filling with candy, and everyone seemed to like her outfit. We even came to missus Henderson's house, the woman who had sold it to us. When we stood at the end of her walkway, Chrissie hesitated, Are you sure? The monsters are just pretend, she said, looking up at me with that disturbing mask.

3:47:28 Of course, Sweetie, go on up to the door. A group was leaving as Chrissy walked up. Ah, I see one of my costumes as come home, missus, Henderson said, dressed as a witch herself and sounding much like the voice the mask made trick or treat Chrissy said. She stared at her for a moment. As Chrissy seemed to stare at nothing on the porch beside the woman, she glanced over at the empty porch and leaned down to whisper something in Chrissy's ear while she held out the bowl of candy. Chrissy nodded her head as she grabbed two pieces of candy and darted away from the woman.

3:48:13 I smiled, and we turned toward the next house. As soon as we were out of sight, I pulled her aside. What did that woman say to you, Chrissy? I asked. For a moment, the tiny witch eyes stared at me silently. She she asked me if I liked the mask, she said. I looked into those red plastic lenses, completely unable to tell if what she said was the truth. I paused and took a deep breath. I think maybe we've had enough tricker treating for tonight. I said, I think so too, she said, much to my surprise. Can we go home now?

3:48:59 I look at her half full bag of candy that didn't have nearly as much in it as other Halloween's but she'd been acting odd the whole time. Sure, sweetie, I said, smiling, let's go home. We crossed to the other side of the street at Chrissy's urging, so we wouldn't have to go near the woman's house again. Either it was my imagination or we made it home more quickly than I expected. I was nearly out of breath when we opened the door and Chrissy dove inside, ripping off the mask and costume. She ran into her room and changed into her pajamas, then came back out and gave the costume and mask a wide berth as she went to the couch. It's not quite bedtime yet. Do you want to watch something on TV? I said, no, I'm pretty tired. She replied, I think I'll just go to bed. Good night, mommy, She started toward her bedroom.

3:50:02 Don't you want any of your candy? She looked from me to the bag of candy sitting on the end table. I'll have some tomorrow, she said. What about your costume? She stared at it laying on the floor. I don't want it any more, she said, then went to her room and shut the door. I stared at her as she went. I couldn't imagine when she wouldn't dive into her candy. Usually I had to limit her so she wouldn't go to bed with a sugar high. I stepped over and picked up the costume, sighing at the wasted money, but happy she enjoyed it, if only for a little while.

3:50:46 I walked over to the trash can and threw the costume in. As I held the mask, I felt like I had to look through it one more time. I put it over my head and the world was instantly bathed in red. I looked around, and for whatever reason, the aura's surrounding objects seemed to be brighter. I was about to take it off when I saw something dart off to the side. I ripped off the mask and looked where I had seen the movement, but nothing was there. I tossed the mask in the garbage and did a slow lap around the room, searching for anyone who may have been trying to play a prank on me, like a certain little former witch. I smiled as I looked from hiding place to hiding place, knowing she was trying to sneak up on me and scare me. It was the only thing that made sense. She had passed up candy and her precious costume to throw me off guard so she could sneak up on me and give me a Halloween scare. I finished my circle through the room without finding her, then ended up locking the front door.

3:52:08 I made my way back to the hall, expecting to be surprised at any moment. My biggest surprise was that it never came. I stood in front of Chrissie's door and slowly opened it. Peeking inside, I saw her fast asleep, or doing an excellent job of faking being asleep. I shrugged it off and went to my bedroom. My head hit the pillow and I was soon fast asleep. I woke in the middle of the night, knowing something was wrong.

3:52:52 I sat bolt upright and scanned the room. Beside my bed stood a shadowy figure. My heart froze as I went into full panic mode. Someone was in the house and they were standing beside my bed. I threw myself to the other side of the bed and fumbled for the light. When I turned it on, I saw Chrissie standing there wearing the witch mask. It took a minute to let my heart return to normal before I said anything. Chrissy, honey, you scared me, I said. She didn't reply, She just stood there still as a statue. I had to watch her chest rise and fall just to be sure she was still breathing. Chrissy, why did you get that mask out of the garbage. She didn't move. Chrissy, honey, why don't you take off that mask and go back to bed?

3:54:00 She remained still. I slowly crawled across the bed and stood beside her. My hand hesitantly reached toward her and pulled off the mask. To my surprise, her eyes were closed. It was as if she were still asleep. Chrissy, I said, gently, rubbing her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me. Why did you wake me, mommy? She said, you were sleepwalking, baby, I was. You took the mask out of the garbage and put it on, then walked to my room. I don't remember that. That's how sleepwalking works, baby, you usually don't remember. I'm tired. I'm going to go back to bed now, I kissed her forehead. You sleep good now, I said. She walked out of my room, leaving me holding the mask. It stared at me with its empty red eyes, making me feel more than a little uncomfortable. I leaned over and put it in the bottom nightstand drawer, then turned off the light and tried to go back to sleep. But sleep did not come easy.

3:55:26 I tossed and turned for hours. Every time I would drift off, a vision of that mask would invade my dreams, and I would be startled awake, absolutely certain that someone had just been in my room. But each time the room was empty. No sleep walking, Chrissy, No villainous stranger hovering over me. When morning came around, I stumbled for the coffee maker to try to get myself moving. Good morning, mommy, Chrissy said, cheerfully, sitting at the kitchen table watching TV while eating a bowl of cereal. I mumbled something like mourning as I stumbled through making a fresh pot of coffee, mixing it extra strong. Didn't you sleep good, mommy, she said?

3:56:22 In her cheerful little voice. No, I didn't thanks to a certain little visitor in the middle of the night, I said, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. Who I looked at her incredulous. Was she serious? Was she playing a game? You? I said, you came into my room in the middle of the night wearing your Halloween costume and scared me half to death. Her little brow furrowed. I didn't get out of bed at all last night, Mommy, Yes you did, Chrissy, I said, you dug that witch mask out of the garbage and wore it into my room. You threw my mask in the garbage.

