Halloween Horrors: 7 Scary Stories of Zombies, Vampires, and Haunted Portals

0:00 Welcome back, my spookies. October is in full swing. The nights are colder, the moon is brighter, and something wicked is lurking in the shadows. To keep the Halloween vibes flowing, we're cracking open the vault to bring you seven chilling tales of terror. From undead teens to cybernetic vampires, haunted hospitals, and cursed Halloween candy. These are the stories that make Weekly Spooky a year round fright fest. So grab your flashlight, curl up under your coziest of blankets, and prepare to get scared. It's the witching season, after all. And while you're at it, make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app. And if you're on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, leave us a five star rating. It really does help.

0:57 And remember that tomorrow we have a brand new terror tale just for you to enjoy, and next Tuesday, another compilation of terrifying Halloween tales from the Weekly Spooky Vault. We're always here to keep your nightmares fresh. But now let's get the first story going right now, A Zombies Halloween by Rob Fields. I'm laying in my bed and just hoping my alarms won't go off. No such luck. The alarm clock and my smartphone both go off at almost the same time. I groan and force myself to move and turn off the alarms. God damn it, I mutter, of course, it's God damn it. Today's Halloween here in Strickfield.

1:51 Today I should be sleeping in, not getting up and getting ready for school. What's that you say? There's no school on Halloween and Strickfield. If you go to public school or Strickfield University, then you'd be right. But if you go to Strickfield Academy, however, then you're going to school. You see, when it was voted into law to make Halloween a seven day event, Strickfield Academy fought and fought to make sure they wouldn't have to be included in the proposed law. Mayor Patrick Gunter asked that the exception be written into the issue. Even with the exception, the issue still passed by an overwhelming majority and became village law.

2:35 As I'm showering and trying to wake my sexy ass up, I keep being pissed at my parents for enrolling me at that fucking hell hole. I keep telling them I wanted to go to public school, but no. My parents happen to be friends with quite a few of the mirons. No, not just friends, they're the personal attorneys for those overly rich snobs. Many of them. Those mirrors have their kids enrolled at Strickfield Academy and recommended my parents do the same for me. I've been at that shithole for the last three years. Getting through senior year is going to be the most difficult yet. I finish showering and start drying off. I look in the mirror and see my newly dyed hair. It was originally blonde, but I wanted black with flaming orange streaks for Halloween. The other girls on the cheerleading squad love it not had Mistress Hiltonson.

3:30 But what can the bitch do? Getting my hair colored ain't against school policy. I finish drying off and go back to my bedroom. I put on most of my cheerleading uniform and then look at my naked upper body in the mirror. I love my body, and so do many of the boys at Strickfield Academy. Then I put my top on. No bra. Yeah, the handbook says we're supposed to wear underwear. Including bras. If I got to keep going to that fucking hell hole, I'm gonna wear whatever I please. It ain't long before Annie Godfrey texts me and tells me she'll be at my house shortly. I blow myself a kiss in the mirror before I get up and leave my room. I make my way down to the front door. When I come out with my backpack, I see Annie in her new, fully loaded Ford Mustang g T. I get in the car and accept the Menthol cigarette from her. Looking sexy as always, hotness, Annie says, I take a pull on the cigarette and hand it back to her. Maybe Hiltonson will finally expel me for being so hot. I burn. Annie sticks the cigarette back in her mouth and stomps the gas. The back tires squeal as we move forward. Her dad owns a bunch of car dealerships and gave his baby girl whatever new car she wanted for her birthday. Yeah, Annie's my spoiled, rotten bestie. I can't believe how this fucking village bows to head Mistress Hiltonson, Annie mutters, she's the

5:00 reason we're going to school today and tomorrow. I'm telling you we should just skip it. I hint, good idea. Then dadd'll find out and take my baby away. I smirk. I'd love it if Daddy kicked my sexy ass out of the house for skipping school. Annie raised an eyebrow, And what would you do for money? I'm sure I could find a few rich Mirans and let them fuck me for some damn good money, I reply. Annie grins and hands me the cigarette again. Better be careful, hotness, you're already skating on thin ice with Hiltonson. Fuck her, I mutter. At least we can wear our cheerleading outfits without the bitch giving us a hard time. Yep, you guessed it. Annie and I do anything and everything we can to see how far we can push the boundaries.

5:52 It wasn't long ago Castalia Mirn got expelled from Strickfield Academy. Lucky bitch. Anyway, we had tattoos and piercings that kept getting her into trouble with Hiltonson. When we all heard Castalia got expelled, you'd have thought there was a long moment of silence throughout the place. Yeah, that's how popular she was. And once Castalia was gone, guess who Hiltonson turned her attention to. Next. Yep, you guessed it. The worst the bitch ever got on me was smoking a cigarette outside the cafeteria. She bitched and bitched till she was blue in the face. I kept hoping and praying she would have eventually expelled me, but no such luck.

6:38 Annie turns into the big gate of Strickfield Academy. You can tell the other students are just so fucking happy to be here today. But here we are, wearing our uniforms and our fake smiles. Our cheerleading squad feels like we're the chosen ones since we get to wear these sexy outfits. Yeah, we got a game to cheer for after school today against Ridgeway Heights. That means a long ass bus ride there and back, guaranteeing Annie and I are gonna miss out on much of the Halloween happenings tonight. Annie parks and we walk to our part of the academy. Nobody's wearing any kind of Halloween costume. Want to guess why, Yeah, you guessed it. Hiltonson only got on the loudspeaker every day last week and reminded everybody that the Strickfield law about Halloween does not and will never apply to this shithole. Furthermore, anybody caught wearing Halloween costumes will be assigned Saturday detention till the end of the school year. We meet up with the rest of the squad. We ain't got much time for greetings, however, when the iron claw of head Mistress Hiltonson snatches my wrist and turns me around to face her. You've been smoking again, haven't you, she demands.

7:58 I smile and show the bitch my pearly whites. Why, yes, I am. People do call me the hotness for a reason, you know. Oh does she ever frown at me? Don't you get smart with me, Bernadette Hollow. I don't care if your parents are the most powerful lawyers for miles around, you will be disciplined for getting out of line. I still smile brightly for her, sure thing, your highness, anything you say you want me to bend over and pull my panties down so you can make my rosy red ass even redder. Slap? Oh, yes she did. Hiltonson's hand was a blur when she slapped me right across the face, making my head snap back fast. I slowly turned back to her. You jezbel Hiltonson yells, yeah, the left side of my face is real hot. I still smile pretty for her. Though. There are plenty of things I can do right now, including involving my parents, But I love getting under Hiltonson's skin so much. In fact, I lean in and lock eyes with the head nuns Happy Halloween slap, and that one was even harder than the first. But I still show Hiltons in my pearly whites. You want me out of this uniform, just say the word. Then.

9:24 I ain't got a cheer for the stupid game. Tonight, I can go trigg or treating. Oh and there's the retro Halloween weekend horrthon playing at the drive in and slap. Now I actually taste blood. Yeah, the bitch hit me so hard she drew blood. Then I look right at her. Fuck you. Yeah, she wants to throw me out of here, but she knows my parents will sue this place. She sees the blood on my lips and teeth. Oh, she's gonna wish she'd never met me. I really want to beat the living shit out of Hiltonson right now. I'm gonna come back here tonight and fuck her up. Ever hear that saying about being careful what you wish for after school. We're on our way to Ridgeway Heights. Well at least we were until the bus broke down. Turned out some jackass never filled the fucking gas tank before leaving the academy. Fine with me, I'd rather be in Strickfield doing Halloween things. Then the bitch bus driver points right at me. How about you head into these woods and see if you could buy some gas for the bus.

10:41 I'm ready to tell the old bat to get fucked, but Annie quickly stops me. Then she whispers in my ear, go just take your time. Then we'll have to go to the fucking game. In fact, I know plenty of places we can get drunk and laid tonight. I smile well right at Annie and grab the sides of her face. We get lots of gasps when I plant one right on her lips. When I stop kissing her, Annie looks right at me. I think she wants me to kiss her again. After I do, she stands up and lets me go. I walk to the front of the bus and get out to find the gas can the hag wants me to take. Now, I see right where we ran out of gas at the backwoods of Strickfield. I heard all kinds of fucked up shit happens back here. Personally, I think it's all bullshit. As I pick up the gas can and head into the woods. You wouldn't believe all the looks I get. When I come back onto the bus. It's almost dark. Now. Oh I did get the gas, but I really feel like shit. Now. Both my left shoulder and right side of my neck are really hurt. Jesus Hotness, what happened to you? Annie asks?

12:05 When I sit down, she sees my neck. Wow, those are some long scratches and your shoulder. Are you bleeding? I shiver and hold myself. I got my varsity jacket on, which usually keeps me warm. Guess I'm bleeding through it. Found this house nobody was home. Found the gas. Little hillbilly kid surprised me. I don't know what was wrong with him. He just looked horrible. He really stank too. He jumped up on me from behind and took me down. I got the little shit off of me, but he scratched me on the neck, and fuck it hurts. Then the old bat comes back on the bus. Do you have any idea. How late you've made us for the game. Bernadette, get fucked, I groan. She wants to unleash her fury on me, but sees I'm hurt. She's quickly on her smartphone to the academy. After some conversation, she hangs up and looks at me again. I'm taking us back, had mistress.

13:05 Hiltonson's going to be very angry with you. Bernadette, Fuck Hiltonson, I say under my breath. It takes a little bit for the hag to turn the bus around. Then I moan a little before I lurch forward and puke all over a band geek ew, he cries really. Annie puts her hand on my forehead. Then she calls up front she's got a fever. She's really burning up. I feel the pain on my shoulder again, reminding me the little fucker bit me too. I was okay for a while. I think I lost a lot of blood from the bite. My neck bled too. I know I got away from that kid, since I obviously made it back to the bus, I can't help myself now. I'm so tired and weak.

13:53 I lay my head on Annie's shoulder and fall asleep. Not sure how long I slept, But I feel myself starting to twitch and know I'm waking up. Something's different now I'm not in any more pain. I'm not even burning up and freezing at the same time. But but I do still feel cold. Honey, are you okay? Somebody's asking me. I fully open my eyes and see a nun looking down at me. I think I'm back at Strickfield Academy. Now the nun gasps in horror. God in Heaven your eyes, and then I suddenly grab the nun and pull her down to me. She cries out when I bite a huge chunk of flesh right out of the side of her neck. The nun screams and tries to break free. I grab hold of the collar of her habit and sit up to take another bite out of her neck. The nun's blood squirts hard out of her gashes, some getting on me. Then she groans and drops to the floor. I growl a little and get off the cod Now I'm lowering myself to the floor.

15:12 She's still twitching a little. When I grab her face and dig into it, she screams one last time. When I pull her skin right off her face, taking one of her eyeballs along with it. With her face now in my hands, I bring it up to my mouth and eat. I don't know why I want to eat like this. I just know I'm so hungry and this flesh tastes delicious. After I finish eating her face, I tear her habit open. Then I tear her stomach wide open and pull her guts out. It isn't long before I'm wearing more of her blood. After some time passes, the nun starts twitching a little, then some more. I finish what I'm eating and slowly stand up. I watch the nuns stand up too. Now I understand when she was talking about my eyes. The nun's eyes were blue.

16:16 Now her one remaining is a sickening, puky yellow. I understand the nun is just like me. Now, wow, I really fucking died that fucking hillbilly brat who attacked me in the backwoods he was dead too. He hurt me bad and made me just like him. I just killed this nun, and now she's like me and the little boy. We both look at each other for a long moment. I try talking to the nun, but all that comes out are growls. The nun answers by making this raspy sound. I turned to the door and start moving towards it. Funny, I should be able to easily walk, but I can't.

17:04 I can walk, but it's like my get up and go, just got up and left. I'm managing walking just really slowly. The nun's walking the same pace with me. When we reach the door, I open it. We walk out into the hallway, and then I know exactly what I want to do. I want to scream, Hilton Sin, you're dead, Meet you, fucking bitch. I'll teach you to slap me again. All that comes out are a bunch of growls. Christ, I'm both angry and hungry as fuck. I really want to kill the head mistress. I'm hoping the bitch is still here. Wait a minute, of course she is. If she ain't in her office, then she's got to be at her cottage here on campus. Remembering where her are offices, I turn and start heading there. The nun turns and comes with me. I guess thus, dead people gotta stick together, right. Yeah, I'm fucking dead, no doubt about it. I know I ain't breathing. I'm moving really slowly, I'm cold all over.

18:20 It's taking effort for me to move the way I want. I want to walk normal, but I just can't. And then there's that shit about not being able to talk. But how am I still thinking normally? I move my hand to my neck. My scratches are still there. I touch my shoulder. That piece of flesh is still missing from where that little shit bit me, but I'm not bleeding anymore. And then I actually have an epiphany. Since I'm a walking dead girl, now I don't ever have to come to classes here ever again. Right I can literally do whatever I want. Well right now, head Mistress Hiltonson is on the menu, and I ain't leaving here until I eat every bit of flesh off her body.

19:14 Before long, the faceless Nun and I reach the head Mistress's office. I open the door and walk in. I see another nun. It ain't Hiltonson, but I can feed my gnawing hunger some more. At least she looks at us. It's Sister Sarah, Bernadette, Sister, are you too all right? You both know Halloween costumes are not permitted here. When the faceless Nun and I are almost to Sister Sarah she gets all scared now. She quickly gets out of her desk and starts grabbing and throwing stuff at us. Get back, Sister Sarah yells, get away from me. You both are abominations before Almighty God, Oh Lord, save me.

20:00 Unfortunately for her, her savior makes no move whatsoever. Is the Faceless Nun and I both press her up against the wall and start biting into her. She screams like a wild banshee as we eat one piece of flesh right after another off of her. When she falls, we lower ourselves and start sharing her together. I rip into Sister Sarah's habit and open her up like I did the Faceless Nun earlier. After several minutes, Sister Sarah starts twitching. The Faceless Nun and I both stop eating her and watch her sit up slowly. Why do we just suddenly stop when we see she's one of us now? Maybe it's some kind of instinct built into us or something.

20:50 We never eat or attack each other. The three of us are on our feet. I remember head Mistress Hiltonson's office and start walking there. When I reach her door, I grab the handle and open it. Hiltonsen's huge copy of the Holy Bible is on her desk, but she ain't here. That means she's got to be at her cottage at that part of the campus where all the other senior staff live. Must be nice being an abusive, fucking bitch and getting generous perks for it. Well, I ain't givin up. Like I said, I ain't leavin here until she makes my tummy ready to burst. I turn and start walking again. I know exactly where the staff cottages are on campus. I really wish I could fucking run, but I just can't. No matter. It's just me and the two nuns I made. I don't know why they feel they got to stick with me, but I don't care.

21:49 The more of us there are, the better we can score food. In fact, we end up killing and eating some students who stayed behind. Now they're walking with us. Now my dead army is up to eight. Even the others look at me like I'm their leader. Well guess what, Hiltonson, you fascist bitch. You wanted to keep Halloween as far away from Strickfield Academy as you could. Well you're gonna get a Halloween you ain't never gonna forget. We may be walking so goddamn slow, but we do make it to your corner of the campus. We're now walking on the street where all the faculty cottages are lined up on both sides. Unfortunately for you, I know which one you happen to live in. It's the odd numbered side in cottage one. That means we gotta walk the whole street just to get to you. And if you ain't here, we can eat up every last person living here. One way or another, I will get you. And then, as if luck is walking with us, had Mistress Hiltonson just happens to open her front door to step outside. She's wearing a long robe and is smoking one of her herbal cigarettes. She rarely ever walks around Strickfield without her habit on. I know she always goes to football games and regular clothes. I heard a few girls say they'd

23:20 love to take her to bed, crazy fucking bitches. Oh that's right, that crazy Angie wants to take Hiltonson to bed. Hiltonson's peace is soon disrupted when she hears us making noise. As soon as she sees us walking deadly slow down her street, she turns and scowls. Students are not permitted to be on faculty grounds, Hiltonson states, as headmistress of Strickfield Academy. I demand you turn around and leave right now. If you don't, you will all be dealt severe discipline. Yeah, like we're really gonna let her threats scare us. We just keep right on coming. Last chance, turn around and leave right now. Hiltonson yells, you will not be told again.

24:13 It ain't long before we're under the street lights near Hiltonson's cottage. Oh. She gets real pissed off when she sees us. She points right at us. How dare you wear Halloween costumes on Strickfield Academy grounds. Halloween is Satan's holiday and we never celebrate anything of the devil here. You shall all be dealt with most harshly. When we keep moving towards her, she finally sees me. Now, Bernadette Hollow, I should have known, She roars, not only are you a jezebel, but you're a heathen. Just then, one of the priests is right there on the street. I just called security. They'll be along any time. To god Ah, some of my army grab hold of him and take him down to the road. Head Mistress Hiltonson gasps and utter horror when she sees them ripping him apart and devouring him. I keep my eyes on the prize and reach out for Hiltonson. I growl when I'm grabbing her forearm, but it seems I've underestimated the head Mistress. She grabs my forearm instead. Now she brings her bare foot up and cracks me in the face. I'm feeling dazed now.

25:33 Then she shoves me away from her porch. I fall on land on my back. It ain't long before I'm slowly getting back to my feet. Hiltonson gets inside her cabin and slams her door shut and locks it very quickly. We all surround her cottage. There are enough of us behind her front door to make it finally give way after some minutes. I'm the first one in. She's got all kinds of religious shit everywhere. I think she really feels like she's a child of God suddenly had Mistress Hiltonson comes out of her bedroom. She ain't wearing her robe no more. She's fully dressed now, not in her habit though she's wearing everything white pants, turtleneck, sweater, and boots.

26:23 You wish to do battle with me? Satan me, She laughed scornfully. I've trained my whole life for the day your armies would come for me, Prince of lies, and now you send an undead army to challenge me. She raises her fists. Get behind me, Satan. Our dead army is about to find out we greatly underestimated Hiltonson. The two dead guys ahead of me get knocked flat on their backs. I roar and lunge at her. I want to take a bite out of her so badly. I really don't care that she can fight again, as others are coming up beside me. Then Hiltonson kicks me hard in between my tits, making me stagger back and knocking a few of my own army down with me. Now Hiltonson attacks and moves like she's starring in her very own action movie. This fucking bitch is like Jet Lee.

27:20 I can't believe she knows martial arts. She's beating the snot out of all of us. But I ain't given up. Either I'm gonna bite her or she'll have to kill me. Hiltonsen flips herself over to a cabinet and quickly opens it. She's got guns in her hands. Now see how quickly I dispel your army, Satan, she fires them. Holy shit, she's dropping my army fast by shooting them right between the eyes. When they're hit, they fall over and stay dead. Now it's just down to her and me. I got enough sense in my dead brain to quickly move into little kitchen to avoid getting shot. You can flee, Bernadette, but we both know you can't move very fast, don't we.

28:08 I hear her saying to me, I have faced your kind before. I shall triumph over you the way I've triumphed over all of your lord and Master's minions. Come face me, Heathen, Let me end your suffering. She's right. If I can't make my dead body move fast enough to where I can fight Hiltonsen, she'll fucking kill my ass. I didn't come all the way out here to the queen bitch herself just to die at her self righteous feet. Remembering I can still think, I turn and open a kitchen drawer. When I feel Hiltonson's almost on me, I attack and stab her with a very sharp kitchen knife. Yeah, bitch, looks like you underestimated me. Now she's got a knife buried in her shoulder. Her white turtleneck's turning red quick.

29:00 I want to scream, fuck you, Hiltonson again. All that comes out, though, are loud growls and grunts. Why can't I fucking talk? Hiltonson's the one screaming though, Yeah, she didn't like me surprising her like that. She kicks me hard under my chin and makes me fall on my back. My head hits hard against the refrigerator, and I'm on my ass. I look up at her now and growl with determination. Hiltonson pulls the knife out of her shoulder. I will send you back to Satan very shortly, Bernadette, tell your master he must do much better if he's to defeat a true servant of the Lord. Hiltonson sees me get to my feet again, she raises the knife and comes after me. I managed to grab hold of a pot and swing it hard, cracking her right in the head again. She never saw it coming. Now she's on her back. Now I quickly move and drop right on top of her. No, Hiltonson cries when I'm snapping my teeth at her. Dear God. No, I'm sitting on her waist and she's holding my wrists being dead. I can't match Hiltonson for shit when it comes to speed, but being this close to her means I can almost match strength with her. I roar and growl when I remember her slapping me three times earlier. Today, you drew blood from me, Hiltonson. Now I want yours. Just seeing

30:33 her turtleneck all red now makes me so proud. I got that fucking bitch worse than she got me. Now I actually scream at her. Get off of me, Bernadette Hiltonson yells. I scream again and finally pin her wrists down, and then I focus. God damn it, I'm gonna say something to Hiltonson before I eat her. It takes everything for me to finally get it out. Joh, I end up opening my mouth so wide it makes the sides of my face split. Hiltonson shrieks. I hope she pissed herself. My tongue's practically hanging out of my wide open jaws.

