Chapter I

Elizabeth was angry. All of her friends were going to be out on Halloween, but her. She was stuck at home with her little brother because Mom and Dad decided to go to a Halloween party and would be out until late. “Oh, you can go out if you take your little brother with you.”

That wasn’t going to work! She wasn’t about to walk up and down the streets watching him collect from people at their doorstep with his trick or treat bag. How uncool! So, here she was alone with little Mathew, a 7-year-old too young to be out on the streets by himself. She made him a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. She let him have a couple of candies out of the trick or treat plastic pumpkin she filled with chocolate peanut bars, candy corn, chewing gum, fruit bars, and whatever the hell else was in there! The door rang a couple of times and she tossed out candy to the little ghosts and monsters in their little outfits as parents stood by on the sidewalk. It was about 6:00 O’clock by now and the sun had been down for about an hour. A chill had started to set in by now.

Here she was, fitfully, reflecting, 15 years old and stuck babysitting her brother on Halloween! Damn it! She thought of her little gang of friends probably having a great time, Annie, Marilyn, Betty, and Chastity. She’d done everything with them now that the Goth craze had gotten cool! She stood in front of the bathroom mirror staring at her pale complexion, black blouse, skull bone necklace, black pants, all rimmed on the edges with bone white trim. She had skull earrings she’s bought for herself with her babysitting money for the neighbors, here she was stuck at home! Dad said it was important for him and Mom to go because the party was being given by his boss.

Luckily Mom had made a Halloween decorated cake with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin crust on the inside! She’d even done a great job of decorating the cake, but that was of little solace for Elizabeth, whose whole world revolved around her and her Goth friends! They had even had a séance she’d missed with a Ouija Board! That had been a little scary when a spirit that called itself “Bloody Mary” had answered some questions that they’d thrown at it, and then suddenly the board seemed to just explode like someone had kicked it with their foot from underneath which was impossible because everyone there had been sitting at a card table! This had been at Chastity’s house!

Was that an omen of some sort being that it had happened the day before Halloween? If it had been, Elizabeth hadn’t been paying attention. She was too self-absorbed over what she thought she’d been missing! There hadn’t been many trick or treaters for some reason tonight, so far. She had decided to bury herself in a horror movie. So, she would just settle in with a piece of cake, a glass of milk and watch a werewolf movie with Lon Chaney Jr. as John Talbot. For some reason these old black and white movies seemed more to fit her identity as a Goth! Then the doorbell rang! They were sure to showing up late, she thought.

She glanced through the glass at the top of the door and didn’t see anyone until she opened the it and there was an odd-looking little kid with very realistic makeup! He had a blood clotted injury on his forehead, and what looked like a dislocated eye. What sick fucking parent thought of Hollywood make up this realistic? He simply stood there, opened his bag wordlessly and reached up toward her. She looked down into the bag she was going to toss some candy into and there was a dead black cat in the bag!

Elizabeth freaked out! “You crazy little bastard! What the hell do you think you’re doing with a dead cat in your trick or treat bag?”

He didn’t say a word. He just stood there not making a sound and holding the bag opened. This was getting very weird!

“Where do you live? I’m going to call your mother and father! “

But still he stood silently, almost menacingly, that sickening makeup was starting to unnerve her. She sighed and nervously tossed some candy into the bag and slammed the door shut! She may have been a Goth, but shit like that was not cool! She wondered what kind of sick little bastard this kid was or who had put him up to it! Now her heart was racing. She went into the kitchen to get a slice if the Halloween cake and a glass of milk when the phone rang. Yes, Mom and Dad still had a ground line. Daddy said in case wireless networks ever went down.

“Hello.”

“Who is this?”

“You tell me! Who are you calling for?”

“I’m calling for you!” The voice was menacing and gravelly!

Elizabeth hung up immediately! Now she was gasping for breath! Now some maniac was calling and maybe even watching the house! Elizabeth grabbed her cell phone and dialed 911 for the police! She got a prerecorded message, “Due to a high call volume that has overwhelmed our switchboard we will have to call you back,” and then in a sudden sinister voice the recording continued, “That is if you’re not dead by then!” That wasn’t funny!

Chapter II

She disconnected, gasping with anxiety! What the hell was that? Are the police pranking people, she thought? What if there was a real emergency and someone’s life was in danger? Like mine? Just then there was a scraping noise from the patio back sliding glass door! Maybe it was one of her friends or Mom and Dad trying to get in. She carefully crept toward the heavy glass door to see a shadowy arm and large clawed hand scraping against the outer screen door! It was silhouetted by the moonlight! She quietly backed away, trembling and about to faint. She ran to little Mathew’s bedroom to see if he was okay, but her little brother had fallen asleep like nothing was happening at all!