3:57:12 Yes I did, I said slowly. I thought it scared you so bad you didn't want it any more. Her eyes became unfocused as she seemed deep in thought. Maybe I was just tired last night. I didn't want you to get rid of my mask. Then, how did you? I said, As a newsflash came over the TV. In local news, sixty three year old Martha Henderson was found dead this morning. Police are investigating, but it appears someone broke into the woman's home late last night and assaulted her. She was pronounced dead this morning by the coroner. The cause of death multiple stab wounds. A picture of the woman flashed up on the screen. Look, mommy, the lady we bought the mask from. Chrissie said it hadn't dawned on me until she pointed it out. But she was right.

3:58:11 The lady from the yard sale, who lived only a short walk away, was brutally stabbed to death last night. I thought back to Chrissie standing in my bedroom and shuddered at the fact that some crazed killer could have been hovering over me, or even worse, hovering over Chrissy last night. I shook the thoughts away as I glanced at the clock. Hurry, honey, I said, you'll be late for the bus. I went to the door as she gathered her book bag. When I got there, a shock awaited me. Chrissy, did you unlock the door this morning?

3:58:52 I said, no, Mommy, Why no reason, I said, smiling and pushing open the door that had not only been unlocked, but slightly ajar. We stepped out into the cool November morning air, street lights still glowing as the sun fought to rise over the horizon. I pulled her jacket tight around her and zipped it up you have a great day at school, I said, as the bus pulled up. I will, mommy, she said with that infectious smile. The bus slowed to a stop and Chrissy waited in line with the other kids to get on and be carried away to school. I waved as it drove away, glancing at the other mothers. Usually there would be idle chit chat between some, but today everyone quickly dispersed back to their houses. I told myself it was because of the cold, but I knew they were all thinking the same thing as me. There's a murderer running loose around our neighborhood.

3:59:58 Everyone was getting back inside their houses as quickly as possible and double locking the doors. I stepped through my own door and examined the lock as if it had somehow betrayed us. I locked and unlocked it several times to make sure it worked. Then, once I was satisfied, I closed it and locked it. I changed into my work clothes of a dress shirt and jogging pants, then sat down at my laptop. Telecommuting had been both a blessing and a curse. Staying home was great for a while, but soon I began to crave actual face to face social interaction. Video meetings on the computer just weren't the same.

4:00:43 And after the shocking news this morning, I wasn't feeling very secure at home. I would have felt better around other people. The day seemed to drag on, as I found myself often distracted by shooting furtive looks toward the windows, as if I expected someone to crash through one and murder me at any moment. I found myself coasting through the day, fighting to keep my focus on my job. When the knock came at the door, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I approached it slowly, as if it were about to attack me. When I looked out through the people, there was no one there. A chill ran down my spine. When there was another knock just as I turned away. I stared at the door, knowing that no one was on the other side, and wondered what kind of supernatural dream state I had fallen into.

4:01:43 Was I asleep at my keyboard and having a nightmare. The knock sounded again, but this time there came a voice with it. Mommy, why is the door locked? Chrissy said. I stepped back to the peep hole and looked doubt. There stood Chrissy. I unlocked and ripped the door open so fast she jumped back. Why weren't you outside waiting for me, she said, with betrayal reflecting in her eyes. I glanced over at the wall clock, and sure enough, it was time for her to be home. I'm so sorry, sweetie. Mommy must have gotten busy and time got away. But why did you lock the door? I just felt like locking it. She looked at me with this odd, knowing look.

4:02:35 Was it about the lady who got killed? Maybe? I said, trying to be noncommittal. Do you think whoever did it is still around? She said, as if she just asked if it was going to rain tomorrow? Are you hungry? I asked, let's get a snack. I spent the rest of the evening helping her with her spelling words and playing games. It was a wonderful time. After supper, we watched her favorite shows and then went to bed. Good night, mommy, she said, as I tucked her in. Don't be afraid. Everything will be all right. I considered asking her what she meant, but in the end all I did was smile and say I know while I stroked her hair.

4:03:26 If only i'd known. I woke in the middle of the night, startled again by Chrissie standing at my bedside. Oh, Chrissy, you need to stop scaring Mommy like that, I said, looking into the eyes of the mask she was wearing. Wait a minute, Chrissy, I said, slowly, how did you get that mask back? She didn't answer for a long moment. My friends gave it to me. What friends, honey, the same ones I saw in the street on Halloween, the ones you said were just pretending to be monsters. A chill ran down my spine. When did you talk to these friends last tonight when they gave me the mask back?

4:04:26 They're not very happy that you keep throwing it away. I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. I threw it away because Halloween is over. Not for them. They dress in their costumes all the time, their monster costumes. She nodded. And can you see them in their monster costumes? I said, slowly, Only when I wear the mask. My hand darted out out and tried to grab it and take it off her, but she dodged and backed away.

4:05:06 I heard that high pitched cackle come from the mask, remembering how it changed her voice. They said, you might try that. They told me about a fun game we can play. She skipped away as I jumped out of bed and followed her. She ran down the hall to her room and darted inside. I peeked around the corner, not sure what I'd find. Chrissy was standing on the other side of her bed, looking at me through that horrid mask. They gave me some fun new toys to play this game with, she said, reaching under her pillow and pulling out two butcher knives that looked like many swords in her little hands that barely wrapped around the handles.

4:05:57 My eyes grew wide. If I don't want to play this game, I said. She looked off to the side, as if seeing something I couldn't. They said they wouldn't like that at all, she said, lowering her voice. It would make them angry. I glanced in the direction she was looking, but didn't see anything. Just then, Chrissy jumped up on her bed and dove at me, swinging the knives. I was caught completely off guard. One of the. Knives caught my forearm and slashed a long gash in it. Chrissy, I yelled, but she was still coming at me, swinging the knives. Come on, Mommy, play, she said in that maniacally high pitched mask voice. I dove to the side, feeling the knife sliced my forearm, then ran out of her room and into the kitchen. You hurt, mommy, I said as I ran. Don't worry, mommy, It's just like in video games. After you die, you respond. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. There was something that mask was doing to her. I had to get it off her any way I could. Once in the kitchen, I glanced around for anything I could use. My eyes fell briefly on the knife block that still held several steak knives.

