Oct. 24, 2024

Never Buy a Halloween Mask From a Yard Sale

Never Buy a Halloween Mask From a Yard Sale
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When Chrissy's mother buys her a mask from a yard sale, strange things begin to happen, turning Halloween night into a living nightmare.

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Never buy a Halloween mask from a yard sale by Michael KelsoYou can purchase books from this author here: https://geni.us/michaelkelsoauthor
https://www.reddit.com/user/Horror_writer_1717/

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Music by Ray Mattis http://raymattispresents.bandcamp.com

Executive Producers
Rob Fields
Mark Shields
Bobbletopia.com

Produced by Daniel Wilder

This episode is sponsored by 
HenFlix.com

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🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
WEBVTT

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What begins as an innocent Halloween mask purchase at a

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yard sale quickly spirals into a nightmare when Chrissy's costume

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starts behaving in terrifying ways. Can a mother protect her

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daughter from the horrors of a cursed mask or is

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the evil far too close to escape?

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There's a hill in the air. Must befall.

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Join me for a tale of Falloween?

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You will experience.

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Tales over who ghosts sand.

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It is not recommended for the weak at heart. Join

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me for a tale of Fallowey.

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This is Weekly Spooky. Hello, my spookys. The scare season

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isn't over yet. Of course, it never ends. Here at

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Weekly Spooky, I'm your narrator and host, Enrique Kuto, here

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to bring you another terrifying tale to make sure you're

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in for the reason for the season. But before we

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get to that, I have something somewhat serious to talk about.

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Our story Tonight was written by Michael Kelso. Michael has

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contributed many stories to Weekly Spooky over the last few years,

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and Michael needs a little bit of help. He recently

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found out his furnace was no longer functional. He and

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his family are trying to resolve this matter before the

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winter comes and causes a lot of problems. So if

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you're able to help in any way possible, all you

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have to do is go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash

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help Mike. That's h E L P M I K E.

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Donate whatever you can, but please help out if you're able.

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and this is a very good example. That's Weeklyspooky dot

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com slash help Mike. And if you're new to the

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program in joining us for your first ever Spooky season, welcome.

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We hope you'll subscribe and hang around for a while

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because when October ends, don't you worry. We have plenty

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of fall fears for November and we always make it

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a very scary Christmas. So subscribe on your favorite podcasting

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app and while you're there, leave us a five star

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rating as it really helps new people discover the show.

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And of course, you can email us at Weekly Spooky

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at gmail dot com. We love hearing from you, or

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you can even leave us a comment over on Spotify,

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which I promise I'll read and maybe even reply to.

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But now it's time to go yard sailing. I hear

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I can get a killer deal on a very special

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mask right after this. Never buy a Halloween mask from

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a yard sale. You could be getting more than you

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bargained for. By Michael Kelso. I always loved taking my

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eight year old daughter Chrissy trick or treating ever since

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she was old enough to walk. I'd dress her up

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as a ballerina, or a princess, or whatever cute character

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would draw the most smiles and oh aren't you adorable? Comments.

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If I'd known how things were going to end, I

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never would have taken her trick or treating in her

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entire life. It started in late September when I hadn't

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picked out an outfit for Chrissy yet. We were hitting

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the end of season yard sales and my neighbor had

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told me that the one we were going to had

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lots and lots of Halloween costumes. When we got there,

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I discovered she was not kidding. The one side of

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her garage was nothing but costumes hanging on racks. I

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wondered why there were so many. When I checked out

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the prices, mystery solved. Her prices were only a few

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dollars less than in a department store. Why do people

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do that? Assume that there's stuff that's been sitting around

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in their attic or garage is worth so much money.

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I still made a polite show of looking through the

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outfits and hopes that I would stumble across something cute

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and cheap, although with the rest of the prices being

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so high, anything cheap would be immediately suspect. As I

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was searching in vain, Chrissy came to me holding a mask. Look, Mommy,

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she said, I can go as a witch this year.

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I looked at the mask of an old woman's grotesque face.

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Is that really what you want to go as? I said?

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Why not a princess? Oh? Mom, I go as a

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princess every year. How about a unicorn? I just really

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want to go as a witch this year, I sighed,

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holding the unicorn outfit in my hand and looking into

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her pleading eyes. Please all right, I said, putting the

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unicorn back and digging out the rest of the witch outfit.

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In the end, it saved me ten dollars. I guess

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the witch wasn't selling well With everything in me that

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I could return that ten dollars and undo everything that happened.

