Introduction:

Hi. This novel is very close to my heart. I am thoroughly enjoying this journey of writing a blind character meeting Michael Myers, even more so basing her off me. All Danielle's likes, dreams and so on are mine. As is her fifteen percent survival rate. The rest is fictitious. Yes in case you're wondering, the ears and whistling thing is real!

I first met Michael Myers when I read the audio novel of the 2018 Halloween movie. Something about him fascinated me. His silence especially. I can't say why but I found it kind of sexy if I'm honest. His lack of remorse? Feeling? So then I started wondering, how would he react if he encountered a blind person such as me? Would he kill me on the spot? Or would my vulnerability reach him? That was the question which inspired me to write this in the first place. Jason Vorhees killed a paralysed guy in a wheelchair because he came on to his land. Myers doesn't seem to have a particular motive for his kills, it's just what he does. So would meeting a disabled person make him think twice? He didn't kill the baby in the 2018 movie and he could've done. Possibly a small glimpse of humanity from the masked killer? So then I had to consider the circumstances and background I'd use for this story and decided on Smith's Grove. A woman there following psychological damage, placed next door to Myers. How would they interact? Would he just ignore, or protect her?

Just one thing, I know full well iPhone's didn't exist in 1998 when this story is set, but I don't think it's too unbelievable to pretend they did, which is why I'm using them. Owning an iPhone myself I know how Danielle would use it which makes it easier to write.

Thank you all and reviews would be really appreciated. I just wanted to give you some background before reading, thanks for your time! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I am writing it!

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Pixie, who helped me write the court scenes and to my amazing editor ATKQ, who is helping me totally edit this story from scratch.

Nigel Manning was used to hearing the couple next door shouting at each other. Correction, him shouting at her. Nigel knew the guy from having lived next door to him for 3 years and really wished he didn't. His name was Adam Dawson, and it was clear that the man was a spiteful, misogynistic prick who got his kicks from openly degrading and abusing women.

Nigel had lived in the same house for 20 years with his wife Sophie, who had died 6 months ago. Ever since the guy arrived Nigel had discovered that he was a Grade A prick. Sophie had shouted at him constantly to slow down while he would barrel down the street. He drove like a maniac, and they lived near a school. Did he want to kill a child? He'd totally ignored her, and Nigel knew why. Because she was a woman. So, he'd called the police and they had pulled Dawson over and warned him about his speed. For all the good it'd done.

Then Danielle had moved in with Dawson and Nigel's heart sank. A blind woman with an asshole like that? He wanted to warn her, but knew it wasn't his place. She didn't even know him and would probably see him as the nosy old neighbour from hell. He knew how abuse worked. She wouldn't believe or trust him.

Sophie had cared about her too, describing her as the daughter they'd never had. She was always trying to talk to her, make her tea and help, but she was always so quiet. Both he and Sophie believed Adam Dawson was abusing her, but she never mentioned it. He'd had the impression Sophie was working up to ask her soon, but before she got the chance Sophie had gotten sick and had to be hospitalized.

Everything had changed when Sophie had died of cancer. Danielle had somehow found out and brought him some homemade meals. That night, Nigel had to sit there and listen to the prick yelling at her for wasting "his" money on food for that "old fucker next door". Nigel knew the guy hated him because of the driving thing, figuring he'd called the police. But Nigel actually hated him because of his downright barbaric treatment of women.

From then on, he and Danielle had talked. Her "boyfriend" was a self-employed contractor so while he was working, she would stop by nearly every day. Finally, she'd broken down and told him the truth. It turned out he'd been right all along. The bastard was controlling, having taken her money, not letting her work, she had to stay at home and wait on him hand and foot. If Dawson knew she was talking to him he'd lose his mind. He'd tried to encourage her to call for help but she'd just smiled and shook her head sadly at him.

He'd seen her cooking and had to admire how quickly she'd learned all on her own. He'd heard Dawson shouting at her once for burning his dinner and had almost called the police for her, or at the very least banged on the door and told the guy to fuck himself. But he couldn't. He knew only too well the harm that would cause her. She would be the one in danger, not him if he did that. So, he had to wait, much to his utter frustration.

He'd asked her recently why she hadn't left him. She'd given him that sad smile again and said, "he made me happy once." Nigel had asked how, and she'd said he was once kind, and made her feel special. That was when she'd told him of her love of whistling. How she knew when he himself was around because he always whistled when gardening or along with the radio and she heard him through their open windows in hot weather. Nigel had hugged her, and she'd rested her head on his shoulder. She'd previously told him how her parents had abandoned her because she was blind. "I love you Nige," she'd said then and he'd had to blink back tears, holding her as tightly as he could. "I love you too Danielle," he'd said, and meant it.

But tonight? The guy had gone too far. Nigel had always trusted his instincts and knew something bad was happening, worse than usual. Watching through his living room window, he saw Danielle emerge from the house and head straight for the garage. That set off the first alarm bell. She was totally blind, and Dawson had dangerous power tools in there, which Nigel didn't want her getting hurt by.