4:07:23 The thought was fleeting, and I quickly dismissed it. I was fighting the mask, not my daughter. I had to make sure I didn't hurt her. Quickly searching, I found a dish towel and grabbed it just in the nick of time. As Chrissy came charging into the kitchen. She swung at me with one of the knives, and I was able to block it with the towel, but it had cut part way through. I quickly wrapped the remaining towel around the knife and pulled it out of her grip. She stumbled and fell to the floor. I was on top of her in an instant. She kicked and flailed, swinging the remaining knife at me, just missing my face by inches. I blocked the knife with my already bleeding arm and used the other to rip it out of her grasp. It wasn't as easy as it should have been.

4:08:11 She had some supernatural strength. Eventually I was able to pull it free. I reached for the mask when suddenly something grabbed my hair and yanked me backward. I rolled over and got up, but nothing was there, at least nothing I could see. Chrissy jumped up, grabbed two of the steak knives from the block, and started chasing me around the kitchen table. It would have been comical, just like we had done many other times, chasing each other and laughing. But no one was laughing now, and my life was on the line. A kitchen chair moved itself in my way, making me trip and fall. I jumped back up before she got to me, but I felt something brush against the back of my leg. I glanced back and she had sliced a gash deep in my appendage.

4:09:02 We continued around the table, but I knew I had to go somewhere where I could use open space to run away, to get some distance between us. You're not as fun as missus Henderson was. I heard the mask say, she screamed and begged like a little girl. She didn't run like you. The shock hit me like a sledgehammer. The mask had used my daughter to kill the neighbor. I knew now more than ever, I had to get that thing off her and destroy it. I ran out the front door, not even thinking that I was only wearing a night shirt and underwear. I knew I needed help.

4:09:42 I ran to the next door neighbor's house and beat on their door, yelling for help. Chrissy burst out of the house and saw me, then ran after me. I went to the next neighbor and beat on their door, then the next, all while a little girl wearing a homicidal mask was chasing me. After three houses, people started coming out to see what was going on. I doubled back to where a few of my neighbors had gathered help me. I said, I need to get that mask off of her. They looked for me to a charging Chrissie holding two knives. I ran away, and the neighbors parted like the Red Sea. There was a tree in our yard that had branches low enough to climb, but Chrissie hadn't been able to reach them just yet. I climbed up, my bare feet, slipping on the bark as I tried to make it out of reach. She came at me so fast I knew I wouldn't make it and I would be a sitting duck for her to slice and dice. At the last moment, my feet gained enough traction to get me up the first branch. She jumped and slashed at me, but all the blades cut was thin air. She stood under the branch, jumping and slashing at me in vain. She was still doing it when the police arrived and took her away. I jumped down, nearly tangling myself in the branch, and ran after the police. Wait, please, that's my daughter, I begged. They had restrained and disarmed her, but not taken off the mask. I pulled it off

4:11:14 with much more effort than it should have taken and threw it as far away from her as I could. When it was finally off, Chrissy's eyes searched around as if waking from a dream. Her eyes landed on me, Mommy, She said, yes, sweetie. I wrapped my arms around her in a big hug. U ma'am. One of the officers said, are you sure that's wise? This girl was just trying to kill you. It wasn't her. It was that thing, I said, pointing at the mask. But it was gone.

4:11:57 I visit her every day in the mental hospit little. The staff there are quite fond of her and say she's the most delightful patient they've ever had. None of them believe why she's there. They all say it must be some mistake. I know it was too. It was a mistake to ever buy that mask. Retro Halloween Revelations by Rob Fields. I look to my best friend and companion.

4:12:41 Are you ready, si Anna? Michael smiles and nods quickly. I smile back and unlock the French doors to the newly erected Strickfield Funeral Home located at thirteen thirteen West Harlowe Road. Does this location sound familiar to you? It should. It used to be the former location for the Strickfield Drive in Theater before it closed and moved to the other side of the village. In a former life, I was a mortal known as Destiny Miren. My life was one of negativity that my parents had poisoned my soul with as I grew up. Hatred, selfishness, and utter contempt were all that I had ever felt. It's beautiful, Sienna says, our new home is truly a work of art. She looks to me, the boss spared no expense, certainly not I agree. In my mortal life, I cared nothing for Sienna when we first met, but she would become my one and only friend. Though I verbally abused and mistreated her, she refused to abandon me. Halloween Night of twenty twenty one, I sought to commit crimes in order to gain revenge on my older sister, Rebecca, whom many of you know as Charity. Sienna refused to abandon me even then. Truly

4:14:12 she was and still is a most loyal friend. In fact, it was this very location where we came to enter the afterlife. Sienna and I would come before death himself. I learned many things during my reckoning, including how much Sienna truly loved me. Death could have made us take our final trip across the River Styx. However, this all powerful deity saw the damage to my soul that had been done in life and offered me a chance at redemption. Death appointed me to become his replacement, and Sienna would assist me. I knew then that I never wanted to be parted from her. For countless years, in traveling through space and time, I have claimed many souls. Sienna would help to redeem those who she felt were like me.

4:15:07 In my mortal existence. While I was known as Death, my mentor checked upon us every so often. After a great many eons, my mentor had decided that I was to begin a new undertaking. In fact, that would become my new job title. Death knew that Sienna and I both desired to exist in the mortal realm again. Finally he decided that it should be so. There was only one simple catch, however, I myself could never return as Destiny Miron, since I still remain as Death and play a most important role in the afterlife. To exist in the mortal realm, I would require a new body and a new name. Just as my mentor had transformed me into Death on that Halloween night, so he would transform me again. I appear nothing like my mortal self. I have a thin body, pale skin, ruby lips, long black hair, and dark eyes. As for my clothing, picture a man's suit tailored for a female of my stature. I wear a pressed white shirt, a gray vest, a black coat and trousers and dark shoes. My mentor has also adorned me with a new name, Saffron Morningside. Sienna retains her mortal identity since she has had many dealings in the

4:16:37 mortal realm itself. My bond with Sienna has strengthened throughout our time in the after life together, and I would never wish for her to not be by my side. As for our new home, money is no object for immortals such as ourselves. Sienna and I bought the old Strickfield drive In Theater upon coming available for purchase. We paid for everything, the demolition of the old theater, the construction of our new home, everything furnished within, and the installation of the utilities. The Strickfield Funeral Home would be both our dwelling and our new professions. As for our duties here, I have become the undertaker. You would think that Strickfield would have one here already, but it didn't.