She glanced out into the backyard as she eased the drapes open just a smidge. It was pitched black outside! She’d forgotten to turn on the light switch for the backyard! Maybe some robber thought no one was home? Once again that sinister scraping noise against the screen door and it sounded like it was being torn to shreds! Then Elizabeth saw it! Two glowing red eyes stared at her from the darkness, blinked, and then turned away to move further down the side of the house where she couldn’t see any further! Beads of sweat trickled off her brow.  Her lips were quivering from sheer terror!

Elizabeth ran into the kitchen and frantically pulled the biggest knife she could find from a drawer where Mom kept all her cutlery! She practiced a couple of quick lunges as she inched toward the back sliding glass door, but there was no one there! She was close to hyperventilating now! Once again, the phone rang! It rang 6 times before she finally picked up!  

“This is the Rosewood Police Department. We have an invitation that you had called the 911 emergency hotline? We need you to confirm your address!”

That was odd, Elizabeth thought. She had called from her cell phone, not the groundline! This could be a trick to get her whereabouts. She immediately hung up the phone! Again, it rang and rang until she turned off the ringer so she wouldn’t have to hear the damn thing anymore! She moved toward the back patio light switch and flicked it on. She held the knife in both hands as she stared out into the ominous night, but there was little she could make out beyond the light splashing onto the patio. Nothing! Thank God! She looked at the torn screen door thinking Mom and Dad might blame her thinking one of her crazy Goth friends had done it to play a Halloween trick!

Just then little Mathew came out from the hallway rubbing his eyes, “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” She lied, “Just a phone call and a couple of trick or treaters. Are you okay?”

“I need a drink. I’m thirsty.”

He looked so pitiful, she thought. Elizabeth held her little brother and led him to the kitchen, “What do you want, some water or a glass of milk?”

“Water,” he replied and was still rubbing his eyes.

She drew a glass from the water filter pitcher and closed the drapes to the sliding glass door too. Mathew gulped down the water. He was probably thirsty from the candy he had, Elizabeth thought.

Suddenly her cell phone rang. She looked at the number she was getting the call from thinking it might be the police, but instead she recognized the number. It was her older brother Howie.

“Hey, Big Brother! Am I glad to hear from you!”

“How you doing, Sis?”

“It’s been one hell of a Halloween night, Howie. You, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m sitting in my dorm room studying for a test while all my fraternity brothers are acting like assholes partying! I’m sure I'm home sick, Sis!”

“Aw, we miss you too!”

“How’s Mom and Dad?”

“They’re at a damn Halloween party being given by Dad’s boss and I’m stuck babysitting Mathew!”

“Responsibility, Sis. Get used to it.”

“I know, I know I know! “

“How’s Mathew doing?”

“He’s good. He just got up for a drink of water and I’d just put him back to bed when you called.”

“Well, listen, I’m looking forward to coming home on winter break. I’m really anxious to see you guys! When I get back, you and I will do some things together, okay?”

“Sure, Howie, I can hardly wait!”

“Tell Mom and Dad I called. Take care!” With that, Howie hung up and Elizabeth hadn’t even had a chance to tell him what was going on in this unholy night!

Chapter III

Suddenly, Elizabeth’s cell phone rang again. Uneasily she checked the origin phone number and it was the police! “Hello!”

“This the Rosewood Police, emergency 911 line. Your number registered on our line. Do you have an emergency?”

“Yes! Some freak trespassed in my backyard and tore up my patio screen door! Like to have scare me to death!”

“Are you sure this wasn’t some wild animal? In that case I could out animal control.”

“No, it was no animal. I saw part of the intruder. I don’t know if it was some kind of freak in a costume but it was a person most definitely,” she explained.

“Are they still there?”

“No, I’ve looked but I’m not going out there in the yard! I just need an officer to come by and check the place out. Please!”

“I will send out a unit to investigate. Would you like me to stay on the line with you until the officer arrives?”

That’s okay,” Elizabeth replied. “I don’t think I’m in immediate danger, but I also got a weird threatening phone call too earlier. So, I’m pretty freaked out!”

“Maybe I should stay on the line with you then. Do you have any means of self-defense?”

“Just a big knife out of my kitchen.”

“Who all is there right now in your household?”

“Just my little brother and me. My parents went out to a party. They’ll be back later tonight.”

“How old are you?”

“I’m the daughter. I’m 15 and my little brother is 7.”

“Officer has been notified and is on the way. He should be there in 10 minutes. If there is nothing more, I can do for you I have other calls waiting.”

“That’s fine, thanks, I’ll wait for the officer then.”

Elizabeth wanted to call one of her buddies, but she didn’t feel calm and collected enough to have a normal conversation much less hearing one of them brag about what a great damn time they were having! Instead, she went to check up on her little brother again. “What if I grew up to be a professional Nanny,” she thought to herself. “Wouldn’t that be a freaking laugh!”