He hurried out of his house and set off towards the garage, worry rising in him. What the hell was going on? Maybe the prick had sent her to get a tool for him, not caring if she got hurt? That as far as Nigel was concerned was too far. Then he saw Dawson coming out of the house following behind Danielle quietly. Anger spiked in his chest. The bastard was using her blindness against her. He was about to step forward and confront the spineless worm, when he saw her climb onto an old wooden chair, then what she was holding in her hand. A long length of rope. Panic rose in his chest. He broke into a run, just as her supposed boyfriend closed and locked the door. He put the key in his pocket and headed back towards the house as if he hadn't seen that she was even in there. The son of a bitch was even whistling! Ironic, cruel irony.

Nigel raced back to his house and grabbed a sledgehammer and a large knife. Although he'd have to resist the urge to murder Dawson with it. As he ran back towards the garage next to his, Dawson came out of the house again carrying a vicious looking machete. He saw Nigel and stopped in his tracks. Nigel fought with everything he had to keep his mouth shut. He would see this bastard sent down but had to pretend he was none the wiser until the police arrived.

Now Dawson was standing in front of the door, half-heartedly hacking at it with the machete. But Nigel knew the guy knew it wouldn't work. He was just doing it for show. In reality, he was trying to block Nigel from reaching the door. Nigel tried not to hate anyone, but right then he did, and he wanted to strangle the bastard. I swear to God, he thought. If he doesn't move, I might just use this goddam knife on him!

"Out of the way!" Nigel snapped at him, raising the sledgehammer. "Unless you want this put through your fucking head!"

"I…" Adam stammered. "I'm trying to break down the door. I… I think she's…"

Yeah, which is why you locked it and put the key in your pocket, Nigel thought with another stab of hatred. That's why you were fucking whistling as you walked away! You lying motherfucker. You want her to die.

Without saying anything further, Nigel raised the sledgehammer and swung it right into the garage door, just as there was a loud crash inside. Nigel knew Danielle had just jumped from the chair and didn't have to think too hard as to why. He smashed the sledgehammer against the door again. Once, twice. The door caved in, and Nigel forced himself through.

The sight that greeted him made him blink back tears. He'd been right. She was hanging by her neck, the chair now knocked over. Her so-called boyfriend was standing there frozen in shock, but Nigel knew he was faking. He'd wanted this to happen, which was why he'd locked the door. He even wondered if the machete was to finish the job if the rope didn't work. Bile rows in his throat. Nigel didn't think, he just acted, almost on autopilot. He sprinted to Danielle, standing on the chair, he began cutting the rope as quickly as he could. Fortunately, the knife was sharp, and it didn't take long for him to cut the knot she'd tied to one of the wooden slats above her head.

Adam had already run back towards his house, but Nigel knew he wouldn't call an ambulance or the police. Of course not. Seen as he'd brought this about by locking the fucking door. As he gently lowered Danielle to the ground, he noticed a deep cut running across her right cheek which was bleeding profusely. He also saw that her trousers were ripped. That goddamn bastard had raped her; Nigel was certain of it.

Pulling out his phone, he dialled 911, calling for the police and an ambulance. Within 5 minutes, they were there. Danielle was loaded onto a stretcher. Nigel had administered basic first aid as best as he could until the paramedics arrived. He'd made sure she was still breathing, which she was. She appeared to be unconscious. Thank Christ he'd acted so fast. As the ambulance sped off, Nigel told the police exactly what he'd seen, Adam locking the door and pocketing the key when he saw what she was about to do. He watched, with a feeling of immense satisfaction as Dawson was handcuffed and arrested. Hope they throw away the key, he thought savagely. That you rot in hell you abusive bastard!

When he got back to his house, the tears finally did come. Danielle had lived there for the past year and Nigel had taken her under his wing without planning to do so. He'd helped her out whenever she needed it, but only if she asked him to. He knew how independent she was and wanted to be. She'd told him she'd met Dawson at college but had never talked about anything that was happening at home until last week. Nigel was certain that more than once she'd wanted to, and had come close to confiding in him, but she was clearly too afraid of Dawson. Nigel could only hope that now she was free of him for good. No one deserved to be with a man like that.

But if he could've read the thoughts of the man now sitting cuffed in the back of the cop car, he would've been terrified. She was far from free. The guy was already planning his revenge and how to make Danielle suffer things Nigel would never have believed.

1 week later

Dr Samuel Loomis looked at the huge file in front of him with a heavy sigh, then leant back in his leather desk chair rubbing his eyes. This was certainly going to be a challenge. He knew as far as treating her he could do it; he'd been a psychiatrist for over 20 years but looking after her was going to be another matter. It meant he would lose one of the guards to her care whenever she was out of her cell. While this didn't present a problem in itself, if there was trouble and her guard was needed, she would be at risk. He hadn't read the whole file yet due to its size and that he only received it that morning, but he knew he'd have to put time aside for it before the next afternoon. A knock on the door startled him. It opened and his PA Andria Pearson entered. He'd worked with her for 10 years. She was good, fast, and hardly ever made a mistake.