4:17:27 After the previous undertaker had retired, all of the funeral services for Feltner County were handled by the undertaker in the neighboring village of Pendleton. Sienna and I now fill the Strickfield vacancy. Our main purpose is to continue seeking tortured souls and to perhaps guide them back to their true paths. Though I am still technically known as Death, our boss, the original Death has resumed his duties once more so that I may focus upon my own. It's now October of twenty twenty four. Sienna and I have been serving the village of Strickfield by being available for those who would entrust their dead to us. In the beginning, there were those who were skeptical about entrusting their loved ones to a female undertaker. Nonetheless, they chose to place their trust in me. Since I am now the only undertaker in Strickfield, it would only be a matter of time before we would reach Halloween itself. At the moment, Sienna and I have no duties, we again take a tour of our new home. It is then that I am aware of my assistant. Is something bothering you? I ask?

4:18:44 Sienna turns to face me. I guess I still haven't forgotten about how we died three years ago today. She holds up her hands in front of her. I know, I know we've been gone from the mortal realm a lot longer than that. I smile a little. I knew what you meant, my assistant, continue, please, Now that we're back in Strickfield and running our funeral home, I guess I just can't help remember what brought us to the afterlife, maybe because we're on the very spot where it happened. I fold my arms in front of me to be clear. We were both departed before we entered what used to be the Strickfield Drive in theater. We were run down by two automobiles and didn't realize it until we were watching movies and came before our boss cnsis you're right as always? She raises her finger. I don't know. I'm just getting this feeling that something's going to happen here today.

4:19:51 I've known my companion long enough to understand that when she gains her feelings, it's best to listen to her. Is it just a feeling or something concrete? I unfold my arms. Sienna shakes her head. I just feel it. I can't explain what it is. I nod once. It's still early, so we may yet see what it is that you feel. She smiles. You want me to clean around here again? I raise my eyebrow. Are you that eager to work? You've already cleaned both the funeral parlor and the embalming room. Naturally, your work is satisfactory. I guess.

4:20:35 I just pride myself on being your assistant. She tells me. If you feel that you must work, then do what you will, as if Sienna's wish becomes granted. We hear the signal at the loading area and go there. Two men have arrived to deliver the inventory of the caskets I ordered to replace the ones previously purchased for other services upon signing the manifest and during their payment, they bring the inventory inside and unpack it. Once the new caskets are in place, the men clean up and depart. In time, we hear the bell in the front parlor. Sienna and I walk there and see a most familiar man and woman before us. They are Brentley and Josephine Miren.

4:21:20 In my former life they were my parents. Now they gaze upon Sienna with both wonder and bewilderment. Sienna is always smiling and as happy as can be. I wonder if they possibly recognize her, since she was always by my side when I was Destiny Mirren. May I be of assistance to you? I ask them. Brentley does not speak, Josephine does for him. Yes, we need to arrange a funeral. I know we should have done it years ago, but I listen as Josephine explains to me about Destiny Miron. She admits that she Brentley had not always treated Destiny as well as they should have. After they finish, I respond, are you looking to do just a stone or are you wanting a formal funeral for your daughter? Josephine sighs.

4:22:16 I kept wondering for so long if there was any point Destiny disappeared on Halloween night three years ago. Her body was never found. There was a police search, we put posters up everywhere offering a reward for information leading to Destiny's location. We never heard anything regarding her. Her sigh is dismal. We can only assume now that Destiny is gone. If she would have run away from home, I'm sure someone would have seen her. We even had posters in both Shore City and Eerie City. I offer the woman a sympathetic smile. If you truly wish to have a funeral for your daughter, then we shall desci discuss it. If not, no, she says quickly. We need to do right by our youngest daughter and give her something for the way we treated her in life, and your eldest I ask. Now, they both look at me hard.

4:23:17 How would you know about Rebecca? Josephine demands. Being omnipotent, knowledge is always at my disposal. However, I have never forgotten that Rebecca was my elder sister. Now she is known as Charity. Even to day, she remains a kind and compassionate soul. Perhaps I should call upon her in the future and make things right. Instead, I simply respond, the Mirons are quite known in the village of Strickfield. I am certain it is common knowledge that Rebecca and Destiny were both your daughters. Their expression softened once more. I suppose you're right, Brentley says, but yes, we would like to arrange a funeral service for Destiny. I nod once, very well, this way, please, I bring them to my office and offer them chairs. Once they are seated, Sienna offers them hospitality. Upon asking for the canned soft drinks in the mini fridge, Sienna obliges them. After the Mirons take their drinks, they are prepared to discuss funeral arrangements with me. Looking upon them, Sienna and I can see that Josephine is most regretful. Brentley, on the other hand, only seems to be here at his wife's request. When Sienna looks to me with concern, I return her look to say that we will address it. This is part of our duties here in the mortal realm, in addition to owning and operating the funeral home. Sienna and I

4:24:51 listen as Josephine wishes to purchase both a tombstone and a casket for destiny. It's quite clear to Sienna and I that does not wish to oblige her. In fact, we can easily see the blackness of his soul even today, he cares nothing for either of his daughters. After we discuss figures, I take the couple and show them the tombstones and caskets that we offer. Josephine immediately chooses the most expensive options for both. Upon seeing the seething contempt within Brentley. I look to Siena and know that we must address this. I raise my hand in front of me before we continue. I feel I must speak to you, mister Mirn. Now, mister Mirn appears annoyed. My wife is telling you everything. Yes, your wife has done all of the talking thus far. I agree, but I offer you the floor if you wish to speak. It seems as though something troubles you. You might say that I am excellent at reading people. He points right at me. Last I checked. You're a funeral worker, not a shrink. A shrink requires payments for services rendered. I stress I will listen for free. Now he's angered. Did you drop out of Strickfield High to come work here as an undertaker?

4:26:16 You don't even look old enough to be an undertaker. Why should we trust our dead to you? You are within your rights to call upon some one else to handle your funeral arrangements. Mister Miron, I raise my finger. Do note that the next closest funeral home is roughly thirty eight miles on the west end of Pendleton. I lower my hand. Shall I telephone there and tell the undertaker to expect you no Josephine utters quickly, no, we'll conduct our business with you. You seem very knowledgeable, though I do agree with my husband and you looking like you're still in high school. Then Brentley starts on me again.