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We walked up to the old woman, missus Henderson, who

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was selling the clothes and paid for the outfit. It

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struck me as we were walking out how much her

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face reminded me of the mask. We were barely in

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the door at home until Chrissy ran off with the

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outfit to try it on. I carried in the rest

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of my yard sale fines and set them down to

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find places for them. Later, I turned around and my

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heart skipped a beat as a tiny witch stood staring

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at me. Oh, Chrissy, I said, you nearly scared the

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life out of me. I'm sorry, mommy, she said, But

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it wasn't Chrissy's voice that came out. It sounded high

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pitched and garbled. I see that mask has a little

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bonus to it, I said, that's not all. She said,

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in her modified, high pitched garble. Looking through it is

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really cool too. It was a little disturbing hearing that voice,

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but knowing it was my daughter's saying the words if

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she were older, I was sure she would use this

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to scare me several times before Halloween came around. Let

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me see, I said. She had a little difficulty taking

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the mask off, but once she did, I put it

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on and looked through the red lenses that were sewn in.

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It made the world look a lot different, not just

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the color, but there seemed to be an aura around objects.

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I shrugged it off and lunged at Chrissy, saying boo.

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She jumped and squealed as I chased her around the table.

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I'll get you, my pretty, I said. As I chased

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her into the living room. She dove onto the couch

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and tried to hide behind some pillows. I slowly circled

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the couch, closing in for the kill when I saw

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something dart away out of the corner of my eye.

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I didn't think she could move that fast, but I

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pursued the new target down the hallway toward the bedrooms. Mommy,

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where are you going? I heard Chrissy say behind me.

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I pulled off the mask, and she was standing in

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the living room by the couch, watching me. I glanced

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back at the hallway and shrugged it off. It must

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have been my imagination. I went back into the living

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room and gave her the mask. Are you sure you'll

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be able to see in that thing on a dark

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Halloween night, I asked, I'll be okay, Mommy. There's plenty

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of street lights, and besides you'll be there with me.

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Oh yes, I almost forgot. She smiled and hugged me,

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then grabbed the mask and skipped away happily. Over the

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next week, she took the time to scare me with

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it on a daily basis. It got to the point

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where I had to threaten to take it away from her.

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I still caught her wearing it quite often. With Halloween

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quickly approaching, I could barely keep the thing off her head. Finally,

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the big night came, Chrissy was bouncing off the walls

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with excitement. She was dressed in her costume and ready

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to go an hour before trick or treating even started.

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All through the day, I'd been keeping an eye on

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the storm clouds that were brewing, threatening to put a

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damper on our fun. But before the evening rolled around,

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they had blown off and left a nice evening that

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wasn't too warm or too cold. We left the house,

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making sure to leave our porch light off so as

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not to tease any tricker treaters with the false pretense

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of candy at our house. We started down the dark street,

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lit by the occasional street light. At first, Chrissy was

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pulling on me like a dog straining against a leash

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to get to the first house, but as we walked,

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she drew closer to me. The first house was everything

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you'd expect. The nice woman who answered the door asked,

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and what are you supposed to be? I'm a witch,

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was Chrissie's enthusiastic response, but being said through whatever filter

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was in the mask made the woman jump. Oh my,

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that's quite a costume. She politely held out the bowl

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for Chrissy to choose two candies from, then disappeared back

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into her house. We hadn't seen but a few other

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tricker treaters until we turned onto the main street, and

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they seemed to be everywhere, dodging back and forth across

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the street. They wore every kind of costume you could

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think of, from the classic ghost to cartoon characters, to

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zombies to princesses. I looked wistfully at the princesses when

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the little witch holding my hand suddenly pulled against me.

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What's wrong, sweetie, I said, as she huddled close to me.

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I'm scared, mommy, she said in that high pitched screechy voice.

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The mask somehow produced of what baby the monsters? I looked,

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and there was a zombie Frankenstein and a werewolf walking

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together towards us up the street. Baby, they're just costumes,

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I said, just like every other year. Are you sure,

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she said, her death grip on my hand loosening just

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a bit, of course, honey, I said, everyone is just

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dressed up to have fun, just like you. Don't you

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think some other little girl will look at you and

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be scared of the witch? Her grip loosened to normal,

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I guess. So we started down the street, following along

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with a crowd of superheroes and other colorful characters. The

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more houses we went to, the more she seemed to

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relax and enjoy herself. There were still a few times

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when she would walk so close to me that she

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almost tripped me, mostly when there were large groups coming

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toward us. Frankly, I was surprised she could see much

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of anything out of that mask. There were a few

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spots where the street lights were further apart, and I

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struggled to see the sidewalk on the whole. Though the

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e had been going well, her bag was filling with candy,

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and everyone seemed to like her outfit. We even came

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to missus Henderson's house the woman who had sold it

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to us. When we stood at the end of her walkway,

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Chrissy hesitated, Are you sure the monsters are just pretend?

