One Halloween Night

Halloween Night

  Halloween finally came, and Nik was more excited than he knew how to express. After all, it was his birthday. Sixteen years old today, he thought to himself, overjoyed with a glimmer in his smiling eyes. “I think even ghosts would run from me,” he chortled, glancing at the plastic scar glued to his forehead in his length mirror.
                His zombie appearance gave way to an “OH MY!” from his mother, shocked mostly that her son could divulge such a bloody, grotesque look.
           “You could have used less blood," she retorted.
           “But then I wouldn’t look scary!”
              All three of his friends gathered at the end of his driveway, ready to raid every house they could. They raided every house and hoped to get as much candy before the night was through. Well, until their curfew was up anyways.
              Each boy was pleased by the size of their pillow cases as the late afternoon went on and were gleefully strolling down the streets. It wasn’t long before the darkness of night began creeping on their backs, reminding them they did have a curfew.
              When satisfied that today wasn’t ill spent, the boys retreated to Bradley’s deck, halfway between Gabe’s house and Nik’s, to count and exchange the goodies they collected.
            “We should go guys," Nik suggested, looking at his watch - eight fifteen. "My mom wants us there before nine,” he said, still deciding which candies he preferred as he threw the bad ones into the trash can. Bradley nodded, munching on a mini Hershey’s chocolate bar while Gabe pushed the rest of his treats into his brown pillowcase.
            “I can’t wait to eat these,” Gabe told them, content at the large mound he carried in his hands. Both boys laughed and shoved a piece into their mouths for the road.
           The sidewalks were no longer swarming with costumed kids or accompanying chaperons. Nik, Bradley, and Gabe continued, not bothered that the night had finally arrived. The street lights paved their way down the empty side walk
            “I think we should stay up ALL night and watch horror movies, I know you have a big collection, Nik,” Bradley pointed out.
           “Well, that was the plan! Except, we can’t make too much noise, you know how my mom is around screams, she’ll think we’re being murdered,” Nik added with a playful tone, thinking back to the last time his mom rushed into his room after a blood churning scream. Of course, he thought it was funny, his mom barging through his door with a large bat in hand. She swore she’d throw him into the attic if he ever did that to her again.  He knew she wouldn’t do it, but the threat made it hysterical to him. The three giggled at remembrance.
            Nik heard it first, the scratching, and loud groaning. Shocked, he looked at his friends, both who looked absentmindedly down the street they walked. Nik wondered why they couldn’t hear it.  “Do you hear that?…” he asked them, horrified at how loud and close it sounded. It was a sound he never heard before, the intensity was diving and vibrating into his ears.
            “What are you talk.. ing.... about..” Gabe’s eyes bulged from their sockets, confused and obviously freaked out. At the same time, Bradley gave a disquieting expression, one of confusion and horror. The sound, whatever it was, grew louder, but when the boys looked around, nothing was there. Scared out of their minds, they bolted down the streets holding their treasured bags of candy to their chests.
            After several minutes had passed, they finally came to a stop with hands to knees, panting for air thinking they had run far enough. The scary sound had dissipated and vanished but didn't make them feel any better...
          “…What….could…that ..have been?” asked Gabe, clearly having a hard time catching his breath.
          “That was freaky,” whispered Nik.
          “Yeah, and something I don’t want to hear ON Ha. Low. Weeeen,” Bradly added. .
             If they didn’t notice before, the boys noticed now.  They didn’t recognize the street, nor the streets lights which were older and yellow rather than modern and bright. As sudden realization crept into their eyes, they ran to the nearest street sign, located between two worn out houses.

Devils Playground

            Nik looked dolefully at the old rusted sign wishing this was a prank, but already knew you can’t create a new street out of midair. The street went on and on, no other sign or any other intersecting streets.
                  Where are we?
            He had never seen houses like these before; dark, covered in shrubs and vines, and not a single light to see, besides the street lanterns.  “I know almost every street in our neighborhood…and I’ve never seen this one before.” The other boys agreed with Nik.
              “This doesn’t make any sense. We run and end up somewhere completely different? We only turned once..then stopped,” remarked Gabe.
              It had only been a few minutes as they stood there confused by their surroundings when they saw it.
              “Hellooo?” Gabe called to the short person walking towards them; it was wearing a maroon cape, covering everything but the long yellow hair running down the front of its bodice.
            Immediately it stopped, and although neither boy could see the mysterious figures face, they knew it was staring at them from the other side of the crackled road. Its tiny bony hands reached up to uncover its face.
            “It’s a girl!” Bradley exclaimed, “Hey! Can you tell us where we are, and how we can get back to Frost St.?” For a few more seconds the tiny girl looked them over, staring into each one of their pleading eyes. When she smiled, Nik wanted to run.
            Her teeth were white, her lips pink, but her beady eyes showed nothing of kindness and everything evil.
                Nik knew before he saw her smile that something was dead wrong with her. Her emotionless grin and dark eyes only proved his initial gut feeling.
              “I don’t like this, lets just go,” Nik whispered, taking a few steps back from his friends.
Before they could take another step back, she opened her mouth and began to sing. 
            “These primal urges are hard to fight. My unholy diet. My dark appetite…” she paused for a moment considering the boys across the street, “There is no way back…. Welcome to Devil’s playground. Every Halloween, a few will be, subjected to the world of horror and me.”
              Her hollow smile never left her pale face as she continued the song. The boys stood there watching, fearful and alone.  Her legs took her down the road, skipping and singing as she went along…..repeating the lyrics until her maroon body was no longer visible, and the voice faded into the foggy Halloween night.
              “…There is no way back…” Nik repeated the words she spoke; not yet understanding this was his new home. 




It may be continued, it may be not....