Little Scarecrow

4247 Maplewood Dr.

Sunday, October 24, 1995

6:15 PM

A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT.

Startled, Lee glanced up from his report. The scream hadn’t pierced the night after all—it had come from the television screen. An old black and white movie was playing—a woman being chased through the woods by Dracula. They showed movies like this during this time of the year. He glanced at his six- year old daughter, who knelt by the coffee table, head down, immersed in her homework. Jenna didn’t seem to be paying attention. Still, Lee still didn’t want to take a chance; after all, it was only a year ago that she couldn’t sleep at night for fear of monsters hiding under her bed.

“Munchkin, do you mind if I turn this off?” he asked her.

“I don’t mind,” came the reply. Jenna didn’t even look up from her paper. Lee grabbed the remote, turning the set off and throwing the room into silence. He glanced back down at the report, taking a sip of his now-lukewarm coffee. The numbers blurred and ran together—he rubbed at the center of his forehead. Hopefully Amanda would be home soon. Then they could go over the report together when Jenna was asleep—and afterwards, if he played his cards right, maybe they could go over some other things as well. He smiled at the thought.

“Daddy, can I be the Scarecrow?”

The scream on the television had been nothing compared to this. Luckily Lee managed to put his coffee cup down beside him before the contents spilled all over the table and the carpet—not to mention the report.

She couldn’t know, he thought, looking down at that innocent face—her big brown eyes staring up at him. They’d been so careful to hide all this from Jenna— to shelter her—it wasn’t possible for her to know anything.

Or was it?

“What was that, munchkin?” Lee asked, trying to keep his expression neutral; his voice very calm.

“Can I dress up as the Scarecrow?”

Dress up. That’s when it hit him. “Oh, you mean for Halloween? A scarecrow costume?”

A small frown furrowed between Jenna’s eyebrows. “When else would I be the Scarecrow?”

When else, indeed. “Ah—what made you think of that?”

“Well he’s my favorite character in Oz,” Jenna replied. “And I have this,” she patted the Scarecrow doll sitting on the coffee table. “I just think it would be fun.”

“Yeah, it would be.” Lee ruffled Jenna’s hair. “We’ll ask your Mommy when she comes home, okay? Finish your homework—Grandma will have dinner ready in a moment. ”

“All right,” Jenna picked up her pencil and turned back to the paper. “I’m almost finished except for this last problem—I can’t do it.”

“Let me take a look at it.” Lee knelt beside his daughter, looking over her shoulder.

“See?” Jenna pointed. “It’s supposed to be a number pattern but it’s too hard.”

Number pattern—Lee looked at the row of numbers. One, Four, Seven, Ten—he hesitated. He could just give her the answer but she was supposed to learn it herself.

“Jenna, if you have four and you take away one, what do you have?” He asked her.

“Four minus—” Jenna held up her fingers as she counted to herself. “That’s three.”

“Very good. And seven minus four?”

“That’s um— three too.”

“That’s right. Now look at those numbers one more time.”

“One, Four Seven—ten—oh, I see.” She carefully wrote the number 13 in the box. “Is that right?”

“That’s perfect.”

“Good—I’m finished now. Can you sign it?”

“Sure.” Taking a pen from his pocket Lee signed his name across the top of the page. Jenna folded the paper and placed it in her backpack, zipping it up.

“Hey Daddy, you know what?”

“What?”

“You could dress up too,” she said. “When you and Mommy take me trick or treating? Then we could all be dressed up.”

Dressed up? “I don’t know about that,” Lee noticed Dotty standing near the kitchen entranceway, arms crossed, watching him. “I don’t really dress up in costumes,” he tried to explain. “It’s not something I do.”

“But why not? You dressed up as the Easter Bunny that one year, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.” As if he could ever forget. And after Francine had found that photo she’d never let him forget it either. “But, you see, munchkin—that was only because Mommy was sick. That’s not something that I usually—” his voice broke off as he saw the growing disappointment in Jenna’s eyes—her mother’s eyes. He could never say no to those eyes.

“Okay,” he sighed, running a hand back through his hair. “What do you think I should dress up as?”

“Hmm…let’s see.” Jenna walked over to the bookcase and took out the Wizard of Oz book, bringing it back over to the coffee table—she carefully turned the pages as she spoke.

“Well, there’s Dorothy—” she began.

