The chilled wind pulled at me signaling that October was indeed in the air as I crossed the street with my hood up and my head down, I continued walking down the almost empty street until I came onto my own personal heaven. A well known store called: Halloween City, I opened the glass door and the bell attached to the metal door handle jingled. Silently I grimaced at the high pitched ringing that sounded in my ears and drew attention towards me, quickly walked to the endless aisles of Halloween costumes and lost myself in all of it. I let my finger tips brush over the different colors and fabrics of the costumes, after combing through five aisles back and front before I finally stopped at the assorted hoodie rack my gaze steadfastly locked on a thick light black hoodie with dark crimson splashes and black ragged letters that spelled: Trick or Treat? A satisfied grin crawled onto my face and I pulled the fabulous hoodie off the hanger to check the size, it was perfect. I draped it over my arm and resumed looking around the store, after searching for at least 20 minutes I went to the check out line as nothing else interested me.

The cashier smiled politely and rang up the items, "That'll be 24. 99 dollars for your item sir, will you pay with cash or credit?" I replied with a short "Cash please." I forked over the correct amount of money plus a tip and quickly left with my things. I let the hoodie remain over my arm and began trekking back to my apartment I also stopped at a convenience store and picked up my favorite type of Halloween candy and energy drinks. After walking for awhile I arrived back at my flat and flipped on the TV, the annual festive shows lit up the screen that had little Jack 'o' Lanterns and bats stickers stuck to the four corners. I smiled fondly at the cute stickers I had plastered them on there every since I had gotten the TV along with all the other decorations I had hanging from the walls and ceiling in my apartment, and seeing as its very rare that I get visitors but also it was only a day till Halloween and this place has a few trick or treaters I stocked up on my favorite Halloween for both me and them.

I hunkered down on my well cushioned sofa and contented myself with watching a horror movie, about 20 minutes in as a advertisement replaced the movie I got up and started making my dinner which consisted of a cheese & ham hot pocket, a small bag of cheese Doritos and a mug of hot chocolate. After microwaving 2 of the 3 I sat back down and placed my food in front of me on the coffee table and began munching on the steamy hot pocket, my movie was back on and ready to be watched.

The jump scares were cheap and the so called gore effects were cheesy as hell... and I loved every single second of it. I had devoured my hot pocket in a few sinfully delicious bites, my mug of hot chocolate had been half-way drained and I was working on the bag of chips. I looked back up at the TV and grinned victoriously and straitened my shoulders I could tell... I could feel it in my bones an actually good jump scare was coming up, a dark shadow vroomed across the screen and I tightened my hand into a fist determined to be surprised or jump. I waited and waited for what felt like forever and let my grin fall off my face 'Way to get someone's hopes up.' I though pouting and relaxed my muscles.

...SLICE! I jumped up clearly not expecting it with a small startled shriek and toppled over the side of the couch, I got up the with a small laugh and used the couch arm rest to sable me. I settled back on the couch trying to calm my erratic heartbeat my head resting on the cushioned arm rest and my feet barely brushing the end of the couch, after the surprise had worn off I checked the time and sighed miserably 2:26 am 'Damn! I've gotta be up in four hours and get to my part-time job.' I thought sulkily. I lowered the volume of the TV I shut my eyes and the light from the TV lit up my eyelids and darkness instantly covered my mind and I went to sleep, but before I let it take me in its grasp I could feel a cold claw like feeling try an encase me in its grasp tiredly but stubbornly I pushed it away and the feeling faded.

A shrill ringing echoed through my ears making me mumble in protest but as it kept ringing I wrenched my eyes open to find the source of the annoying sound and found my alarm clock that I had set on the coffee table going off, moving quickly wanting to silence the damn thing I unplugged it and shrugged off the hoodie that I had slept in and struggled to pull on the new fabulous hoodie that I had bought at the Halloween costume store. With equal speed I jumped over to the supply closet in the small kitchen and grabbed a random box of pop tarts and two energy drinks along with my uniform name tag and practically ran out the door as if hell itself was on my heels.

I was completely out of breath as I arrived at my part-time job... a party store that specializes in Halloween décor. I had drunk the first drink on the way to work and I tried to regain my breath and straiten my name tag, "Hallow! Your nearly late!" I grinned roguishly at the nickname that they had taken to calling me, ever since the first day I had started working here like other places I had worn nothing else but my usual Halloween hoodies and jackets they had started calling me that at first I protested hugely and they said I disserved it since I was really only here for the Halloween environment not the money. The manager lined us up and said "Alright men and ladies! Today is Halloween! The day when all parents or adults will flock the stores to do last minute shopping for trick or treater candy! So prepare and get your creepy face on!" We all saluted sarcastically used to the managers moods and went about our daily tasks, I stocked the shelves with bagged candy and decorations and as the manager predicted adults swarmed this and almost every store selling popular Halloween candy. When my break came by I grabbed my box of pop tarts and remaining energy drink and made my way to the break room, as I sat down and began to eat a strange foreboding thickened the air and I struggled to breath. The atmosphere darkened until not a single light or warmth could escape its grasp, it continued to stretch and expand so that even time slowed. I slammed my eyes shut fear making my already short breath come even shorter and I curled into myself 'Please stop stopstopstopstop!' the mantra in my mind continued, then as if by a miracle it all ceased and a warmth mixed with a winter breeze chill surrounded me. I unsurely and slowly opened my eyes and in shock I stared at my body that was engulfed in a beautiful bi-colored aura that was colored pumpkin orange and a deep dark evil like purple, I reached my hand out and wiggled my fingers watching the colors swirl together in intoxicating patterns and surround them. As the colors began to grow and brighten time seemed to speed up and the darkness thinned and lessened before it dispersed all together taking the thickening feeling with it, once again I was in the break room and from the looks of it only seconds had passed since I'd been in that void(?). Just what had happened?