31:16 Now I'm finally going to have my meal. Never, Hiltonson screams. She suddenly roars and finds the strength to shove me right off her. Then she does a kip up back to her feet. I'm almost back on my feet. When she picks up the knife I stabbed her with minutes ago. As I'm propping myself up on her counter, I look right at her and stagger her way. That's when Hiltonson draws back. I'm totally fucked when she easily flings the knife so it ends up right between my eyes. I can feel the blade stuck right in my brain. Now I wobble and drop to my knees. I ain't dead yet, but I'm losing control of my body. Head Mistress Hiltonson comes to me. You were foolish to come and challenge me, Bernadette, me know this before you stand before Almighty God for his judgment. Through his power, I was able to stand victorious against an army of your kind. She sneers. Now, oh, I know there are others out there. I know there are vampires, werewolves, and other monstrosities that Satan has sent here to the mortal realm to corrupt humanity. I fall into a reclining position beside the dishwasher. Now it ain't gonna be long before I am really gonna be dead.

32:39 Hiltonson smiles. By day, I am the headmistress of this prestigious academy. By night, I go out and prowl for Satan's creations, like yourself. In slaying such creatures, I have recently learned of a vampire by the name of Bella Tabon and a werewolf by the name of Danielle Boyd. Such a pity you will not be around to see me destroy them with my own two hands. I make a last attempt to reach up for Hilton's. She stops me when she slams her knee onto my tits and grabs the knife handle. Happy Halloween, Bernadette Hallow. I truly hope for your sake they celebrate it in Hell, where I'm sure God will send you very shortly. When she pushes the knife even further into my brain, it's definitely the end. Future Tabon by Rob Fields. I suddenly opened my eyes and realize that I can move. I live.

33:59 I can see that I am within a construction designed specifically to contain my body. With a simple and quick upward movement, I push the lid off so that it flies away and hits a nearby wall. I sit up and see that it is night. However, I can see everything quite clearly. I look down upon my lap and see both the wooden steak and the crucifix, the accursed objects that were used to both bind me and keep me imprisoned within this vault in a former lifetime. I stand to my bare feet and leap from the vault to land upon the floor. I examine myself and see the tattered and aged remains of my dress. How long have I been imprisoned within that vault? What has transpired during that time? More importantly, who was responsible for staking my heart and binding me? I must be patient. I currently feel disorientation, but I believe that will pass. I step outside the crypt and run my fingers through my long, metallic blonde hair as the wind caresses me. Then I smile for the first time when I see the lightning flash.

35:21 A loud crash of thunder follows. Truly this storm, Truly this storm shall be powerful. Soon it begins to rain a little at first, then I quickly become thoroughly soaked, making me truly relish my freedom. I feel that I have been imprisoned within that crypt for a great many years. My disorientation causes me to stagger a little, but I move through the burial ground in the harsh storm until I come upon the gates, I see the crucifix that binds the entrance rules. Before a binding could only be used against me, and personally, I can easily remove the crucifix, but I have a better idea. I leap over the gates and land with the grace of a feline. The trees on the path before me sway with intensifying winds as the cold rains continue to soak me through the remains of my dress for a time. I continue along the path until I reach what appears to be a dense forest. I enter it as the lightning flashes again, followed by a tremendous crash. The trees shield me to a degree as the storm grows stronger still in time, I come across the remains of a horse drawn carriage.

36:51 As there are two horse skeletons outside, so are there two human skeletons inside. Their clothes appear to be just as old and tattered as my dress. After searching the coach, the only things that I find of potential value are some gold coins and a few rubies. I leave them with the skeletons, since I have no use for such riches. I also do not feel that it is right to steal from the dead. I exit the coach and continue along the path. Why do I continue to feel disorientation in spite of my long slumber? Now I feel a slight buzzing sensation deep from within my head. The storm grows ever stronger. Then I discover that my hair shows no dampness in spite of all the rain. I touch my metallic hair to find that it feels silky smooth.

37:52 Suddenly I am attacked by an inhabitant of this forest, seemingly out of nowhere. The monster and I tumble over one another. Knowing that I must now do battle, I seize the creature with one hand and throw it into a nearby tree. The creature hits the tree and falls forward to land in the mud. It springs to its feet and comes for me again. Remembering that I am a vampire, I will myself transmorph for battle. However, neither my face changes nor do my claws emerge. The creature snarls and attacks me again with lightning reflexes. I seize the creature by its throat and throw it into the nearby river with almost no effort. It sinks below the water and resurfaces shortly after. As I understand more. I can see that the creature is a werewolf, but with the tail of a scorpion, not quite a manticore. The monster leaps at me again, colliding once again, we tumble over one another. When I am to my feet, and again the werewolf swiftly lashes out with its tail and stings me. The pain is brief, but his attack has angered me. I do not wish to do battle with you, I yell. I lash out against the creature and subdue it.

39:17 I remember my strength from a past life, though it feels as if I am much stronger now. As I have the monster down for the final death blow, a sudden understanding comes over me. No, I am no murderer. I withdraw from the creature and return to the path to resume my present course. My disorientation becomes more intense, and I cry out when I feel a sudden urge within my head that causes me to fall. I lay there as the storm continues to wash over me. Have I emerged from that tomb just to gain a new one here in the wilderness, No, I scream. I suddenly sit straight up and fight to stand. I refuse to be a prisoner within my own body. When I am to my feet, I fall again. My disorientation and cerebral pains are too great now, and then my vision suddenly changes and dims. Shortly after, I see the words flashing repeatedly in a language I should not be able to understand, but they read. Initial systems set up commencing. For a brief moment, I see nothing but multiple words and phrases rapidly moving upward, and then I can see fully once more.

40:47 In fact, I can now see the clearest that I have ever seen in my brief existence. In under a minute, the initial system set up is complete. I sit up again and no law hunger, feel any pain or disorientation. I begin to understand more as other operations commence. First, I download and execute a full system's upgrade. I can see and feel all of the numerous components inside my brain, receiving the most advanced updates, all of which are being optimized. In just under two minutes, I am at full optimal capacity and remember a great many memories prior to being bound and staked. Feeling that the system is awaiting my mental commands, I access my internal clock the last time that I can recall through my memories was October thirty first, eighteen eighty seven. The interface currently reads October thirty first, two thousand ninety nine. It just does not seem that I have been entombed for two hundred and twelve years.

41:57 Though I can remember many of the events of my imprisonment clearly, analyzing these memories, I cannot produce a glimpse of whom it was that both staked and entombed me, only the pain and being rendered unconscious. I look up to the stormy skies and let the rains wash over my face. Again. After better than two centuries, I live and no freedom. I must learn about this new time. Certainly much has happened during my entombment. For now, I shall continue along this path until I reach a place of interest. The storm continues to rage ever stronger, still, with the winds showing their tremendous strength. My patience is eventually rewarded upon seeing a large structure in the distance.

42:48 Upon reaching it, I see what is left of the sign that once identified it. Using but a minuscule fraction of my advanced software, I can create a perfect recon construction of the sign. This structure was once known as Strickfield Town Center Mall. Immediately accessing the files in my limitless data banks, I learned that this structure was once a place of commerce that housed many shops, all under a single roof. I walked to what was once an entrance and enter. I walk the brief corridor to reach the main area itself. Walking the length of this former mall, I scan the remains of the shops. Though the mall is quite dark to a normal person, I can easily see it as if it's still daylight. My software recreates a map of this mall and codes the shops to it. Soon, I approach a shop of potential interest and enter. This shop has many items of vintage clothing that I scanned to my exterior measurements, finding suitable clothing upon a mannequin, I remove the tatters of my dress. Feeling the rain water dripping from my hair and down my naked form, I apply my new clothing, a short pair of denim shorts with a belt, an athletic red neon top, a

44:18 synthetic leather jacket, and ankle high stiletto boots. Upon seeing picture displays of various females around the shop, I decide to utilize handkerchiefs to secure my abundant hair. Now that I am suitably clothed, I exit the shop and examine more of this mall. Not finding anything else that I require, I finish my tour and approach a different entrance to depart. Seeing the still raging storm, I access a map of Strickfield and decide to investigate this area. Wishing to venture there swiftly, I will transmorph into a bat to able to fly out into the storm. However I cannot, I will myself to transmorph into a wolf with the same results.

45:11 Since it seems these aspects of my fampiric powers are no longer existent, I leap into the air to make a long jump. As I focus on my current destination, all that I see are vast wastelands. It seems as though someone or something has laid waste to this area. As I wonder if my imprisonment was the reason, my new memories are quick to say otherwise. No, my imprisonment was meant for just that. I must learn the reasons and those responsible. After one more jump, I land just outside of the area of Strickfield and enter. As I explore the remains of this village. I soon enter into what appears to have been a place of fellowship and dining.

46:01 There are skeletons everywhere, many of which are costumed as though they are in some form of masquerade. I'm quick to ascertain that in a former life, these organics celebrated the earth occasion known as Halloween. My software also reconstructs the structure to show that it was a popular diner once known as Denoyer's Grille. My data banks tell me that in the year two thousand and thirty, on Halloween Night, a powerful deity known as hell Weaver would conquer the mortal realm utilizing an ancient artifact known as the reality sphere.

46:41 A last stand was taken against hell Weaver, her daughter, and a high priest. Hell Weaver would prove victorious and and the entire multiverse would fall to her. As a result, Earth's natural balance was forever disrupted, resulting in the US these destructive weather patterns and consistent nights. Hell Weaver and her greatly vast armies laid waste to Earth and either destroyed or imprisoned many of its people. From there, Hell Weaver would repopulate the Earth with her own people of sorts. I was upon this world during twenty thirty, but was still imprisoned within my tomb. The more data that I compile, the more that I what has happened to me? Why have I changed so drastically between my imprisonment and now I only remember a former life of being a powerful vampire and a Trey Launder hybrid. Now I immediately call for the schematics of my body. And how am I even capable of doing this? The great energy that I feel, the data that I see, the calculations that I can instantly perform according to my schematics, I've become a machine. Truly.

48:05 I am no longer organic flesh, bone, blood, muscle and organs. There is completely nothing left of my original organic body. Somehow I have been given a new body comprised of metal circuits, neuro optics, processors, a power core, and a multitude of software. On the outside, I have a skin base that greatly resembles flesh, nails, and hair that can perfectly mimic the organic earth female that I have now become. My abundant hair and my greatly enlarged breasts mimic those of the organic Trey launder female and yet yet like organic beings, I am sentient and can feel emotion. But how how did I cease being an organic vampire alien hybrid upon my imprisonment and awaken to become a full machine.

49:04 I desire to access this information in my data banks, but not yet, not until I have come to terms with my new environment and what I now am. This post apocalyptic earth is the world I must occupy for now. In addition, I must call this new mechanical body my own. At least with my new flesh and hair, I can pass for an organic earth human, but to live as a machine in a world of organics. Like organics, I have a will of my own and am quite capable of making my own decisions. Well. Now, I wish to know my new world. So far I only see what has resulted from hell Weaver's onslaught. After finding nothing of great importance, I leave the diner and decide to explore more of the former village of Strickfield. I walk until I reach what was the heart of the village. There are only the remains of the many shops that the inhabitants had once taken For Granted, I call upon more data in regards to the demise of this once populated area, and learn that the final battle between hell Weaver and the Chosen Six known as the Battleguard, had taken place at my location in what was Guntertown Square, a park.

50:25 I gasp when I learned that one among those Chosen Six had betrayed their allies and joined hell Weaver, leading to both the downfall of the battle Guard and the multiverse. Unfortunately, I have no data regarding the betrayer. Feeling anger and frustration over what I have just learned, I shout, are there no other life forms upon this world? Faint noises are swift to answer my question. Soon, I see movements from some of the shops. It appears as though organic beings are coming forth. However, they are in states of advanced decay. I scan one of the beings to determine that the decomposition has been relatively slow, But these creatures are indeed in a state of zombification. They all slowly advance towards me. In my memories, zombies would always ignore vampires, since they too are undead. Now, upon quick analysis of my body, it seems as though I am miraculously no longer undead. Remembering that I can leap far distances, I do so and escape the undead beings. The zombies mindlessly and instinctively reach up to grab me. I am with great sadness and almost feel discouraged. But then I am with optimism. There must be organic living beings left upon

51:56 this world. There must I receive my conformation when I feel danger coming from behind. Very swiftly, someone attacks me and takes me down to the crumbled streets. As the zombified organics gather around us, my attacker turns and shoots at them with a hand weapon begone empty shells. This cow now belongs to Sarathos. Angered by his comment, I rise and strike my attacker. I belong to no one. This Sarathos flies away from me fast and slides down the broken street. Upon coming to a stop, he is swift to return to his feet. You dare strike me, cow, he points at me. You shall know what it means to defy Sarathos. You shall know what it means to defy Sarathos. And then there are more of those werewolf creatures with scorpion tails, like the one I encountered in the woods. Shortly upon my awakening, she's your yours, my pets, sarah Thos tells them make this cow pay for her defiance.

53:06 The werewolves give their battle howls before they charge it me. If they wish to engage me in battle, then so I shall oblige them. When the first werewolf creature reaches me, I take hold of it and hurl it far away. I am easily able to avoid the claws and teeth, even the tails. As I show these creatures that I am far superior to them, I am amazed with how fluid and swift I can move in this new body. To my memories, no machine has ever moved like this. But then, my last recalled time was eighteen eighty seven. It seems much as changed by two thousand and ninety nine. However, I've seen nothing in the way of advancements for this time.

53:52 Given the complexity of my new body, I already know that it was not constructed in two thousy ninety nine. My new body is futuristic alien technology. I continue to do battle with the creatures until I have subdued them all. It is then that Sarathos decides to finally engage me himself. Only he attacks me from behind a second time, the way only a coward would Now, cow you shall learn your place, he declares. Suddenly he clasps something around my neck, securing me as if I was his runaway property. When he starts pulling me to him with his great strength, I grab hold of the chain and pull against him.

54:36 You dare, Sarathos growls, Surprised by my own great strength, This organic despot succeeds in pulling me to him again and pummels me with three powerful blows. What is this, he yells. Seeing that I refuse to stay down, he growls and pummels me again. Then he holds me down to allow a few of the werewolves that have covered to return, and sting me with enough of their toxins in my system. I am compromised and rendered unconscious. I awaken to find myself in what appears to be a medieval throne room. My interface comes back online. Then I see more of those words in that same alien language that I should not be able to understand. Translated to American English, the words would say toxin levels zero percent, neurotoxins compromised. Yes, it was the werewolve's toxins that had rendered me unconscious. As of now I am at full strength once more. I see that I'm shackled by chains at my wrists, my ankles, my neck, and even at my waist. I scan the throne room and see other scantily clad organic females. I feel my emotions rise, knowing that these other organics yet live. Then my emotions turn to anger at knowing that Sarathos is keeping these females

56:09 here against their will. You've awakened an organic female to my left, says to me. I turned to look upon her and see that she is with injuries, causing my anger to increase. What has become of you? I demand? Did Sarathos beat you? And why? The female begins to cry. I was to be married when Sarathos invaded our village of Pendleton. He burst into the church at our wedding and viciously murdered the man whom I was to marry. When my parents tried to stop Sarathos, he killed them in cold blood. Then he took me, my maid of honor and two of my bridesmaids and imprisoned us here in this throne room with these others. I managed to escape recently, but Sarathos quickly tracked me down and beat me harshly before securing me here again. As I examine the chamber more, I can see that we are all kept five yards apart from one another. Upon further analysis, it seems as though we are here for decoration, entertainment, and perhaps for non consensual sex. If I have anything to say about this, I shall stop Sarathos and free these organic females. There is a quick silence when we hear a loud noise moments after Sarathos enters the throne room and with more organic females secured by chains. As the women struggle against him, he pulls back hard. Cease

57:40 your useless struggling, you stupid cows. From now on you belong to Sarathos, and soon you shall all serve as the yearly Halloween's sacrifice to my almighty Goddess herself hell Weaver, which shall be in remembrance of the anniversary of when my Goddess would conquer the entire multiverse. Knowing that I must not delay in freeing myself and the others, I fight against the chains that bind me, bind me, my anger escalates into fury against Sarathos for imprisoning me. First, I would awaken to find myself imprisoned within a crypt. Now I am bound and chained for the pleasures of this despot, to serve as a potential offering to the very Goddess that I shall eventually engage in battle with.

58:26 Never I said, there is no use struggling cow, Sarathos mocks me. These other cows have no chance of breaking free, and neither will you. I laugh scornfully at him. You've seen that I am not a normal organic female despot, and I shall remain free. With one great and powerful pull, I succeed in breaking the chains from the metallic walls you dare. Sarathos yells in disbelief. He pushes his newly captured females aside to grab a very large golden axe from above his fireplace. He stands ready to face me in combat. Now I have just finished removing the last of the shackles from my body and assume a fighting stance.

59:14 Sarathos is easily five feet taller than I and appears to have incredible strength, But I do not fear him in the least today, you fall, I tell Sarathos. Suddenly, he lowers his weapon and sneers. I look to see his pack of werewolves with their scorpion tails, have entered the throne room. Sarathos wishes for them to engage me again, believing that I am far too insignificant to do battle with him myself. Very well, Sarathos, I shall again engage in battle with your pets. I concede, and after I've defeated them again, I then shall engage and defeat you.

59:58 The five werewolves gather around me like a pack of wild dogs. I'm ready for them this time. They growl and waste no time in coming at me. I remain calm, yet I move swiftly. I utilize my fighting arts that were learned from long ago in a previous life, and even fighting arts that I should not know presently. Nonetheless, I begin dancing with these monstrosities. These creatures are easily two feet taller than I and have great muscular builds. Seeing them only reminds me that this body is no longer organic. I am a machine. I am far superior to these organic creatures. As I battle the werewolves, I am quite amazed. At how fluidly I move in my new body. My fists and feet strike with deadly forces.

1:00:48 I dance gracefully with these beasts. She is but a cow, you mindless critans. Sarah Thos yells when he sees that his beasts are truly no match for me, say her, or I shall offer all of you in the Halloween sacrifice to hell Weaver. I move into the final act of my dance and render all of the werewolves unconscious as they lay before me at my feet. I turn and gaze upon Sarathos. You must face me yourself now, coward, unless I raise an eyebrow. Unless you are afraid of a cow. Sarathos raises his weapon. I shall end you for mocking me this day. Cow His body now shudders as Sarathos begins a transformation into a more monstrous werewolf creature than his minions that I have just defeated. When he finishes, I witness that he is much stronger than he was when human. He utters a loud roar before he engages me. In response, I move and flip towards him, all too eager to dance again. Upon our reaching one another, the new Uly transformed. Sarahthos swings his golden axe to commence our dance. I cross my arms in front of me and slowly, ever so calmly, arch backward. The axe blade passes over me as a gentle breeze. I finish my flip and land gracefully on the heels of my stiletto boots. It almost seems as if I'm dancing barefoot.

