Elizabeth had just gotten home from Junior High when the doorbell rang. She’d barely put her books down and was about to get a glass of water. When she opened the door, there stood a policeman with a bandaged forehead and forearm! She was surprised!

“Hello, I’m Officer Bill Fuller. I was the one who got called out to your house on Halloween night. Sorry to bother you.”

“No problem. Thank you so much. I was scared to death,” Elizabeth explained.

“The reason I’m here is that we’re investigating the death of a little trick or treater we found dead on that night, a hit and run victim, maybe you saw that on the news?”

“No, I didn’t. I think Mom and Dad mentioned it to me the next morning.”

The officer took out a notebook and pen, “You mentioned seeing this kid to the 9-11 dispatch? Can you describe that child for me?”

“Well, he had the most realistic wound make up I’d ever seen. It looked like something out of Hollywood. I mean, it was terrible looking. It shocked me quite frankly.”

“Would you describe the appearance of the wounds and the height of the child?”

“Well, he was about this tall,” She gestured, “And he had a blood clotted wound on his forehead along with one dislocated eye on the left side. It was way too creepy!”

“Color of the hair? Race?”

“As far as I can tell he was a white kid and I couldn’t see the hair because of the makeup,” Elizabeth sighed.

“Anything else you can remember?”

“Yeah, he had a fucking dead cat in his trick or treat bag! I wondered where the hell his parents were at. Sorry for my language! “

“What did you do then?”

“I dropped some trick or treat candy in his bag and slammed the door shut! I was freaking out!” She stammered.

“Relax,” replied officer Fuller, “Just take it easy. I know these questions are not easy.”

“Did your injuries happen from that thing that I saw attack you?”

“Yes, and that was why I yelled at you get in your house. I pumped 3 shots into the son of a bitch with 38 caliber bullets! It should have been dead but it just ran off!”

“What do you think it was?” Elizabeth asked with her hands trembling over her mouth.

“One thing is for sure. It wasn’t a human with a costume on, and it wasn’t an animal either! It was super natural, anything else would have died right there and then, but I gave it something to think about. The police department has the dashcam and my body cam footage of the incident that nearly cost me my life.”

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured.

“No worries,” The officer muttered. “I’m going to tell you something just between you and me because I think you have a right to know. The coroner ran tests on the child’s body, we ran a check on morgue records, county burial records, and obituary columns. That’s not all.” He paused.

“I need to get a glass of water!” Elizabeth gasped. “You can come in.”

She walked to the kitchen and Officer Fuller followed. “Maybe you should sit down.”

“Okay,” she said after gulping the water.

“All the evidence we came up with culminated with a disturbed grave site in the Rosewood Cemetery! We believe it was the grave of that child, who trick or treated at your doorstep. There’s just one thing. That child suffered a hit and run death 15 years ago!”

“Oh, God no!” Elizabeth gasped and began crying.

“I’m sorry. Just couldn’t let this go unexposed! It makes no sense other than that child was an apparition.”

Where the hell were the mother and father?” Elizabeth asked with anger.

They were killed in a car wreck almost at the same time,” Officer Fuller explained. “There was no further next of kin to follow up with.”

“If you didn’t want to upset me. Why would you tell me then?” Elizabeth blurted out.

“Because, my attack the authorities are going to try and explain away as some crazy yahoo in a costume! They’re going to try and dismiss this as a normal crime! You’re the only witness I have.”

Elizabeth got up and grabbed a paper towel to dry her face, “What do you expect me to do?”

“Would you testify in my behalf over the incident. If not I will understand and I won’t bother you about it anymore,” Fuller replied in a weary tone of voice.

“Yes,” Elizabeth sighed, “After all, you probably saved my life.”

“You don’t owe me anything. I was just doing my job,” the officer assured her.

“Well, alright,” Elizabeth uttered slowly, “But, what does it entail?”

“I have an official witness report sheet out in the car. You don’t have to fill it out right now. I want you to have the time to think clearly and remember all the details that you can, and drop it off at the police station. When you can. You might be asked to give a deposition by the city attorney, but I wouldn’t worry about that for now.”

“You know your forensics people came by yesterday and took that hand print off my little brother’s back bedroom window.”

Officer Fuller nodded, “Yes, I was informed about it, and they haven’t been able to match it with any known offender on the national database either. We’ll just keep it on file.”

