What are you Supposed to be?
By: Jordan Curran
Finally the calendar has rolled back around and it is once again the day that finalizes October! Halloween is the best day of the year! I'm not the kind of 24-year-old that is saying this because of all the late night parties that I can get drunk at and all the whores, I mean young ladies in their animal themed lingerie, or um "costumes" that I can form a meaningful life-long relationship with. No no, I love Halloween for a tradition that I've had since childhood. That tradition is haunting my yard and scaring the hell out of any kid foolish enough to enter the dense flashing fog cloud that hangs in front of my house. Yes every October 31st you will find me sitting on my porch or in my yard lying in wait for the unsuspecting victims. Well I shouldn't say you'll find me, because what you'll actually find is a gruesome abomination made up of a combination of the best mask and bloodied rags that my middle class life can afford me. Though I must say the stuff I get is not too bad, because I have a year round
savings system set up strictly for the one special day in October. Yes I can say I probably have the most fun of any 24-year-old owner of a "Crypt Keeper Deluxe" mask "with Realistic Rotting FLESH!" and my Halloween routine is the most cherished thing in my life, next to my family of course.
Now since family comes first I have even delayed my sacred routine tonight for a special family occasion, going with my mother to take my brother trick-or-treating. Yeah sounds unimportant and usually I don't tag along however this year my baby brother turned four and is now at a proper age to really start enjoying Halloween. Yes things have changed for his experience this year. He now grasps the concept that mosters are something to be feared and not something funny that can have its face ripped off with a gentle tug from his innocent hand. The little bugger laughed at me and pulled my mask off when I snuck up on him as Freddy Krueger last year. I have to take credit for this transition for I had him watch a different nightmare inducing flick everytime he stayed at my house. With my wonderful and I guess wicked work I have even implemented his worse fear as the character he once put to shame. Oh I so enjoyed my marathons featuring the nightmare generator of Elm street. I did not enjoy changing the sheets in the guest bed room though. Now along with his new found fear of things that go bump in the night, he is also at the age where he understands trick-or-treating and how it is used to obtain the substance kids at that age would trade their own parents for, sweet, sweet candy. While those two changes are important for his enjoyment of the holiday, I find this last change to be the biggest and it is that our parents let him choose his own costume this year. It brought tears of joy to my eyes when mymother told me that he chose to be a little zombie this year. Nothing too special about the costume though, just your average dirty ruber mask with painted gashes and dirty, tattered pants and shirt accompanying it to finish off the look. However it was still scarier than his previous costumes, a Ninja Turtle, a pumpkin, and a bumble bee, though that last one is up for debate. Zombies are kinda cool where as bees are just plain out unpleasant.
A knock sounded at my door.
"Oh they are finally here," I said to myself as I quickly put on my Freddy mask for the long awaited round two with my brother. I cleared my throat and swung open the door. Then in a deep threatening voice I shouted at my shaken sibling, "Looks like you fell asleep. Now your mine!" Safe enough to say he almost pee'd his pants as he screamed and darted behid my mom. I started to laugh until the shrill voice of my mother began ringing in my ears with her scolding words making me feel about two feet tall. I quickly pulled off my rubber exterior and apologized to my whimpering bro. He stopped crying but was definately still a bit uneasy, well that was until we set off for the candy heist which began with his plunge into my cauldron brimming with chocolate bars.
We left my house and he then lead us up and down the neighborhood streets to houses covered in glowing bulbs of orange and purple at each he held out a pillowcase with his name, Jamie, written across it in permanent marker and shouted the magic words, "Trick or treat!" Then the adults in their generic, child friendly costumes would proceed to give him a tiny piece of hard candy or some taffy and he'd thank them, but walk off with an inquisitive look on his face, which was now out in the open after complaints that his mask was too hot. I knew right away what was wrong.
"If you want the big chocolate bars like your generous older brother gave you," I began, "then you will have to start going to the scary houses like mine." I could tell he was interested in my proposal, but I had also heard our mother say that this was the last street for the night and there wasn't any ghouls or graveyards in sight. I was starting to think I was the only fun person in the neighborhood. My brother then started to throw a fit to my mom.
"Scary house! Scary house!" he cried, "I want to go to the scary house to get the good candy like Alex gave me!" My mother then shot me a cold stare.
"Alex look what you've caused!" my mother scolded.
"Oh just take him to a scary house," I replied. "I know you said this is the last street for the night, but what if I can find a scarier house around the block, could you take him to it, would a few more yards kill you?" My mother didn't look too happy about it, but she agreed. "Okay I'll go look while you guys continue up this street, and if I find a good house I'll come back and get you two," I assured. With that I was off in search of horror.
