After driving around aimlessly for hours, thinking about what the hooded man said, I finally ended up in my driveway.
Maybe this is all some sick prank Marcy is pulling. We always have played jokes on each other. I took out my cell phone and texted her.
Me: Plz tell me u rn’t playing a prank on me.
I waited impatiently, staring at my foggy covered house. This is just the weirdest weather. I feel bad for the people going out to get candy tonight. My phone chimed, and I flipped it open.
Marcy: Why on earth would I do that?
I stared at the text, getting a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. She would never respond to me like that. She always has those abbreviations for words that nobody understands but her. I need to try something to make sure it’s her.
Me: Do u want to go get candy wit me tonight?
Marcy: What time?
My heartbeat sped up. It’s not her. She would never go trick or treating with me. She’s allergic to chocolate, and she doesn’t eat a lot of sugar.
Me: Where is she?
Marcy: Hmmm…?
Me: Don’t play coy with me. I know you aren’t Marcy.
‘Marcy’: The weather is just terrible. Almost as if something really bad is coming. Don’t you think?
Me: Leave Marcy out of this! Be a man, and stop playing with me you jerk. I know exactly who this is. Leave me alone, I’m calling the Police!
‘Marcy’: Yeah? Who is it then? Go right ahead honey, call the police.
Shit, I have no idea what that guy’s name is! Why am I even responding to him I need to call the police! This is going to be fine, just tell them exactly what happened. I nervously dialed 911, and the phone started to ring. Just tell him how this guy is dressed like the Grim Reaper, and seems to appear everywhere I am. Also that I tend to almost die around him.
Oh my God they will never believe me. A voice answered the phone, and I quickly went to press END. At the last minute I stopped myself.
“Yes...hi. Um I’d like to report someone who’s…stalking me.”
“No problem, please give me the description of the person, and your address.”
“He wears a black robe, sometimes a leather jacket with jeans, sometimes a beanie, he’s about six foot five…. And he carries a scythe with him! He’s completely nuts and he says I’m going to die tonight. He gave me a specific time! ” I spoke quickly, starting to feel better that I called them.
“Alright, ok Faith Williams. Thank you.”
My stomach dropped, “H-how do you know my name?”
“Just make sure to be at your door at 11:03 and he should stop bothering you,” the woman’s voice assured me.
“Is this some kind of joke how do you—“
“If I were you I wouldn’t call the police I’d call the nuthouse,” the woman’s voice said cheerfully, “tell them all about your little story. I’m sure they will believe you.”
My heartbeat is pounding in my chest at this point. I pulled the phone away from me a little, “Am I dreaming?” I whispered to myself.
“You’re not dreaming, you’re having a nightmare, “the woman corrected. I noticed her voice go deeper towards the end of the sentence.
“Oh…my…Go—“
“Wrong,” a deep, velvety voice interrupted, sending chills down my spine, “Tick, Toc. Tic, Toc. Tic, Toc. Enjoy oxygen while it still welcomes you with open arms.”
They hung up, and I instantly threw the phone in the passenger seat. I pushed my black hair back, my heart racing like a drum. I hit the steering wheel, and sunk down in my seat. I pressed my hands to my forehead, willing myself to wake up. “This can’t be happening!”
This has to be a dream.
************************************************************************************************************
I opened the front door the house, instantly getting déjà vu.
“Mom?” I yelled, throwing my car keys on the kitchen table, “Dad?”
Nobody answered.
“Mo-“
My Mom walked into the kitchen with the phone to her ear.“Hey! How was the Group today?” She asked, writing something down on the calendar.
“It was…interesting. There’s something I have to—“
She put a hand up, “Yes, Hi Francine. Is everything ok?” she nodded her head, “Ok. Alright, yeah sure that’s fine! What time? My daughter would love that! Thank you.”
She clicked her cell phone close, and put it on the Kitchen table. “Did you meet anyone new? Were there any creepy drunks there?” She asked, sitting down at the table. I reluctantly sat down once she motioned to the chair happily.
“I…well I—I met one guy in particular that—“
My gaze locked on a familiar note, stuck between the garbage can and the fridge. I suddenly remember something in particular it said:
I suggest you don’t tell anyone about me…unless of course you want them dead.
For some reason, I feel like I should believe him. I can’t take that chance right? What if he’s seriously going to kill them if I tell?
“Faith?”
I looked up from my daydream, at my moms tired eyes. “Sorry…I meant to say I met this guy, who reeked of beer. I almost had to change my seat I was so uncomfortable.”
Well, I didn’t lie about the last part.
“Oh really? I’ll have to call Miss Honey and complain then I—“
“Mom its fine, don’t worry about it.”
She worries about enough.
We sat there in silence for what seemed like forever. My mom cleared her throat, “I um.. I’m going to a Halloween party tonight with your Father. At Francine Miller’s house? You know the couple with the eight month old Golden Retriever, Rover and the really cool roof? If you want to tag along you can,” she said with a smile.
I blinked a few times, “Wait…what time will we be back?” I asked quickly.
“We’ll probably get back around twelve, or twelve thirty,” she replied quickly, “depending on how crazy the party gets!” She through her arms up in a ‘Woo hoo!’ gesture, and started to laugh.
I shrugged, “What the heck, I have nothing better to do.”
My Mom frowned, “We’ll find you a job honey, I promise you. You will be going to College next year, if it’s the last thing I do. Now if you’re going to this party, I suggest getting ready! It’s at nine O’ clock, and its eight fifteen right now,” she said, getting up and brushing invisible crumbs off of her. She walked out of the room; and I hear the bedroom door close.