1:02:22 Sarathos growls and swings his axe with much fury. Truly, I see my dance partner now. He is with great arrogance and anger at believing that he could easily defeat one such as I simply because I have the appearance of an organic Earth female. I captured you once before myself cow, he roars at me, confirming that he is capable of speech in his alternate form. Once I have lain captured to you again, I shall show the others the error of your ways by ravaging you until you beg me for your life. Then your meat shall make a most tasty stew to add to the Halloween offering for hell Weaver. I laughed softly, foolish despot one, you did not defeat me yourself. Your lower werewolves did much of the work for you. Two, I have had sufficient time to learn and understand more about myself. I am most ready for you this time. Three. I am not one of your so called cows. In fact, I am actually known by two names. In birth, I was Mahari of the royal House of Rilos, and was Princess of Treylond, a planet many light years from Earth. Here, on my adopted world, I was given a new name and re christened Cassilia Tabon. Sarathos roars again and narrowly misses me as I gracefully dance a cartwheel to avoid his deadly axe blow. I continue my introduction to Sarathos. We Tabons

1:03:54 have made it our business to eradicate supernatural evil wherever we may encounter it, and to protect innocent mortals from those who would harm or enslave them. For all I know, I may very well be the last Tabon in existence, And as long as even one Tabon exists, both the family business and the mission shall never change. And today I laugh with the grace of my dancing once more. Today you shall fall before a Tabon. Sarathos roars with intense fury, causing his yellow eyes to glow bright and swings his axe at its hardest once more. He is unsuccessful in striking me and embeds his weapon into the floor to render it both stuck and useless. I enter the next part of my dance and begin showing Sarathos that he too is but an inferior organic. The longer Sarathos and I battle, the more he learns that this cow is not so easily overcome, even in his enhanced where will form. He continues to throw his power powerful fists and claws at me, but I continue dancing much too gracefully to allow him to strike me as he did during our first encounter. He makes his impending defeat all the more as he roars with increasing anger and frustration at me. I continue to perform my dance recital with Sarathos by attacking him myself and throwing and kicking him from pillar to post. At one point, I even

1:05:25 lift him with a single hand and hurl him clear across his throne room. He breaks several of the large bricks that comprise the wall upon his impact and falls upon his back. Sarathos stands to his feet again and shows more signs of anger and frustration. When he begins to telegraph his blows. He is clearly not thinking straight any longer. In memories, I can recall how I was chastised by self entitled males because I love to dance. I was chastised for my bewitching beauty and my greatly endowed upper body. The self entitled males of the former days even chastised me when they discovered that I was both a tabon and a trained killer. Sarathos chastised me for having the identity of an organic female. And now he chastises me again. As I flip over his hulking form and land with grace like a feline, I believe it is time to finish this dance. I come into him and unleash a series of devastating blows in time ideal Sarathos a most devastating defeat. Now I stand above him, holding his hulking form down with one hand as I raised the other for the killing blow. Upon scanning his form, I only need to sever his brain from the rest of his body to end him. Your tyranny ends here and now, despot, I yell hell weaver, shall not receive your Halloween offering. This day, and on this day, you

1:06:57 fall to both a female and a tabon. As I hear the cries of the females he's captured to end him, I have the sudden realization from when I fought that first werewolf. In a former lifetime, I would have indeed ended Sarathos and claimed his life. But that former lifetime are simply memories that I now possess. That past lifetime does not define my new life. Now, the females protest and chastise me when I release him and step back though a machine I may be. In this new life, I and I alone decide my own fate. While Sarathos has likely taken many organic lives and has captured many organic females, while his life is now mine to claim, I will not destroy him. In a former life, I was indeed a vicious killer, but today I am no killer.

1:07:55 The Tabon way is to save lives. The only lives that we claimed in former year were those who had none, vampires being a prime example. That shall hold true for me now. Sarathos shudders and then returns to his original form. You should have ended me, cow, he sneers. Make no mistake I shall be avenged for your treachery this day. When hell Weaver does not receive my offering, she will surely come for you and destroy you. I laugh a little. And should we ever engage each other in battle again, Sarathos, I know that you shall time and time again fall to me. I glare at him. Now you cannot and will never defeat a machine. Then I strike a blow between his eyes to render the foolish despot unconscious. As for hell Weaver, if she should come, I shall stand ready to engage in battle with her. It is still the night of Halloween as I finally take my leave of the castle that once belong to Sarathos and venture back into the harsh storm. The females have turned the despot loose for fear of hell Weaver coming for her offering.

1:09:13 He could not run away from the castle fast enough. As for the organic females that he had captured, they have also abandoned the castle and have gone their separate ways. Many of them will return to their loved ones. Others will find new adventures or homes of their own. As for me, I am a tabon, I am an avenger, and shall continue in my present course of action. Before I can render a map to determine my next destination, my interface begins to flash in that alien language again. I will the interface to display American English and read mission incoming. When the flashing ceases, the files have downloaded and are open to me. There are several objectives to my new mission. The ultimate objective will be to confront hell Weaver myself and save the universe from becoming this hellish, post apocalyptic waste land. You would think and feel that I would have ultimately awakened in twenty thirty to engage hell Weaver in battle. Upon reading the mission files, it's quite clear to me now as to why I am in twenty ninety nine. I have objectives that I must accomplish here. First, do note that Sarathos was not a part of my mission. Also note that I have stated that I and I alone decide my own destiny. While it is true that I have been given a mission, I am not bound to comply with it. However, it

1:10:46 is my emotions and my secondary programming that will guide me into accepting the mission. Upon finishing my briefing, an updated map of my current location opens. I must ultimately reach Shore City, one of the last great cities on Earth that survived what is known as the hell Weaver Holocaust. I have important side objectives to accomplish prior to reaching Shore City. Currently am en route to the Pendleton Way Station. I walk along what was once a major highway that is broken and cracked from years of weathering and disrepair, much like many of the intersecting roads that I have encountered in time. I hear howling in the distance, even through the harsh winds that continue to accompany this great and powerful storm. I look up to the sky and am able to use filtering software to witness the full moon above the clouds. Truly, I shall not be alone for much longer. I am prove incorrect as a pack of werewolves reveal themselves to me and converge they do not possess scorpion tales, as Sarathos's creatures did just the same.

1:11:55 They truly mean to either curse me to assimilate me into their pack or devour me without fear. I assume my fighting stance and give them a curtsy. Shall we dance? I murmur? The werewolves growl and advance towards me. Now I can begin my dance to be continued Tricks and Treats, Volume two, So nice, we had to do it twice.

1:12:36 A cool breeze blew down the sidewalk, past the swarms of costumed merrymakers, stirring up small cyclones of discarded candy wrappers and haunted house leaflets. A lone figure stood in the center of the chaos, head down, like a stage actor, waiting for the curtain to rise. The tall, impossibly thin man had on a top hat and wore a bright, gaudy suit with tails. With his handlebar mustache and Van Dyke beard, he looked like a demonic circus ring master. He leaned on a cane, blocking a substantial part of the sidewalk, but the revelers unconsciously parted around him like he wasn't even there. Suddenly, as if someone flipped a switch, the strange man sprung into action. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, writers and wrongers, killers and pray, he said, as he spun in a circle, his cane whipping through the air, barely missing some of the pedestrians. I am the Count of Carnage, the Prince of the Perverse, the Phantom of the faithless and your humble host, he said, winking Jack Scratch.

1:13:55 He performed an impossibly low bow, his hat almost touching the ground. Standing up straight, Jack began strolling down the sidewalk. Tonight is a special night, the unholiest of nights all Hallows Eve, or Halloween as you humans call it, Jack spoke, this is the one night a year that I can leave the infernal flames of Hell and walk among you mortals. He paused to light a cigar, the pure joy of it registered on his face. As Hell's director of talent acquisition, I have been all over your world. I've seen the worst you have to offer. However, there is one place that never disappoints, one place where killers seem to multiply like rabbits and mothers constantly weep. Jack stopped and spread his arms Strictfield, Ohio. He took a long, deep breath and seemed to shiver with anticipation when he exhaled. You can just smell the crazy in the air. Ah, He continued, strolling down the sidewalk. Strickfielders love Halloween. Just look at them, he said, pointing to the mob of tricker treaters crowding the streets. An entire town rays to love the gruesome and the macabre, so used to murder in Mayhem that

1:15:29 they spend an entire month celebrating it. Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye. Jack said, what happens when someone doesn't appreciate the darker side of life? One who moves into a community but rejects what they hold deer. Jack stops and points at a house across the street. Well, there's no time like the present, so let's find out. This one is called Beggars Can't be Choosers by Morgan Moore. Now go away, kid, you bother me.

1:16:16 The sound of the doorbell ringing brings Melissa White to her front door with a sigh. She scoops up the bowl set by the door, opens it, and is greeted as she had been all night, by a group of kids dressed up for Halloween. They all shout at once, Oh wow, look at you all, you're so spooky. Melissa doesn't even attempt to mask how over the night she was. She quickly hands each child a piece of candy with the best smile she can muster. All right, then, you scary kids, don't eat too much and be safe out there. Before a child can even blink at her actions, Melissa shuts the door and releases a sigh. God, I hate Halloween.

1:17:06 The irony was not lost on Melissa that for how much she hated the holiday, she moved to Strickfield, a town which didn't just celebrate the holiday yearly, but around the clock come October. If she would have known about the village's infatuation with the damned day, she would have never moved there. But it was affordable, and she wasn't going to turn down the small house that she had inherited from her aunt. What made it seemingly more insufferable than any other Halloween was the costumes she saw. It was one thing for a kid to dress up like a movie monster or a psychopath, but she saw child after child dressed like actual killers. Upon announcing her intentions to move to Strickfield, and once getting there, Melissa quickly learned the village had a history of killings and numerous serial killers, some of which taking on near idle status in the small community. So since October started, she got to learn all about every last one and got to see every child up to adults dressed as those lunatics.

1:18:20 It made her sick. Melissa rolled her eyes and walked over to her couch and plopped down on it. She looked at her hand, which still had the bowl she was using for candy. With a shrug, she reached into it with her other hand. Nothing touched her fingers or palm as she searched for something to snack on. Melissa looked into the bowl and was met with the sight of nothing but her hand being inside. Ah shit, she muttered. She was screwed. On the one hand, it gave her an excuse to just turn off the lights and call it a night, but she knew better. She had been seen handing out candy, and even with it being nine o'clock, there were still people roaming the streets in search of treats.

1:19:10 Eventually her doorbell would be pushed and then knocked on until she would be forced to answer it. Heavens knew what would happen if she did and had to announce to the beggars that there was no more candy to be had. Keep participating in this rotating psycho fashion show and get more candy, or call it a night and probably have the house and my car messed with Melissa contemplated her options. It didn't take her long to reach the conclusion to grab her purse and keys and find a store that somehow still had candy to buy. Melissa slowly drove through Strickfield, her speed due to the number of people blindly walking through the streets. She groaned at the snail's pace she was going. All would be fine, as Melissa had passed a few stores that were clearly still open, yet the heavy foot traffic made it next to impossible to turn into any of them. As her drive progressed, less and less buildings became present as scenery.

1:20:15 From what little she had traversed the village in her short time there, Melissa had never come out this far. Most of the activity was in the heart of the village, not out in the boonies. On the plus side, being this far out meant there was no foot traffic to hinder her driving. But being out this far in the dark on Halloween definitely sent a shiver down Melissa's spine. Melissa continued her drive through what started to look more and more like countryside. Her attention suddenly snapped to the left. Was that she questioned having driven past whatever it was too quickly. Melissa put the car in reverse and slowly backed up to what had caught her eye. The sight of it brought a smile to her face. In front of her was an old general store that was still open.

1:21:11 Thank God. Melissa maneuvered the car into what could pass as a parking lot for the store and turn the car off Outside. She shivers as the autumn air brushes against her. Crisp and chilly, Melissa made her way toward the general store, cautious of the environment and its lack of outdoor lighting. Only the faint glow of the light from inside the store led her way. As she opened the door, a bell chimed and nearly gave her a heart attack. God, this place is old, isn't it. Melissa walked around the store, the light inside faint as it was from the outdoors. The place reminded her of an Amish store she visited once in Indiana. Everything on the shelves appeared to be homemade, stored in either plastic bags or Mason jars. Handwritten labels carefully glued to each item with what it was and how much it cost. Melissa was certainly impressed by the amount of items the store seemed to have and its owners had made. Melissa continued to walk through the store in search of any kind of candy she could find. Rounding a corner, she found what she was looking for, a small wooden shelf against the wall filled with bags of homemade candy. Perfect, she exclaimed.

1:22:34 Melissa plucked a couple of bags from the shelf with a smile. She turned around to head back toward the front of the store, only to find her path blocked by a man. He was only a few hairs taller than her, but was very visibly over double her age. May I help you, he asked? The old man, while taller than Melissa, spoke with a softness that she assumed from his old age. His attire, whether a Halloween costume or his everyday clothes, reminded her of a pioneer or the Amish, only without the beard. It seemed rather fitting for him. Oh sorry, I think I was just trying to find some candy, Melissa fumbles out. The old man looks her up and down and smiles. Well it looks like you found some. Is that all you need? I would say, yes, Melissa responded, great, Well, then let's get you cashed out and on your way. The man smiled and turned to head toward the front of the store.

1:23:42 Melissa raised an eyebrow quizzically, but shrugged and followed after the man up front. She tossed the bags onto the counter. Run out tonight, did you, he asked, Yeah, didn't expect to get as much foot traffic as I did. Must be new to the area, aren't bingo? Melissa replied with a slight smile. Oh, there's a pretty smile. I'm not surprised you weren't more prepared. Then. Halloween is a big night and a big deal for those here in Strickfield, always has been, the old man explained, so I've heard. Melissa answered with a small roll of her eyes. Not a fan of Halloween, the man asked, after catching her rolling her eyes, Not really. I always found it kind of goofy growing up. If anything, living here has made me dislike it more. Constantly being surrounded by it does no favors for me. Not to mention, it's pretty revolting seeing kids dressed up as serial killers. Well, it's up to the parents what their children want to do. That's part of the problem. It's disgusting, How okay it is that this, and forgive me for saying it. Backwoods t idolizes mass murderers and a stupid holiday that's only point is to drive candy sales and horror movie renolds. Truth be told, I wouldn't even be buying this if I wasn't afraid of having the little rugrats kick my door down.

1:25:15 They'd probably try to eat me in place of the candy, Melissa ranted to the store owner. She paused after finishing her sentence and looked at the old man. His face, which minutes ago showed an old warmth and pleasantness, was now replaced by cold eyes and a frowned, furrowed brow. Something about the old man's face and how he was now holding his body made the hairs on Melissa's neck stand up and put her on edge. It was as if her insulting the holiday had offended the once kind sales clerk, having committed immortal sin. Melissa felt her cheeks grow hot from embarrassment at the situation. How much do I owe you a cautiously well, dear, let's just call it paying it forward, he answered, I don't get it, She responded in confusion, Well, paying it forward means I give you these because of generosity I've received, he explained.

1:26:17 Oh okay, Melissa carefully reached across the counter and took the bags of candy. She went to walk away and head back home, but paused. The words the old man had just said rewound and then replayed in her head. Melissa turned around and looked at the old man. Hey, may I ask you something? Course, he replied, you said you received a generosity. I'm curious as to what it was. Melissa questioned. Ah, well, let's see, you gave me some sourness, which, as you could expect, is something we use in many of our goods. Besides, you got some chocolate coins, so we can just consider those your pay for the ferryman, the old man elaborated, before ending with a warm smile.

1:27:09 Melissa looked in confused terror at the old man. On one hand, she didn't understand what any of this had to do with generosity, Yet something about how he spoke and the way he was smiling made her feel as if a terrible event was going to happen. Right. Well, I gotta go, Melissa choked out. She turned around to leave, only to find herself surrounded by what she assumed was the old man's family. Each one was dressed in the same amish like attire, the only difference being for the girls, who wore dresses of the same fashion. Melissa couldn't believe they had appeared as quickly as they did, and found herself equally unable to find a way to escape there, encircling of her. As they got closer and closer, Melissa felt panic overtake her, shutting down all brain function and leaving her like a defenseless newborn baby. She dropped the candy save for the chocolate coins, remembering what the man had said. Yes, yes, I think this might be the best treat we could have gotten this year. Now, remember, children, we must remember to pay it forward. Strickfield gave us this wonderful package of ingredients. Yes, yes, new from crows in hand old time general store. Short on candy bars, but need something sweet for your tricker treaters. Try our new sour nut clusters. All the salty crunchiness of the

1:28:41 nuts you love with the sourness and coating of your favorite candies. They're so crunchy and sour you'd almost think we made them from your worst enemies. So come on down and get yourself, our new sour nut clusters at crows in hand, old time general store, my mind, Jack said, popping a piece of candy into his mouth. I'm not normally a fan of recycling, but he eats another one. You can't argue with the results. Best damn sour nuts I've ever tried. Jack began to stroll down the sidewalk, his cane twirling in his hands. Strickfield attracts killers and fiends of all types, humans, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, Everything and anything is possible in Strickfield. It baffles me why any good hearted mortal who makes it out would ever come back.

1:29:43 But if they did, wouldn't it be grand if they unintentionally brought death and destruction with them. Not only is Strickfield a cruel bitch, it also has a wicked sense of humor. He grandly gestured at a pair of women across the street. Well, we'll see what happens to these two young ladies in just a moment. But first, here's something even more terrifying for you. A word from our sponsors. What you think hell pays well? Not a chance? Halloween Cookies by Keith Tomlin, Children, teenagers and even adults walked the streets in costume, their laughter reverberating in the chilly October air. Two women, Megan Smith and her aged mother May, turned off the sidewalk and headed up a walkway to the front door of a modest, yellow, two story home.

1:30:42 May was all smiles as she looked around the neighborhood she lived in for most of her life. When they reached the door, Megan rapped sharply and they waited. Within a few seconds, the door was opened by a slightly overweight man in his early thirties dressed as beetlejuice. Trick or Treat. May yelled, trick or treat? The man said back to her. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide as he realized who was standing at his door. Auntie, May, is that you? Daniel. I wouldn't have recognized you if Megan hadn't told me that you lived here. Daniel stepped forward and gave May a gentle hug, trying not to smash the covered tray that she was carrying. I haven't seen you in what fifteen years? Let me get Sarah. Daniel stepped back inside and yelled for Sarah, his wife. After not hearing a response, he apologized. She's giving the baby a bath and putting him to bed. Why don't you come in and wait? She would love to see you. Sorry, dear May said, patting his cheek. I have a lot of houses to visit tonight. After all, it's Halloween. Don't worry, though, I'm moving back to Strickfield, so you'll see a lot more of me. I'm moving in with Megan and her boy boyfriend. She lowered her voice. I was living with my other daughter in Phoenix, but she's getting divorced and had to move into a smaller house. Mother, don't air our dirty laundry in public, Megan said, aghast oh, hush

1:32:15 Daniels family May retorted. When May lived in this neighborhood, she considered any kid within eight blocks of her house and their parents' family. She would give every kid small but thoughtful gifts for birthdays and Christmases. She never said no to babysitting, and her house was a wonderful, chaotic mess of children. She loved every second of it. Twelve years ago, after her husband passed, her health began to fail, and her children convinced her to move to the warm and dry climate of Arizona. The losses of her beloved husband and her adopted family blew out the spark she had in her eyes, and her life in Arizona became one of mere existence. But now that she was back in Strickfield, there was a new bounce in her step.

1:33:05 May was about to ask about Daniel's parents when she noticed a young, green faced child with big eyes peering around his legs. My who is this, May exclaimed. Daniel gently scooted the child forward. This is Chloe, my daughter, he said proudly. I'm a Ninja turtle. Chloe said, shyly, pointing at her Leonardo costume. Oh that sounds like fun. Do you eat flies, May asked, bending down to look the little girl in the face. Chloe laughed, no, silly, I eat pizza. Good choice. May said, do you eat cookies?

1:33:46 Chloe's eyes brightened at that. Yes, Ninja turtles can eat cookies, she exclaimed. May looked up at Daniel, who nodded. Let's see, she said, as she opened up her tupperware tray. We don't have turtles, but we do have bats, spiders, kitty cats, and wolves. Oh I'll take a wolf, Chloe said, excitedly, reaching out there, You go. Dear May smiled as she handed the little one a sugar cookie shaped like a wolf. Chloe turned and ran deeper into the house, holding the cookie to her chest like she was afraid that someone would take it from her. Daniel called after her, Hey, come back and thank Auntie May. Sighing, he turned back and apologized. May waved the apology off, and after her daughter helped her stand back up, she held out the tray to Daniel care for a cookie. Daniel's shoulders slumped.

1:34:44 I wish I could. I always loved your cookies, but I'm diabetic and I've already dipped into her candy bag more than I should have this evening. They stood there for a few minutes more and exchanged their goodbyes, ending with May promising to stop by on Saturday to meet the rest of the family. As the women turned to walk away, Megan realized that she hadn't seen her mother this happy since before her father died. Chloe played with her teenage mutant Ninja Turtle action figures, acting out scenarios where they saved April O'Neill from a rampaging wolf in the form of May's sugar cookie. When this became boring. She had Leonardo cut the head off the wolf cookie, ending the threat. She celebrated by eating the cookie head first, savoring each bite. Chloe put her figures away, grabbing her coloring books and began to carefully draw within the lines.

