That preacher really got to me somehow. Those last words, “Halloween is always such a sinister time of the year. I think this one will be worth remembering.” I didn’t have a clue as if what he meant, but I had a feeling something weird was going to happen.

Every day the words of the preacher echoed through my head. During work, pumping gas, watching TV, eating dinner, and even while taking a shower. I let him get to me. I kept trying to analyze to what he meant, or what it would mean in the future. Maybe I was just being paranoid. All I knew was Halloween was in a week, and I wanted to know what was going to happen before it did.

*****

It was a pretty typical Halloween morning for me, I got up drank some coffee, took a shower, went to get candy and little trinket toys, and went back home to put on a costume and set up. I was going to be a vampire this year. Every year my house had a theme. Last year it was a pumpkin patch, I gave out mini pumpkins, and I dressed as a pumpkin. This year my house was a coffin. I was going to give out fake vampire teeth with toothbrushes and assorted candies.

As I was setting up the coffin, my porch, I was beginning to think maybe nothing strange or different what happen. Maybe before, I was just freaked out by the preacher. I was lining the inside of my coffin porch with some purple velvet material, when my neighbor, Ms. Barran came over to me. She was attractive but, I always thought Ms. Barran was in love with me.

“Hello Fredrick,” she said waving her hands, “Your house is looking very nice. I suppose it is a coffin? Well, are you going to be a vampire? What goodies are you giving out this year, Fredrick?”

“Hello Ms. Barran. Yes, it’s a coffin, and I am going to be a vampire. Vampire teeth, toothbrushes, and candy are what those little ghosts, ghouls, and goblins are getting from me.” I replied.

“Oh, Fredrick, I told you to call me Janet!” she said while twisting her pearl necklace around her neck, than playing with her hair.

“Janet, I thought I told you to call me Fred.”

“Well than Fred, would you like to join me for an early supper?”

“I would love to, but I have to finish up with the coffin.”

“Well, let me help you then, I don’t want you skipping supper, or eating alone. It is a holiday.”

“Fine then, you could help me, I am getting a little hungry anyway.”

“Good. We are having ham, sweet potatoes, carrot salad, cherry-pineapple soil, and pumpkin pie alamode.”

Janet helped me with the decorations and then we walked to her house. She had everything set up like a romantic dinner date. As usual her carrot salad was delicious. Actually everything tasted good, especially the pumpkin pie alamode. After dinner, she insisted that she come over to help me hand out candy.

“Oh, you shouldn’t be alone, and neither should I. You’re a widower and I am a lonesome miss. Come on Fredrick, please let me company you. I mean Fred.” She pleaded, reminding me of the preacher’s words.

“OK. But, not right now. I have to run to the store, than you may come. Alright?” I said, giving in.

“Alright, Fredrick. I suppose that is better, that way I can change into costume. Well, please hurry, Fred.”

I really wasn’t going to the store; I was going to Mary, Sarah, and Rebecca’s graves. When I was at the cemetery, the guard casually waved to me. He saw me every Halloween at 6:15 sharp.

While I was walking to the graves I found a note in my pocket. That is when it hit me. The preacher’s words, I knew what they meant. The preacher was George Smith, my wife’s ex-husband. He thought he fooled me, with his black clothes and change of hair color and glasses, well he was wrong. Then I thought about Halloween 5 years ago, at 6:15.

Mary was taking the Sarah and Rebecca trick-or-treating by her brother’s house. I stayed home for the local trick-or-treaters. Sarah was Cinderella, Rebecca was evil step-sister, and Mary was the evil step-mother. They were all driving together, and they stopped at a gas station. A man forced Mary into the car, and got her keys. The kids were screaming and Mary was crying. He raped my two children and killed them both in front of my wife. Then he raped Mary, drove around and robbed a house, raped Mary again, then killed her. When the cops found the car there was a note, which said: