SarahLockhart 11/1/2013 TheLastHalloween Screeech! Mycaralmostswervesofftheroad.Itsraininglightlyanditsdark,soIrationthatImusthave slippedinapuddleIdidntseeasIstraightenoutthecar. Jeeze,Charlie,youtryintogetuskilled?Justbecauseyougotyourlicenselastmonthdoesntmake youagooddriver,myyoungerbrotherJoshwhines. Aw,cmonJoshie,youknowIwouldntletyagethurt,Irespond,grinning.Hehatesbeingcalled Joshie,soIuseiteveryopportunityIget.Wepulluptoouroldbrickhouseandhurrytotheporchto unlockthefrontdoorandgetoutofthecold,hearingsirenspassacouplestreetsaway.Ourparentsare attheircoworkersHalloweenparty,soitsjustthetwoofustonight.InormallytakeJoshtrickor treating,butthisyearhedecidedtwelveistoooldforitandwantstowatchamoviewithme. Yousurethismoviewillbegood?Itlookslame,Joshsays,examiningthemovieIpickedoutatthe Redbox.

OfcourseImsure,IveseenSharknadotwice,Irespond,kickingmywetconverseoffandtaking offmydadsoldgreenjacketintheentryway.NowgogetthepopcornreadyandIllgettheDVDset up. HetakeshisshoesoffandheadstothekitchenandIhearcupboardsopeningandclosingwhile IturnontheTVandpopinthedisk.Dingdong.Iforgottoturntheporchlightsofftokeepthetrickor treatersaway,soIgrabahandfulofcandiesfromthecoffeetablesincewedidntbuyany.Iopenthe doorandputsomecandyintheopenpillowcasesofaredPowerRanger,Cinderella,andapinkfairy. Wanttoplay?theysayinunison,thepinkfairygigglingandblondecurlsbouncing. TThatsalright,Imutter,takenoffguardbytheiroddrequest. Iclosetheheavywooddoorandflickofftheswitchtotheporchlight.OddthattheyrealoneIthink asIheadbacktothelivingroom.Ipausethemovieassoonasitstartsandsitonthecouch,waitingfor Josh.Hecomesinasecondlaterwithabowloverflowingwithpopcorn,shaggybrownhairfallingover hishazeleyeswhicharenowfilledwithexcitement.HesholdingapackageofOreosinhismouthand carefullyhitsplaybeforesittingdown,onlyspillingafewkernelsonthesoftbrowncarpet. ______ Thisisthelamestmovieever,theresnowayyoucancutasharkinhalfwithachainsawlike that!Joshcriticizes,thoughobviouslyentertainedbytherathercreativemethodsofkillingsharks.Just asIopenmymouthtoreply,thedoorbellrings.Charliiieee,Joshwhines,yougetit. Alright,IsighasIgrabanotherhandfulofcandyfromthecoffeetable,butnowtheglassbowlis almostempty.Webetternotgetanymoretrickortreaters,otherwiseIllhavetogivethemramen orsomething.Iopenthedoor,butnoonesthere.Iflickontheporchlight,butouryardisstillempty.