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She said, looking up at me with that disturbing mask.

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Of course, sweetie, go on up to the door.

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Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your

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doors weekly, spooky. We'll be right back.

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A group was leaving as Chrissy walked up. Ah, I

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see one of my costumes as come home, missus, Henderson said,

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dressed as a witch herself and sounding much like the

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voice the mask made trick or treat Chrissy said. She

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stared at her for a moment. As Chrissie seemed to

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stare at nothing on the porch beside the woman, she

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glanced over at the empty porch and leaned down to

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whisper something in Chrissie's ear while she held out the

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bowl of candy. Chrissie nodded her head as she grabbed

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two pieces of candy and darted away from the woman.

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I smiled, and we turned toward the next house. As

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soon as we were out of sight, I pulled her aside.

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What did that woman say to you, Chrissy? I asked,

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for a moment. The tiny witch eyes stared at me silently.

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She she asked me if I liked the mask, she said.

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I looked into those red plastic lenses, completely unable to

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tell if what she said was the truth. I paused

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and took a deep breath. I think maybe we've had

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enough tricker treating for tonight, I said, I think so too,

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she said, much to my surprise. Can we go home now?

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I looked at her half full bag of candy that

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didn't have nearly as much in it as other Halloween's,

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but she'd been acting odd the whole time. Sure, sweetie,

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I said, smiling, Let's go home. We crossed to the

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other side of the street at Chrissy's urging, so we

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wouldn't have to go near the woman's house again. Either

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it was my imagination or we made it home more

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quickly than I expected. I was nearly out of breath

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when we opened the door and Chrissy dove inside, ripping

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off the mask and costume. She ran into her room

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and changed into her pajamas, then came back out and

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gave the costume man mask a wide berth as she

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went to the couch. It's not quite bedtime yet. Do

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you want to watch something on TV? I said, no,

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I'm pretty tired. She replied, I think I'll just go

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to bed. Good night, mommy. She started toward her bedroom.

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Don't you want any of your candy? She looked from

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me to the bag of candy sitting on the end table.

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I'll have some tomorrow, she said. What about your costume?

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She stared at it laying on the floor. I don't

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00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:30.879
want it anymore, she said, then went to her room

230
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and shut the door. I stared at her as she went.

231
00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:39.559
I couldn't imagine when she wouldn't dive into her candy.

232
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Usually I had to limit her so she wouldn't go

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to bed with a sugar high. I stepped over and

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00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:49.879
picked up the costume, sighing at the wasted money, but

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happy she enjoyed it, if only for a little while.

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I walked over to the trash can and threw the

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00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:02.399
costume in. As I held them, I felt like I

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00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:06.319
had to look through it one more time. I put

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00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:10.839
it over my head and the world was instantly bathed

240
00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:16.039
in red. I looked around, and for whatever reason, the

241
00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:20.559
aura's surrounding objects seemed to be brighter. I was about

242
00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:24.039
to take it off when I saw something dart off

243
00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:28.079
to the side. I ripped off the mask and looked

244
00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:31.440
where I had seen the movement, but nothing was there.

245
00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:35.519
I tossed the mask in the garbage and did a

246
00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:40.119
slow lap around the room, searching for anyone who may

247
00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:42.920
have been trying to play a prank on me, like

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00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:48.079
a certain little former witch. I smiled as I looked

249
00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:52.000
from hiding place to hiding place, knowing she was trying

250
00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:55.599
to sneak up on me and scare me. It was

251
00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:59.079
the only thing that made sense. She had passed up

252
00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:03.160
candy and her precious costume to throw me off guard

253
00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:05.920
so she could sneak up on me and give me

254
00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:10.519
a Halloween scare. I finished my circle through the room

255
00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:15.000
without finding her, then ended up locking the front door.

256
00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.920
I made my way back to the hall, expecting to

257
00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:23.559
be surprised at any moment. My biggest surprise was that

258
00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:27.559
it never came. I stood in front of Chrissy's door

259
00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:35.200
and slowly opened it. Peeking inside, I saw her fast asleep,

260
00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:41.200
or doing an excellent job of faking being asleep. I

261
00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:45.480
shrugged it off and went to my bedroom. My head

262
00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:55.000
hit the pillow and I was soon fast asleep. I

263
00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:58.839
woke in the middle of the night, knowing something was wrong.