"I just got the call, your newest patient Danielle Hayward will be arriving tomorrow at 9AM Sam," she said. "They're checking her over one more time at the hospital first."

"Thanks Andi," He smiled at her. She smiled back. She was a short woman, athletically built and with sharp, almost probing hazel eyes. Dr Loomis had often joked she should have his job. "I swear you can see right through people with that gaze," he'd said more than once. "You should be a psychiatrist too."

"No thanks," she'd said with a laugh. "No to the job, but I'll surely take the pay!"

"Do you want a coffee?"

"Please Andi," she smiled at him again when he used her shortened name. "Thanks. As you can see, this'll keep me busy for a while." She disappeared and was back within 5 minutes.

Shortly afterwards there was another knock on his door and Dr Gemma Stark entered. "I did what you asked," she said without preamble, leaning against his desk. "I checked the cell list. The only one free in our ward is cell 8."

"Cell…" Dr Loomis's mouth fell open in horror. "No, there's no way, we can't…"

"Do you have another suggestion?" Dr Stark looked at him levelly. "If we move anyone else it will completely disrupt their routine and you know what that could mean. They hate it. It would cause a full-on damn riot Sam!"

"We can't, not next door to Michael Myers! The guy's pure evil there's nothing left, how many times have I told you that? Putting a totally blind woman next door to him, a woman who's already attempted suicide? We might as well give her the rope again!"

"But he's not going to get the chance to touch her, is he?" She asked patiently. "You know that. She'll have to have a guard with her at all times anyway to guide her around the place and in the yard, Myers is always chained to that concrete block. Out and about to a guard. What are you so worried about? When they're in their cells the doors will be locked. She'll be perfectly safe. They're just next door to each other. What's the big problem? Any problem you see now will be far out shadowed if we end up with a riot on our hands and you know it."

He sighed, knowing his colleague was right but that didn't mean he had to like. In fact, he hated it. Of all the men Danielle could've been placed next door to, why him? Why Michael Myers?

"We will need to be incredibly careful, keep our eyes out for any trouble," Dr Loomis said eventually. "A totally silent killer, do you have any idea how easily he could take advantage of someone who won't even know he's there until it's too late? It's not like she'll see him, is it?"

"Then we just have to make absolutely damn sure he never gets the chance to get close to her," Dr Stark said. "I agree with you Sam. We will have to be very careful. But we have some of the best guards in the country working for us, we can trust them. They'll look after her. We need to trust our staff for this place to run smoothly."

He bit his tongue. Who did she think she was to be telling him this? He had 10 years of experience over her at least. She'd only arrived at Smith's Grove 3 years ago. He didn't appreciate being told what he already knew by a subordinate. Dr Stark must've seen something on his face because when she spoke this time her voice was softer, almost abashed.

"Sorry Sam, I know you know this and you're my boss, but there honestly is nowhere else we can put her. From what I've been told, she needs more security than one of the lower wards and it's the only empty cell on the high-level care ward. Even a cell number change could set some of those patients off. What else could I do? I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to tell you how to do your job boss."

He sighed but was unable to stop a slight grin. "That's enough of, boss from you Dr Stark. All right, I understand what you're saying. But as I said, we need to tell our guards to keep their eyes sharp whenever she's out of her cell. It's not just Myers either. There's lots of patients who… Well, you know."

She nodded. "Yes, I do, and I hadn't overlooked that either. Please don't think I was considering Myers as the only risk. But he's certainly the biggest. There may be nothing left as you say, but I think Michael Myers is far from insane just as you do."

He nodded grimly. "He certainly is. He's calculating, silent and dangerous."

The secure van rolled up to Smith's Grove's gates and was buzzed through. A few minutes later it reached the front doors of MSU, and an unrestrained young woman was guided out by two guards. Dr Loomis who was standing in the entrance noticed the lack of chains and felt relieved. If they hadn't felt the need to restrain her maybe she wouldn't present many challenges regarding giving them trouble. She was escorted through the doors which were quickly closed behind her. 19-year-old Danielle Hayward was tall for a woman at 5'10 and very thin. He immediately felt sympathetic. She really did look as if she hadn't had it easy leading up to the suicide attempt which had landed her here in the first place.

"Hi Danielle," he said softly. "My name is Dr Loomis, and I will be doing my best to help you while you're here." Silence. Hayward turned her head slightly towards the sound of his voice but otherwise didn't acknowledge him at all. "This is Joanne," He continued. "She'll be your assigned guard when you're not in your cell."

"Hi Danielle," Joanne said, trying to keep her voice cheerful. Still nothing. The guard caught Dr Loomis' eye and could see he was thinking the same as she was. I hope her silence isn't permanent. Two guards guided her to her cell. She made absolutely no effort to resist them. Of course, she didn't see the black eyes silently watching her through the cell bars next to hers as the guards locked the door.