1:35:40 After a few minutes, she started to sweat and a feeling of intense fear began washing over her. She started to yell out for her father, but something, a feeling of apprehension, held her back. A figure passed her open door, causing Chloe to shrink back in terror. The creature looked like a monster, one of the wolfmen from the scary movies that her parents didn't let her watch, but she did anyway. She heard the front door open, Snarls and howls floated down the hall, ending when the front door was shut. She sat there on her bed, paralyzed until the creature walked by again, pausing in her doorway, it stared at her, its lips curled back in rage, spittle spraying from its mouth as it glowered at her. Chloe broke her stillness as she screamed and rolled off the bed.

1:36:37 Grabbing the plastic katana from her costume, she dove under the bed. She waited, trembling with fear, until the wolfman on his knees, pulled the blanket aside and peered at her, his long teeth glinting in the lamplight. Chloe screamed again and thrust the sword forward, catching the monster in the face. Old back and let out a horrific howl as she scuttled out the other side and ran out of the room. My god, it's so good to see you, Aunt May, Christine said, giving the old woman another hug. Same here, my dear, it's so good to be back. I've been gone for way too long. May replied. Christine waved her daughter over and presented her to May. This is d.

1:37:28 She would have been two or three the last time you saw her. My, she's grown into such a lovely girl, May exclaimed. Christine looked down at her daughter and pointed at May. D. This is Auntie May. She was everyone's favorite neighbor when we were growing up. D looked at May and, in a flat, bored tone, said hi. She looked back at her mom and asked, can I go to my room and listen to music? Christine sighed, fine, go D began to walk away. When May spoke, Oh, I almost forgot. Do you want a Halloween cookie? She held out the tray to the girl. D hesitated and nodded, grabbing a cookie shaped like a spider before walking off.

1:38:17 I'm sorry, you know how teenagers are, Christine said, apologetic. Oh, dear, no need to tell me. May responded, pointedly, looking at Megan. Nonsense, I was an angel, Megan said, playfully, smacking her mother on the shoulder. D flopped on the bed, grabbing her phone out of her back pocket and putting in her earbuds. She absently ate the cookie as she scrolled through Instagram posts and listened to music. After a few minutes, she began to feel strange, like someone was watching her. The hair on the back of her neck was standing up.

1:38:57 She removed the earbuds and heard screeching and scratching coming from the other room. She slowly rose from the bed and made her way into the hall. Scott is working second shift at mir and Automotive. He'll be sorry he missed you. Let's all get together and have dinner some night at Denoyer's grill, Christine said, Noticing the look on May's face, she said, sorry, I forgot you have an issue with that place. Mom is slowly getting over it now that she's not able to cook as much as she used to. Megan said, May couldn't contain herself. I don't think you can call something homemade if it's being cooked in the back of a kitchen of a diner. Besides, I still say that they stole my recipe for country fried chicken gravy, May huffed. D snuck down the hall, the clicking and scraping getting louder with every step. She stopped at the doorway to the living room and peered around the corner. She quickly pulled back, stifling a scream.

1:40:04 Fighting the panic that threatened to a mobilizer. She looked around the corner again. Standing where her mother had been was a humanoid creature with the head of a spider. In addition to the two legs the creature was standing on, there were six thin spider like legs sticking out of its back. The legs absently tapped and scraped along the open front door and the walls surrounding it. Two other spider creatures stood on the porch, and all three were emitting high pitched noises. D slowly backed down the hall, her heart racing as she tried to clear her head.

1:40:44 She thought, what would Dad do? Then she remembered the shotgun. Every year on his birthday, he took her to the Sportsman Club to shoot skeet. So she knew how to use a shotgun and she knew where he kept it. Decision made, she turned and ran toward her parents room. Daniel looked at his eye in the mirror. It was swelling shut and he couldn't see anything out of it. His wife, Sarah, walked into the room and put her arm around him. How's your eye, she asked, Not good. I'll probably have to go to the er. Daniel said, Chloe's not in her room, Sarah said, I wonder what got into her. I have no idea. I was asking her if she liked the cookie when she freaked out and hid under the bed. When I checked on her, she jabbed me with that damn sword, Daniel said, wincing with pain as he dabbed a damp washcloth around his eye, cleaning up some of the fresh blood seeping from it.

1:41:48 I'll keep looking for her. Hopefully she didn't leave the house. His wife said she was scared to death, poor thing. As soon as we find her and calm her down, I'll head to the hospital. Daniel said, No, I don't want you driving. We should call an ambulance, Sarah said. Daniel was about to protest when he heard light footsteps running down the hall. Chloe stormed into the room, wearing the full Leonardo costume and brandishing a large butcher's knife. She began swinging it wildly with almost superhuman strength, plunging it first into her father and then into her mother, over and over again. A few minutes later, Chloe stood over the remains of the two wolf monsters. She was wiping blood from her face when she heard the high pitched howling coming from the baby's room. She gripped the knife with determination and turned, walking out of the bathroom.

1:42:56 Christine examined the cookie in her hand, shaped like cat. Wow, the details on these cookies are amazing, she exclaimed, I know, perfect for Halloween. When I moved in with Megan, she gave me an amazing set of horror themed cookie cutters. May said, I found them at some hole in the wall antique store near the Strickfield Town Center mall called Tinkers or something like that. The owner was a bit peculiar, but the prices were amazing, Megan interjected. Christine was about to take a bite when she heard a yell behind her. As she turned, the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being racked filled her ears. Jack holds up one finger like he's waiting for something. Off in the near distance. You can hear gunshots, and Jack swings his hands back and forth like he's conducting a symphony. The people milling about the street jump startled and look around. Not seeing any immediate threat, they hurry on about their business. When the last shot ends, he sighs, Oh, well, that was fun while it lasted. You have to give it up for Isley Tinker. He does good work. I don't know how he stays in business selling cursed antiques at such low prices artists. Jack rolls his eyes. Jack begins to continue

1:44:32 strolling down the street when suddenly he stops. Wait. I know that smell, the sickly sweet scent of decay, Jack said, breathing deeply. I think we're in for a treat, he said, almost giddy with anticipation. That's what I love about Strickfield. You never know who you'll run into. He turns and points at the house up the block. Ah, there we go. I wish I had popcorn because I am expecting quite a show. Smoke him if you got him, Jack said as he lit up another cigar after a quick word from our sponsors. Of course, Beggar's Night massacre by Rob Fields.

1:45:34 As I walked down Park Avenue with my plastic pumpkin basket and my drink bottle, I got to thinking more about how the village of Strickfield made tricker treating a full week instead of just one night. This year, I heard people calling the last full week of Halloween Beggar's week. I think I can see why the people here call it that. By definition, Beggar's night is when tricker treating falls on any other night. But but now there are six additional nights of trick or treating prior to Halloween right here in this village, meaning the first six nights are technically Beggar's nights. I take a quick drink of the red liquid from my bottle and see the porch light of my next house. I walk up to the door of nineteen Park Avenue and ring the bell. I can hear Bobby Pickett's monster mash playing inside. The door opens, making the music louder. And that's when I see her, Megan Harris. I ask, Megan's dressed like a sexy vampire.

1:46:39 I am also dressed as a vampire, only I look more like Dracula. Megan opens the screen door. I think you're too old to be trick or treating, Richie, she says, holding the large bowl of candy in her arm. I smirk. Not in Strickfield, anybody can trick or treat here. No judgment or age discrimination never has been anyway where you been hiding. People at Strickfield High have been saying you disappeared two years ago. Megan smiles a little. I'm here now. Just then, this beefy guy comes and stands at the door with her. I don't care what Strickfield law says about trick or treating. You're too old, dweb. Then he grins, Yeah, maybe you're in your second childhood. He scowls now get lost, fuck stick, But I ignore him. You know I've been looking everywhere for you, too, Megan. Then the guy whom I recognize as Mike Stanley, opens the door and steps out onto the porch. You deaf nerd beat it or I am gonna beat your ass. Mike. Just stop. Megan snaps, this is my house, just like that. The buffoon listens to her and backs off, and I know he'd like nothing better than to lay into me. Megan turns back. Hey, since you're here, I'm inviting you to my party. Come on in, Richie Hawthorne. Are you fucking serious, Megan, Mike protests.

1:48:13 Megan glares at him again. Last time, shut the fuck up, or you can leave right here and now this is my house and I'll invite whoever I want. I don't give a rats ask what, Ken says. She points to him again. Just stop again, Mike obazer. Then Megan steps aside to let me come in. There are plenty of people from Strickfield High here at Megan's shindig, and in costume. People are drinking cups of what looks like red punch. The TV's on. A news report about people disappearing from area high schools is on. I watch the report attentively reading the lips of the people talking over the loud music.

1:48:55 Then Megan comes up beside me. Listen, I'm glad you're here at my party tonight. I let Megan bring me into the kitchen. She opens the fridge and gives me a can of soda, even though the others are drinking out of two big punch bowls on the dining room table. Megan just stands there expectedly. I turn and follow her through the kitchen and out the back door. As soon as we're private enough. She turns and faces me. I've been watching the news, I tell Megan, how long did you think it would be before your parents ended up being featured on it? How long were they out looking for you after you disappeared from Strickfield. Megan kind of looks desperate. Now I know you haven't lived here in Strickfield for long, Richie, You have no idea how my parents constantly smothered me with their religion. It was always them telling me to read my Bible, or tuck my shirt in, or my skirt's too short. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to lose them. I raise my finger. Yeah, but you just ran away from home. You never showed up at school. The police were out looking for you.

1:50:05 If you were that desperate to leave, you should have just left Strickfield. But here you are, out of the blue, having a Halloween party and hosting trick or treating? Aren't you afraid people might recognize you? Cops are stepping up their patrols this week. What if they saw you face at Megan? You're not exactly a subtle kind of girl. The two of us look at each other for a long while, and then things are about to get serious when we hear people hooping and hollering nearby. As soon as we go back inside, this gang of hoodlums enters Megan's house. The others already here don't seem to care. They're all drinking their red punch and doing whatever. I remember seeing these guys at Strickfield High. The leader is Ken Stover. He's probably been in more trouble with Principal Van dest than Bella Tabon and Ronnie Brunswick combined. Suddenly, Ken pulls Megan to him and locks her in a hungry kiss. Megan wraps her leg around him and kisses him back. When they finish, he shoves her away. Then he goes and smashes the sound system to kill the music.

1:51:17 Now everyone's looking right at him, Look at you fuckers having a Halloween party. Then Ken screams at Megan, you didn't invite us, your stupid bitch. He quickly shoves her to the floor. Did you forget who's running the show around here? Yeah? Not inviting us? Ain't polite. Darren Jeevers adds, we ought to just give Megan to the cops and tell him she's back. Bart Parker suggests. Then Gerald Atkins points right at me. Who's this fuck? He ain't one of us? Ken comes right at me. I know nobody invited you to our group. Know why because ain't nobody part of this group? Without me saying? And so I invited him? Megan snaps, standing up. Ken points right behind him at her, and I'm uninviting him. He points at me.

1:52:10 Now get the fuck out of here, you panty waste. But Megan isn't done yet. We all know the Master's coming. What if he decides Richie might be a worthy offering. You never disappoint the Master, I can tell. Ken still wants me gone. He backs off, however, and pats my shoulder. Enjoy yourself, fuck face. Suddenly the doorbell rings. The gang answers the door to see two pizza delivery guys standing there with a bunch of pies. Delivery for nineteen Park avenue. One of them stammers. Ken opens the screen door and yanks them both inside. The pizza boxes spin or drop to the floor. Then I see the entire gang shutter before they charge. Their hands become claws, their faces get ey and uglier than they already were, and then the others here are transforming. Ken tells everybody, pizza is here, help yourselves. The pizza guys scream in total terror as they leap to their feet and try running. But where can you run in a house full of bloodthirsty vampires.

1:53:21 Suddenly Ken shoves me aside out of the fucking way milksop. The pizza guys keep running before Mikey Stanley snags one of them. Megan snatches the other one. He points to the pizza guy. Megan has give me that one, but Megan won't give him over. We save them for the Master. Ken raises his hand to Striker. You keep forgetting your place here, bitch. I'm calling the shots here. Only reason I took you with me was because you was running from the Master. He made you, but you ran away when I found you. You needed blood, he kept saying. The Master's coming. Still ain't seen him. If he's so fucking badass. How come he ain't never found you? Huh? Also, you ain't never seen what he looks like. Megan shakes her head. I'm telling you, Ken, you're greatly underestimating him.

1:54:14 I did escape, but I can feel he's very close. I never should have run away. You can't beat him, Ken, He'll kill you. She addresses the others at the party. Now all of you now. Ken finally strikes her, sending her to the floor again. Nobody comes to her aid. Ken turns and points at me. Grab him too, There's another mortal for us. Megan suddenly jumps on Ken's back. Run Ritchie, get off of me, bitch, Ken yells, get the milksop guys. I quickly turn and run through Megan's house. I grab my pumpkin basket of candy as I reach the back door and escape. I don't get far when I'm grabbed and pulled back into the house. Now I'm thrown to the floor next to the pizza guys. Ken rubs his hands together. Boys, we are gonna have a banquet.

1:55:06 He points to Mike. How about you order us some more pizzas Mike pulls his cell phone out and starts to punch in a number. Then I hear some of the other vampires making noise about something. Now I see the house is catching fire, just like that. What the fuck? Ken yells. Now the fire starts burning the vampires until they're being smothered by it, all except Megan, me and the pizza guys. Megan quickly grabs my arm. Let's get out of here. The master's here. He's burning everybody in here alive. I won't let him take you. Two. The four of us make it through the burning vampires and to the back door. We're out in the backyard and keep moving. As soon as we're far enough, we turn to see the houses completely engulfed in flames. We even hear the vampires inside screaming as their immortality is ending most cruelly. Megan and I keep moving with the pizza guys until we're in a small wooded area. We made it, Richie.

1:56:09 Megan says, we're safe, we're free. Now. She's about to take my hand, but suddenly I slap hers away. Did you really think I would never find you, Megan? You were a fool to think you could truly escape me. I use my power to force Megan to fly back and hit hard against a big tree and fall forward. She lifts her head up and looks at me with utter horror. Now you can't be the master. I smile cruelly now and lean forward and slash both of the delivery guy's throats with my long, sharp claws. Then I drink them both up. When I'm finished, I look right at her, You, ungrateful cow. I came to you and offered you a way out of your miserable, mortal life.

1:57:00 I gave you immortality, and running away is how you repay me. At least now I know and understand where your kind come from. You only care about yourselves, truly, I was foolish to sire you for your beauty alone. No it's not like that, Megan protests, standing up. I point to her. Now too late. You've abused the gift of immortality, giving it to all those unworthy vermin back there. You even killed your own parents in cold blood. When will you understand you became mine? When I sired you mine, I would have given you your heart's desire. All you had to do was stand by me and obey me.

1:57:49 Now I must destroy you. I reach into my suit coat and pull out a very sharp steak. No, ritchie, Megan Beggs, Please no. I could have just left you to burn in that fire with the others, but that would have been showing you mercy. You need to suffer for your betrayal and your treachery. I kick Megan to the ground and get on top of her. Megan screams as I raise the steak and end her. Once she's nothing but ash, I stand up and retrieve my plastic pumpkin basket. There's still plenty of time to go trick or treating while looking for more food. That's the problem with kids today, ungrateful for the gifts they are given, Jack stated as he shook his head as a fire truck pulled up to the burning house, sirens blaring. Jack took a peek at his watch. Oh my, it's getting late.

1:58:56 I have to head down south soon. But I can't leave without PARTI in the best sport that Strickfield has to offer. H let's see. Jack opened up his jacket to show a row of knives attached to the inner lining. Decisions decisions. Jack finally selected a long, thin razor sharp blade and tested the balance in his hand. I must leave you now I prefer to do my wet work alone. Goodbye until next year. Toodles my friends, Jack said, waving goodbye the portal by Rob Fields. Carter Cross is standing outside my bedroom. You ready, Madeline? One sec? I tell him.

1:59:56 He comes in and watches me finish a really tough level on Donkey. It's an old school video game that Nintendo released many years ago. I'm playing an actual arcade cabinet Dad picked up for me a few years ago. It was all beat up and scratched, but I restored it and gave it new life. Yes, I cry when I finished the level. Since I know Carter and me gotta get going. I turn off the cabinet. After putting on my ball cap with a familiar horror hockey mask, I tell Carter I'm ready. You always get your geek on with our horror thons, Madeline. He tells me he's right. In addition to my ball cap, I'm also wearing a Freddy Krueger T shirt. I finished my outfit with jeans and sneakers. Who dresses you anyway? Carter jokes Mom. I say, without hesitation, she's picked up a lot of horror clothes for me. By the way, nice shirt yourself. Carter's wearing a Michael Myers T shirt. Guess I don't want to feel left out. Nah, I'd never let you feel left out, buddy.

2:01:00 Carter and I leave my room and head downstairs. Dad ain't home at the moment, but Mom's working on some artwork she was commissioned for. She takes the time to look up at us. I've heard people say she looks a lot like Violet from Friday the Thirteenth, Part five. I'm so jealous of you kids, Mom exclaims. Then she groans, if I didn't have two projects needing finished by Monday, i'd totally go with you both. Yeah, little known fact, Mom, Carter and me have done horrorthons together. In fact, she took Carter and me to our very first one at the Strickfield Drive in Theater a few years ago. You went to all that trouble to find out about the lineup, and you can't go, Carter asks her, and thank you.

2:01:44 By the way, I know, Mom groans, Maddie's gonna be haunting me in my dreams later tonight. Aw come on, Mom, I grown back. Carter and me understand really. Then Mom gives me some bring me back a T shirt. You got it, I tell her. We say our goodbyes and Carter and me leave. We're talking about tonight's lineup. Carter's really excited about seeing the director's cut of Veranda, Queen of the Night. Know how I'm going to Friday night sleepovers at Ariel Miron's house. Carter usually catches Veranda on Friday nights on Channel sixty one. Anyway, I think Veranda's his favorite movie monster. It ain't long before we're coming in to downtown Strickfield. Thanks again for all the tutoring you've been giving me for miss Ridolfi's class. Carter says, I just aced her test today, so I got no worries about doing the horror thon. Glad I could help pal.

2:02:43 Now we're gonna watch twelve hours of horror movies, scarf lots of junk food, and drink lots of caffeine. Believe me, I'm ready, Carter promises me too. Then Carter bumps my arm. Uh oh, don't look now, Madeline. Of course I end up looking. Ariel Miron, Mona Abels and Bailey Downs are crossing the street to come and meet us, And you know they're gonna be picking on me. Ah Man, Sorry, Princess, I don't have any pop for you, Carter tells Ariel. Then he points past her. Maybe you can use King Daddy's royal credit card to buy a great big one at the horror thon. Ariel glares at him. You just keep it up, Carter cross. Then she shoves him, and you owe me forgetting me detention today. Carter grins at her. Ooh, I'm so scared, princess. Then he glances at Mona and Bailey.

2:03:42 You gonna sick your royal handmaidens there on me. Mona gives him a mean look, but Bailey snickers. She don't even hide it when Ariel growls at her. Then Ariel looks back at Carter and growls at him. Carter shrugs, anyway, not my fault, Princess. You you're the one who started hitting me when I wouldn't bow down to you. Actually, Ariel wanted his bottle of soda and he wouldn't give it to her. Naturally, Ariel's gonna make a scene. Principal Benjamin van Deist caught her and slapped her with a detention boy. If Ariel's looks could kill. Then she points right at me, and you are supposed to be coming over to my slumber party tonight? Or did you forget what day it is? I shake my head quickly. Sorry, Ariel.

2:04:28 You know Carter and me always go to our horrorthons, even if they fall on a Friday night. Any other time I'd become into your slumber parties. But tonight ain't happening. I smirk. Unless you three want to join us tonight. Yeah, Ariel's mad at me too, I hate you mouse, I shrug, Sorry, not sorry. Then Mona's given me this weird look. Wait a minute here, you too can't go to the horrorthon. Oh that's right, Bailey agrees. Last I checked, you two ain't eighteen. In fact, none of us are eighteen. We ain't even old enough to drive Carter's smirkin'. Now this is true. But I raise my finger. But Carter and me are allowed in. I explained to the other girls how Carter and me were walking around Strickfield University last February because Mom sent me there to buy this exotic coffee she wanted from the Bitter End in Wilder Hall, the student union building. Then we get approached by these redheaded twins, the Corgan Twins. They made a lot of horror movies around our area. Now they wanted Carter and Me to be in one of their latest movies as a couple of kids for this mom and dad. While we was on set, we got to talking with the Corgans about all these different movies, mostly Roger Corman ones.