264
00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:05.000
I sat bolt upright and scanned the room. Beside my

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00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:10.279
bed stood a shadowy figure. My heart froze as I

266
00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:14.000
went into full panic mode. Someone was in the house

267
00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:18.759
and they were standing beside my bed. I threw myself

268
00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:20.920
to the other side of the bed and fumbled for

269
00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:25.160
the light. When I turned it on, I saw Chrissie

270
00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:30.519
standing there wearing the witch mask. It took a minute

271
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:36.319
to let my heart return to normal before I said anything. Chrissy, honey,

272
00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:43.440
you scared me, I said. She didn't reply. She just

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00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:48.920
stood there still as a statue. I had to watch

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00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:52.640
her chest rise and fall, just to be sure she

275
00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:57.559
was still breathing. Chrissy, why did you get that mask

276
00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:04.240
out of the garbage? He didn't move. Chrissy, honey, why

277
00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.720
don't you take off that mask and go back to bed?

278
00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:12.960
She remained still. I slowly crawled across the bed and

279
00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:18.319
stood beside her. My hand hesitantly reached toward her and

280
00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:25.279
pulled off the mask. To my surprise, her eyes were closed.

281
00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:32.039
It was as if she were still asleep. Chrissy, I said, gently,

282
00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:36.519
rubbing her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked

283
00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:41.960
at me. Why did you wake me, mommy? She said,

284
00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:48.000
you were sleepwalking, baby, I was. You took the mask

285
00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:51.039
out of the garbage and put it on, then walked

286
00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:57.759
to my room. I don't remember that. That's how sleepwalking works, baby,

287
00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:03.599
you usually don't remember. I'm tired. I'm going to go

288
00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:08.640
back to bed now, I kissed her forehead. You sleep

289
00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:12.680
good now, I said. She walked out of my room,

290
00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:16.319
leaving me holding the mask. It stared at me with

291
00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:19.720
its empty red eyes, making me feel more than a

292
00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:23.759
little uncomfortable. I leaned over and put it in the

293
00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:28.079
bottom night stand drawer, then turned off the light and

294
00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:32.200
tried to go back to sleep. But sleep did not

295
00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:37.319
come easy. I tossed and turned for hours. Every time

296
00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:40.640
I would drift off, a vision of that mask would

297
00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:45.759
invade my dreams, and I would be startled awake, absolutely

298
00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:51.000
certain that someone had just been in my room. But

299
00:21:51.160 --> 00:21:57.079
each time the room was empty. No sleep walking Chrissy,

300
00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:04.079
no villainous stranger hovering over me. When morning came around,

301
00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:07.039
I stumbled for the coffee maker to try to get

302
00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:12.680
myself moving. Good morning, mommy, Chrissy said, cheerfully. Sitting at

303
00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:16.759
the kitchen table watching TV while eating a bowl of cereal.

304
00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:22.480
I mumbled something like mourning as I stumbled through making

305
00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:27.960
a fresh pot of coffee, mixing it extra strong. Didn't

306
00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:33.440
you sleep good, mommy, she said in her cheerful little voice. No,

307
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:38.039
I didn't, thanks to a certain little visitor in the

308
00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:41.200
middle of the night, I said, trying to keep the

309
00:22:41.400 --> 00:22:47.240
edge out of my voice. Who I looked at her incredulous.

310
00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:53.640
Was she serious? Was she playing a game you? I said,

311
00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:56.559
you came into my room in the middle of the

312
00:22:56.680 --> 00:23:00.680
night wearing your Halloween costume and scared me to death.

313
00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.240
Her little brow furrowed. I didn't get out of bed

314
00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:11.200
at all last night, mommy, Yes you did, Chrissy, I said,

315
00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:14.799
you dug that witch mask out of the garbage and

316
00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:18.519
wore it into my room. You threw my mask in

317
00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:24.880
the garbage, Yes I did, I said slowly. I thought

318
00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:27.680
it scared you so bad you didn't want it anymore.

319
00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:33.119
Her eyes became unfocused as she seemed deep in thought.

320
00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:37.799
Maybe I was just tired last night. I didn't want

321
00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:41.680
you to get rid of my mask. Then, how did you?

322
00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:46.599
I said, As a newsflash came over the TV in

323
00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:50.359
local news. Sixty three year old Martha Henderson was found

324
00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:54.160
dead this morning. Police are investigating, but it appears someone

325
00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:58.119
broke into the woman's home late last night and assaulted her.

326
00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:01.559
She was pronounced dead this monk by the coroner. The

327
00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:05.799
cause of death multiple stab wounds. A picture of the

328
00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:10.240
woman flashed up on the screen. Look, Mommy, the lady

329
00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:13.319
we bought the mask from, Chrissy said.

