Nightmare Encounter

October 31st

I run and run, but I can’t seem to lose him.

If I go left, he goes left. If I go right, he goes right. He is always just at arms' reach but never actually reaching.

I try to turn and get a good look at him, but the mood isn’t shining too brightly tonight, plus, his hood doesn’t work in my favor either.

“Stop running Gina, it’s pointless.” His voice sends shivers down my spine. A voice that deep–that hollow, can not belong to anything good. With that knowledge, I run faster.

Suddenly, I’m no longer wearing my pj’s but a long flowy dress–too heavy to run in. And as if proving a point of how pointless it is to run from him, I trip on my own feet and eat the ground with a groan, my face hits the cold hard dirt.

I try not to cry out as I feel something warm run down my nose and onto my lips–blood. I force myself to turn onto my back, wanting to see him coming; knowing he will.

Sure enough, a shadow hovers over me and all I can do is stare, swallowing my terror down because I am not giving this asshole my screams.

“What do you want?” s**t, my voice shakes and I swear I see a shadow of a smile or maybe a smirk. I don’t know, but this asshole is enjoying this.

“I want you. I’m coming.” I gasp for breath, my hand holding onto the skin just outside my heart. I bet if I had my Apple Watch on, I’d get an alert to seek medical help immediately.

What the hell was that? Making my way into the bathroom, I splash my face with cold water in an attempt to clear my head, perhaps even try to forget that voice.

Pink colors the white sink, and with a hesitant gaze I bring my eyes to the mirror.

Horror overtakes me once more as I see the smeared watered down blood on my nose and mouth area. “How–” I mutter to myself.

I try and fail to come up with an explanation as to why there’s blood on me. But worse, why is there blood in the same place as I know there was in my nightmare.

I made sure I kept myself busy for most of the day. Baking and packaging cookies for trick-or-treaters, adding store bought candies to the bowl, making sure all the lights and decor are working and ready for tonight.

Now that it’s getting closer to sunset, and I’ve done everything that needed to be done, I figured it's as good as any other time to get into my costume for this year.

Something about small town Halloween festivities; everyone's a little slutty and I am not the exception with my lacy Wednesday Addams costume that reaches just above my knees, and accentuates my boobs in an amazing way. Oh and the corset does wonders defending my waist.

If I don’t bring home an easy f**k later… With my hair up in a messy bun, my lips black and my eyeliner ready to cut heads.

I make my way downstairs just as the first knock on the door comes through. Three little girls, all dressed as modern day princesses greet me happily. I give each a handful of candy and wait for the next bunch.

There’s such a fulfilling feeling about making kids happy with something as small as answering the door and giving them candy. So far, there have been about thirty kids who have come by, each have come happy and even happier.

It’s sad that there isn't enough time in the evening for the kids to continue their trick-or treat. I give the rest of the candies to what I know is the last bunch of kids to come knock on my door due to the sun already setting.

Once the sun hides, and the moon shines; it’s adult time. And Mikey’s Pub is the best place to be, especially on Halloween. We do our own hunting.

A hand stops me from closing the door. With a smile, I meet the older woman’s gaze before I focus on the little boy clinging to her leg. Her eyes seem distant, almost hollow, and she doesn’t quite meet my gaze as she hands me a small bag. “For you, dear. A little Halloween treat from the neighbors.”

“Thank you,” I say, forcing a smile. It’s not unusual to receive treats from neighbors, but I’ve never seen this woman before.

The little boy stares up at me with wide, unblinking eyes, his silence unnerving. I kneel down to his level, offering him my last cookie. “And what are you dressed as?”

He doesn’t respond. Just keeps staring at me with those big, dark eyes. The woman nudges him gently, and he finally takes the cookie with a quick, jerky motion, as if he’s been given orders rather than accepted a treat.

They turn and walk away before I can say anything more, leaving me standing there with a sinking feeling in my gut. Shaking off the odd encounter, I close the door and head back to the kitchen, setting the bag on the counter.

Curiosity tugs at me, and I open it, finding a small bottle of red wine and a note inside. The note is written in a neat, flowing script: "For when the night grows long and the shadows stretch thin. Remember, Gina, I’m here."

I stutter when my phone rings, placing the note on the counter, I answer Amy. “Hey–”

“Where are you?” Amy screams into the phone, the background music nearly as loud as her.

“I’m home, but on my way.” I tell her, looking around for my keys.

“Hurry up, it’s about to start. I don’t want you to miss it.” She says before hanging up the phone. With an eye roll, I walk to my car, ignoring the hair on the back of my neck reacting to something.