2:05:49 I think it was safe to say Carter and Me earned their respect. We also found out they're big with the university's film society and they put on a lot of events in our village. They're the ones who are putting on Tonight's Horror Thon. Jesse and Jenny gave Carter and Me both passes to be able to get in all the events we want. Yeah, they know we're both underage technically, but all we gotta do is show our passes and we get in, no questions asked. But then we get another surprise. These three giving you problems again. Maddie, boy do Ariel, Mona and Bailey gasp when they turn and see Bella Tabon standing right behind him and next to her is Eileen. I shriek with excitement. Maddie, She's just as excited to see me. The two of us quickly hug. Looking at us, you'd swear we were twin sisters instead of cousins. I mean it. We look exactly alike, same height, we're very skinny, same brown hair, same mousey voices, same faces, same last names, and even the same velma dinkly looking glasses. Standing together, there's only one way to tell us apart. Aileen's got brown eyes and I got blue ones. You and Bell's are doing the horrorthon too.

2:07:04 I shrieked, iine here practically handcuffed me and dragged me along with her Bell's mutters. Then she gets serious. Ainie and I wanted to get out and go do something, so she suggested the horrorthon, and you two get to hang with us tonight. Bell's calls Aileen inine and is short for Einstein, a nickname her older brother Martin gave her on account of her being gifted with quite a brain. In response, Aileen calls bella Bell's, Oh, Ariel's really mad now, she ain't got her way all day long. Then she looks from me to Aileen and back. Why do there have to be two of you? Just? Why are you feeling okay Ariel. Aileen asks her, Now, Ariel's wide eyed, how do you even know my name? Then she looks right at me, Oh you you. Then she belts out one of her blood and screams. Aileen and I just look at each other. Now Bell's is giving us her own funny looks. Carter just shrugs. When Ariel stops screaming, Bells starts patting her on her head. They're there, you want some cookies? Ariel puts her finger right in Bell's face.

2:08:18 You listen to me, you augh. Turns out Bells really does have Halloween cookies. Guess she brought them to sneak into the Horror Thon. Anyway, Bell's ends up giving them all to Ariel, Mona, and Bailey. Happy Halloween girls enjoy. Well, not quite Halloween yet, but it is the final weekend in October. Bell's turns to Carter in me, we better get going. Ariel, Mona, and Bailey don't say anything as the four of us walk to the theater together. Still, I got a feeling Carter and me are gonna hear about it on Monday at school. We walk a few more blocks before we reach the strickfield Centennial Theater. We only got to wait in line for a little while, but up near the front. Soon as it's time, the theater starts letting people in for the Horrorthon. Carter and Me show our passes and Aleen and Bell show their printed tickets. Bell sends Aileen on ahead to get us good seats. Then Bell's insists on treating us to the concession stand. Carter's surprised that Bell's orders a lot of stuff, including lots of pizzas. She even ordered one for Aleen.

2:09:25 Once we're getting everything, we'd take it back into the auditorium, Aleen calls out to us she got us great seats. Before long, the Corgan twins are up in the front of the screen to kick off the Horrorthon. They do announce one change to the lineup to the secret midnight screening. Now, I told Carter that the director's cut of Veranda Queen of the Night was going to be the secret midnight screening. Carter's looking kind of bummed out, at least until the twins say it's replacing the Spanish version of Dracula because they weren't able to get the print in time. The biggest thing about the horrorthons, the Corgan Twins present is that every single movie is shown on real film. The Corgan Twins say that a secret new film will be screening at midnight. There would be giveaways during intermissions and some short films playing. They thank everybody for being here and supporting both horror movies and Halloween. Then they tell everybody to have a great time. The lights dim and the first feature starts. We're all cheering when Veranda, Queen of the Night, kicks off the Horror Thon. Man, you should have seen how happy Carter was. Carter even quietly tells us what's different about the director's cut scenes. But that ain't all Carter's getting. When it comes to Veranda.

2:10:39 After the movie's over, the Corgan Twins spring a huge surprise. Vicky Valentine, who plays Veranda, is here in person. Ah Man. Carter practically faints, but we're there with him when he finally meets Vicky Valentine in the flesh and gets her autograph. He also gets and me to pose for a pick with him and Vicki, which Bella takes. Belle's does get an autograph but doesn't pose for a pick. Ah that's right, she can't. Vampires don't cast a reflection, which means she won't show up on picks. You okay, buddy, I ask Carter as we're taking our seats again. I can't believe I finally met Veranda. Carter gushes, I think I'm in love.

2:11:25 Don't be letting Ariel here? You say that, I tease. Carter suddenly turns to me. Why you little? When I laugh, he playfully pulls me into a headlock and rubs his knuckles on my noggin. Then he lets me go. Carter points at me, Hugh, just keep dreaming, Madeline. But I definitely know better. In fact, Carter's checking his phone. Not only does he have a wallpaper of Ariel, they even have each other's numbers, cause he's texting with her right now. And I know for a fact Ariel don't give her phone number to just anyone. Speaking of phone, Ariel made sure she texted me too, I hate you mouse with a little mouse emoji. The second feature is the original Halloween A man. Mom's gonna be so bummed when she hears this one was playing. This is our movie. In fact, it was the first one, and our first Horthon together.

2:12:20 As we're watching the movie, I can't help noticing Bells is in the middle of her fifth hole Pepperoni pizza. Bells is a very unique form of master vampire. She don't drink blood, so she's got to eat lots and lots of food to get her nutritional requirements. No problem for Bells since she loves food, especially from Denoyer's grill. We're having fun now, but things are about to get a lot more interesting real soon another intermission comes. Then the Corgan Twins appear and do a couple of giveaways. I even remember to buy Mom her Horrorthon T shirt.

2:13:02 When I get back, they're starting to announce the secret midnight screening. It's a new film that's supposed to be called The Portal. Ain't none of us ever heard of it? The Corgan Twins say they attended a secret screening of it and that it was really good, so they had to secure it for the Horror Thon. Soon as they walk out, the lights dim and the movie starts. The Portal ends up being about this group of teenage kids, like high schoolers. They end up running from this gang who was chasing them down. Before long, they take refuge in a cemetery and break into a crypt to hide. They lose the gang, but they get real tired and fall asleep in the crypt. Next morning, things get weird when they walk around in the town they live in.

2:13:51 Everybody's given the kids weird looks. Turns out everybody in the town is all Vampireskids are on the run. Now along the way, some of them either fall for the vampires or become vampires themselves. Long story short, they learn they're in a parallel universe where everybody on this earth is a vampire. In the end, the kids never return to their universe again, and the last one's got a fake being a vampire to hide in plain sight with them. Suddenly, I gasp and open my eyes. I look and see Carter, Bells and Aileen are still in the theater with me.

2:14:31 No movies are playing, no lights are on. We can see the auditorium's big time trashed. Did we fall asleep and miss the rest of the horothon? Aileen asks, I don't recall falling asleep. I say, yeah, me either. Carter mutters, shaking his head. Aileen looks at Bell's I know you couldn't have fallen asleep, you never sleep? Bell stands up. Okay, I think it's it's safe to say something ain't right here. For one thing, where are all the pizza boxes? What? You're still hungry? BELLA Carter asks in surprise. No, don't you get it, Carter, we never got up to throw anything away. If we did fall asleep, then those boxes should still be right here. We're all quiet for a bit.

2:15:21 Then I say we might as well head outside and see what's up. Let's go. Bell's agrees. The four of us leave the auditorium. Even the lobby's a mess. Not only that, nobody's man in the concession stand. Then we walk outside. Where is everybody? Aileen asks Church. I pipe up, Bell's looks my way on a Saturday morning. Oopsies. Then I sigh, what do we do now? We look around for a little bit. Hey, it's still night out here. I quickly notice that or there are storm clouds up there, Aileen says, I look at my smart watch. Huh, what gives?

2:16:07 I got blanks where the time ought to be. We look at our smartphones and get the same results. Maybe something happened and the theater got cleared out, I suggest, and they just left us sitting in there. Carter mutters, I shrug, just trying to make sense out of all this, buddy. Maybe we should see what's going on at home, Aileen throws out. We talk about it and decide to do just that. The computers should be working, Aileen says, message us as soon as you get home, Maddie, you too, Carter. Carter nods. Then we split up. Carter and me walk until we're back in our neighborhood. So far and nothing out of the ordinary. But where is everybody, Madeline? Carter asks, We ain't seen a single person since we left the theater.

2:16:57 Then I tap his shoulder. Looks like familiar faces. We both look to see Ariel, Mona and Bailey across the street. When I wave at him, they just stop and look at us in this weird way. Now, Ariel motions for Mona and Bailey to come with her. They cross the street and approach us. When they get close enough, they all gasp. Ariel Mona cries happily I know. Ariel groans seemingly with relief and shows us a huge smile. Food. Huh, I utter, what you mean? Food. Before Carter can say anything, all three girls open their mouths, Are you seeing this, Madeline?

2:17:41 Carter stammers, yeah, you know, I'm seeing it. But run. Carter and me turn away from him and run fast, foolish mortals, Ariel calls out, when will you learn? Suddenly Ariel appears right in front of me. She puts her hand on my neck and lifts me off the sidewalk. I'm trying to get down, but she's got me up here good. Ariel's hands are so cold, and how'd she gets so strong? Next thing I know, Ariel brings me down and pins me up against a tree. I shriek when I see how red Ariel's eyes are. Now her fangs are glistening and sharp. Then I see how pale her skin is. Usually Ariel's got some of her summer tan left over during October. Help, Carter, yells. I look over Ariel's shoulder and see Bailey and Mona have Carter on the ground. You two can have Carter. Ariel tells him, I'm going to dine on a delicious little mousey. I'm just so glad we have food again. Bailey squeals, shall we Mona? We shall Mona murmurs, You're going to taste so good. Carter even better than Denoyer's grill's cheeseburgers. Ariel glares at me, Now, this is what you get for ditching your girls for a horror mouse. No no, I scream.

2:19:05 Then I suddenly drop out of Ariel's grip and scurry right between her legs. I come back up and quickly shove Mona. Carter fights back now and shoves Bailey off him. When Carter's back up, I quickly grab his arm and we run. We see our houses and go right to mine since it's there first. We quickly go inside and slam the front door shut. Go check the back Carter. He didn't need me to tell him twice. He quickly locks that door. I do the same with the front open up. Ariel screams, I hate you Mouse, oh you wicked little rodent. Mona yells, you really think these doors are going to keep us out? Bailey teases. Carter points to me, listen, vampires can't come in unless you invite them, right, I go hard last I checked? Then Carter gulps too.

2:19:59 How do we know we ain't like those girls outside, Madeline? Or what if we're turning? Now? I'm real scared. We gotta find a mirror. First we can confirm we got reflections. Then I can summon Mary Worth, the spirit of a witch who's possessing me. All I gotta do is say her name three times in a mirror, and then she can take over my body and stop these vampires. Suddenly we hear movement on the stairs. Then we see Mom coming down. When she sees us, she smiles, Maddie, you're home. What's the matter, honey? You two might as well just let us in right now. Ariel yells, go back to your coffin and get your beauty sleep, princess. Carter yells back, not that it'll do you any good. Carter, Oh you you, and that sets off another one of Ariel's blood curdle In screams. Mom's dressed in her pink clothes like she usually is, but something's wrong here. Mom's skin looks just as pale as those vampires outside. Come to Mom, Mattie, she says, not paying attention to the girls outside. Let me sire you so you can keep being my little girl.

2:21:12 Then we can dine on Carter together. Oh man, Carter chokes, shaking his head slowly. Not you too, missus, Donnerly We both scream when Mom shows us her fangs. Then she raises her hands, which are claws. Now Carter and me are backing up when she's moving closer. Ah, why are you like this, Mom, I stammer. I'm now seeing things more. No mirrors anywhere, and all the windows are painted black. You don't get it, Mattie. Mom growls and holds her tummy. There's no more food. One day, many of us woke up to find we were vampires. We claimed many of the mortals that didn't turn. What few were left managed to escape and form a resistance. We're so very hungry.

2:22:01 The only way we could find food quickly was to open a portal that would allow us to gather mortals from other realities. Carter and Me look at each other. Guess that explains how we woke up in the theater all by ourselves, Madeline. Carter says. Then I understand something else. That means you ain't really my mom, and those girls outside ain't really our friends. Suddenly, Ariel bursts right through the front door. Mona and Bailey are coming in right behind her. We gave you and Carter both a chance to be reasonable about this mouse. Bailey says, guess now it's survival of the hungriest. Mona ads licking her fangs.

2:22:43 I know you've always had an eye for me, Carter, Ariel laughs. Now you can know the feeling is entirely mutual. Then Carter acts. He quickly dives for two pieces of wood from the broken door and puts them together into a cross. Ariel moves her hands out in front of her and hisses. Then Bailey and Mona do the same. Mom just gets back. You're a genius, Carter, I cry. I quickly pick up two pieces of wood and make my own. At first, the vampires don't seem to be afraid of me. Then I figure out why they're afraid of Carter. When you use a crucifix against a vampire, you have to have faith for it to work. Fright, night, Sure got that one right. Suddenly we hear the back door explode. Ah Man, more vampires breaking in, looking to have Carter and me for dinner. Next thing, we know, we're both being snatched up. These two are mine. I almost cry out Bell's name, but that would have given us away fast. Bell's quickly turns and kicks the huge front window out. Then she takes us out through it.

2:23:50 Come back here with our food. Ariel screams. Bell's leaps off the porch with both of us good thinking with those crosses. She tells us, well, wait a minute, you're a vampire. Two. Carter shrieks. It's okay, Carter, Bell's is on our side, I tell him. Then I ask her, how'd you know to come back for us. We'll talk about it as soon as we meet up with Iiny they're turning into bats. Carter quickly tells. Bells, yeah, I expect it as much. Hang on you two. Bells leaps into the air again and eventually ducks into an alley with us. When she lands, the bats are soon flying right over us. You two, okay, Bell's asks. When she knows it's safe. We both nod quickly. Then Bell's nods once From there, she grabs hold of us again and jumps back up into the air. After a few more jumps, we're at a church. We go inside the wrecked church and find a leen sitting on top of the altar.

2:24:50 She's very happy to see Bells brought us. When we reach a leen, she quickly holds out across touch it. Both of you. I touched the cross without hesitation. When I don't burn, then Carter touches it. Aleen sighs with relief. I'm so glad you guys are okay, Bell says, as soon as me and Iiny got home, Martin was right there. Funny thing. He didn't recognize me, but he was oh so eager to sink his teeth into Iini. Yeah, Madeline and me just found out we're in a different universe.

2:25:32 Carter says, her mom knew about it. Yeah, it's like Marvel Zombies, except everybody's vampires here, I say, Bell's gives us funny looks. The three of us quickly explained the plot behind that comic book series. You'll have to let me read that one if any of you've got it, Bell says, Or you guys could have said it was like the Last Man on Earth. Sorry, I squeak. Mom did say not everybody got turned. She never said what caused it either. She just said one day they woke up and they were all vampires. But how did they get to us? Carter asks, I don't get it. Think Carter, what was the one thing that was weird earlier? Aini asks, we were at the horror thon. Carter recalls, that's it.

2:26:21 We were watching that secret movie. That's what Bell's and I came up with. Two Inini agrees. We decided that the film had opened up some kind of portal to let those vampires come into our reality and bring us to theirs. Bell says, you think they got everybody else in the theater? I ask, hard to say, Maddie, Aini replies, if we ended up in the theater by ourselves, I'm guessing the other people were either taken by the vampires or they escaped, and the ones that were taken probably became food for the vampires or they became like them. By now, Carter ads, I mean they are starving, right, That would make sense. Bell's agrees. So what do we do now? I ask? We got to figure out how to get back home, Aini says, we can't stay here or we're going to end up being food or becoming vampires ourselves, well aside for you, bells. Bells sits next to Aileen on the altar. No telling how long we're going to be safe in here, so we need to come up with a plan fast. I quickly raise my finger.

2:27:27 Hey wouldn't Strickfield Academy have weapons against the vampires. I mean, there's supposed to be a parochial institution, right, I was just going to say that. Maddie, then Aileen and me slap fives. Hugh twins realize that's a long shot, right. Bell's asks, Like I said, we can't stay here. There's a car out back. Aini says, think you could start at Bell's once I hot wire it. Iiny nods and then hands Carter and me crosses and some packs she made up vampire survival kits. You both know what to do with the crosses. There are wafers and a few bottles of holy water inside. Use them only if you have to, and don't drop the crosses. Above all, make sure you have faith. You don't gotta tell me twice.

2:28:16 Carter says, quickly, we leave the building out the back and get into the car. Aileen mentioned after Bell's hot wires that she's driving us to Strickfield Academy. I wish I knew what time it is, Irony groans. It sure would be nice to know when the sun's coming up. For all we know, the sun might not be coming up. Bell says, I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer here. Believe me, the thought crossed my mind too. Iiny admits bats in the air. I quickly call out lots of them. Hang on Bell's yells. She floors the gas and drives across Strickfield University. It ain't long before the bats are really flapping their wings. Then I suddenly remember cars have mirrors.

2:28:59 But I groan when I see the rear view mirror and the door mirrors are broken out. Guess these vampires didn't want any mirrors period. When we finally reach Strickfield Academy, Bells drives right through the main gate and up the driveway. When we reach the main building, Bells screeches to a halt and we get out. Follow me, Bells tells us. Bells pulls one of the main doors open, breaking the lock in the process. As soon as we're in, she quickly pulls the door shut. That won't keep them out. Bells points to another door. Run. We turn and run down the hallway. Soon we're running through the cafeteria. It ain't long before vampires are showing up. We raise our crosses and keep them back. We run out of the building and head into another one. Now we're running into a gym. Bells points to me, you need to find a mirror. I'm trying, I say, mirror. Carter wonders for what.

2:29:55 Then my tummy drops when I see the windows out of the gym doors. Lots of bats out there. We can't go back outside again. Then Bell sees something when we're leaving the gym. There's a chapel right over there. As we run into the chapel, I know right away if we end up trapped in here, no, I gotta find a mirror. I gotta Madeline. Carter yells when I turn and take off running. Just trust me on this, Carter, I call back. I got an idea where I might find a mirror. As soon as I go back into the gym, a vampire tries grabbing me, making me lose my cross. I quickly drop to the gym floor and crawl between his legs. I spring back up and head into a nearby locker room. I run through it looking for a mirror. If we're gonna have any hope of making it out of here, I gotta be able to call Mary Worth. I'm checking all over the place. Come on, there's gotta be a mirror. Then I suddenly stop slipping and falling on my keyster. When I finally see it, I quickly pull myself up and move to the mirror.

2:30:55 It's right then when the vampire grabs me from behind and lifts me off the floor. No. Then I scream and struggle with every bit of fight I've got left in me. When the vampire's struggling to keep a hold of me, I quickly push back and make him fall over a bench in a locker area. I fall over myself and quickly crawl to the mirror. The Vampire's quickly on me again, thanks to that warping thing they do. I quickly say Maryworth's name three times. Suddenly, the vampires forced off of me. When the energy comes out of the mirror and into me, I feel the essence of my ghostly friend taking over my body until I'm nothing more than a passenger. Now we're in a real bad fix. Mary, I tell her, I shall do what must be done, Madeleine.

2:31:39 In the meantime, you are safe. Now. Mary turns and sends the vampire flying away from us. Then she floats through the walls until she comes into the chapel, where everybody else is Carter gasps when he sees the ghost of Maryworth. For the record, only Aileen and Bell's know my secret. Bell's looks relieved to see Mary. If you know what's going on, I do, Mary chance a witch spell. Suddenly, the power of the white light appears at the doors and windows. It ain't sunlight, but it sure drives the vampires away like it is. Aileen's got an idea. Why didn't I think of it before? We need to get back to the theater and restart that movie. We listen as Aileen explains she believes that the film The Portal brought us into this alternate universe where everybody's a vampire. Nobody has any objections to going back to the theater. Listen, Aileen, if you're wrong about replaying that movie and it don't get us back home, we're not only stuck here, we're goners.

2:32:38 Carter stresses. Then he realizes, Hey, where's Madeleine. Madeleine is safe. Mary tells him, I assure you that she shall be with you again upon your return home. Carter ain't sure if he can trust Mary, but Bells and Aileen both assure him everything is gonna be okay. We just have to fight our way through those vampi to get back to the car. Aileen mutters, leave the fighting to me. Belle says, you guys just be ready to roll when I open the door. That shall not be necessary. Bell a tabon, Mary tells her. Mary conjures up more white light to teleport us back to the Strickfield Centennial Theater.