330
00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:18.839
You're not safe yet. Weekly Spooky will be right back.

331
00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:27.960
It hadn't dawned on me until she pointed it out,

332
00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:31.240
but she was right. The lady from the yard sale,

333
00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:35.720
who lived only a short walk away, was brutally stabbed

334
00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:39.920
to death last night. I thought back to Chrissy standing

335
00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:43.279
in my bedroom and shuddered at the fact that some

336
00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:48.039
crazed killer could have been hovering over me, or even worse,

337
00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:53.759
hovering over Chrissy last night. I shook the thoughts away

338
00:24:53.799 --> 00:24:57.960
as I glanced at the clock. Hurry, honey, I said,

339
00:24:58.440 --> 00:25:01.319
he'll be late for the bus. I went to the

340
00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:04.920
door as she gathered her book bag. When I got there,

341
00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:09.960
a shock awaited me. Chrissy, did you unlock the door

342
00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:16.480
this morning? I said, no, Mommy, Why no reason? I said,

343
00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:19.759
smiling and pushing open the door that had not only

344
00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:24.279
been unlocked, but slightly ajar. We stepped out into the

345
00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:28.599
cool November morning air, street lights still glowing as the

346
00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:32.839
sun fought to rise over the horizon. I pulled her

347
00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:36.799
jacket tight around her and zipped it up. You have

348
00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:39.880
a great day at school, I said, as the bus

349
00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:44.759
pulled up. I will, mommy, she said, with that infectious smile.

350
00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:48.319
The bus slowed to a stop and Chrissie waited in

351
00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:50.960
line with the other kids to get on and be

352
00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:54.799
carried away to school. I waved as it drove away,

353
00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:58.839
glancing at the other mothers. Usually there would be idle

354
00:25:58.920 --> 00:26:04.079
chit chat between, but today everyone quickly dispersed back to

355
00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:08.440
their houses. I told myself it was because of the cold,

356
00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:11.519
but I knew they were all thinking the same thing

357
00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:16.480
as me. There's a murderer running loose around our neighborhood.

358
00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:20.400
Everyone was getting back inside their houses as quickly as

359
00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:25.319
possible and double locking the doors. I stepped through my

360
00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:28.160
own door and examined the lock as if it had

361
00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:32.720
somehow betrayed us. I locked and unlocked it several times

362
00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:36.640
to make sure it worked. Then, once I was satisfied,

363
00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:41.279
I closed it and locked it. I changed into my

364
00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:44.799
work clothes of a dress shirt and jogging pants, then

365
00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:48.960
sat down at my laptop. Telecommuting had been both a

366
00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:53.160
blessing and a curse. Staying home was great for a while,

367
00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:56.680
but soon I began to crave actual face to face

368
00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:01.680
social interaction. Video meetings on the computer just weren't the same.

369
00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:05.839
And after the shocking news this morning, I wasn't feeling

370
00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:09.440
very secure at home. I would have felt better around

371
00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:13.440
other people. The day seemed to drag on as I

372
00:27:13.480 --> 00:27:18.400
found myself often distracted by shooting furtive looks toward the windows,

373
00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:21.759
as if I expected someone to crash through one and

374
00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:26.359
murder me at any moment. I found myself coasting through

375
00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:29.559
the day, fighting to keep my focus on my job.

376
00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:33.680
When the knock came at the door, I nearly jumped

377
00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:38.200
out of my skin. I approached it slowly, as if

378
00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:41.279
it were about to attack me. When I looked out

379
00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:46.039
through the people, there was no one there. A chill

380
00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.920
ran down my spine. When there was another knock just

381
00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:53.720
as I turned away. I stared at the door, knowing

382
00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:57.000
that no one was on the other side, and wondered

383
00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:00.279
what kind of supernatural dream state I had fallen into.

384
00:28:01.640 --> 00:28:04.160
Was I asleep at my keyboard and having a nightmare?

385
00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:09.680
The knock sounded again, but this time there came a

386
00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:15.599
voice with it. Mommy, why is the door locked, Chrissy said.

387
00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:18.920
I stepped back to the peep hole and looked out.

388
00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:24.000
There stood Chrissy. I unlocked and ripped the door open

389
00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:28.319
so fast she jumped back. Why weren't you outside waiting

390
00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:32.119
for me, she said, with betrayal reflecting in her eyes.

391
00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:35.640
I glanced over at the wall clock, and sure enough

392
00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:40.319
it was time for her to be home. I'm so sorry, sweetie.

393
00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:44.480
Mommy must have gotten busy and time got away. But

394
00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:48.319
why did you lock the door? I just felt like

395
00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:53.079
locking it. She looked at me with this odd, knowing look.