4:26:57 We only came here because our other relative said you did a great job on their recent funeral. I think they lied, like I said, You're just a kid. Brentley, his wife scolds, stop it. We're here for destiny now. When Brentley scoffs her, I acknowledged the disdain on Sienna's face and know that enough is enough. Have a seat, mister Miron. I offer perhaps your wife and I can finalize your daughter's final arrangements while you relax. He points hard at me. Don't treat me like a child, little girl. I am not angry, but I must control this situation.

4:27:39 Brentley cries out when I shove him with enough force to seat him in a chair. Josephine regards me with surprise. To the average person, I do not appear to be one hundred pounds soaking wet, but I am not a mortal. I am Saffron Morningside. I am death. Now that I have Brentley's attention. I look down upon him. He does not seem so controlling and dominant. Now you carry a dark secret within you, mister Miron. Again, I offer you the opportunity to speak freely. What do you think you're doing, Josephine demands. It's not what we're doing, missus Miron. Sienna says, it's what your husband is hiding, and it has a great deal to do with your daughter's funeral. If you do not feel comfortable speaking to me, mister Miron, then perhaps you may feel better confessing to the police. Suddenly, Brentley springs from his chair and tackles me to the floor.

4:28:47 Then he grabs my necktie. What the hell do you think you know? Huh, Brentley? His wife shrieks. I stand to my feet and lay hold of him again, placing him back in his chair again. I stand before him. When he seems ready to attack again, I point at him enough. He is the first mortal that I have used my disembodied voice with since returning here. Brentley cowers before me. What are you? He stammers? Perhaps your salvation, I answer, or your reckoning. I regard his wife. At least you have shown regret and may yet leave here this very day. As for your husband, whether or not he leaves is entirely his choice. I regard him again.

4:29:43 All you need to do is confess your greatest sin. What sin? Josephine Miren chokes out. I retain my gaze upon Brentley. But I answer, Josephine, it was three years ago, on this very day, that your husband did something that has tainted his soul. Sienna and I both know what you have done, Brentley, but it falls to you to confess. Now. He appears both apprehensive and fearful. Still he refuses to confess that which tortures his soul. My patience is at its end. Very well, Brentley Miren, Then you leave me no alternative but to reveal the dark secret that has plagued your soul for three years to day, I regard his wife. You will not like what you hear, for I know that you yourself do not know. Then, Josephine reveals, I know of his extramarital affairs, if that's what you're referring to. Nope, Sienna chirps. What your husband did was much worse. Josephine approaches her husband, What did you do Brentley.

4:31:02 Brentley roars and rises to his feet. He tackles me to the floor a second time and starts pummeling me with his fists. When he sees that I am neither harmed nor intimidated, he quickly removes himself from my body. I rise to my feet once more. It has taken you three full years to finally come before me to purchase funeral services for your youngest daughter, missus Mirin. You have spoken of an empty casket, yet your husband knows what became of destiny this entire time. Brentley shows great fear and flees to the front door. Upon opening one, he sees a setting straight out of his very nightmares.

4:31:46 The sky is a mixture of red and black and looks like sediments of brimstone. The heat seethes into the parlor as we all witness the erupting fissures and geysers of hell itself. No, Brentley gasps. Then he slams the door. No. Now, he turns and faces me. I fold my arms. Are you ready to confess your greatest sin? Now? When he still refuses, I glance over my shoulder. You may have the honors, my assistant you wish to do something, so you may speak of that night. Sienna squeals with delight.

4:32:29 You're always so good to me. I turned to face Josephine Miron. As Sienna comes and stands with me, my assistant speaks, Now it's not quite that time yet today, but it will come to mark the three year anniversary that both myself and your daughter died. Josephine gasps, Destiny really did die. Our physical bodies were damaged that night to where we were considered dead. Sienna answered, our souls didn't actually die, though, you see, souls live on forever. So yes, you do have something to look forward to after death. Now what that is, I can't tell you, not as long as you're still mortal. Anyway, Destiny and I were on our way to this location in life.

4:33:25 Our motives of coming here were less than desired. Destiny and I were very much alive when we left Denoyer's grill that Halloween night to come to the drive in here. However, before we could arrive to do the bad thing we had planned, a couple of cars came speeding right out of nowhere, weaving in and out of both lanes. Destiny and I never saw them coming until they were right on top of us. It was two cars, each carrying four people. Sienna points right to Brentley. I remember very well you were driving the car that killed me. Josephine gasps again and points to her. You're Sienna Michaels, young lady.

4:34:14 Your parents have been worried, sick, and looking for you for these last three years. They remember Destiny coming into their house after she got in a fight with your parents. You left the house with her. Correction, I left the house and followed Destiny, Sienna states, After my parents kicked Destiny out of our house, I couldn't just leave her alone. You don't do that to your one and only best friend. But the fact was you never returned home. Josephine utters, how could you do that to your parents? Where did you and Destiny go? Hey, it wasn't like we both ran away from home, Sienna, sure, believe me. I had every intention of coming back that night. I'm sure my parents would have cooled off by then and we could have talked about things. But again, Destiny and I were both killed that night. After she and I came to the drive in which used to be here before we built this funeral home. Things seemed innocent enough. Destiny and I found out quickly that we were both dead and in the afterlife when one of the theater ushers, who was a ghost, told us that drinking and driving kills and that Destiny and I should both know. We didn't pick up on it right away. That ghost was trying to tell us that that was how Destiny and I

4:35:46 had died. Josephine looks to her husband. Sienna said, you were driving the car that killed her. She gets panicky, Now, what did you do, Brentley. Finally, the man releases his demon. I left the house that night and went to the club. You can't imagine how it feels having to put up with you every single day. I suppose you know how it feels to have a second daughter you never wanted. Neither of us wanted Destiny, but we raised her just the same. After Destiny stormed out of the house, I left and went to the club. A few of the boys were there and we had some drinks. More and more the rest of the boys came in. We celebrated Halloween the way we used to before you vulturous women came along and stole us from our lives personally. I had known in life that my parents cared nothing for one another. At least, my mother was willing to own up to having a daughter she had never wanted, even though she could be abusive to her at times. As for Brentley, he loathed both his wife and me. He considered Rebecca his one true daughter until he learned that she was not the mirror he was. From there, he and his wife banished her from their home. Keep going, Brentley, I urge, finish your horrifying tale. Yeah, I want to hear how this ends from your side of things, Sienna agrees.