I quickly walked to the end of the street, through the crowd of people and rushed around the corner. As soon as I had turned onto the next street I could hear screams and I saw children running out of graveyard set up in front of one of the row homes. Thats perfect, I thought. I began walking closer to get a better look at this terrifying house. As I was walking, I noticed what appeared to be a very young child in what looked like some kind of stuffed animal costume. It was a three-foot-tall grey ball on two small, very pale feet. What struck me as odd was that there were no adults anywhere near him. I was concerned as I thought what if this had been my little brother alone like this, so I approached him and tapped him on the shoulder. The fur on his costume felt extremely realistic. He turned around and I gasped and almost jumpped out of my skin as I was greeted with two beady, black as coal eyes and a very large, viscious smile filled with large, pointed teeth, covered in red stains. It was so unsettling
because my most feared creatures are those that are small and furry with big teeth, probably due to watching critters at a very young age, I don't know though, either way this fit the bill to a T. During my panic attack I remembered that there was still a lost kid under that hideous costume so I pulled myself together as to not worry him more.
"Thats a great costume," I said, "It truly gave me a scare." It was a really good costume, but with how well made it felt I was surprised to see that the face on it was static. I expected the lips or something to move like on the really expensive masks you can find online, but It's visage remained in that same terrifying, toothy grin. "It takes a lot to scare me, but your appearance really did the trick," I said in a friendly tone, still a little uneasy though. The kid was not responding to me, probably a little scared himself. I went on talking to him to try to get some information. "Where are your parents?" I questioned. "I would like to help you get back to them." Still no response. "I get it," I started, "your parents taught you well. You shouldn't talk to strangers. However I just want to help you. Listen I'm gonna go get my mother and little brother so that they can help too. Just stay right here while I'm gone." Again no response, he just stood there staring at me through those beady eye-holes on his
costume. I wondered how he could even see through those with how small and spaced out they were. I looked away from him for a second and glanced back up at the "scary house" that would have to wait for me and my family until I was done fulfilling my one good deed for the year. I looked back down at the kid again in order to give him one more reassuring glance before I left, but to my surprise he was no where to be seen. He must have found his parents I guess. Oh well now I could return to my mom and brother as they must have been finished with that boring street by now. It was time to give Jamie the good news.
I walked back around the corner and saw my mother and Jamie wlking out of the last house on the street, my little brother looked extremely eager to here from me about a "scary house" for him to get good candy from. I did not dissapoint.
"There is a truly horriffying house around the corner, just as I hoped for," I said.
"Hear that Jamie? Alex found a 'scary house' for you," my mother said in a gentle, high pitch. Jamie flashed me a huge grin.
"Now you better be prepared though," I warned. "It looked pretty rough over there. A lot of kids couldn't handle it."
"I'll be fine!" Jamie assured me courageously.
"Okay, let's get going then, I want to be home at a decent hour." My mother stated impatiently. With that we all started around the block. I didn't really think I had any need to mention the kid to them, as far as I know he was with his parents now. He really had a cool costume though, wish I knew what it was supposed to be.
We all finally made it to the gate leading into the grave yard in front of the "scary house" and my brother was not to quick to proceed. Though he finally worked up enough courage to push him a few steps into the yard. That was all it took too. Those few steps sent him right through a motion sensor and before he knew it a gruesome zombie prop lunged from behind one of the styrofoam tombstones, and right for him. Poor little lad never stood a chance. A zombie going after a zombie, doesn't seem right. Maybe Jamie should have kept his mask on. When that prop lunged, Jamie lost it. However even though he was balling his eyes out, I had to give him props, because he remained hell bent on getting that candy bar. He buried his teary face right into our mother's hip, held on tight, then started trucking forward. Remarkable, I thought. As I was thinking about Jamie and his devotion, I couldn't help but notice something familiar sitting in this persons yard next to one of the tombstones. It was the kid from before, I
mean obviously not the kid, but a prop that was an exact replica of his costume. Except now those beady eyes had a slightly more piercing stare and the toothy smile looked a bit more deranged. It was enough to shake me up a bit. However this was a good thing. It meant this guy would have information on what that thing is and I could possibly find out where to get that prop. I rushed up the stairs of the porch and arrived just in time to see an undertaker handing my brother a well earned king-sized hershey bar. I told mom to wait up for me and that I'll be right with her. So she took Jamie and waited outside of the yard.
"Great setup," I said to the man in the undertaker costume, "you have really great props."
"Thank you," the man replied, "I make most of these props myself." Wow maybe this guy came up with the design for the boys costume, I thought, that would most likely make him the boys father. I had to ask him about it.
"There is one prop that I particularly liked, and that I would like to know more about," I told him.