396
00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:59.240
Was it about the lady who got killed? Maybe? I said,

397
00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:03.119
trying to be non committal. Do you think whoever did

398
00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:06.200
it is still around? She said, as if she'd just

399
00:29:06.359 --> 00:29:10.160
asked if it was going to rain tomorrow? Are you hungry?

400
00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:14.720
I asked, Let's get a snack. I spent the rest

401
00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:17.319
of the evening helping her with her spelling words and

402
00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:22.440
playing games. It was a wonderful time. After supper, we

403
00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:26.880
watched her favorite shows, and then went to bed. Good night, Mommy,

404
00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:31.240
she said, as I tucked her in. Don't be afraid.

405
00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:35.880
Everything will be all right. I considered asking her what

406
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.839
she meant, but in the end all I did was

407
00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:43.200
smile and say I know while I stroked her hair.

408
00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:53.240
If only I'd known. I woke in the middle of

409
00:29:53.279 --> 00:30:00.279
the night, startled again by Chrissy standing at my bedside. Oh, chris, see,

410
00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:03.720
you need to stop scaring Mommy like that, I said,

411
00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:06.319
looking into the eyes of the mask she was wearing.

412
00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:13.480
Wait a minute, Chrissy, I said, slowly. How did you

413
00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:18.680
get that mask back? She didn't answer for a long moment.

414
00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:25.799
My friends gave it to me. What friends, honey, The

415
00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:29.359
same ones I saw in the street on Halloween, the

416
00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:33.920
ones you said were just pretending to be monsters. A

417
00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:38.640
chill ran down my spine. When did you talk to

418
00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:43.759
these friends last tonight when they gave me the mask back.

419
00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:47.519
They're not very happy that you keep throwing it away.

420
00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:51.960
I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.

421
00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:58.480
I threw it away because Halloween is over, not for them.

422
00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:06.000
They dress and their costumes all the time, their monster costumes.

423
00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:12.039
She nodded, and can you see them in their monster costumes,

424
00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:17.440
I said slowly, Only when I wear the mask. My

425
00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:20.440
hand darted out and tried to grab it and take

426
00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:25.240
it off her, but she dodged and backed away. I

427
00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:29.759
heard that high pitched cackle come from the mask, remembering

428
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:34.039
how it changed her voice. They said, you might try that.

429
00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:37.880
They told me about a fun game we can play.

430
00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:41.920
She skipped away as I jumped out of bed and

431
00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:45.400
followed her. She ran down the hall to her room

432
00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:51.079
and darted inside. I peeked around the corner, not sure

433
00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:54.799
what I'd find. Chrissy was standing on the other side

434
00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:58.880
of her bed, looking at me through that horrid mask.

435
00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:02.680
They gave me some fun new toys to play this

436
00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:07.440
game with, she said, reaching under her pillow and pulling

437
00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:11.279
out two butcher knives that looked like many swords in

438
00:32:11.319 --> 00:32:15.880
her little hands that barely wrapped around the handles. My

439
00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:19.880
eyes grew wide. What if I don't want to play

440
00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:23.319
this game? I said. She looked off to the side,

441
00:32:23.319 --> 00:32:27.880
as if seeing something I couldn't. They said, they wouldn't

442
00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:33.119
like that at all, she said, lowering her voice. It

443
00:32:33.160 --> 00:32:38.440
would make them angry. I glanced in the direction she

444
00:32:38.640 --> 00:32:44.000
was looking, but didn't see anything. Just then, Chrissy jumped

445
00:32:44.079 --> 00:32:47.440
up on her bed and dove at me, swinging the knives.

446
00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:51.119
I was caught completely off guard. One of the knives

447
00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:55.079
caught my forearm and slashed a long gash in it. Chrissy,

448
00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:59.160
I yelled, but she was still coming at me, swinging

449
00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:03.519
the knives. Come on, Mommy, play, she said, in that

450
00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:07.960
maniacally high pitched mask voice. I dove to the side,

451
00:33:08.039 --> 00:33:10.960
feeling the knife slice my forearm, then ran out of

452
00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:15.359
her room and into the kitchen. You hurt, mommy, I

453
00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:19.720
said as I ran. Don't worry, mommy, It's just like

454
00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:24.880
in video games. After you die, you respond. I couldn't

455
00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:27.599
believe what I was hearing. There was something that mask

456
00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:29.920
was doing to her. I had to get it off

457
00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:33.200
her any way I could. Once in the kitchen, I

458
00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:37.240
glanced around for anything I could use. My eyes fell

459
00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:41.559
briefly on the knife block that still held several steak knives.

