31 Days Of Halloween

Sweet Like Candy

I help our neighbor staple his daughter's missing person flyer around town. Every year a kid goes missing around Halloween. Seemingly picked at random. Little Ryann Philips was taken this year, Billie Taylor was last year.

I see his poster still stuck to walls and the years before that posters too. Very tragic. We don't know who's doing it. The case date back all the late to the late 70s. So far no new missing kids. The Philips haven't given up hope yet maybe that is keeping the kidnappers away. I don't know.

My neighbor thanks me. His face looks aged beyond his years. He grips his four remaining children tight and leads them home.

I finish hanging up the poster. The sun was setting.  I walk home, it's a little far but nothing too hard. I stop at the park and walk in. Maybe I can take a shortcut. I look at the empty playground.  That's where Ryann was last seen, playing on the swings.

I walk over to the swings I sit down and grabs the chains. The metal was cold against my warm hands. As I swing the swing groans and creaks in protest. I shudder as a chill runs down my spine. I stop and pull my jacket tighter on me. I get off the swing and head into the woods following the hikers trail I'll be home sooner.

Hands in my pockets I take a look at the scenery. Very beautiful and pretty this autumn year. Almost like it's a painting. The leaves crunch underneath my feet. I snap my head up, I swear I heard a noise that wasn't a animal.  I see a cabin, with smoke coming from its big chimney. I swear that cabin wasn't here before. Something calls me to the warm cozy cabin. I peek in though the window which is opened slightly. I'm careful not to fog it with my breath. I can hear laughter and cheer, the little cabin is all decorated for Halloween.

My jaw drops, witches. Like in the storybooks from childhood are sitting around the fireplace. Big tub full of small little squirming bodies, most look dead though. They aren't just taking children from our town then.

My eyes catch a small girl with auburn hair she's sneaking behind the witches to the window where I'm peeping. I know she's Ryann her flyers are everywhere.

My eyes snap back up as a witch in blue pops a child into her mouth like candy smacking her lips loudly once done, her long snake like tongue licks her lips and razor like teeth. The witch in black sitting beside her picks up a another child. Biting down on his legs the child's mouth shot up in a silent scream, head lulling back, eyes rolling into his head almost. He's looking at me. I can only watch in horror as she bites up his body. She slurps out his intestines as her and her accomplice laugh and joke. The boy didn't die until she got to his chest.

I lean over and begin to vomit. My head spins I barely have time to process the window being opened fully. Ryann is at my side rubbing my back. She's nude and scared, I grab her by her thin wrist and run. I can hear the witch her words echo in my ears,  "I  just love children. They're just as sweet as candy."