"Which prop would that be?" He inquired.
"Well it is the little, round, furry demon prop sitting next to one of the tombstones," I continued, "The hideous one with the horrifying, toothy grin." He had a puzzled look on his face.
"I don't remember having a prop like that. Um why don't you show me the one your talking about?"
"Okay," I replied, "but it seems like it would be a hard one to forget." I lead him off the porch and pointed to where I saw the prop.
"It's right there next to the...," I started, looking up in shock to find that the prop ... the kid was no longer there. "I'm sorry sir, I could have sworn it was right over there next to the tomb stone," I staid dumbfounded.
"Thats alright," He assured, "I've got the fog so thick in here, you must have just been seeing things." That must be it, well that or it was the kid from before standing in his yard, still on his own. I'm gonna hope I was just seeing things.
I left the yard and regrouped with my mother and Jamie, who was now fast asleep in my mother's arms.
"Do you need help getting him back to your house?" I asked my mother.
"No I should be fine," mom replied, "We walked far enough from your place and now my house is right up the street."
"Wow we did cover a bit of ground today, didn't we?" I asked in astonishment.
"Yes we did. Do you just want to come home with us for the night?" Mom asked.
"I would, but it's only 8:45, I have a whole hour of scaring before my night's over," I remarked.
"Okay, but be safe on your walk home, it's dark. Also call me when you get in. Remember that I worry."
"Okay, I'll be sure to do so."
I walked home past all the bright orange and purple lights my brother lead us through on his candy rush, and I made it back at 9:05. Better call mom now. I pulled out my phone and speed dialed my mother. It started ringing. It kept ringing until I finally heard my mothers voice on the line.
"I'm sorry I missed your call, but leave me a voicemail and I will try to get back to you ASAP," I heard her pre-recorded message state.
"Thats odd, mom almost always answers her phone, especially when she's expecting the call," I say to myself. I end the call. I'll call her back and if she doesn't answer this time then I'll just leave a message. I called back and the same thing happened. It kept ringing, her message played, and then the operator came on with my options. Beep.
"Hey mom I made it back safely, uhh you aren't answering my calls, so I hope everything is alright over there. Umm I guess I'll probably see you tomorrow. Bye. Oh uh love you. Okay, bye." Well now I can go do some scaring. I changed out my Freddy apparel for my new crypt keeper costume and I checked out how much candy was left in the dish. "Wow, still a handful of candy bars," I say amazed, "Good to see my props are doing their job and keeping the kids at bay. To think if I were just home earlier, I could have ended up with all my candy left. Would be nice if I could get an actual scare still tonight." That doesn't seem very likely though because I looked up and down my street and there were no kids to be seen. I remember a time when all of my friends and I would stay out until midnight trick-or-treating and nothing would happen to us. Now however kids can't even stay out until 9:30. What is the world coming to? I stopped my inner rant when I caught someone finally approaching my yard. Maybe there is hope for society after all. Or not. It was the kid from before and he was standing right at the end of my path. However he looked even more grotesque now. His grin, I swear it had gotten larger again and his teeth were much redder, in fact they were dripping red. It was all over his fur now too, giant patches soaked in some kind of dark red substance ... blood. It couldn't be real blood though. I mean its Halloween he must have gotten ahold of some fake blood somewhere to try to improve his look. He's so young though, I know I wasn't wearing something that haunting when I was that age. It was just so menacing and worst of all he was looking right at me. All the other children that came in my yard never seen me sitting on the ground through the fog and strobes, and even if they did they just assumed I was one of the various dummies that I had strewn around the grass. So why was he staring right at me? Could he really see me in here? Did he remember who I... No thats impossible, I wasn't even wearing the same costume
when I saw him last. But then why was he standing there with those beady eyes casting a souless stare right at me. Maybe he still needed help and mine was the only house still setup and I guess he was just smarter than all the other kids that have visited my yard in the previous years, or my disguise wasn't as good. I think he was too scared to actually walk in my yard though so I was going to have to get up and walk over to him. I got off the ground, pulled off my mask and started walking towards him, his glare stayed fixed on me through the whole process. I got over to him and went down for a reassuring pat on his head. As I was really close to him something odd happened. I started to feel a warm air on the hand that I had at my side. It was almost as if his costume was ... breathing. A bit unsettling, but I kept reaching down. Then I saw something terrifying. As I was reaching towards him I saw that large hideous smile slowly opening. This startled me and I hesitated with my hand directly in front of his
head. As the mouth was opening, to my horror I noticed another row of teeth start showing behind the first set. This costume was more realistic then I had thought. His mouth stopped opening. I started to pull my hand back. Snap! The mouth closed like a triggered bear trap right on a piece tof the cloak around my arm. He pulled back taking a chunk of it with him. I jumped back in terror.