Mathew was laying on top of his covers so Elizabeth pulled the blanket out from under him and tucked him in. He was sleeping soundly now. Something Elizabeth didn’t know if she could do the rest of the night. Then she saw pulsating light penetrating through the living room curtains and she ran to the window to peer into the night. Sure enough, it was a police cruiser! With joy and relief she ran out the front door and saw that the driver’s side door on the police car was opened. But something was wrong. She held her hand up to shield her eyes, and what she saw jolted her like an electrical current! The officer was grappling with someone in a hand-to-hand struggle! Whoever it was, this guy was dark, tall, and looked like an animal on two legs. At first, she thought it was some yahoo in a Halloween costume until she heard the officer’s strained voice, “Get back in your house now!”

Elizabeth turned, short of breath again in a panic and then she heard a gunshot followed by another and another! “She fell through the front door crawling on her hands and knees! What if a stray bullet went through the house, she thought and slammed the front door shut! There she trembled and she listened to the sound of her own racing heartbeat! The pulsating glow of the police car lights went away and apparently the cruiser drove off! Elizabeth remained squatted on the floor and reached for her cell phone again!

“This is the 9-11 Rosewood PD hotline. What is your emergency please?”

“Yes, I was just on the phone with you people 10 minutes ago! The officer arrived but before I could even speak to him, he was in a scuffle with some weirdo and shots were fired! He told me to go back into my house!”

“Yes, we have your address, and the officer is now in pursuit of an assailant who was at your property! Please advise us if you need any further assistance.”

“Sure!” Elizabeth stammered, “Whatever!”

CHAPTER IV

She staggered back into Mathew’s bedroom now, afraid that a stray bullet could have entered the house, but he was perfectly fine sleeping like a little angel. Then she realized that her little brother hadn’t cried or pouted a bit when he couldn’t be allowed to go trick or treating but it had Elizabeth herself who had been the one who had been acting like a misbehaving little child. Wow, that was an epiphany! Now she felt tired enough that she just might drift off even with the adrenaline that has been pumping through her! Now it seemed like the threats were over. She lay next to Mathew’s little body and slowly descended into slumber. Her final thought was, maybe this Goth thing she had gotten into wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Mom and Dad arrived back at the house close to midnight. They parked the family car in the back and came through the sliding glass door on the deck of the patio. There were footprints on the deck, and the screen had been ripped up! He was mad at first, but then he thought of the kids and hoped nothing had happened to them. His wife, June, unlocked the door and they both rushed in. Everything looked normal enough. There was a half-eaten piece of cake sitting on the kitchen counter next to a glass of milk. June went down the hallway and found her daughter and son both asleep and decided not to wake them, but she took one look at Mathew’s window, and silently motioned for her husband to come closer

“Look at this,” she whispered pointing to a huge hand print on the outside of the bedroom window glass.

He checked the window to make sure it was locked, and it was! He tiredly rubbed his face wondering what might have happened. Was it a peeping Tom, an attempted break in, or something else. June grabbed her husband by the arm and motioned for him to follow her out of the Bedroom and she quietly closed the door. “Let’s see what the local news has to say, "she muttered, turning on the TV.

“This is the hourly local news here on channel 8, your source for Rosewood area news coverage. Tonight turned out to be quite a Halloween evening with the police switchboard overloaded with calls. Police Chief Brian Lungford reports that hackers had tapped into the emergency 9-11 dispatch line and caused havoc. Police are now investigating who was responsible. Reports of some mad man dressed in a werewolf costume were causing alarm and scaring residents of Rosewood. One officer fired shots after struggling with a suspect but that person of interest got away even with several officers in pursuit!  A sad note tonight. The body of a young trick or treater was found apparently the victim of a hit and run driver. The coroner’s office is trying to determine the identity as no parents have come forward reporting a missing person yet. Aside from that hair raising incident things are apparently back to normal. We’ll be back with the weather forecast after this brief message. “

Dan,  turned off the TV, spoke up, “I don’t know what the hell happened here last night, but whatever you do. Do not wipe that hand print off Mathew’s window. I’m going to have the police do a fingerprint examination on it. Might help them identify who this person of interest was, and who tore up our patio screen.”

“Just let your daughter sleep for now. We’ll talk about it in the morning with her.” She winked at Dan. “Now Count, care to seduce one of your females?” She winked at him wearing her white nurses’ costume with fake blood stains!

Dan ate the piece of cake that Elizabeth had left out, “Damn, that’s good cake, did you make that yourself?”

“Sure did,” she smiled.

“Vell, vell, my little vampire, I think you still taste better than that cake,” Dan, using his best Bela Lugosi impression, standing there in his silken cape with a high collar, and his pale facial makeup.

“Well come on count, don’t keep your evil bride waiting,” June laughed as the two of them headed for the master bedroom. Little did the two of them know about the paranormal events that took place that night at their home

THE END