Thewholeneighborhoodiseerilyempty,onlyafewlightsareonandtheraincloudsblockoutthe moon.Weird,Isightomyselfandgobackinside.JoshisdevouringtheOreos,eyesgluedtothe screen.Iputthecandybackinthebowlandsitdownonthesoftleathercouch.Iglanceattheclock undertheTVthatdisplays11:38indimlyglowinggreynumbers. _________ Themoviecomestoanend,witheveryonecoveredinblood.Itsalmostmidnight,youwanna watchanothermovie?Momanddadwontbehomeforafewmorehours.Iaskhim. Alright,butletswatchascaryonenow!Hesays,hypeduponalltheOreosheate. Ok,Isay,standingupandgoingtothedrawerfullofoldmovies.WehaveFridaythe13th, NightmareonElmStreet,andTheUninvited. TheUninvited!heexclaims,soIpulloutthediskandpopitintheDVDplayer.Ibetchawillget scaredofthisoneagain! Cmon,Idontgetscaredthateasilyanymore,Irespond,eventhoughIdo. Suuure,Joshsaysteasingly. Whatever,Imgonnagrabablanket,IsayastheTVboomsComingsoontoownonDVD... Iheadupstairstograbmyfavoriteblanketoffmybed.Icarefullywalkintomyunlitroom,trying mybesttogetaroundthemazeoflaundryandpapersIcantseeonthefloor.IgrabtheblanketandI hearafaintlaughandthewordsplay,Charlie.ItdoesntsoundlikeJoshthough,orlikeitseven comingfromdownstairs.Iusemyfingerstoopenaspotandlookbetweenthedustywoodblinds.Ican barelymakeanythingoutbecauseitssodarkout.IjumpbackalittleasIseeabushsuddenlymovein thefrontyard.ItakeabreathandthinkItsjustMissCallawaysoldtabbychasingasquirrelor something...thoughIdontreallybelieveit. Iheadbackdownstairs,tryingtoforgetaboutthelaughandthevoice.Joshiscurledunderan oldredfleeceblanket,clutchingthenearemptybowlofpopcorn,bracingforthemoviethathasnteven started.Isitnexttohimwithmybluecomforteraroundmyshoulders.Justasthemoviestarts,Ihear dingdong.Isigh,getuptoopenthedoor,surethatitssomekidsplayingdingdongditch,sinceits toolatefortrickortreatersandthatwouldexplainthelaughingIheardjustmomentsago. Iopenthedoor,whichfeelsoddlyheavierthanusual,andseethebushesaroundtheedgesof ouryard,shakingonebyone,goingfromclosetoourhousetotheedge.Ihearlaughterfromthe bushes,sosugarsweetitsalmostsinister.Heykids!Getoutofhere!Iyellatthem.Theyrespondin morelaughterandfaintechoesofplaywithus,play,CharlieandIcanhearthepitterpatteroftheir feetondampcement,butIdontseethem.Icanfeelmystomachdropandacoldshiverrunsdownmy spine.Icloseandlockthedoorwithshakinghands.IsitbackdownwithJosh,butIdonttellhim anything.Itrytorationalizewhathappened,halfholdingmyheadandhalfrunningmyfingersthroughmy dirtyblondehair.Itsfairlydarkout,somaybeIjustdidntseethemrunningaway.Butitsnotthat

darkout... _______ Islowlyopenmyeyes,stretch,andglanceattheclock.12:24.Joshisasleepnexttome,andI mustvedozedoff.Themovieisstillplaying,andtheresagirlbackingawayintoacornerwhile screaming.Ivealreadyseenthismoviethreetimes,soIknowexactlywhereitisintheplot.Istretch againandshiftmyposition.Igrabacandyoffthecoffeetableandpopitinmymouth.Itsoneofthose sourcandies,soIspititbackintothewrapper.MyfaceispuckeredandIhearmorelaughter.It soundslikeitscomingfromthewindow.Igetuptoseewhatsoutthere,blanketwrappedaroundme indefense.IinchslowlytowardsthewindownextthetheTV.Iquicklyopentheblinds,hopingtosee whatstherebeforeitdisappears.Icatchaglimpseofred,abluedress,andpinkwings,allseparate figures.Theyregoneinaninstant,butIstillhearthelaughing.Heartracingandhandstrembling,Isit downonthecouch,unsureofwhattodo.Ihearthedoorbellring,andacursewordflashesthroughmy