“Dorothy?” Lee heard Dotty chuckle softly. “I couldn’t be Dorothy—trust me—my legs are way too hairy,” he explained hastily as Jenna looked at him.

“There’s the Wicked Witch—she doesn’t have to show her legs,” Jenna replied.

“Yeah, but I would have to do green makeup.”

Jenna made a face. “Yuck. You’re right. There’s Glinda. She doesn’t show her legs either but I think Mommy might be better.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more,” Lee said fervently. If he was ever spotted dressing like Glinda and Francine got a hold of it—he shuddered.

“But you have to be somebody,” Jenna insisted. “Somebody in the book. “

An idea struck him. “Hey, how about I be the Scarecrow? You could be a munchkin. That could work.”

“No,” Jenna shook her head, her expression stubborn. “I was a munchkin when I was three—I saw a picture. I want to be the Scarecrow now.”

“We could both be scarecrows, you know. Big Scarecrow and little Scarecrow. No?” he said as he saw the look on her face. “Why not?”

“There’s only one Scarecrow,” Jenna replied. “Two would be silly.”

Two would be silly—Lee drew in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh. “Okay—what do you think I should be?”

“You have—” again Jenna counted on her fingers. “Three characters left. There’s the Wizard—but you don’t look much like him.”

“No,” Lee thought of Paul Barnes. “I don’t think I could be the Wizard.”

“You could be the Tin Man.”

God forbid. The name alone was still enough to bring back memories of Serdeych; but those were things he could never tell his daughter. He hesitated, wracking his brain for an answer that would satisfy her.

Think, Stetson, think.

“I would rather be the Cowardly Lion,” he told her.

“But why the Lion?”

“Why? Because then I can go—ROAR!” With that he grabbed Jenna and swept her off the floor, swinging her around in his arms—Jenna let out a shriek as he did, giggling and kicking her feet in the air.

“Okay, Daddy, okay,” she gasped. “You can be the Cowardly Lion.”

“Good.” Lee kissed her forehead and put her down. “Go and get your dinner, munchkin—you don’t want it to get cold.”

“I will.” Jenna wrapped her arms around him. “I love you.”

“Love you too, munchkin.”

Jenna ran into the kitchen. Dotty just looked at him, smiling and shaking her head.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Dotty said. “Just marveling at how completely she’s got you wrapped around her little finger—Scarecrow.”

4247 Maplewood Dr.

Sunday, October 31, 1995

5:30 PM

“Daddy, are you coming down?” Jenna’s voice floated up the stairs.

“In a minute, munchkin.” Staring at himself in the full-length mirror Lee adjusted the fake fur headpiece so that the mane framed his face. The same fake fur also lined his wrists and where the material gathered at his ankles. He didn’t actually look like a lion, he thought; more like he was wearing a pair of brown flannel pajamas with a hood. As he turned away from the mirror something swung behind him—with a sigh Lee caught the swinging object in his hand.

Correction. A pair of brown flannel pajamas with a tail.

“Daddy!” Jenna’s voice called out again, reminding Lee of why he was doing this. Drawing in a deep breath, he ran his hand back through the SOFT mane. “Coming!”

“Mommy, this straw won’t stay out of my eyes,” Jenna was complaining as Lee came down the stairs into the family room. “It itches my face.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Amanda said. “Let’s try something.” Taking a pair of scissors from a nearby drawer she knelt beside Jenna, carefully cutting the straw around her face. “There, is that better?”

“Yes—that helps a lot.” Jenna replied.

“Well I’m glad.” Amanda straightened, returning the scissors to the drawer as she turned to face Lee.

“Amanda—” Lee’s own breath caught in his throat as he looked at his wife—even in a pink Glinda costume she looked absolutely amazing. Amanda’s smile widened—she knew just what he was thinking. .

“Hey, Dad, you look great,” Jenna smiled up at him from beneath the brim of her floppy hat.

“Well so do you,” Lee told her. She really did look cute—Amanda had painted Jenna’s nose red and put a smattering of freckles on each cheek. “You make a great Scarecrow, munchkin.”

“I’m sorry to leave you in the lurch like this, Amanda,” Dotty came downstairs, hurriedly putting on her earrings. “But Captain Curt said he’s already booked the restaurant—he thought he’d told me but he forgot.”

“Grandma, you have a date?” Jenna asked.

“Yes, darling.” Dotty looked in the mirror, fixing her hair.

