October 28th, Three More Days to Go
Laurie
"Jamie, now pay attention. Halloween night you are going to have to be very caref—"
Jamie interrupted, "Everybody knows that, mommy. I am not a kindergarten baby." Laurie took a breath, looking into Jamie's eyes as her child continued in front of her, arms crossed, sneakered feet planted aggressively on the carpet, "Mrs. Lane says that we should only go to houses where we know the people, wear a costume that people can see in the dark, use a flashlight, do not run across the street without looking, and… and…" Jamie frowned, and then her face brightened, "Do not eat candy people give me until you and daddy look at it first."
Obviously Jamie knew the rules.
Too bad the rules wouldn't apply if Loomis was right and Laurie's half-brother was making a beeline for Haddonfield, and… them.
Closing her eyes, Laurie sighed, "Daddy and I can't go with you. You'll have to go trick-or-treating by yourself."
Jamie frowned, newfound assertive independence suddenly leaving her, "What about Rachel?" she asked cautiously. "Can Rachel go with me?"
"Rachel has a big girl party to go to." THIS was a flat out stinking lie: Rachel offered to take Jamie trick-or-treating for FREE the second she learned her employers had to stay and work late Halloween night. "And don't tell Uncle Mikey where you're going. Ever."
Uncle Mikey? Prickly as he could be at times, Uncle MIkey was her BEST FRIEND! How could she NOt tell? Confused, Jamie gaped up at Laurie, "But why?"
"Because I said so." Laurie's guts twisted up into knots the second the old parental standard left her mouth. She tried to soften her harshness, adding in a softer tone: "Stay in bright places, where there's lots of kids - like the fire department, the Baptist church down the street's trunk-or-treat, and the sheriff's department - they give out GREAT candy and little badges! If you're scared or uncomfortable. RUN home!"
"But mommy, WHY?" Jamie now looked scared.
"Everything will be just fine if you do as I say! " Utterly terrified herself, Laurie held out her arms to her daughter, knitting forgotten in her lap.
But what if Loomis was wrong?
Either way, she was about to throw her only lamb to the slaughter.