2:33:21 Just like that. Soon as we're outside the theater, more vampires are crawling out of the woodwork inside. Mary instructs everybody. As soon as we're in, Bell's holds the doors shut. Mary seals them with the white light, and that's when I finally solve the mystery about how all this happened, and quickly tell Mary be on your guard. Mary warns the others we may have unexpected company awaiting us within this structure. We move and head back into the auditorium. You're much too late, we hear from up in the projection booth. Mary floats up at the same time Bell's vampire warps into the booth. I was right, Mary, I cry.

2:34:04 I knew it had to be them. It was the Corgan twins. I didn't want to point fingers at him, but it was the only thing that made sense. They were the ones who put the portal in as the new secret midnight screening. Right. I'm pretty sure these a'ight are Corgan twins, though these vampire versions were probably sent here to bring an unsuspecting crowd to their universe. These two redheaded bees destroyed the film. Bell's yells we're stuck here. Then Mary floats through the wall and into the projection booth. Just as Belle slams the Corgan Twins into a walled to daism, all is not lost here, bella tabon. Mary says, we shall return home. Shortly, Mary uses her witch magic to restore the film. Well, that's great. Unfortunately I don't know how to work one of these things. Bell says, looks like I'm gonna have to come back out. Mary.

2:35:00 I tell her that is not possible without a mirror, Madeline. Mary thinks back at me, can you make a leen appear up here? Then? I ask? Good thinking, Mary magically makes a leen appear in the projection booth. AINI you gotta mount this film and run the projector yesterday. Bell's quickly tells her I got this. Aileen picks up the top reel and moves to the projector. Um, we don't need the entire film, do we. This is just the first part we shall see soon enough, Mary says, proceed. Aileen quickly mounts the film, making it look real easy. Then she turns the projector on and starts the movie.

2:35:42 I don't know when the magic is supposed to happen, you guys, leave that to me. One final time, Mary uses her witch powers on the film to open the portal and bring us safely back to our strickfield. Suddenly we find ourselves back down on the floor and back in our seats where we before everything went crazy on us. The theater's still full of people enjoying the horrorthon. I'm back to being me again, and quickly check my smartwatch to see we're in the middle of the secret midnight screening. Believe it or not, The Corgan Twins and Vicki Valentine end up presenting the director's cut of Veranda Queen of the Night. After all. Funny thing, we all end up remembering the first movie being the nineteen ninety version of Night the Living Dead. We'd compare notes later to learn we remember both realities. We end up making it through the rest of the Horrorthon and don't get out of there until around nine thirty on Saturday morning, Bells and Aileen walk Carter and Me back to our house just to make sure everything's okay. In fact, Mom opens up glad to see all of us. She invites everybody in and we talk about the Horror Thon for a little bit.

2:36:50 Of course, we leave out our little side adventure. Anyway. Mom was real happy to get her T shirt, and she never once does anything to say she's a vamp. When everybody leaves, Mom offers to make me breakfast, but I tell her I'm going to bed. She kisses me good night, and I head upstairs. When I'm getting ready for bed, I talk to Mary in the bathroom mirror. She tells me we should be safe from those vampires from that other universe. After she used the white light to make the film send us back, she destroyed it again. What if they have or make another print of the portal? I ask her. We can only hope that they do not. She replies, I hate to say it, Mary, but I get the feeling we ain't seen or heard the last of this. Even Belle said that on the way home, all that we may do is deal with it should things transpire as such again, But for now, go and rest yourself. We shall talk again soon. I say good night to Mary and head off to bed. As I'm about to fall out, I get a text from Carter asking if I want to go trick or treating tonight.

2:37:59 I tell him I'll gladly go with him when I get up. Anyway, I'm really tired, so I'm gonna say goodbye to you all until our next adventure. See you soon, Caroline Quinn Vampire Hunter by Mike Ashcuy. Halloween always brings out the weird ones. Can you remember a time when it didn't bring out the weird ones? I can't now, tossing all sorts of things people consider fantastic and impossible only fifty years ago, and now it's only weirder. It's also a lot more dangerous. See fifty years ago, something happened and no one can explain it. People just were born different, different how well Suddenly people could fly, people could turn invisible, and sometimes those special people had bad days and people ended up dead. Now tossing the fact that some things we considered myth and legend were also real, real life monsters, vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, and stuff that would make Stephen King say, what in the actual fuck.

2:39:24 It's a real shit show, but it's home, and frankly, it's a living I deal with problems that the usual police or even gifted individuals can't. My name is Caroline Quinn, and I'm something a little different than what you might expect. I'm not a super and I'm not a cop, but something in between those things. I don't report to anyone per se, but I do draw a paycheck. I'm what's known as a troubleshooter. I am contracted by the government to deal with quote issues that require discretion and most importantly, plausible deniability. See it's okay to have your local neighborhood asshole in a cape deal with some lunatic who can level a building with a punch, But sometimes you deal with something different. Again. You know how I mentioned that whole creatures of myth and legend, Well, those same things cause trouble, and your average person isn't equipped to deal with the truly paranormal. People can accept superpowers, but you start bringing in the undead and all that shit, Well, let's say they don't deal with it well at all.

2:40:38 Suddenly what goes bump in the night is real and makes Freddy Krueger look tame in comparison. Governments try very hard to suppress a lot of the truly scary shit, but sometimes it gets out. Thanks to Instagram. I'm sure we needed to see one of America's top superheroes get torn apart by vampires, or a group of teenagers get pulled up under the water by an ancient shark god near New Zealand. You might ask, why try to hide it we have literal superheroes. Well, something happened, and those things are becoming more frequent, almost like a natural response to the rise of the gifted. It's almost like undeath finds a way. I'm sure there is a philosophical or religious explanation, or maybe even scientific reason behind it. But if there is, I don't know it, and I don't care to know it. I get paid to deal with it.

2:41:35 How do I deal with it? I'm tough, supernaturally tough, even by the standards set by the gifted community. I'm an anomaly. There aren't many like me, and that is probably a good thing. I've heard more than a few whispered conversations, worrying about what she and her kind represent. In short, they think I'm a threat. I'm also something that's sees seems to be somewhere between them and the gifted. They believe. However, better to have that threat under control than on your side. A fucking cocktail of supernatural and superpowered? Did I mention I get some perks from this gig.

2:42:16 I get two weeks of paid vacation a year, which can be revoked at any time should the situation dictate. Isn't that just swell? I got to go to Disney World once till some undead goon tried to kill some kid in a Mickey Mouse costume. I got a free pair of mouse ears for my trouble. So where does that bring us now? A few days ago I got a tip that led to a small town in rural upstate New York. Your quiet, little sleepy town that has a Denny's, a big box retailer, and people get excited when Starbucks comes to town. The information was compiled by a computer forensic person I knew in the FBI who had an eye for this sort of thing. Her name was Rheann, and she was also my ex girlfriend aren't workplace romances complicated. Still, she and I were good till we weren't. The information dealt with a very strange set of deaths that had occurred over the last few months in the local old age communities. A lot of dead old timers and not passing away from natural causes either.

2:43:21 Normally this would have just slid under the radar and been filed away under so sad, too bad, But I guess some in turn did some blood work up and it got sent to the wrong lab, and that got Rhianne's attention. Certainly makes my job easier than having to rely on AI and search algorithms. I still don't trust computers and probably never will. I had to be dragged out of using a flip phone in the last ten years. I stopped for breakfast before driving into Hope Springs. I traveled in a little camper van, and while it wasn't the most glamorous, it wasn't a half bad place to sleep, and even had a mini refrigerator and solar panels. It wasn't Howard Johnson, but it was home for most of the year. Sitting down and eating an overpriced plate of bacon and eggs. I started to look over the files.

2:44:11 Rheianne always did me a solid and compiled it into easy to understand pieces, and compartmentalization was her specialty. For about four months, twenty or so unusual deaths were recorded in the city's corner's report, and all of them had an unusual marker in the blood work. One of the recently deceased had a busy body of a son who demanded to know what happened to dear old dad and demanded a full autopsy, and evidently had the pull to make it happen despite a coroner who could not have cared less the sun probably wanted some kind of an insurance payout or something equally as heartless. Isn't family great? Sipping at my disgusting black liquid allegedly called coffee, something stood out to me. That unusual marker in the bla bloodwork was some kind of thing I'd seen before. Without getting all technical and probably losing your interest. It was a foreign element and it didn't belong in the body of an eighty nine year old man. It was gifted blood and contain trace elements of what has been widely identified as vampiric blood, I stopped eating and kept reading the files over and over again. Over the course of four months and twenty bodies, this particular blood pattern occurred over ten times. Someone or something was preying on the elderly and was using them to feed, but not turning them into more of them. Normally, a vampire would create

2:45:44 a little army and we'd have a small problem on our hands. Some of the more unique gifted heroes like Photonic or Ultraviolet would be asked to help. However, recently, after almost dying themselves, they were reluctant or flat out refused to assist. Usually superior firepower with silver and UV grenades would do the job, but you could always count on one of the slippery undead fucks getting away, like some kind of Houdini and Dracula combined. This one was greedy and didn't want to share eating with the old folks. This one also was different and maybe was working with a gifted person to incapacitate the geezers or something else entirely.

2:46:29 Maybe they were like me and had a mix of both worlds in their blood. Either scenario means I wouldn't be out of here by Monday, and with Halloween happening in a day. It meant a lot of potential collateral damage with civilians nearby. Great, now I have to hunt down a potentially superpowered vampire or a regular vampire with a super sidekick. You know, working at Applebee's certainly sounds a lot less dangerous. Right now, I'd at least make tips and not have to worry about half my guts decorating the walls or having my soul sucked out. Remember two weeks paid vacation plus four oh one K plus blah blah, protect your country and save humanity blah blah.

2:47:14 Right right, I can practically recite the recruiting speech. Just have to hold up my end of the bargain and make sure super villains or Satan doesn't destroy the planet first. Fuck. They could have called people like Megaton or Phase, but no, my name comes up first in the rolodex. Do people still use those rolodexes. I finish my breakfast and leave a few bucks on the table. I throw a rye look at my waitress as if saying I'm sorry, I'm gonna fuck up your town in a few days, but hey have ten bucks. I exit the diner and start heading back to my camper van. It's cold in late October, and my leather jacket isn't quite as warm as I would like. It's at least pretty out here in that quaint kind of way. Hope Spring is about another twenty miles away, and I have nothing but my thoughts and a playlist of Megadeth another eighties hair metal. What can I say? It sets the mood for killing vampires and probably looking sexy while doing it. I won't look sexy while doing it because no one is ever going to know I did it, and if it ends up on Reddit with my face, then I'll have a lot of explaining to do and probably no four o one K to look forward to. Maybe I'll write a book after I retire. I could do a podcast. Any asshole with a microphone has one of those these days. Anyway, right hit the road and it's a long twenty miles with only trees, farm houses and the occasional cow or horse

2:48:46 outside grazing. There is boring, and then there is boring. It's an easy drive, though, and besides picking up a cherry slurpee on the way, it's uneventful too. Entering the city limits and I immediately feel like I have entered a Charlie Brown Halloween special. This place has gone absolutely all out on the season. There are pumpkins and scarecrows and all sorts of window displays. I'm pretty sure I saw a life size Pennywise, the clown, welcoming me into the jewel of upstate New York. Well, I'm sure this is tax dollars well spent. Rhianne had arranged a visit for me to examine the latest victim before they were sent off to the funeral home. Oh joy, cadaver fresh, just like Mom used to make. You Know what I like about dead people. They're easy to get along with, They're quiet, and they always listen. Wait, no, I take that back. Most of the dead people I deal with are supernaturally strong, fast, and probably have lived a few centuries and have razor sharp fangs and claws. I did, however, kill one Scottish vampire with an accent so thick I couldn't stop laughing when he threatened me. It was like killing a black, blood sucking version of Shrek. Wasn't so bad once I unloaded one of the vampire killing shotguns into him. Still, you haven't lived until you fought Vampire Shrek.

2:50:11 I still giggle about that one, even though he dislocated my shoulder. That's the one thing I didn't expect. I thought I was invincible, or at least damned close to it. For some strange reason, things like them can hurt me anything unnatural not human. I've been put in the hospital a few times and even had a few close calls. I don't like to remember. It's likely the only thing that puts me in the ground. I'd still not want to take one of the phase's energy discharges to the face, just to be sure. I'm too damn pretty to die like that. Driving around town and it's like I was in a weird cross between Halloween Town and the wet dream of a spirit Halloween executive. I eventually found the coroner's office tucked away near a cute little Dutch baker and a Mennonite furniture store. Pulled up the van to the building's parking lot and grabbed my gear bag and my Federal ID and my shoulder holster for my side arm.

2:51:10 I had the absolute worst hair day when they took that photo, too. They didn't seem too thrilled when I wanted to give finger guns either. No one has a sense of humor these days. Anyway, I made my way up to the door and hit the buzzer. A couple of minutes passed before a board looking black gentleman approached the glass door. I'm assuming this was the coroner for Hope Springs, Percy Downer. He kind of looked like the guy from the John Wick movies and had this quiet confidence about him. But he didn't look too happy to see me when he saw the ID badge on my breast pocket. Mister Downer, I smiled and said through the glass door, yes, and you are. He didn't return my warmth.

2:51:59 It was gonna be one of those days, wasn't it. Special Agent Carolyn Quinn, Federal Bureau of Investigation, my field office should have called ahead. They better have called ahead, or this was going to be a fun time, fast talking mister personality over here they did. Seems like a bit unusual to send an FBI agent out here to examine what is clearly a heart attack. I smiled back at him and even tried to straighten out my breasts and try my womanly wiles on him. Please work, I just want to examine the body confirm my suspicions and actively begin my investigation and get back on the road. Well, I just go where Washington tells me to go. I don't imagine it'll be anything too involved. I mean, if you wanted to take off and grab lunch, I don't think I'll be longer than an hour. He frowned when I said take off for lunch. This was the kind of guy who liked his workspace and didn't appreciate outside interfering in his little corner. Look, Agent Quinn, there isn't anything to see here. Mister Carey's son has already had me do the initial autopsy, and I found nothing out of the ordinary. I'm starting to lose my patience and any potential head start. I'm relatively sure that the bloodsucker doesn't know I'm in town yet. I'm also not wearing a giant neon sign that says vampire killer either, so I probably have the element of surprise so far. Mister Downer,

2:53:31 if you want me to call the field office and make this a whole thing, I can do that, but I'd really rather not. So why don't we just let each other get out of each other's way and let me do my job. Let me make it interesting to you. Why don't you go out to lunch on Uncle Sam's tab and invoice the field office on my authorization. Just don't break the bank, okay. His demeanor changed when I said charge it to the government. I probably won't get into too much trouble. I mean, how much could the guy realizeistically eat and drink. Why don't you take your lab in turn with you. I think your name is Michelle, right, go out, have a great lunch and a few drinks, and I'll call you when it's time to come back and lock up. Fine, I'll get miss Crawford and we'll be down at hitch Steakhouse. You have my number, I nodded.

2:54:19 I think you could tell. I just wanted to get this over with as quickly as I could. He opened the door and led me to the mortuary and his lockers all sealed up tight. Downer gestured toward a series of slabs near the middle row and said, I'd find my guest and locker three. I noticed there was a lot of blood on the examination tables, and some looked fairly fresh. The Bureau thanks you for your assistance and cooperation in this matter. Agent Quinn, please do not disturb the lower row. Those ladies came in this morning, and I haven't had a chance to properly do anything with them. They didn't come in a very pleasant or complete manner.

2:55:01 Gross I waited a few minutes while Downer and his assistant left the morgue and I was alone with my new friends. All right, let's get to work and see what we got here. I slide open the drawer where my first guest of honor is supposed to be. According to what Rhianne sent me, this was Phil Carey, age eighty nine. His naked body was stark white, as most corpses are, and it would have been nothing out of the ordinary, except if you knew what to look for. A lot of newer vampires took blood from unusual places, and this one was no different. There was a small set of puncture wounds behind his right knee. It was pretty easy to miss due to the scar tissue back there, suggesting he'd probably had knee surgery or some kind of an injury when he was younger. I kept looking over the body with my examination gloves and gently turning over the old man, well as gently as I could. Old guy wasn't exactly heavy, but for some reason I was having a hard time moving. The body seemed not as stiff as I was expecting either, almost like rigor mortis hadn't totally set in. What in the fuck? I turned away for a second to grab my phone and maybe call Rhianne and see what else was pulled up in that lab report that I missed. This guy shouldn't be this uh fresh, This is so weird. No sooner did I think that, than something absolutely unearthly split the room with a ear shattering howl. The sound vibrated off of

2:56:36 every surface and seemed to rattle my ear drums in my head, and I couldn't get my bearings for a second, as it was like someone set off a flash bang right next to my face. The body of Phil Carey sat straight up on the slab and looked right at me. I froze for a second. I'd never seen a new vampire animate before. The old man looked confused as the scream emitted from his cracked, cold lips. He looked wildly around the room and locked onto me in terror, panic, and something else I can't describe. Did he want help? What did you do? To me. The man screamed. I reached into my jacket and tried unlatching my side arm, a specialty nine millimeters pistol with silver bullets. Okay, it's game time. The old man looked down at the y incision in his chest and he started screaming again, and this time there was pain, rage, and sadness. As he cried out, I held my ground. His body started to change and morph into his new un life. Soon, mister Carrey would have enhanced strength, armor like skin, and even wings if he wanted. His fingernails grew into nasty looking claws, and he started cutting into his own chest and started pulling out his own guts through the fresh incision on his chest. What the fuck are you doing, I blurted out as I leveled my weapon at his head. He kept screaming and started pulling his chest open, and eventually his entrails were everywhere, but he still was alive. I

2:58:06 guess blood and viscera and everything that was inside was now on the outside. I steeled myself and pulled the trigger one, two, three. I put three rounds into his head and he stopped screaming after his head exploded like a watermelon filled with firecrackers. The body fell off the examination table and into a pile of blood, gore, and what was left of his head. I put another two rounds into his heart, just to be sure. Always double tap the heart or completely incinerate the torso usually you take out the head and the heart and it'll stop him. Usually, Okay, never seen that before. That was new and fucking terrifying.

2:58:51 I stopped for a second and look around the carnage, and it's one of the worst places I've ever been to. I was at the vampire Nest in two thousand and eight teen in Boston, and that was messed up and even the soupers won't talk about it. Blood gore and missing limbs, dead agents. That was the day. That Nightshade lost her eyes when the vampire Lord stuck his claws into her face. That's a sound you never forget. One of the worst days we ever suffered as a task force, but we won. I guess thirty of us, including a few soupers, went in. Only seven of us came back out alive or close enough to not be considered a casualty.

2:59:34 I start to catch my breath and I can hear banging and muffled screams coming from inside the freezers. You've gotta be fucking shitting me. There's more of these things. I'm in a goddamn nest with no backup and not nearly enough AMMO on me to do the job. All my specialty stuff is in the van and locked up. I'm tough, but I'm not invincible, and I'm certainly not equipped to deal with this by myself. Time to go Downer had said the new bodies didn't come in intact. I can use that to my advantage. If they reanimate without all their limbs, then maybe I wouldn't be dealing with the Golden ghoules at full power. Okay, grannies, I have an idea hold that thought. I'll be right back.

3:00:19 I ran into the morgue and then right outside into the now pouring rain, and straight into my van, tossing open the doors and into the secured compartment by my tiny fridge. They say that happiness is a warm gun, and in this particular instance, happiness and security was delivered by a top of the line paranormal defense contractor and an alleged coven of witches from Salem. All Right, motherfuckers. I grab sweet Baby Jane, my custom automatic twelve gage shotgun with a carbon fiber finish with pink highlights and a laser sight, buckshot with silver and some other stuff that I don't totally understand, but all I know it turned the undead into Swiss cheese. All I know right now is that baby Jane is hungry. The big surprise, though, doesn't so much go boom as it goes pop. The real piece of hardware I came for ultraviolet grenades. Those same DoD eggheads developed a way to deliver a concentrated blast of ultraviolet energy in a small package, no bigger than a pack of smokes. These things could really fuck up a bloodsucker's day if you could get them in an enclosed area and you didn't mind risking the chance of going blind and maybe contracting cancer. Walk back inside the mortuary and I can hear the banging of the undead against the steel coolers and the occasional confused yelp.