4:37:19 Brentley seems ready to run for the door again, but stops upon remembering what awaited him earlier and even now. He points right at me. Who the hell are you? Are you the devil? Are we in hell? I shake my head a little. I am not the devil, nor would I ever make such a preposterous claim. But I promised my assistant that she could have this moment. Sienna, Nah, Saffron's not the devil, Sienna confirms she's someone much worse. She points to Brentley, you and your drunk friends came speeding at us and ran us. Both over three years ago tonight. But you were driving the car that killed me.

4:38:05 I saw your face before I died. What's more, after we crossed into the afterlife, you people just kept right on going. You never even stopped, You never even cared. She raises her finger. But when the alcohol wore off, you remembered what you did, didn't you? All of you did, one by one. I would claim all of you, I tell Brentley, at least the ones who would not confess to their sin from that Halloween night. Do note that only two of you confessed. Because of that, I spared them their fates and am allowing them to die of natural causes. Do you understand who I am yet? Dad?

4:38:53 Mom? Josephine gasps when she brings her hands to her mouth. But you you can't possibly be her. You look so different, your Saffron mourning side. That's how you introduced yourself. I am Saffron morning side now, Josephine Miron. In a former life, I was Destiny Miron, your daughter. Three years ago, on this day, I lost my mortal life to drunken driving. My former father here was driving one of the cars that killed us. You heard Sienna when she said that Dad was the one who killed her. Sienna and I have since moved on from that night. We've actually been around for a great many years and have seen so many things together. Sienna continues, Destiny became the new death so that she could have an opportunity at redemption and rediscover the humanity she never knew because of the way you two abused her in life. Life. Believe me, I've learned much during the many eons that I have served as the Grim Reaper. I assure them I would never have come back to you to claim vengeance for killing us both. Brentley, I am about claiming the souls of those whose time has come to depart the mortal realm and making sure they arrive safely where they need to

4:40:24 be on their journeys. But there are souls that are so tainted, so corrupt, that there is almost never any redemption for them. Sienna points to my former mother. At least you've shown regret, Missus Miron, and in that you are free to go, I assure her, at least for now. Now I regard my former father. You had your opportunity to confess your greatest sin, Dad, you refused, and now it is too late. You would live another three years, and you continued to live as if nothing had happened on that Halloween night. You showed that you never would care, nor would you repent your greatest sin. On this day, your soul belongs to me. Not only am I the local undertaker here in Strickfield, I am death. My former father is so scared now that he screams as he turns and runs. Where will you go? I call out behind him. Brentley Mirran runs throughout the funeral home looking for any means to escape. However, you can never escape me. Yes, I did mention that my mentor has retaken the mantle of death. His role is the traditional one, which I

4:41:55 did for eons. My role is death now is to see whether there are not souls who have come before me can be redeemed. As I have stated, my mother showed regret when it came to not being a good mother to me, so I have allowed her to live. As for Brentley Miron, he has shown no regret over his greatest sin. Now my former father flees into the basement where the crematorium is located. To date, I have yet to fire this up for the purpose to which it was intended. Those who have come to me for my services have always opted for a traditional funeral. I am certain there will eventually be a customer who will wish for me to use this basement dweller as a final option. Brentley screams when the crematorium door suddenly opens and fire erupts. Do you really think that you shall find any road to freedom within this establishment? I call out to him. Your corrupted soul belongs to me. Now you might as well just come and accept your final judgment, mortal. No, he screams and runs straight up the stairway that's used for deliveries. Upon reaching the back doors, Sienna is right there to open one of them up for him. Oh, we won't keep you inside against your wishes, Sir Brentley

4:43:28 screams again. When he sees initially the same scenery as he did at the front set of doors, He turns around and runs again. Soon he's finally trapped within the room where the caskets are on display for the customers. I stand at one entrance and Sienna stands at the other. Brentley looks at me, Now get away from me. You can't have me. Oh but I already have you, Brentley Miren, I say, as Sienna and I both approach him. Brentley can no longer flee as I lift him off his feet. Sienna opens a nearby casket for me to place him within.

4:44:09 Enjoy your final journey across the River Styx, Brentley Ashford Miron, I tell him, as he screams when Sienna closes the casket. Now we turn to my former mother. She is seen that we have claimed her husband. You killed him, She chokes out, his soul was dead long ago, I assure her. Then I point to the front set of doors. One of them opens for her, revealing her way back into Strickfield. As per my word, Josephine, you may depart, but only for now. If you do not settle the greatest regret still haunting your life, it shall only be a matter of time before I come for you myself. Please do so while you still can. Josephine nods quickly, then runs to her freedom. Now Sienna comes and stands with me.

4:45:12 You know, I really thought she would have apologized to you for the way she treated you in life, she says. I turn to my soulmate. I'm not worried. As I have stated to her, she still has time. I only wish for her to settle her greatest regret first. If she does, then I shall grant her more time. I look at the closed casket as for him, Sienna and I turn to see that the Boss has finally come for him. The original death tells us that we have been doing great work in our new roles, and that we may continue to serve in these capacities. We thank the Boss as he takes the casket with the corrupted soul of Brentley Miron. Sienna and I have done our work.

4:46:03 When she and I came to be in our new occupations here in Strickfield, we started to once again enjoy this village and its charms. The entire week of Halloween, we close the funeral home at dusk and have partaken in the week long tradition of trick or treating. Halloween Night itself will be our final night. After we have finished, then we shall return to Denoyer's Grill to enjoy those fabulous milkshakes, perhaps a full meal. To those of you who have heard this tale today, the time may come when you encounter Sienna and I. If you come to us with regrets, we may grant you time to settle them. However, if you come to us with a corrupted soul and refuse to regret, then you may find yourselves crossing the River Styx much sooner than you realize. In the meantime, Happy Halloween, The Graveyard Shift by Shane miglia Voka Halloween Knight.