“A real date?” Jenna continued. “Like with kissing and stuff?”

“Jenna—” Lee felt a twinge of unease—she was only six—what could she possibly know about ‘kissing and stuff’?

“People kiss on TV, Daddy,” Jenna said. “And you and Mommy kiss too.”

“She’s right, Lee.” Dotty commented. “Jenna—what I might do depends on how the evening goes—all right?”

Jenna grinned. “All right—have a good time.”

“You too, darling,” Bending down, Dotty gave Jenna a hug. “You have fun trick or treating with Mr. Lion here.”

“We will, Grandma.”

The doorbell rang.

“That will be him,” Dotty said. “Amanda, are you sure you don’t mind—”

“It’s no problem Mother,” Amanda said. “I’ll just stay here and hand out the treats—you and Captain Curt have a good time.”

“Bless you,” Dotty said. “Don’t wait up.”

“You’re not going, trick or treating, Mommy?” Jenna asked once Dotty had left. .

“Sweetheart, if I go there won’t be anyone to hand out the candy we bought.” Amanda said. “You and your Daddy will have a lot of fun together—I promise.”

“Well—” Jenna hesitated. “Okay. Save me some CANDY?”

Amanda laughed. “You’ll have more than enough candy when you come home. Go put your sneakers, okay? They’re right by the back door.”

“But real scarecrows don’t wear sneakers.” Jenna said.

“Well real scarecrows aren’t going to be walking on the damp ground either,” Amanda kissed her forehead. “And real scarecrows don’t have to worry about catching cold. Now go on.” Jenna ran out of the room.

“Wait till I have to tell her that real scarecrows wear coats too,” Amanda said. “Make sure she doesn’t eat all of her candy before she gets back home, okay? Last Halloween she did that and had the world’s worst tummy ache.”

“Believe me, I haven’t forgotten,” Lee pulled his wife close, her body molding to his. “And later on when I get home—maybe we can have our own celebration. What do you say?”

“It’s a deal, Stetson,” Amanda murmured as their lips met.

SMK SMK SMK SMK

“No more sweet tarts, Jenna,” Lee said. “Or I’m carrying the candy. You’ll make yourself sick again.”

“But I love sweet tarts.”

“Well you can love them just as much at home. Agreed?”

Jenna sighed. “Agreed. Oh Daddy, yuck—look what Mrs. Doss gave me.” Reaching into the plastic PUMPKIN Amanda had given her, Jenna held up the tiny tube of toothpaste. “Why would somebody do that? I already have toothpaste at home.”

“I really don’t know,” Lee said as they walked down the sidewalk. Despite the cool night air “Maybe she just thought you needed some more.”

“Well it’s just mean, that’s all.” Jenna said. “You’re supposed to give candy.”

“I know munchkin—don’t worry. I’m sure the next house will be better.”

The streets were certainly full tonight, Lee noted—children and their parents—older kids in groups, toting bags and pillowcases. Ed Baum from down the street walked by, dressed as a red M & M and toting his four year old son Jason by the hand. Jason, who was dressed as a power ranger complete with mask, was vainly trying to deliver a karate kick to Edna Gilstrap’s rose bushes.

“Leave those alone, Jason,” Ed said. He and Lee nodded as they passed one another—secretly Lee was glad that he wasn’t the only man in costume tonight—and even more glad he wasn’t a red M & M. Not that what he was wearing was exactly comfortable; despite the cool night air Lee was starting to sweat in his costume, little trickles of moisture trickling down his neck to pool at the small of his back.

“What was trick or treating like when you were a kid?” Jenna’s voice broke Lee out of his reverie. “Did you go out with your parents?”

“Well, I probably did,” he told her. “But I was little—I don’t really remember. And after my parents passed away—well, no one really took me.” His grandmother had been too old—and his Uncle said he was too busy to mess around with that kind of foolishness. There had been trick or treating on base, Lee recalled—but he had never participated.
Jenna tugged on his hand—he looked down at her. “But you get to trick or treat now, right?”

Lee smiled down at his daughter. “Yeah, I get to trick or treat now.”

“ARRGGHH!!”

Jenna shrieked, clutching Lee tightly as the figure leapt out of the bushes to land in front of them. A white hockey mask covered the face completely; the figure wielded a chainsaw. He or she waved it menacingly back and forth as they approached.

“Daddy,” Jenna whimpered.