3:01:44 I slide around into the shotguns chamber and make my way back into the examination room. Move forward slowly, cautiously, and be ready to unload hell into whatever face decides to come up and say hello. Good news is that they don't know how to break the seal on the lockers, and for now I have the element of surprise. Creeping up the first locker, I can hear whatever is inside just absolutely freaking out. As much as a part of me is afraid on some level for getting my throat ripped out by b Arthur, here there is a bit of a sadistic joy crawling through my body. I sling the shotgun at my side and grip one of the small black UV grenades and inch my way towards the cooler trick or treat, I say as I open the door and quickly pull the pin and throw the small device inside and seal the door once again. An audible voice exclaims what. A second later, a brilliant flash and the satisfying thump of a contained detonation within a confined space are music to my ears. That's two dead vampires and it's not even lunchtime yet. You could call this a kill streak, couldn't you? Not bad? But no time to get sloppy. The screeching sound of steel being torn from its moorings fills the room as the second undead Grandma makes her way out of her makeshift tomb. The steel door flies off across the room and embeds itself in the wall by the entrance. Downer isn't going to be happy with what I did to his workspace. In

3:03:16 my defense, they started it. The blood at least adds some color, so there's that. The creature started clawing its way out of the locker, and its twisted aged face emerged with a furious rage, and it locked eyes with me. Normally, this would be absolutely terrifying to come face to face with an undead vampiric horror, but when it's an undead vampiric horror of a bingo lady in her late seventies, it loses a little bit of the fear factor. She was still a threat to me due to her newly unleashed strength and speed and toughness, but if I'm lucky, she'd be like a baby elephant learning how to walk for the first time and be clumsy. Fortunately, she hadn't been undressed yet, so I didn't have to witness something that could have seared my eyes out. The creature fell out of the locker and onto the cold floor and started to transform into her new unlife before my very eyes, bones snapped into new places, A pair of thin, bony wings started to form and unfurl from her back and tear from her little blue nightgown, and finally, her skin started to take on an ashen gray shade as it solidified into an armor like hide. I've never seen a new vampire gain so many of its new abilities so quickly after reanimating. This was something new, and this was definitely something I wasn't quite expecting so early on a Friday morning. The grenades wouldn't do a lot since the space was too open unless I landed it right on

3:04:46 her shoulder, so that was out for the time being. Immediately, without really thinking about it, I had Baby Jane back in my arms and ready to unleash Hell upon this fiend. The old lady unfurled her new wings, stretched them out, and knocked over several tables of supplies. She looked amazed at her new body and didn't seem too phazed that she was now among the planet's paranormal population. I aimed the shotgun at her, and immediately its green laser engaged and painted a picture on the center of her mass. She didn't seem to take notice of the six foot blonde federal agent aiming a fully automatic shotgun at her. She extended her arms forward and started looking at her new hands, which had now formed into wicked, long sickle like claws. I racked the slide and made sure that it was ready to sing that twelve gage buckshot showtune.

3:05:38 As soon as the slide clicked, the creature's eyes immediately narrowed and focused on me. We both held tents at the standoff here in the Hope Springs Morgue, and not one made a move or sound. The only sound we could both hear was an ancient wall clock that was suspended above the lockers, and it was clicking up towards noon eleven fifty nine. The second hand was swinging around towards the bottom, and the last thirty seconds of the morning was counting down. The old lady opened her mouth with her new fangs and drooled as she smiled at me. I smiled back at her, part of it to relieve the tension I was feeling in my own body, and part of it was hoping it would unnerve her a touch as to why I was being so confident. She didn't seem phazed by my bravado or the shotgun. Twenty seconds left, she took a step towards me and tore off what remained of her blue nightgown and growled at me.

3:06:37 I stood my ground. Are you prepared to die, young lady? I grinned and tightened my grip and slowly prepared to squeeze the trigger on my weapon. Not today. Fifteen seconds she took another step towards me, and now less than ten feet separated us, and I swear she grew another two feet in height as she took that single stride. Ten seconds Wait for it, I thought, she leaped at me with a supernatural speed and swiftness, and threw her entire body forward and her claws reaching for me. Showtime as the clock struck noon. Part of my abilities, besides being tough, is that I'm also as quick as most of the night creatures themselves. If I can judge things right.

3:07:25 This time, my luck paid off as I suspected it would. I twisted my body at the last second and let her fly right past me and crash into the workstation behind. As the old woman flew past and crashed into the equipment as well, I fired off a few rounds from the shotgun. Two quick succession blasts erupted from the weapon and shredded her new wings into confetti. These particular shotgun rounds were particularly nasty too, as those said defense contractors decided to pack something a little extra besides the magic adjacent mojo into them, magnesium pellets and silver and enchanted pellet shards dragon's breath shotgun shells with a little bit extra.

3:08:08 The rounds lit her up and she was doused in flames as well. The monster yelped in pain and surprise as her armored hide didn't have an answer to that little one. It didn't seem to slow her down much, as she quickly got to her feet for yet another attack. This time, I wasn't so quick, and I got the full force of this creature barreling into me with tremendous and unexpected force. The blow knocked the wind out of me and sent my weapon from my hands across the room and under an examination table. I was knocked against a steel table and left gasping for air. The old woman delivered another sucker punch into my gut, and I doubled over in pain and was left gasping for air. I'm in trouble here, guys. The monster grabbed a hold of my head and started raising it up to her face directly. Her grip was powerful and would not be easily broken. I said, are you prepared to die? She hissed at me through her fangs. She started squeezing my head, and I could feel things start to go black and my consciousness start to fade. She was gonna knock me out before she likely tore me apart limb from limb.

3:09:21 This old bitch isn't exactly playing fair. Well. I don't have to play fair either. I thrust my arms up between hers and tried to force them apart from squeezing me further. I just got enough force together to loosen her grip and knock her hands free from my head. I started raining blows upon her face and just let fly every bit of anger, rage, and even a bit of fear that I'd built up over the course of our confrontation. My fist kept connecting against her skull and blood kept flying out, And while she kept trying to dodge and hold back my assault, she didn't stand a chance. I felt my fists crushed the bones in her face as her skull began to disintegrate under me. I had her pinned against a table and she had nowhere to run and couldn't fly. This thing was at my mercy, and today was not a day to expect mercy from someone you just tried to murder. I hit her until there was nothing left of her head and left the body to hit the floor in a bloody pile. After what seemed like forever, I left the body in a disgusting heap of meat in a corner and retrieved my weapons. Wait, gotta make sure, and it's probably overkill. I grabbed one of the UV grenades I had left and put it inside what remained of her torso and pulled the pin and quickly left the room. Boom. Cool kids, don't look back at explosions. Now. I can add that to my list of cool action movie things I've done, and I

3:10:53 will never tell anyone about because they'll never believe me. Nope, keep walking. Merging outside in the cold October rain was refreshing, as it not only washed off the blood and gore of the last encounter, but was oddly refreshing too. I stood outside in the rain and just let the adrenaline of the melee wash over me. I needed to relax, but too bad, I don't smoke anymore. Finally, the combat rush was over and my breathing returned to normal. This was gonna be a problem, and probably one that a single troubleshooter won't be able to handle on her own. I'm gonna need help, and there's probably no way around this.

3:11:35 You call for help in a situation like this, and it's going one of two ways. You're either overreacting and it's fine, or end up with a situation like Boston and it's one step away from calling in the proverbial air strike and a room of old white dudes looking for a reason to enact the Cradle of Liberty protocol. Cradle of Liberty was basically the nuclear option for all threats and paranormal and had only ever been deployed once since the seventies. You used it when you had absolutely zero choice, and collateral damage wasn't a primary concern. Survival was, and the cost would be paid, and it didn't matter how it was accomplished. No one alive today would talk about what it would entail, but we all knew that it was the last possible option, and no one wanted to be the one to sanction its use. I thought I had it figured out and this was not a vampire nest, but instead some new undead douche being greedy.

3:12:34 It seems that I may be wrong if the last encounter was any indication of what's going on. Super vampires are on the loose and this town is ground zero, or something much much worse is on the horizon. I don't like what I'm seeing here, and something is definitely not adding up like it should. I'm pretty fucking terrible at math, but I sure as shitn't know that two plus two ain't ten. I don't like this. Remember why you're doing this, Quinn? Two weeks paid vacation. Oh yeah, and saving the world or some shit. I made a call first to Rheanne and let her know that I was probably in over my pretty little head. I wasn't too thrilled to call the FEDS, but they'd have a solution, and at least Rheanne was a calming influence. She always knew what to say to talk me down off the ledge, and it didn't hurt that she sounded cute when she was concerned about me. I miss her. The second call was a little harder to make. I called the Department, which is code for the Department of Paranormal Resources, a subset of the Department of Defense and Homeland Security. Layers upon layers upon layers of bureaucracy, but also they had resources and people that your average gifted or troubleshooter didn't have access to. I was told to sit tight and hold my position while they assessed the situation and confer

3:14:04 with partners within paranormal research and defense. Great, I get to cool my jets in the middle of Vampire City. I got lucky and a cleanup crew was at the Hope Springs Corner office within an hour, and Percy Downer was offered a generous payout for his silence and a two week vacation. Must be nice, though odds are he'll be sent to Langley for an extensive debrief and probably psychic mind probe to see if he knows more than what he's letting on. Guy like that is probably next level boring. Then again, I didn't expect to fight a retirement home in a morgue, so who knows. Enjoy Virginia.

3:14:47 I drove away from the corner's office and pulled up in a nearby hotel and booked a room. It had only been a few hours since the confrontation. In my mind, wasn't ready to let go of what happened. The thing that bothered me the most is how quickly those things moved and how quickly they reanimated into their new un life. The real question that bothered me is why didn't this happen before with the other victims. Why was this happening now? There has to be a reason for it. Was there a new vampire lord attempting to make a nest in this town? How does the superpowered angle figure into it? Was someone, or worse something creating a vampire super hybrid?

3:15:30 What in the hell was happening in Hope Springs, New York. I laid down in the hotel's uncomfortable bed and put my head down on the pillow and felt every bump and bruise from today's encounter. My wounds would heal by mourning, but still, that old lady tossed me around pretty good. And if I hadn't gotten a lucky break, I'm sure she'd be picking me out of her fangs right now. I could have died today. I got lucky, or I got drifting off to a strange and unusual sleep. I passed out and had nightmares all night. The following morning, I was awakened by my phone ringing off the hook and about thirty missed calls. I tried to get my eyes to focus on the tiny screen and see who had called. It was Rheanne. I called her back, and immediately I knew something was wrong from the second she answered the other line. Where the hell have you been?

3:16:28 I've been trying to call you all night? Are you okay? Are you all right? What the hell happened to you? I tried to sound cool and brave, but I get the feelings she wasn't in the mood for my particular brand of humor. Well, I went to the morgue to see a corpse and got jumped by three of them. Instead. She exhaled loudly. I could tell it was a mix between frustration and relief. Are you okay, Quinn? Talk to me. Rhianne's voice had this thing in it that made you want to confess what you were really feeling, especially when you didn't want to honestly, No, I'm not Something is pretty fucked up here in upstate New York. One of those things almost got the best of me. I've never fought anything like them before. Something is very, very wrong here, Caroline.

3:17:20 If I'd known, I would have never sent you there in the first place. She was sorry beyond words, and part of me could hear that she was on the verge of crying, almost like I could feel her lip tremble on the phone. I know you had no clue. I'm waiting on the call from the department on what we're going to do next. I don't have a good feeling about this. I'm legitimately worried what this could all mean. On one hand, I had always quietly suspected that the paranormal war was escalating on some level. I was living proof that hybrids of some type were possible, even if we don't know exactly what I was. There were other troubleshooters who were a mix of paranormal and superpowered, but we're remarkably few in numbers, like less than fifty identified across the entirety of North America. I should let you rest, but Caroline, you be careful out there. I know you think you're invincible, and like nothing can hurt you. But you're human like the rest of us, know when to run. Okay, she said, I was human. There are days I wish I was. I'm not human. I don't know what I am honestly. I will look when I get back to the city. Why don't we get together and maybe get dinner in a movie like old times. I'd like that.

3:18:42 I'll talk to you soon, Quinn. She paused for a second, and I could tell she stopped herself from saying something more before she hung up the phone. I love you too. I sat in the hotel room and stared at the peeling wallpaper and was just alone with my thoughts. What am I going to do? How am I going to do it? I finally asked myself the hard question of the day. How many people are going to die? The phone rang again. I wanted it to be Rheianne and for her to talk me out of this assignment and to come back to New York, and for her to convince me to leave this world behind and run. It wasn't Rheanne. It was the Department, and it was the secured line that you never wanted to call you directly.

3:19:31 Director James Carlson, Department of Paranormal Resources, the guy whose desk issues the orders, and the guy who could sign your death warrant should the need arise. This was about to turn my Halloween into a fucking horror show. Agent Quinn, the situation has changed. We're preparing to activate the Cradle of Liberty protocol in the city of Hope Springs. Assets will be on the scene within the next hour. My orders, sir, Megaton and Phase will be on and the Hammer and Carpenter teams will support them. You coordinate with the other gifted on scene. I want that nest burned to the ground. Burn the city to the ground if you have to, sir, what about the civilians? Like I said, the situation has changed, consider all civilians as hostile. What in the fuck did he just say? Were they really going to activate the Cradle of Liberty protocol? What the hell did they even mean?

3:20:30 The line went dead and a text message appeared with a set of coordinates and a timestamp of one hour. Oh fuck, this was it, wasn't it. The paranormal war just escalated. An hour later, I was at the arranged meeting place and the air was grim. It was a small farmhouse that had been requisitioned for use as a staging area. Soldiers, heavy equipment, and helicopters, and the Supers showed up. Before the world changed fifty years ago, superheroes wore colorful costumes and capes and were larger than life and existed purely as fiction. Now, in the time of kevlar, synthetic fabrics and utility ruled the day, and it was less tights and spandex and more tactical gear with a few colorful adornments. A few of the more outlandish supers wore stuff that people only wore at Halloween, but most were modest about their abilities. It should be noted that very few people can successfully pull off wearing a cape and actually have it look cool. A group of about twelve of us stood by the barn and watched as a man descended from the sky with a purple cape billowing behind him very dramatically. Megaton always knew he had to make an entrance, and always made sure that you knew he was on the scene, and that he was the best and brightest of all the gifted world. I didn't care for him, but I couldn't deny how powerfull he was was strong, tougher than me, and a unique

3:22:04 ability to repel the force used against him. Oh and he could also fly a shimmering red light beside him. As Megaton landed and from a glowing red portal stepped Phase, the woman known as Phase, whose gifts allowed her limited teleportation and energy manipulation. She was a real showstopper, but young and often reckless when she was in combat against paranormal threats. The Supers were fine fighting against other gifted and villains like Hurricane and Dread, but paranormal entities were a different breed. The last super to arrive pulled up on a tricked out motorcycle. He was a combat expert known as Mnemonic. His ability was to learn in a new, instantaneous manner, and he used his abilities to learn all sorts of martial arts and weaponry. He was a show off, but let me tell you he was the best shot likely on the entire planet Earth. Well, all of us were here now, and it was time to get to work.

3:23:10 The team leader for Hammer and Carpenter Squad stepped forward, typical military bravado and swagger that depended on superior firepower and overwhelming numbers trust me. I've seen this movie before and it never ends well for the guys with the guns. But this is the hand we've been dealt. Captain Tony King and Lieutenant Tanya Dante. They nicknamed these two TNT, and for good reason, a lot of shit tended to blow up in their presence. Okay, we have a good, actionable intelligence and we're going to act on it immediately. Hope Spring's retirement community is a vampire nest and is about to be as infested as a place can get.

3:23:52 Think of a goddamn cockroach infestation, and you've got a pretty good idea of what we're up against. We do have an advantage. The amps are new, inexperienced, and still not used to their powers. This means the new staff from the Pentagon should make short work of them. Our significant threat has been identified as a new hybrid type vampire lord. We believe it to be an individual named Terry Fisher. We know how strong they can be, but this new lord seems to only be recruiting from the weak and feeble, so not exactly fighting the Russians or the North Koreans. Here, Dante said matter of factly as she laid out the information for all of us. Captain King stepped forward and pointed to the group of about twelve soldiers behind him and gestured toward their weapons. We have state of the art fire power and enough ammunition to shoot at anything that moves. We have enhanced fire support in terms of a troubleshooter and their superpowered allies.

3:24:49 There is no reason we can't wrap this up by morning and be home for breakfast. I'd like to go get a grand Slam at Denny's afterwards. So who's with me? I sighed? Surrounded by overconfidence and itchy trigger fingers and show offs with superpowers, is it too late to go work at Applebee's. I looked at the assembled superpowered individuals and approached them and tried to be as friendly as I could. I worked with Megaton and Phays before in Boston, but I'd never worked with Mnemonic. I don't like going into a combat situation with people I don't trust, and especially people who had declined to help when their country needed them. I told them what happened this morning at the Morgue, and they laughed at me. They wanted to know how the great Agent Caroline Quinn could get her ass kicked by an old man and a few ladies from Bingo. I told them to take this seriously. This wasn't your usual bloodsucker. They didn't want to hear it.

3:25:46 They laughed it off and said it would be easy. I remember how Boston happened, and Megaton and Phase should have too. King and Dante barked orders across the staging area for everyone to get ready. As we were wheels up up in five minutes and got on board of the choppers. I went and got my gear loaded up and enhanced protective vest, my trustee, baby Jane, and a few of the UV grenades. I guess we were as ready as we were gonna be. This was gonna be bad, wasn't it. As the helicopters flew over Hope Springs, it was kind of pretty in a sense. It was Halloween night and trick or treaters could be seen walking down the streets with their parents or friends. This town had no idea what was happening in it. You could almost feel the sense of fun and joy that people were having.

3:26:42 I wish I didn't have to bring hell to this little place, but it can't be helped. The two aircraft cut through the night sky and headed towards the retirement home and presumably where this was going to end. I glanced out the side door and saw Megaton keeping pace with us. Us Megaton still had that stupid, over confident smile on his face. One of the things I learned very early on in my career was never underestimate your enemy, no matter how weak they appear. An enemy is most dangerous when they are cornered, and especially when they're on their own turf. We started to begin our descent onto the lawn of the retirement home, which was a two story structure that looked like it was built fairly recently.

3:27:29 It looked super modern and almost out of place for a town that looks like it was taken out of a postcard advertising for rural charm. Captain King slid the side door open of the helicopter and looked back at all of us in his command and patted his weapon. Okay, kids, it's time to visit Grandpa, he cheered as he pulled down his night vision goggles above his eyes. No sooner did the words leave his mouth. Things began to go immediately wrong. King was yanked out of the door and thrown screaming towards the ground by an unseen assailant. Everyone couldn't comprehend what just happened to the Hammer Squad commander, and everyone's jaw was just hanging open. Panic was not unlike fire. When panic spreads uncontrolled, it spreads fast, just like a forest blaze. Suddenly, without warning, the helicopter lurched forward and pitched itself towards the ground in an out of control spiral. Soldiers fell out of the open hatch door and tumbled to their deaths. You are not surviving that kind of a fall, with that kind of force.

3:28:37 I held onto my seat as best I could and tried to unlatch my safety harness. I kneeded out fast. We smashed into the ground hard and glass and metal flew everywhere as the helicopter split apart from the impact, Fire and small explosions happened all around us as we skidded across the lawn and finally came to a stop when we hit the entranceway of the structure. My safety harness and enhanced durability probably kept me alive. Probably everyone else was not so lucky. The other soldiers who were still in their seats did not survive the crash. One of them seemed to have caught shrapnel to the face and neck, the other had her neck snapped by the force of the crash, and another soldier whose face I couldn't see, had been messily disemboweled by a piece of debris.

3:29:27 I could hear the other craft land safely, and then I heard the sounds of gunfire outside and people screaming time to go. I escaped my harness and the wreckage of the crash and pushed my way out of the shattered helicopter. The others had landed safely, but it didn't matter, as they were completely surrounded by flying creatures, and they weren't shooting with any precision. They were shooting wildly and without thinking, except to empty their magazines at anything that moved. If you can believe it, this is where things went from bad to worse. Tanya Dante stood back to back with Mnemonic in an attempt to keep some sense of combat awareness. The pair at least were shooting with purpose and even hitting a few of the creatures in the air and potentially even killing a few, but I couldn't be sure from all the muzzle flashes fall back fall back.