460
00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:45.000
The thought was fleeting, and I quickly dismissed it. I

461
00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:48.279
was fighting the mask, not my daughter. I had to

462
00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:51.839
make sure I didn't hurt her. Quickly searching, I found

463
00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:54.480
a dish towel and grabbed it just in the nick

464
00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:58.480
of time. As Chrissy came charging into the kitchen. She

465
00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:00.799
swung at me with one of the knobs knives, and

466
00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:03.599
I was able to block it with the towel, but

467
00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:07.160
it had cut part way through. I quickly wrapped the

468
00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:10.199
remaining towel around the knife and pulled it out of

469
00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:14.000
her grip. She stumbled and fell to the floor. I

470
00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:16.679
was on top of her in an instant. She kicked

471
00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:19.599
and flailed, swinging the remaining knife at me, just missing

472
00:34:19.639 --> 00:34:23.159
my face by inches. I blocked the knife with my

473
00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:25.679
already bleeding arm and used the other to rip it

474
00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:28.360
out of her grasp. It wasn't as easy as it

475
00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:34.039
should have been. She had some supernatural strength. Eventually I

476
00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:36.840
was able to pull it free. I reached for the

477
00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:40.920
mask when suddenly something grabbed my hair and yanked me backward.

478
00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:44.719
I rolled over and got up, but nothing was there,

479
00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:49.440
at least nothing I could see. Chrissy jumped up, grabbed

480
00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:52.039
two of the steak knives from the block, and started

481
00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:56.079
chasing me around the kitchen table. It would have been comical,

482
00:34:56.199 --> 00:34:59.000
just like we had done many other times, chasing each

483
00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:03.119
other and laughing, but no one was laughing now, and

484
00:35:03.239 --> 00:35:06.719
my life was on the line, a kitchen chair moved

485
00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:09.880
itself in my way, making me trip and fall. I

486
00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:12.360
jumped back up before she got to me, but I

487
00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:15.719
felt something brush against the back of my leg. I

488
00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:19.159
glanced back and she had sliced a gash deep in

489
00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:23.480
my appendage. We continued around the table, but I knew

490
00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:25.599
I had to go somewhere where I could use open

491
00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:30.280
space to run away, to get some distance between us.

492
00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:34.199
You're not as fun as missus Henderson was. I heard

493
00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:38.360
the mask say. She screamed and begged like a little girl.

494
00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:43.559
She didn't run like you. The shock hit me like

495
00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:47.239
a sledgehammer. The mask had used my daughter to kill

496
00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:51.000
the neighbor. I knew now more than ever, I had

497
00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:54.159
to get that thing off her and destroy it. I

498
00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:57.039
ran out the front door, not even thinking that I

499
00:35:57.159 --> 00:35:59.960
was only wearing a night shirt and underwear. I knew

500
00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:02.920
I needed help. I ran to the next door neighbor's

501
00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:06.559
house and beat on their door, yelling for help. Chrissy

502
00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:10.039
burst out of the house and saw me, then ran

503
00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:13.000
after me. I went to the next neighbor and beat

504
00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:16.960
on their door, then the next all while a little

505
00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:22.559
girl wearing a homicidal mask was chasing me. After three houses,

506
00:36:22.599 --> 00:36:25.079
people started coming out to see what was going on.

507
00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:27.920
I doubled back to where a few of my neighbors

508
00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:31.440
had gathered help me. I said, I need to get

509
00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:34.360
that mask off of her. They looked for me to

510
00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:38.400
a charging Chrissy holding two knives. I ran away, and

511
00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:41.679
the neighbors parted like the red Sea. There was a

512
00:36:41.719 --> 00:36:44.519
tree in our yard that had branches low enough to climb,

513
00:36:44.960 --> 00:36:47.440
but Chrissie hadn't been able to reach them just yet.

514
00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:50.719
I climbed up, my bare feet, slipping on the bark

515
00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:53.480
as I tried to make it out of reach. She

516
00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:56.039
came at me so fast I knew I wouldn't make

517
00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:57.920
it and I would be a sitting duck for her

518
00:36:57.960 --> 00:37:01.400
to slice and dice. At the last moment, my feet

519
00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:04.239
gained enough traction to get me up the first branch.

520
00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:08.039
She jumped and slashed at me, but all the blades

521
00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:11.679
cut was thin air. She stood under the branch, jumping

522
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:14.679
and slashing at me in vain. She was still doing

523
00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:18.960
it when the police arrived and took her away. I

524
00:37:19.079 --> 00:37:22.480
jumped down, nearly tangling myself in the branch, and ran

525
00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:27.159
after the police. Wait, please, that's my daughter. I begged.

