Another
Halloween. Jen and Jessie loved it because I closed the office at lunch. There
was something about this particular Halloween that didn’t sit right with me.
The sun didn’t shine as bright, the air held an otherworldly chill that cut to my
bones, and I didn’t want to be anywhere other than home, secure behind the
consecration.
Even then I
didn’t take any chances, not tonight. I had weapons ready and holy water
aplenty ready to go at a moment’s notice. I didn’t even want to take a chance
with the door tonight. I had a giant popcorn bucket full of candy with a sign
to leave some for other trick-or-treaters.
I wanted to
call it an early night after watching my fill of Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale,
and Tale Spin, but I was still too nervous. My doorbell rang, and I ignored it.
It rang again. I checked the time. Ten o’clock.
Too late for kids. It might be
teenagers wanting to cause trouble, but why wouldn’t they just TP or vandalize
the place?
The bell
rang again. I got up. Before opening the door I made sure the shotgun was in
easy reach. On opening it my irritated response never left my lips.
It was
Nikki. Dressed as Elvira, including the wig. Actually, Nikki’s outfit made Elvira’s
look decent. I didn’t think it was physically possible for her to legally show
any more cleavage in public, and the deep V of the gown went past her navel.
The slits for her legs went all the way up to her waist, and she proudly
displayed a fishnet covered leg in my direction.
“Precisely
the reaction I hoped to provoke,” she laughed.
Her voice
sang straight into my soul, her power even making it through the consecration.
Halloween had that effect, empowering the supernatural with the latent belief
people had.
“Now, shall
we go to the theater to mock horror films or go dancing. The way her face lit
up told me which she wanted to do, and I had to admit the idea of twirling her
around while she wore that dress made parts of me very enthusiastic.
“Neither,” I
said firmly, more for myself than for her.
“Oh, are you afraid I might have my
way with you,” she licked her lips.
I got lost in those lips, the dark
red lipstick hypnotizing me for a moment, but then I recovered. “It’s crazy out
there, tonight. Dangerous.”
“Matthew,
do you think your home and the consecration can provide you with more
protection this night than I can?”
It didn’t
take me long to do the math. “That is a low blow,” I said. “It’s no fair using
logic like that on a guy.”
I grabbed
my coat and hat and walked out. She took my arm, hurriedly pulling me to her
car.
“So,
dancing?” I said.
“Absolutely.”