mind. Istandup,unsureifIshouldansweritornot.Dingdong...dingdong...dingdong.Idecideto answerit,andholdmybreathasIopenthedoor.Theresthreechildrenstandingontheporchalone. OneisaredPowerRanger,anotherisCinderella,andthelastisapinkfairy.Theyrestandingthere laughing,bloodanddirtallovertheircostumes.Holy...myGod...youkidsalright?Comeinside,call yourparents!OhmyGod..Igasp.Theyentersinglefile,stilllaughing.Imbeyondfreakedout,but thesekidsneedsomehelp.Ipickupthephonetocallthepolice.Ipunchinthenumberswithshaky hands,thekidsstandinthelivingroom,Joshstillasleep.Thelineisdead,theresonlystaticontheother end. Iopenmymouthtotellthekids,buttheyreeyesaregluedtotheTV.Therewasonlystaticon thescreen,blackandwhitefuzz.Suddenlyitchangestodifferentchannels.Football,TheSimpsons, somesortofQVCadvertisement,YoGabbaGabba,andthenthenews.Ablondewomanwithheavy makeuparoundherblueeyesandoverlydefinedcheekbonesisstaringbackatus,abouttotellusa newstory.Theresacheesygraphicbehindherofacarandpolicesirensandcautiontape.Earlier tonight,ayoungmanbythenameofCharlieBlanchardandhisyoungerbrother,Josh,diedinatragic caraccident.Itappearshiscarslidofftheroadandhitthreeyoungchildren,whounfortunatelypassed aswell.TheirnameswereJonahGold,EmiliaRivers,andAnnaStevens...Icantbelievethewords comingoutofherartificiallyplumplips.Theresnowaythathappened,JoshandIarerighthere. But..III....no,no,no,theresgottobeamistake..Istammer. Thechildrengigglesweetly,thenthepinkfairysays,ComeplaywithEmmi,Jonah,andme! No..no..no!Isaybackingaway.TheresnowayIkilledlittleJoshie,thesekids,andmyself.Imean, whataboutthatwholewhitetunnelthing?Isntthatwhathappenswhenyoudie? No!No!Itcant..itcant...Isaythoughmytighteningthroat,tearswellingupinmyeyes.Icouldnt

have,Icouldnthave! ItsokCharlie,letsgoplay!thelittlesmilingCinderella,whoIassumetobeEmilia,saystome. No!Icry,tearsstreaming.Joshie,wakeup! Istormovertowardshimtoshakehimawake,butwhenIgetthere,theresabloodygashon hisforehead.Josh!Joshie!Wakeup!Iyellathim,mythroatbecomingrawfromcryingandyelling. Hishazeleyesflickeropen,andhegetsupcalmly,oblivioustothegashonhishead.Thechildrenlaugh andhewalksovertowardsthem. CmonCharlie,letsplaywiththem,hesaystomebrightlybutgenuinely. Butbut,JJoshie..Istammer,unabletoacceptwhatshappening.Iglanceatthesmallmirroronthe wallinfrontofme.Theresbloodtricklingfrommyforehead,mylipissplit,andIhaveahugegash acrossmyleftbicep.Islowlyreachupandgingerlytouchmyforehead.Ilookatmyfingertips,which arenowcoveredinblood. Islowlyfalltothefloorsobbing,unabletobelievethisisreal.Myclothesarebloodyanddirty likethechildrens.Icurluponmyknees,armsbentandhandsholdingmydamphair.Icantstop sayingImsosorry,Imsosorry.IstaylikethisforseveralminutesandIslowlystopcryingandmy breathingsteadies.CmonCharlie,youreadytogoplaynow?Joshasksme. Yeah...yeah,letsgo,Isayslowly,knowingImunabletoavoidmyfate.Hangononesecond.I sayandheadtothekitchen.Igrabapieceofpaperfromthecounterandapenfromthejarbythe phone.DearMomandDad,Ijotdowninshakybluecapitalletters,Ijustwantedtoletyouknow thatyouvegivenmeandJoshieabetterlifethanweevercouldhaveaskedfor.Iloveyouand Illmissyousomuch.Charlie. Iwalkbacktothelivingroom.Alright...letsplay,Isaywithaslightsmile,pullingonmy dadsoldgreenjacketandmywetsneakers.Theylaughandsmileinreturnandwalkoutthedoor,Josh andIfollowingthem.Theyleadusdownthestreetandintothegreyfog,laughinginnocently.