526
00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:30.880
They had restrained and disarmed her, but not taken off

527
00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:33.920
the mask. I pulled it off with much more effort

528
00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:36.519
than it should have taken, and threw it as far

529
00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:40.199
away from her as I could. When it was finally off,

530
00:37:40.280 --> 00:37:44.159
Chrissy's eyes searched around, as if waking from a dream.

531
00:37:44.480 --> 00:37:51.119
Her eyes landed on me, Mommy, She said, yes, sweetie.

532
00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:54.159
I wrapped my arms around her in a big hug.

533
00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:58.800
Um ma'am. One of the officers said, are you sure

534
00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:02.119
that's wise? This girl was just trying to kill you.

535
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:07.960
It wasn't her. It was that thing, I said, pointing

536
00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:16.320
at the mask. But it was gone. I visit her

537
00:38:16.360 --> 00:38:20.719
every day in the mental hospital. The staff there are

538
00:38:20.800 --> 00:38:23.679
quite fond of her and say she's the most delightful

539
00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:29.079
patient they've ever had. None of them believe why she's there.

540
00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:34.079
They all say it must be some mistake. I know

541
00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:39.280
it was too. It was a mistake to ever buy

542
00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:48.119
that mask. A great story of Halloween terrors, and of

543
00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:51.800
course one of many we've released right here at Weekly Spooky,

544
00:38:52.119 --> 00:38:53.719
and I do want to remind you if you can

545
00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:57.039
help in any way Michael Kelso and his family with

546
00:38:57.119 --> 00:39:01.719
replacing their furnace. Just head to Weekly spooky dot com

547
00:39:01.719 --> 00:39:05.000
slash help Mike. I really do appreciate it. I made

548
00:39:05.000 --> 00:39:07.840
a donation myself, and I hope you will too if

549
00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:11.480
you're able. I really do appreciate you. And by the way,

550
00:39:11.559 --> 00:39:13.280
I want to say thank you so much for all

551
00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:16.920
the new members we've had over at Weekly Spooky's Facebook

552
00:39:16.960 --> 00:39:20.960
group Weekly Spooky's Tomb of Terror. It's completely free to

553
00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:23.440
join and a place to hang out with other like

554
00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:27.880
minded spookies and share some fun and some fear this

555
00:39:27.960 --> 00:39:31.519
Halloween season. And make sure to stop by tomorrow because

556
00:39:31.559 --> 00:39:35.239
we're heading back to Strickfield for a very special story

557
00:39:36.079 --> 00:39:40.960
and a very special ending to something very devious. Indeed,

558
00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:44.480
Also this Saturday, you'll hear a brand new episode of

559
00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:48.800
Cutting Deep into Horror featuring myself and Rachel talking all

560
00:39:48.840 --> 00:39:52.960
about one of my favorite scary movies, The Last Shift,

561
00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:55.440
So don't miss it. And I want to say a

562
00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:58.880
huge thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who

563
00:39:58.960 --> 00:40:01.559
pay just a little bit more to hear their names

564
00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:04.719
on the show, and they are Johnny Nick's, Jenny Green,

565
00:40:04.880 --> 00:40:08.679
Amber Hansford, Brent McCullough, Karen we Met, Jack Kerr, and

566
00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:11.440
Craig Cohen. If you want to support us on Patreon,

567
00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:14.880
we really do appreciate it. Just go to Weeklyspooky dot

568
00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:18.639
com slash join for as little as one dollar a month.

569
00:40:19.000 --> 00:40:22.719
You get bonus shows every single month and so much more.

570
00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:27.800
As well as my undying gratitude. It really helps the

571
00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:31.440
show keep going and going, especially during the off season

572
00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:34.639
when only the hardcore spookies who need a taste of

573
00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:38.760
Halloween every single week stick around. But now, my friends,

574
00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:40.719
I gotta get back to work. There is so much

575
00:40:40.760 --> 00:40:44.719
more to come here at Weekly Spooky. So for myself,

576
00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:49.119
for my executive producers Rob Fieldsmarkshields and Bobbletopia dot Com,

577
00:40:49.159 --> 00:40:52.159
my producer Dan Wilder, and my composer Ray Mattis, I

578
00:40:52.199 --> 00:40:54.119
will talk at you tomorrow.

579
00:40:54.639 --> 00:40:58.079
Thank you for listening. To make sure to find your

580
00:40:58.119 --> 00:41:03.880
way back next week. But for now you are safe,

581
00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:05.760
trust me.