4:47:27 For the first five years, Nate had been the broadcast assistant for the night shift at w HNT, the heart of upstate New York that basically meant you do the shit nobody above you wants to do, mostly being the in between for producer Monica Moe Foster on the whnt's late night call in program, The Madman Marks Show. It was a chilly night when he got to the station. A jack O lantern sat grinning on the desk in the lobby, and a bowl full of candy kept it company. Nate took a look through the station's large front window at the lights from town in the distance. It was a ten minute walk from the station to town. There were never any trick or treaters who ventured out here. Sam, the technical assistant, and Moe were grabbing a quick smoke by the door. Moe looked at her watch, pushing the envelope.

4:48:24 Moe said again, Yeah, well I know, shit happens. Sam smiled and Moe gave her a dirty look. Moe dropped her cigarette and crushed it under her sneaker. The big Halloween show starting soon, Moe said, pulling open the door, So keep it in your pants, lover boy. She went in, letting the heavy glass door slam shut. No doubt for Nate's benefit, Hey, Sam said, Hi. Sam Kimbro was fresh from college last year when she got a job at the station, a local girl. Though Nate never recalled seeing her in town till she got the job, the fact that they'd been sleeping together for the last five months was probably the worst kept secret at the station. Sam took one last drag on her cigarette. Thought you were vaping.

4:49:23 I am forgot to charge the fucker. She put the cigarette out, had to bum one off. MO want to come over later? Are we actually gonna do more than fall asleep on the couch watching old cartoons? Sure, I promise we won't fall asleep. We'll watch old horror movies. Well that's better. I guess we should probably get in there. No, doubt she already wants to hit me good Evening. Boils and Ghouls our topic tonight for this Halloween Evening. The disappearance of Molly Garvin. Tommy Marks, the late night host, grinned like the jack o' lantern in reception. Molly Garvin was from Castle, just a few towns away from here.

4:50:21 She went missing a few days before the fourth of July, her car found running with its doors open, her cell phone in the passenger seat and the radio playing. She'd been heading to her friend's cabin for the long weekend. Search parties have come up with nothing. There's even a three thousand dollars reward offered to anyone with information leading to her being found. What happened to her? Can a person just vanish? Steve, Tommy's on air sidekick, pressed a button on his console. We've got our first caller, he said, The fun begins. Tommy nodded, So what are you thinking about this disappearance? A man's voice came through the speakers.

4:51:11 I think it might be a stunt, Tommy. A stunt? What kind of stunt? A publicity stunt? Man? They're talking on the news about how Leanne Rhymes is her favorite singer, and they're trying to get her to come up here for a charity event. I've heard about this, Tommy. Stevie ads, Molly's parents have been talking to her over the phone. Okay, that's good in all, guys, But to what end, say Molly shows up all of a sudden with some crazy story. What does she get? Tommy asked, a reality show. The caller answered, everything is about having your own show.

4:51:51 Now, maybe she gets a book deal, goes on the view. Stevie added, good point, guys, Well, definitely something to think about. We got another caller, Tommy, Thanks for your call, sir. Who we got next? What's your take on this missing girl? A woman's voice answers him she. Is a sinner, mister Marx, excuse me, a sinner? This Garvin girl. I've seen the way they flaunt their little bodies on the street, barely wearing anything, sleeping with whomever they want. They have children out of wedlock, mister Marx. No souls, sin, sin, sin, all of the sinners.

4:52:33 The devil Steve quickly cuts the woman off, dropping her call. Spooky sound effects began to play. A wolf howled and a witch cackled. Well that was interesting. Tommy chuckled, I'm sure it's all downhill from here. Kids, Happy Halloween. After the show went to commercial break, Nate made his way to the breakroom. He needed something cold. Sam was already there, eating some chips. Without saying a word. She offered him some. He took a big, greasy handful. This is what I love about our relationship, he said. The junk food. Well, yeah, not the great sex. Well that's kind of one sided, ain't it. I get great sex and you get to ride an old guy. I never thought about it like that.

4:53:30 You gonna drop dead on me, old man? If I'm lucky, that's one hell of a way to go. Why are we seeing each other again? Sam asked. Moe looked a little pissed. When they got back, Nate was starting to wonder if she had the breakroom bugged. Enjoy your break, she asked, more than a little sarcastically. Before Nate could answer, Steve put on a new caller, So what's on your mind? Caller? Tommy asked dead silence on the line. He looked at Stevie, who just shrugged, hang on, we got another caller On the next line. Stevie puts it on, Hello caller, nothing dead, silence again, Hello caller. It's gonna be one of those nights.

4:54:27 Stevie sighed, well, we got one online. Three? Third time's the charm? Who do we got online? Three? A loud, metallic hum, answered Tommy. The hum got louder and louder till Stevie cut it off. I guess three's not the one. Steve tried line four. Silence. Hey, Sam, everything's working like it should, right, Nate asked. She looked up at him a little frustrated and nodded, Well, five just lit up. Steve said, shall we Maybe five is the charm? Tommy answered, hello, please be a caller. Nothing. Suddenly, a monotone male voice answered, there.

4:55:18 Are those among you who know the truth of this. There are parallel realities, the walls of which touch ours. These realities are overseen by the AGARTI. As Nate listened, it felt like someone was running nails over a chalkboard. His body shuddered. The voice continued. There are areas that are weaker than others, where one may cross over, some get stuck in between. In the timeless void, they become shadows. They are all around us.

4:56:04 If you become aware of them, they become aware of you. This is what happened to the girl. She is one of them. Now the line went dead. There was dead air for almost a minute as they were all frozen in their spots. Go to commercial, Mo said, Finally breaking the eerie silence left in the call's wake. Tommy announced the commercial break, his voice shaky. What the hell was that? Sam? Bring up that skit from last Halloween. We'll play that so we can take a breather after whatever that was, Mo said, I need a smoke. Nate stopped ya the bathroom first.

4:56:59 Tommy was splashed some water on his face. He didn't look high, not that Nate had much experience there, but it looked to Nate like he'd just been crying. Come to collect me. Yeah, Moe wants you back. He splashed his face once more before turning off the water. That voice, Tommy said, cut my damn heart out. You gonna be okay. I guess can't go home no show without the Madman, right, she'd kill me if I bailed. I can't deny she would. Then she'd come after the rest of us. They both laughed.