“Great!” Elizabeth said frustratedly.

Fuller pulled out a business card and handed it to Elizabeth, “Here, call me if you need anything or if you think of anything else. If you’re having emotional problems and need support, I can get you counseling too.”

“Oh, I’m having emotional problems alright, but I don’t need a shrink,” She replied wiping her eyes again.

“I am sorry you were upset. I didn’t want you to be in the dark. I didn’t want you to be asking questions you might get stonewalled over.” The officer watched Elizabeth closely for her emotional condition. “I know this was a lot to take in. You, okay? Let me go out to my car and get the form for you to fill out.”

She nodded and he walked out of the house. Later on, Elizabeth’s mother came home with little Mathew and Elizabeth gave him a big hug! She though of the little trick or treater all alone by himself and vowed nothing like that would ever happen to her little brother. From then on, she developed a very protective bond with him and would never let him go out on his own in future Halloweens. For the next 3 years Elizabeth would always accompany her little brother on Halloween acting as careful as a parent would. She gave up the Goth craze which cost her, her best friends, but she didn’t care. To her parents surprise she began attending church and eventually got her parents to go with her. Dan and June vowed never to go to another Halloween party again.

It would be three days until the full moon cycle after this years Halloween and two days had passed already, Bill Fuller felt an uneasy anxiety coming over him when ever that subject was mentioned. One of his patrol buddies mentioned the crazies that always seemed to show up when the moon was full, and he suddenly felt an adrenal rush. Making his forehead wrinkle and beads of sweat break out on his brow.

“Hey man, are you okay?” Lyle Burnette, another officer asked.

Fuller took a couple of deep breaths. “I guess that attack on Halloween night shook me up.”

“Well, hell yeah,” Lyle replied. “That would have shaken anybody up!”

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about!” Fuller said in anger. “I shot that son of a bitch 3 times in the chest. It should have been dead!”

“Are you sure you hit it?” Lyle’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m a damn good shot! It was at point blank range! “

“Well, thank God you made it! Now you have a story to tell your grandchildren someday,” Lyle remarked.

“I won’t live long enough to do that,” Fuller muttered bitterly.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Lyle frowned.

“Because I was attacked and wounded by a goddam werewolf! That’s why!” He grabbed Lyle by the collar in powerful hold that frightened his partner.

“So what? You shot the damn thing and lived to tell about it!”

“You don’t understand! Anyone victim bitten by a werewolf becomes one himself! Do you understand?” Lyle had never seen the look in the eye of his partner like this before.

“Buddy, you’ve been watching too many horror flicks! Just chill out!” Lyle gasped holding the hands of Bill Fuller around his collar.

Finally, he broke the hold. Fuller was a powerful man. Lyle stared at him, “You need help Bro.”

“No! I need you to go to a gunsmith and have a few silver bullets made. I know the gunsmith and he’ll do it. I’ll pay you back. I promise!”

“Man, do you have a fever or something?” Lyle narrowed his eyes.

“Hell no! Will you do this for me or do I need to ask someone else?” Officer Fuller growled in a deep voice that Lye had never heard before. It vibrated through his chest like something a lion or a tiger might do to its prey. Fuller’s eyes seemed to possess some kind of eerie power he’d never seen before.

“I do believe you’re serious,” Lyle in a sobering tone. “I’ll do it. I promise. Just don’t threaten me, okay?”

“You’re going to be my only hope!” Fuller gasped. “I’ve been having horrible dreams of killing people!”

“Oh man, you need help Bro!” Lyle almost cried watching his partner breaking down. “Let me get you the help you deserve partner.”

“You just get me those silver bullets like you said you would, and I’ll be just fine. I promise!”

Lyle put his hands up in a calming down gesture, “Okay, okay, I promise. Give me the gunsmith’s name. I might know the business.” Lyle has been surprised by Bill Fuller’s aggression. There was something definitely wrong.

“You need to do this by the full moon. Do you understand me, Lyle? Do you understand?”

“Yeah, Lyle nodded carefully without trying to provoke Fuller anymore. “I understand. I will do it just for you.”

Bill Fuller’s voice became uncharacteristically course and low, further disturbing Lyle, “I am counting on you,” Officer Fuller growled.

The End