3:30:21 Goddamn it, Dante yelled at anyone who would listen. No sooner did she yell that something swooped out of the sky and picked her up by her shoulders and carried her into the air. The lieutenant wasn't going down without a fight, though, as she kept firing her weapon. As she ascended into the sky with her captor, the monster used its tremendous strength to throw her against a second story building wall with enough force to shatter concrete. Mnemonic looked at me in utter terror and started to run away from the fight. He didn't make it fifty feet before he was swarmed. The creatures tore the poor hero to pieces within seconds, and fountains of blood spewed from what remained of his body. That's enough, A powerful voice echoed across the battlefield, and for a second, everyone stopped fighting and shooting, and all eyes focused in that direction.

3:31:21 A person in medical scrubs emerged from behind the crashed helicopter near the entrance and started walking towards the center of all of us. The shimmering light distortion appeared beside this new stranger, and FaZe stepped out and started to engage in hand to hand combat with his new enemy. She started kicking and punching with her attacks enhanced with her bioelectric energy, and while spectacular looking, it didn't seem to hurt this person at all. They just kept walking towards the middle of the battleground. They kept walking towards me. Stand still, fucker. Fase yelled as she kept up, but none of her attacks seemed to affect them. Finally, enough light was present that I could get a good look at this person in the scrubs. It was a man in his early twenties or maybe mid twenties at most.

3:32:17 He walked with a stride and purpose that someone who knows their untouchable does. Fase stood in front of him and cupped her hands together and thrust them forward and hurled a huge bolt of blue, crackling lightning. The discharge filled the air with so much power that I could feel my hair pick up on a static charge. The man kept walking past Phase and towards me. I said stop. Fase teleported right in front of him and attempted to stand in his way, and just as she rematerialized, the man grabbed her by the throat. No, the man snapped her neck and tossed her lifeless body to the with a wet smack. Megaton chose his moment to dive bomb the man from somewhere high above and create a huge impact crater. The two struggled in exchanged blows while entangled in each other's limbs. Okay, maybe this will make a difference, Maybe this is the edge we need. Megaton grabbed hold of the man and flew straight up into the sky, out of sight, and for a moment, everyone stopped again, absolutely transfixed by what happened. Vampire and soldier alike just stood there and waited. You could hear a thunderous clash of blows above us, high in the clouds, and it echoed so loudly that the remaining glass near us vibrated and threatened to shatter. Megaton had this guy on the

3:33:50 ropes America. Fuck yeah, take that Dracula. Then silence, thud. A body hit the ground with such impact that it exploded and coated everything near by in a shower of blood and gore. The gentle flapping of leather wings carried upon the night wind. The man and the scrubs had transformed into his monstrous and vicious vampire lord. Form. In his left hand, he held what was left of Megaton's head. He smiled as he held it and looked at me as he took a bite out of Megaton's face and chewed on his flesh. Finish the others off, Leave this one to me, he quietly whispered, and no sooner did those words leave his ashen gray lips than the other soldiers fell silent as they too joined their friends as killed in action. This is it, Caroline Quinn. This is where you die, Rhianne. I'm I'm sorry I wasn't better to you. The menacing vampire lord flew right down in front of me and stood up to his full hulking height and towered above me. Jesus, this guy was huge.

3:35:11 We share the same blood, you and I. We're the next step in ascending what humanity can be. We are better than the cattle around us. Great. Not only am I gonna die here, but I have to listen to this dickhead monologue before he kills me or something worse. Think Okay, okay, maybe that'll work. A piece of the shredded helicopter about as long as a baseball bat and sharp as hell, I can probably reach it. If I can keep this idiot talking and inching me backwards, how are we alike exactly? I'm not exactly feeling the whole undead vibe or looking like something from a horror movie.

3:35:58 Keep him talking. I've known about others like you for a long time. You aren't as special as you think. You're what was created long ago by those who helped us escape the confinements of the void. Okay, I have no fucking clue what this guy is talking about. I know who I am and more or less where I came from. Right, I slowly back up and keep my eye on a piece of shrapnel I'm hoping to turn into a weapon. Void. Huh sounds like a nightclub. Your attempts at delaying your fate are amusing, but it stops here.

3:36:40 Join others like yourself and take your place at the unholy throne at the head of humanity. Turn this diseased world into a paradise for those wronged by that from above. I am not getting into a religious debate with this goddamn monster. I stop, and I can feel my hand the hot steel of the shrapnel. You know what I'm good. I grab the piece of metal like a sword and absolutely throw all of my momentum into a forward swing at this thing's head. It blocks the strike with its clawed hand. Oh shit. It gets a solid grip on my left arm and breaks it at the wrist and throws me aside roughly. I tumble toward the helicopter near the entranceway and skid right into the doorframe. The vampire lord continues advancing towards me. Okay, that didn't work. I quickly assessed my situation and I got one last hail Mary as it were. Just inside the wreckage is one of the helicopter mounted weapons, and it looks relatively intact despite its crash. The barrel appears to be fine, and it seems spolled up to the magazine. I start crawling my way inside the crash and try my best not to get burned by the dying fires. You chose to hide like a coward rather than live as a god among mortals. Okay, it's time to shut the fuck up.

3:38:14 I pull myself forward and aim the mounted minigun out the ruined door and squeeze the triggers on both sides of the weapon. It hums to life with an electric whirl as it begins to spin its rotating barrels. This mini gun fires more of the enhanced AMMO except at seven point six y two, which means that our vampire Lord friend pretty much liquifies when I hit him with hundreds of rounds, if not thousands of rounds per minute. He doesn't even have a chance to look surprised before I completely turn him into paste. There isn't much left of him besides a pair of shoes, and I'm totally okay with that. Silence fills the air once again as soon as I stop firing and the barrel wind down as the electric motor disengages, I won. I take myself outside of the ruined chopper and back outside into the night once again. I stand up and cradle my broken wrist and notice a distinct lack of undead in my immediate area. I fiddle inside my vest and look for my phone and call in to Director Carlson, Agent Quinn. Here.

3:39:26 Operation to success. Vampire Lord eliminated, the other vampires escaped. My team is gone. Everyone is gone, Megaton phase mnemonic, everyone except me. This wasn't a success, not by a long shot. Understood beginning Cradle of Liberty protocol your country. Thanks you for your service, Agent Quinn. Wait what total elimination of the target zone in fifteen minutes? Goodbye, Agent Quinn. The line went dead, and so did every life in the city. And it was darkness and the sound of something sinister in the evening air. This was not my idea of a Halloween prank. This is definitely not a treat.

3:40:14 This had to be a trick, right, This was not worth two weeks of vacation in between by Shane Migliovokna. Ruby Salazar felt herself slipping. She gripped the wood armrests of the chair in the waiting room. She jolted awake from her quick nap, only to lock her eyes on a wildly grinning face painted on a large illuminated plastic pumpkin sitting on a nearby desk. You have somebody coming for you, hon, the ultrasound tech asked, as she smiled gently at Ruby. Now you were my last for the day.

3:41:01 You can rest here, or I can see if there's a room free. The tech smiled again. Ruby smiled weakly. Here's good. Thank you. Somebody'll call you tomorrow with the results. If you need anything, I'll be at my desk. The tech left, leaving Ruby alone alone in a medical nightmare. On Halloween of all days. A light in the corner of the waiting room flickered and buzzed softly. Crying out for a replacement, the tech sat down at her desk, the seat creaking under her. Ruby sunk down in her chair as she pulled up the hood of her black sweatshirt to cover her head. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to drift off. She started to slip again. Her head was spinning, her body felt as if it was melting into the chair. Ruby's eyes snapped open. She stood in a long, featureless hallway bathed in a crimson glow.

3:41:59 A steady hum reverberated from one end of the hall. Walking toward the humming, she realized the floor was made of water, which rippled at her feet as she walked. As Ruby made her way down the hall, her progress was slow. What should have been a short walk felt like a ten minute one. As she neared the end of the hall, the source of the humming came into view. Two large metal forks parallel to one another. The space between them shimmered like the sun on an ocean. Wave No, A voicelike gravel filled her head. Do not. Ruby fell out of the waiting room chair onto the carpeted floor.

3:42:41 She'd been dreaming. Ruby looked around the waiting room. Her face was red with embarrassment. She was all alone. She stood, The tech was gone, the light over her desk was off. Even the fau jack o lantern was dark. How long had she been out? Glancing up at the clock, she was astonished to see it appeared stuck. The clock would advance a minute and then snap back to the previous minute, over and over. Ruby poked her head in a couple of the exam rooms. Empty, she went to the door leading out of the ultrasound area. Locked. She could see the hallway beyond through the glass of the door. It was empty as well. Hello, Ruby called out, pulling at the door handle. Hello, anybody. She banged on the door frantically at first, becoming more angry with each blow. Come on, somebody.

3:43:43 She went to the phone on the text desk, static. She hit buttons trying to get a dial tone. Nothing worked. Ruby sat at the desk for some time, her head resting on her arms. She was trapped. Feeling desperate, she got up and climbed onto the desk. She pushed a large ceiling tile out, raining dust down on her. Climbing up onto the metal frame that held the ceiling tiles in place, Ruby was thankful she was small. She could feel the tiles buckle under her weight. Just a little ways, she whispered. She made her way past the door frame and out over the hallway. Shit, Ruby cried out, cutting her hand on an exposed screw. The surprise and pain threw off her balance and she fell through a tile.

3:44:33 Catching herself at the last minute on the metal frame, Ruby dangled over the hallway. Dropping down. She landed on her feet. Son of a bitch. Her legs stung with pain. Ruby rubbed her sore legs as she hunted for a bathroom to clean her injured hand. All was silent save for the sound of her breathing and the hum of the overhead lights. She soon found some antiseptic gauze and bandages, which admittedly was not that difficult given her hospital surroundings. She sat in an empty examination room. The distinct possibility that there wasn't another living soul in the hospital was starting to sink in. How could she be all alone.

3:45:17 What had happened. Maybe there'd been some kind of fire drill or bomb scare and she slept right through it. From what she'd seen, it was possible. Some of the rooms in the hall were a mess. Beds were overturned, and all manner of papers and equipment littered the floor, as if everybody had rushed out all at once. Yeah, that had to be it. Everybody was outside. She was the only dumbass in the hospital. She went to the nearest window outside. Smoke hung thick in the air, making it hard to see very far. A large shadow passed over the window, headed towards the roofing up the side of the hospital, making sharp clicking sounds as it went.

3:46:09 Ruby jumped back. She felt her heart race. That hadn't been her imagination. There had been something out there. Sitting behind the desk at the third floor nurses station, Ruby pondered her next move. She picked up the receiver at the desk. Instead of a dial tone, there was a constant howl of static. Next, she tried the computer, which flickered with a blank, bright red screen when Ruby tried to log on. No hope there from somewhere on the other end of the floor. Something crashed to the ground in a loud, metallic bang. Ruby jumped up from her chair, knocking it over. That thing had it come looking for her?

3:46:59 She dropped down, hiding behind the desk. There was a sharp clickplack that grew closer and closer. Ruby had to calm herself as she felt her heart start to race. There was another loud crash as something fell to the floor. A stale, rotting smell grew stronger, causing her to involuntarily gag. The click clack stopped. Had it heard. Pulling herself under the desk, she waited, trying not to breathe. Something knocked the phone receiver from its cradle. It swung back and forth briefly before the whole thing smashed to the floor.

3:47:45 The phone was quickly followed by the computer, keyboard and monitor. Ruby stifled her urge to cry out. A shadow fell over the floor in front of her before retreating. Suddenly, there was a deafenite scraping sound as something tried to pull the desk apart. She screamed and scrambled away from the desk, only to come face to face with the beast stalking her. Six red eyes stared back at Ruby from a thing that looked like a mad scientist had mashed a spider and a crab together. Mandibles clicked excitedly in the creature's cavernous mouth. A long, hairy leg poked at her just out of reach. Snatching up the desk chair, Ruby held it up like a lion tamer from an old movie. Back off, she ordered, trying to sound intimidating.

3:48:40 The spider crab thing hissed at her, fuck you too. She hurled the chair at the thing with an angry swing, not staying to see if the chair hit the beast. Ruby ran down the hall. She skidded to a stop at an intersection. Written on the wall in something disgustingly brown was a message, this way if you want to live under The message was a crudely drawn arrow pointing left and left. She went. The spider crab thing screeched as it skittered down the hall. In pursuit. Ruby bounded down a couple of flights of stairs, following another arrow.

3:49:23 She stopped to catch her breath. How many levels did the damn hospital have? Two more flights and she reached the bottom. A single metal door greeted her. A small glass window revealed little of what waited on the other side, save for darkness. Up above came the sound of something pounding against one of the metal doors. Fuck it, She pulled the door open, stepping into a dimly lit corridor. Broken glass crackled under her feet. Ruby pressed on until she came to a door. Opening the the door caused something to clang loudly. Looking up, there was an empty metal can hanging down. It swung back and forth banging on the door. Inside was some kind of storage area.

3:50:16 Metal chairs and trays were haphazardly jammed into the room. The next room had the same kind of can in the doorway, rig larger than the previous room. This one was a boiler room. Water dripped from pipes and steam hissed out of metal floor grates. Ruby shivered. It was something from a nightmare. This whole thing was a flicker of light from the far end of the room caught her eye. In a small area behind the rusty, rumbling boiler was some kind of shrine. Trinkets, jewelry, faded photos, even bits of hair hung on the steell. What the hell, she muttered, What do you have? A man's gruff voice asked Ruby spun around. A large, scraggly man stood waiting.

3:51:15 His long, thinning hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and he wore stained and faded janitor's coveralls. You work here, Ruby asked, trying not to sound scared forever in a day. The man replied, custodial technician. That's their bullshit term for janitor. He chuckled, makes him feel better when I have to clean the shitter. What's going on? Everybody's gone and there's a monster. The man nodded. You fell through a crack. You're stuck, stuck, stuck where out of time? Another world? Hell, take your pick. Ruby felt weak, leaning against the walls.

3:52:03 She tried to make sense of what he told her. Well, you want to get out of here, the janitor grumbled after a few minutes. Yeah, I want to get out of here. Good. I don't want a roommate. It's simple. You pay me. I show you the way. Hey, she shivered. I want food or something important to you, something with meaning, a story. I collect him, He pointed to the shrine. People that passed through here gives me a bit of living again. The only things in this hospital are me in those hissing bastards up there, Ruby rummaged through her pockets.

3:52:48 What if someone doesn't have something to pay you? The man licked his lips and flashed her a greasy smile. Then I send you on your way, and the way you were blundering through here, they'll get you lickety split. Or you go and bring me something from up there, shit, Ruby whispered. Ruby pushed roughly past the janitor. She hadn't eaten in some time, and it was starting to affect her mood. Maybe she could mug a trick or treater for some candy on her way home, if this nightmare ever ends, that is, she thought. She opened the door across from the boiler room. If you're looking for the way out, won't do no good. It's locked and I got the key. The janitor chuckled. If I'm going back up there, I'm getting something to defend myself. Wouldn't happen to have a rocket launcher, would you? This made the man laugh harder. Inside the room there were some old folded tables and rusty IV stands. Grabbing one of the stands, Ruby swung it, feeling its weight in her hands. It could work Ruby could feel the bemused janitor watching her. Next, she needed something sharp. In a utility closet, she found

3:54:21 a broken floor lamp. Ruby carefully unscrewed the long glass light bulb tube, Using a thick rag for protection, She smashed the tube against a wall to create a jagged glass shard. Carrying her fines back to the boiler room, Ruby cleared a space on a work table. She removed the metal pole from the ivy stand base, laying it on the table. Taking the duct tape the janitor had grudgingly provided, she firmly wrapped and secured the sharp glass spear head to one end. Once the glass shard was tightly bound, Ruby tested the balance and gripped of the full spear. The janitor watched warily as she took a few practice jabs. Okay, she nodded, I'm ready. The janitor smiled, we'll see about that. Ruby held her makeshift spear at the ready. She stepped out into the corridor, not far from the ultrasound unit. Get in, get out, get downstairs, she repeated the mantra. Ruby took a deep breath and crept down the hallway iv stand, poised to strike the hospital was eerily quiet, except for the buzzing of flickering fluorescent lights. She paused outside the ultrasound unit where this

3:55:52 nightmare had started. The door was still closed locked. She'd have to get back inside the sane way she'd escaped. Dragging a gurney to the spot she dropped down. Ruby climbed back up into the ceiling. Before she could pull herself up, a bone chilling screech pierced the air. The spider crab creature skittered around the corner, beady red eyes fixed on Ruby. She swung the ivy stand, slashing at its hairy legs. The creature recoiled with an angry hiss, back off ugly, Ruby shouted, Brandishing her makeshift spear from atop the gurney. She jabbed at the thing's eyes as the gurney wobbled under her. It was useless fighting it here.

3:56:41 She needed to get on the other side of that door. Throwing the spear at the thing's eyes, Ruby leaped for the opening in the ceiling, jumping up. The creature's armored legs smashed at the ceiling as Ruby pulled herself through the spider web of metal that held up the ceiling tiles. By the time she made it back into the the ultrasound waiting room, she felt like passing out. Her lungs burned as she gasped for air. Sitting on the edge of the receptionist's desk, Ruby tried to catch her breath. The door shook as the spider crab thing rammed it, hissing angrily on the other side. Ruby slid off the desk. She didn't have much time. The door wouldn't hold up under that monster's attack. She needed to get what she came for and get the hell out. In the doctor's office next door to the ultrasound room, there were stacks of papers and folders littering a large desk. No time to be gentle, Ruby thought, as she rummaged through them, dumping searched folders on the ground. It had to be here.

3:57:45 Out in reception the door began to splinter open. Hurry, She threw a stack of papers on the floor. Nothing there. Ruby looked up. There it was right where the doctor had left it after showing her. Grabbing her prize, Ruby stuffed it into her hoodie. The wood door splintered under the spider crab's attack. Ruby grabbed a chair, swinging it at the twisted monstrosity. She backed towards the ultrasound room. The door was thicker. There, come on, you, ugly son of a bitch, it hissed at her, its demon eyes fixed on their prey. Ruby darted into the ultrasound room.

3:58:26 The thing closed in, ready for the kill. She'd only get one shot at what she had in mind. Circling around the large bed at the center of the room, she put it between herself and the angry horror. With all the strength she could muster, Ruby pushed the large bed towards the creature, pinning the spider crab against the wall. Ruby ran for the door. Suddenly, a claw lashed out, grabbing her by the leg. Ruby let out a cry of pain as it dug into her. She furiously kicked at the thing's claw with her free legs, and when that didn't work, she kicked at the bed, ramming it repeatedly into the spider crab until it let her loose.

3:59:08 As the beast fought to free itself, Ruby scrambled out the door, slamming it shut in her wake. Inside, the spider crab screeched in protest, limping back Ruby found the janitor sitting on the floor of the boiler room. Ruby threw down the fruits of her quest, a pair of X rays. It's back, she revealed. It was in remission, not anymore. There's your story. The man nodded, then stood follow me. He led her through a maze of hallways through the inner recesses of the basement. After what seemed like forever, they arrived at a small flight of concrete steps, headed up to a set of double doors. I had a deal, the janitor said, as he pulled out a gold key on a gold chain from his coveralls, and here we are the exit. Ruby started up the steps and stopped. What's on the other side of those doors, he shrugged. Can't say, Maybe away back, maybe more of the same, maybe nothing. Why why do you stay? I've been here a long time. It may be shitty here, but I know what I got. Besides, there's always another asshole coming through without me, he shrugged. The lock loudly

4:00:44 clicked as he turned the key. So get going, I'm already bored of you, Ruby smiled. Thanks, yep. He backed down the stairs. Good luck, and then she was alone. Ruby put her hand on the door. It was warm to the touch. She took a deep breath and pushed the doors open. Ruby wandered the streets, ghosts and goblins swirling around her, their gyrations fueled by sugar and mischief.

4:01:28 But all the Halloween haunts couldn't compare to the horror she now knew existed in between our world and the world beyond. That's all for tonight, my Spookies, seven terrifying tales of Halloween horrors. If you're still catching your breath, well don't worry. We'll be back next Tuesday with another round of horror straight from the vault. But of course there's always something scary to listen to here at Weekly Spooky in October, so make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app and remember tomorrow there's a brand new story never heard before until next time. Keep your jack O lanterns lit because they keep the spirits away. Make your costumes extra creepy so that you're not discovered. And make sure you're candy is stashed somewhere safe because I'll tell you right now, we're all looking for it. We'll see you next time. Keep the Halloween vibes going and going