"Jesus kid what the hell kind of costume is that!" I exclaimed in a panic. "And why did you try to snap down on my hand?" He just stared at me grinning. He then started backing away and turned and ran off. He ran at an almost inhuman speed, taking off down the road at about twenty miles per hour. Most of the worlds olympic runners couldn't do that let alone a child. Trying to piece together what just happened I told myself that I'd had enough tonight. I shut everything off and went in my house.
I was really tired from the walk so I really didn't feel up to watching the monster movies that I usually topped off my normal Halloweens with. I guess this wasn't a normal Halloween anyway. I climbed my stair case and went down the hall to my room. I stripped off my rags into my hamper and put on my sleep attire. Then I climbed into my twin-sized, the springs making an obnoxious poping as I applied pressure. I needed a new bed, though still that nice, soft, pillow top comfort was exactly what I needed after a night like mine.
"Did I lock the door?" I asked myself. I guess it doesn't really matter. I live in a rather nice neighborhood. I layed their for about five minutes before I drifted off to sleep.
I didn't sleep long. I was thrown from my slumber by the sound of something thudding down my stairs. When I woke I wasn't able to see anything as some kind of fabric was covering my face. It wasn't my blanket as I had left that in the laundry room after having to clean it the other day when I spilled soda in my bed. I don't know what this fabric was. Whatever the material, it was drenched in something and it had a slight smell of iron . I pulled it off my face and flipped on my lamp. I was stricken with terror at the sight of what had been covering my eyes. There in my hands was a pillowcase with the name Jamie written across it in permanent marker, saturated with dark red liquid. I threw it on the floor in front of my bed. Thoughts of what could have happened to my little brother and what could have thudded down my steps flooded my mind. Against my best judgement I left the imaginary safety of my room to go check the bottom of my stairs. I slowly moved down the hall to the top of my stairs. I built up the
courage to cast a glance down the steps to the floor. A stream of vomit spewed from my mouth as I looked in shock at a sight far worse then I could have Imagined. At the bottom of the steps were two sets of eyes staring up at me, belonging to the bloodied severed heads of my mother and my little baby brother. I let out an ear piercing scream as tears built up in my eyes. I ran to my room in order to call the police. I rushed right to the phone, though blinded by fear I ended up tripping over something in the room and fell hard straight to my birchwood floor. I looked back and seen that what I had tripped over was my brother's pillow case, only now it was standing three feet tall. I was terrified by the sight as it started inching its way toward me. It stopped right in front of me. I had to know what was under that blood stained sack. I reached out my hand and clenched in it the lower case "m". I then pulled back revealing, to my horror, pale feet, a round furry body, a menacing grin, and two beady eyes. The
monster hopped up on my lap staring into my eyes. I was in such shock that I could barely breath, but I once again felt its steaming breath on my skin. Its upper row of teeth started to seperate from the lower set revealing the rows behind them. As the mouth opened wider I saw that there weren't just two rows of teeth as I saw before. I started counting in my head one, two, three, four, five... it seemed like they kept going. Rows upon rows of teeth equally as intimidating as the front set. I watched in awe as the mouth stretched wider than the monsters body and I just sat frozen in shock. I thought about how it almost taking my hand off earlier with those terrifying rows. It began positioning its gaping mouth around my head. Thats when I heard sound coming from its throat. Its jaw remained hinged open but it was able to form words. I sat frozen by fear and listened to what it would say.
"Get up Alex."
"Oof!" I exclaimed after my little brother jumped on my stomach waking me up instantly. It was all a dream? The whole night?
"Yay your awake!" He shouted with a big smile on his face. "Mommy just dropped me off, so I could stay with you while she goes to work. Can you put on a movie?"
"Uh sure buddy," I started, half asleep still, "I'll be down in a bit to put on Freddy for you."
"Ahh! Not Freddy!" He hopped off my bed and ran out of my room.
"Hey be careful not to fall!" I yelled as he made his way to the stairs. So if that was a dream how far away is Halloween still? I grabbed my phone off my night stand and checked the date. I was shocked when it read November 1, 2012. How much of that was actually a dream? I looked over to my hamper and saw my costume laying right on top. I jumped out of bed and quickly moved to check it out. I pulled out my ragged black cloak and was horrified to find that a large chunk in the shape of a bite was missing from the arm. I stood there terrorized as I heard from behaind me the sound of pressure on my bed springs. I turned around and fell back to the wall in shock. There standing in the middle of my bed, glaring at me, was a three-foot-tall ball of grey fur with two beady eyes and a large, grotesque, toothy grin.
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