4:57:41 Duty calls bro. He walked past Nate patting him on the shoulder. The bathroom door creaked shut, leaving Nate alone. Suddenly, the bathroom took an eerie presence. The empty stalls seemed threatening, The shadows were deeper, darker. Nate felt his pulse quicken. The dripping of the faucet sounded like thunder. He rushed out of the bathroom without looking back. By the time Nate found Sam standing outside by the front door, he felt foolish he was letting that weirdo caller get to him.

4:58:22 He walked outside. The night was cool, the smell of cigarettes hung heavy in the air. Sam sat on the corner of the brick flower arrangement by the entrance. Hey, Hey, back to work, she asked, sadly, can we get drunk after or failing that, just hide under some blankets. Don't see why we can't do both. Nate looked off in the distance at town. Between the station and the edge of town was a small, fenced building, almost like a concrete shack, lit by two large lights mounted on its sides.

4:59:05 He was struck by how lonely it looked there in the sea of night, as if the rest of the world had been wiped away by some great cataclysmic event. How are you feeling, Sam asked, everyone else is going mental. I'm okay, what's your status? That got a smirk out of her. When they first met, Sam compared Nate to a robot because he never showed any emotion during any kind of crisis. She said he moved like a machine when he was working. One day, he started talking like a robot to her, asking about her status. She laughed, thinking about it all day. Not long after that they started seeing each other. Fine, I guess. She flicked her cigarette into the night. It hit the sidewalk in front of the station, sending out bright little embers that quickly faded away into the darkness. During the break, the phone lines started lighting up. Almost every call reported the same thing, a weird reaction to that last call. Some complained of nausea.

5:00:22 Others said their hearts started racing. People said their pets started acting weird. The rest of the show turned into a discussion about that weird caller and what it could have been. And then all the cars on the street turned on. One caller reported. The car alarms were blaring. Another call reported in a frazzled cashier at the stopping shop. All the Kansas soda started popping. As soon as that weird dude. Was talking, A woman called in. I was listening in bed reading. My husband was sleeping next to me. As soon as that man began talking, my husband started talking in his sleep in Latin. He doesn't speak Latin.

5:01:11 A few of the callers, brave souls, Nate guessed, asked them to play the call again. After a few more callers asked to hear it, Moe gave in and decided to play it. As the playback started, Nate could feel the hairs on his arms and neck stand up. When the caller. Said, they're all around us. All hell broke loose. The power clicked off, creating total darkness. Nate heard Moe swear. Tommy laughed. Somewhere in the darkness, Nate heard Stevie bang into something and yelp and pain.

5:01:51 Sam grabbed Nate's arm. After what seemed like hours, the emergency lights finally kicked on. Shit. Mo said, shit, well that worked well, huh? Tommy cracked? Is it just us? Sam asked, good question. I'll go look, Nate said, trying to look like a hero to Sam. The emergency lights didn't help dispel the feeling of dread crawling up Nate's spine. The shadows seemed alive as he made his way towards the front door. Nate walked outside. Everything was a lot darker now. The lights at the entrance and the station sign were both out. Nate looked towards the town. Everything was out, including the lights on that little fenced in building.

5:02:45 He could hear dogs barking in the distance and what sounded like every car alarm in town going off. Nate went back inside. As he walked down the hallway, he became aware of movement to his left. Nate turned, thinking it was one of his coworkers, but there were only shadows. His heart started beating faster. He felt sweat beating up on his forehead. He knew he couldn't lose it, not now, not with this crazy shit happening tonight. He heard Sam screaming somewhere in the dark and started running, only to be knocked down as Tommy came running out of the studio.

5:03:33 Sam right behind him. Run. Tommy said, his face pale. The fuck? What's wrong? It It got Mo and Stevie. Sam stammers, who uh a man? He came out of the shadows. Tommy answered he was a shadow. Sam cut him off. Just go God, damn it, Tommy barked, starting down on the hall. Sam and Nate followed close behind. They got outside just as the street lights started to flicker on. Tommy pulled out his car keys, fumbling with them as he tried to turn his alarm off. They're dead, Nate asked. Sam nodded frantically. Tommy jumped into his car.

5:04:26 Come on, he shouted as he started the engine. Sam pulled Nate towards the car. He still couldn't wrap his head around what they told him. Nate's legs felt like they were weighed down by concrete. We can't help them, Sam pleaded, Let's go please. Nate followed her towards Tommy's car. He could see Tommy look in the rear view mirror just as a large shadow took form in the back seat Tommy. They both screamed, but he never had a chance as reached out with its long, wispy fingers, fingers that burrowed into Tommy. Tommy started to the Only thing Nate could think of is dry up. The sound of straw makes when you get that last bit of milkshake rang out as he wasted further and further, becoming skeletal.

5:05:24 What remained was folded into the shadow Man's form. Nate didn't realize that they were running down the street. They made it to the first light pole. Nate looked back to see the shadow Man standing there in front of the station's sign. Nate turned and looked at that small shack so brightly lit. Could that stop one of those things? Nate turned back and looked at the shadow Man. He was so much closer now, halfway between them and the station. He couldn't have cleared that much distance in only a couple of seconds. That little shack, We've got to get to that. Stick to the lights and don't look back.

5:06:10 Nate started running, pulling Sam along with him. They ran hand in hand, like lovers running on the beach in some cheesy movie. Behind them, the darkness gained. The light from the street lights behind them went out one at a time. The shack. They were almost there, and then they tripped and fell hard. Sam screamed in terror as Nate felt her grip on his hand go slack. Nate heard that horrible sucking noise. He wanted to see her one last time, but he knew the horror that would greet him instead. He pictured her smiling that first time he met her as he got to his feet and ran with all his strength. Nate ran towards those bright lights, but the darkness that claimed this Halloween was fast, and that My Spookies wraps up our final Halloween compilation of the season, Eight terrifying tales to haunt your night and maybe stick with you just a little longer. Whether it was the corn Maze, the Haunted Mask, or the graveyard

5:07:42 shift that got under your skin, we hope it's helping your spooky season stay just the right amount of scary and a little more fun too. But just because Halloween will be ending soon, it doesn't mean the scares will. There is always a brand new terrifying tale every Wednesday here at Weekly Spooky all year long, so make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app because we're going nowhere and believe it or not, Oh, at Christmas time, things get really diabolical. I'll see you guys tomorrow with another brand new terror tale. Until next time, My Spooky's Halloween never dies.