I took a deep breath. I guess I’m not going to be home to see him. Oh well.
An object suddenly crashed through the kitchen window, and landed on the floor.
I muffle a scream in my hand, at the sudden crash. I got out of my seat, to see a smooth white rock, with some kind of black symbol on it. I stared at it, and it levitated off the ground.
“Oh…ok?” I said, my heart literally stopping for a moment.
It started to spin, and spin. Wind started to kick up, and the walls started to shake. I grabbed onto the wall, screaming. I felt static shocks run up my body, a whispers started in my head. The rock stopped spinning, and just stopped; facing me. It dropped to the ground with a clatter, and I quickly bent to retrieve it.
“Holy crap, it’s a flying rock!” I said happily squeezing the cold object in my hand, and then I quickly frowned. “Holy crap, it’s a flying rock!” I repeated, this time a little more frightened.
I pinched myself.
There is something messed up going on.
*********************************************************************************************************
When we got to the Millers house, butterflies started in my stomach.
“We are so late Faith! Did you have to spend so much time in the bathroom,” my mom complained, opening her passenger door. My dad opened his, and they left the car.
When my mom told me to get ready, I basically sat in the bathroom trying to talk myself into doing this. What if he burns the house down when I’m not there? What if he kills Skittles? What if he kills me tomorrow? I sat in the car, and checked the time. It’s nine fifty five.
Francine and her husband are whack. Francine makes up these bizarre stories, and gets extremely tipsy at every party my parents have thrown. Robert is very quiet, and usually plays pool with my dad, and his brothers in the basement. I opened the car door, and squinted in the dark light. I can see little kids running across the street in funny costumes, yelling at each other, and eating all the candy their stomachs can take. I remember those years… Hell, what am I saying that was me last year.
The sound of a girl screaming made me jump. I turned, and ran towards the front door of the two story brown house. The sound of Halloween music, and drunken parent’s laughing fill my ears, as soon as I walk into the house. I closed the door with my foot, and followed people’s voices into a blue kitchen, where my Mom, Dad, Robert and some Francine are sitting at a counter, talking.
“Faith! Honey say hello to Francine, “she motioned me over.
“Hi,” I said nervously, putting my hands in my black sweatshirt pocket.
“Hello, look at you!You look so much older than the last time I saw you! So beautiful!” She said loudly, and obnoxiously.
Oh geez.
“Yeah, you know. Doing the whole growing thing,” I replied sarcastically, adding a laugh.
Francine erupted in laughs, and then hiccupped, “Whoops! Sorry, this full moon get’s me more tipsy than the alcohol!” She said, clutching her chest. Her attention changed to my Mom, “Did you know tonight’s a full moon? Freaky stuff happens on full moons. I’ll tell you, this morning Rover was barking out at the river, and nothing was there! It was stra—“
“Where’s the bathroom?” I interrupted Francine crazy story, and my Mom gave me a glare. Oops. “Sorry, where’s the bathroom? I really need to use it!”
“Oh it’s past the front door, right on you’re left. It’s not a closet I promise!” She joked, clutching her chest again. Everyone around her had to force a laugh.
I rolled my eyes once my back was turned, and walked down the hallway. I heard a yelp, and quickly turned around, to see cute little Rover licking his paw, “Aw! I’m sorry baby did I step on your foot?” I got down to his level, and he continued licking his paw.
I started to pet his reddish brown fur, feeling him shed already. Rover stopped licking his paw and enjoyed the moment of scratching. His big brown eyes looked up at me, and his tongue dropped to the side of his mouth in a pant. I stopped petting him, and went to stand up. The dog pounced on my chest suddenly. I fell to my back bursting into giggles. I tackled him off of me, rubbing his tummy affectionately. “Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?”
I played with him for a while, chasing him around the house. He found a tennis ball, and let me throw it against the wall a few times. He is so cute, that he would forget I threw it, and come back to me begging for the ball. Finally when he decided to curl up in a ball on the cold floor, I decided the bathroom was a great idea.
I opened the bathroom door, forgetting to knock. Luckily nobody is inside. I went to shut it, when Rover came running in wagging his tail. He sat down, and looked up at me with huge puppy eyes. “My weakness!” I shouted at him aggressively, and reached down to fluff his cute little ears.
I closed the door, and went to the bathroom, flipped through a magazine, and then finally went to the mirror. Rover started to weave in between my legs like a cat, and I laughed. My black hair is bone straight, and up in a pony tail. The bangs in the front are awkwardly messed up, so I fluffed them out a little bit. My light blue eyes look wide and scary looking. Kind of like the moon tonight. I pulled down the t-shirt under my sweatshirt, and pulled my dark jeans up slightly. I leaned in and fixed my eyelashes, and got something in my eye. I started rubbing it frantically, and then opened my eyes again blinking watery tears. I saw something dark in the corner of my eye, and the lights flickered off for a moment.
The dog started to growl loudly, and I can feel, and hear his nails scraping on the ground. My heartbeat is continuing to pound vigorously.
“Sorry guys, just a power outage!” I heard Francine’s voice yell.
The dog yelped, and push his butt against my leg.
The lights flickered on for a few seconds, and then turned off. I instantly screamed.
For that moment of light, I saw a man dressed in black, without a hood, facing away from me. He just stood there, facing the bathroom door. The lights flickered back off, then back on, and he was gone.
That's about when the massive stomach pain hit me, the doorbell rang, and the dog started to bark.