The rest of the day I went through work in a mechanical like state and my hood up my face pale and unmoving, if anyone had noticed they didn't say, but finally it was over. The moment the manager dismissed us I bolted as soon as I was out of those doors, questions kept circling in my head doing 180's. What had happened and why? What was that thickening darkness? What were the colors surrounding me and were they my colors? And finally Was I going crazy? I hurriedly unlocked my door and rushed in and re-locked it, for a few minutes I stood there leaning back against the door breathing deeply. I pushed myself off the door and busied myself with preparing for Halloween night and pouring candy into a huge skeleton decorated bowl and turning on the TV to an actually good horror movie and waited. The first knock came and with it the cries of trick or treat, I opened the door and smiled saying "Hello there, now what are you?" A little girl stood dressed in shiny and fancy clothing and she answered "A princess, mister." I smiled again so widely that my cheeks began to hurt and fished a little baggy of candy corn and gave it to her wishing her a very happy Halloween. This continued for about 10 more times before it turned 11 o'clock and I turned off the lights on my door, snacking on the multitude of spare candy I had left , I lounged on the couch and continued to watch the movie. After about 50 minutes I got up an uneasy feeling burrowing in the pit of my stomach making me feel paranoid, looking at where I had slipped my shoes of at and I walked over to my black nike running shoes and with blind hurry I put them on. 3 minutes later a shrill scream rang through the air, the clock struck 12.

My head snapped up and I ran to my door and slammed it open running down the hall and stairs, I soon spotted who had screamed. A little girl in a kitty cat costume was running away from 5 tall and muscular guys, I called to her to get her attention to me. I looked in her eyes that were full of terror. She ran to me and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist finally letting her tears fall, feeling awkward I patted her back and removed her arms from me and kneeled down putting my hand on her shoulder and said "Listen to me very carefully, run upstairs and into my apartment its number 206. Run and don't stop till you get there its unlocked, go I'll deal with these guys." She sniffed and wiped her tear stained cheeks while nodding, I also nodded and let her go and she went running. I stood up fully and ran towards one of the guys and pulled my hand back into a fist...WHAM! I landed a solid punch on the slightly taller guy's nose and a satisfying crunch was heard then blood spurted out, he howled in pain and went down the other four snarled at my and ran at me with raised fists. I was able to evade 3 of the guys wild swings but the fourth clipped me on the shoulder, quickly while he was close I raised one of my legs and aimed the kick upward... it connected thoroughly. The guy grabbed his 'stuff' and sank to the ground groaning in obvious pain, 'Two down three to go.' I thought to myself smirking largely as two of them were already backing away but the third guy reaches into his jacket and a flash of metal is spotted and I tensed. The other two cursed and said "Shit! He's got a gun!" They then bolted away from both of us, the standing guy leveled the gun at me and snarled through clenched teeth "Die filthy FREAK!" The shots went off went off.

'I tried to dodge, I really did.' I told myself as my body crumpled onto the ground blood gushing from the two bullet holes, I coughed weakly and a metallic liquid flowed over my tongue and out of my mouth. I could hear him drop his gun and stagger back drunkenly, 'intoxicated' my mind supplied hazily, I knew I had lost too much blood and eventually I was going to die and leave the little girl alone in my apartment wondering...waiting. I gritted my teeth and tensed my muscles before trying to push myself up, 'I wont give up I wont.' I chanted to myself over and over as I made it to my knees my body slumped foreword bleeding profusely, I let out a half painful gasp as the same foreboding I felt before expanded once again cloaking the landscape in and ominous darkness leaving me alone the colors that had surrounded my body returned beating away the darkness that tried to claw at me. A dark unearthly chuckle echoed around me before it got closer and closer until it was as if someone was laughing into my ear over my shoulder and the voice spoke "Such an interesting human, you were able to keep me away with sheer will power alone." He chuckled darkly and I shivered in fear then he continued "And here you are just minutes if not seconds from death and yet you are still un-yielding towards death...so why don't we make a deal?"


Soo yea... I actually meant to have this published on Halloween.. yeeaa that didn't really happen it was really late when I got home on Halloween past midnight so yeah. Anyway R & R please.