BEWITCHING HOUR

BEWITCHING HOUR

Some scoff at me for believing that evil comes out on bewitching hour, but I know it to be fact. The time was rapidly approaching, and I quickened the pace toward home. A light drizzle chilled me to the bone, and I zipped up my brown leather jacket. Jagged bolts of lightning were seen from afar as I moved on.

"Wyatt," I heard the whisper-like voice calling out to me.

Another sure sign that I was not a superstitious fool, I thought, quickening my pace as the brisk air whipped my blonde hair about my face and the rain began to fall heavily.

For three years the voices of demons plagued me on Halloween night. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me in the beginning, but discovered differently when a dark, ghostly image nearly snared me with sharp talons back then. I made it home just before the creature was able to sink his claws into my flesh that evening. This made a believer out of me. Now, it was close to bewitching hour again, and my heart hammered its fear.

"Wyatt," the raspy voice repeated, sending chills up my spine as I moved on.

The downpour slowed my pace, causing me to slip several times in my haste to get home. Would I make it this time, I wondered, or become one of the demons victims? Trying my best not to panic, I continued moving, my legs feeling as if they were made of lead due to my saturated clothing.

A sudden pain was felt on my right shoulder, and I winced. Pausing to look behind me, I saw the image of a red and black scaled creature with blood-soaked claws, and knew the chance of me getting to safety were slim. Glancing at my shoulder, I noticed the scarlet fluid oozing from the wound the beast had made before moving on again. Fear mounted as I ran, for I was being drained of physical and emotional strength. Realizing I could not continue fleeing, I whirled about to confront the evil being.

"What do you want?” I screeched. "Why me?"

"You know what is wanted, Wyatt," the demon hissed. "Tonight I will claim your soul. You have cheated me for too long. I will not be cheated again."

Never had I felt such pain as I did then. The creature's razor-like talons ripped at my flesh until I slumped to the ground gasping for breath. I was dying! The demon had won, I thought, feeling my soul slip from my body just as bewitching hour came. I was now one of them; now a beast waiting for next Halloween.