Rorschach's Journal, October 31st, 1980
Halloween night. People trade in dancing with each other for dancing with the devil.
Found man in alley outside apartment trying to give kids candy on the street. Kids were more scared to see me than him. Ran away. Got a hold of him before he did too. Asked him what's in the candy. Told me it was just candy.
Broke his fingers.
Said there were needles in the popcorn balls.
Made him eat one before leaving him bleeding in the alley.
Made way to Dreiberg's place. Do what I do every Halloween. Ask him if he wants to come along for the night.
Always says no. Nothing new tonight.
Used to bust big crimes on Halloween with Dreiberg. Counterfeiters, pimps, mob family meetings. Called it Ghost Watch.
Now he sits at home with a bowl of candy and a mask of the man he once was hanging in his closet.
I am the only one left. Only one who knows what's still happening out here in this hole in the world. So I climb buildings, head for East Side. Know there's a cult ritual supposed to happen at midnight. Heard through bars of the underworld. Going to kill someone. Young girl. Thirteen.
Won't let them feed her to the dogs. Their blood will stain their robes and their altar. Is that not sacrifice?
Rorschach's Journal, November 1st, 1980
Too tired to write last night. Nearly fell asleep in alley with face and clothes. Had to slap myself to get up. Write now, before heading for Gugna.
Found them in abandoned apartment building. Wasn't hard. Whole place lit up with candles. No one would go near. Police knew she was in there. Didn't try to get in. Heard one mention a hostage situation.
Not hostage. Sacrifice. And they stood outside, waiting for the screams that would announce their witness to her murder. Went in through roof. Cops saw me, felt their flashlights hit my back and the sounds of eager shouts filled my ears. More concerned with me than her life.
Center of building, near stairwell was a cluster of them. All wearing white robes and painted faces. Didn't think things through. Threw three of them downstairs. Saw the scratches left by sharp canines on a bit of bone fought over by dogs in my mind. Fourth one I threw against wall. Told him to tell me where she was.
Sixth floor. Room marked 313. Heard them coming up the stairs after finding the others.
Only fell a few stories. None were dead. Shame.
Made way downstairs. Didn't take long. Robes are easy to trip up on. Made me think of Comedian. Would have laughed as they stumble over their religion.
Got to room. Candles were black. Held her over a tub. One held scythe and was using it to cut through girl's clothes. Didn't waste time. Didn't think about bones this time. Went straight for scythe. Stuck it in leader's skull. Grabbed girl before followers could react. They'd dropped her in tub. Now lay the leader, blood pooling up into its belly, as he became his own sacrifice.
Jumped out of window with girl into back alley, away from police. Only six stories. Doesn't kill. Hurts like hell.
Hit concrete. Felt ankles buckle, didn't break. Thought face got torn, and dropped girl. Girl broke her arm at impact. Wasn't holding onto me even before dropped her. She was still screaming. Followers were trapped by police without their sacrifice. Police lights were coming round corner to alley. Went to nearest fire escape, left girl half-naked in alley for police to find her.
Heard her shout after me.
Told me I was a hero.
Whispered back, "Never."