Instinctively Lee reached for his weapon, only to realize that he wasn’t carrying.

Of all the times—

“Oh, man—I’m sorry.”

The voice was familiar, Lee realized. And definitely not a man’s voice. In the dim glow of the streetlight he could see that the ‘chainsaw’ was nothing but a plastic toy. A hand reached up to remove the mask—

“Tony Lambkin—what the hell kind of a stunt was that?” Lee exclaimed—anger and relief washing over him in equal measure as he recognized the fourteen year old who occasionally mowed their lawn.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stetson,” the boy replied sheepishly. “It was just a little Halloween prank—but I didn’t mean to scare any little kids—I just wasn’t looking. I’m really sorry.”

“I don’t think I’m the one to apologize to,” Lee said. Jenna was holding onto his leg—clutching so tightly now that the limb was growing numb.

“Sorry Jenna.” Tony knelt in front of her, pulling something out of his pocket. “That’s a cute costume, and here look—you can have a chocolate bar.”

After a minute Jenna let go of Lee’s leg and took the chocolate bar. “It’s okay—I wasn’t really that scared.” The boy took off down the street.

“I really wasn’t scared,” Jenna told him. “Really.”

“I know you weren’t, munchkin.” They came to the next house with a porch light on. BLACK and ORANGE streamers festooned the door frame —the door itself was decorated with cut-outs of a SPIDER, a BAT, a WITCH, a VAMPIRE and a GHOST. Despite her claims of not being scared Lee noticed the way that Jenna clutched his hand—and when he rang the doorbell she pressed tightly against his side. From inside came the sound of SPOOKY music, growing louder as the door slowly creaked open, tendrils of MIST creeping out—

“Why Jenna Stetson—what a lovely surprise!”

“Hi, Mrs. James,” Jenna loosened her grip on Lee’s side, smiling up at her second grade teacher. “I like your costume. Are you a princess?”

“That’s exactly right, Jenna.” The teacher spoke as she adjusted the veils on the pointed hat she wore. “And lavender is my favorite color.”

“It’s mine too.” Jenna replied.

“And let’s see,” Mrs. James picked up a bowl. “You’re the Scarecrow, right?”

“Right—and Daddy’s the Lion.”

“And he makes a wonderful lion—both wonderful costumes,” Mrs. James reached into the bowl she held, putting treats into Jenna’s pumpkin. “There you go—I hope you like sweet tarts.”

“You have no idea how much she likes sweet tarts,” Lee told the teacher, who smiled at him.

“Thank you, Mrs. James.” Jenna said.

“Have a good night—see you tomorrow morning,” Mrs. James said.

“Wasn’t that funny?” Jenna said as they went back down the walk.

“Wasn’t what funny?”

“Well, it’s just that I didn’t know that Mrs. James lived in a house.”

“Jenna—where exactly did you think she lived?”

“Daddy—she’s a teacher,” Jenna’s tone suggested she was stating the rather obvious. “I thought all teachers lived in the school.”

Lee chuckled softly. “Come on, munchkin. We have a few more houses and we can get you home, huh?”

“Can I have hot chocolate before I go to bed?”

“Sure—I don’t see why not.”

“With marshmallows?” Jenna asked. “I love marshmallows.”

“Lions and scarecrows—oh my.”

The voice stopped Lee dead in his tracks. A familiar voice—one he’d never expected to hear in the context of a suburban Arlington neighborhood. Now he understood Jenna’s surprise at seeing her teacher outside of the school—someone outside of their natural element.

Slowly he turned around.

“Hello there, Scarecrow,” Dr. Smyth said.

“Hello, sir,” Lee replied.

The Agency head smiled thinly. He stood beside his customary black limousine, parked right outside Rose Cioffi’s house. Lee had met Rose once or twice—she was a member of the local gardening club and a close friend of Dotty’s.

What on earth would Smyth be doing here?

“I’m just visiting an aunt of mine, Scarecrow,” the man said. “I do from time to time.”

“I understand.” Lee replied tightly. If Dr. Smyth didn’t cut it with the Scarecrow stuff Lee was going to have some serious explaining to do. And all hopes that maybe Jenna hadn’t noticed were dashed when she tugged on his hand.

“I’m the Scarecrow, Daddy.” she reminded him.

“Of course you are,” Lee said. “Jenna, this is Dr. Smyth—he’s the head of IFF. Dr. Smyth, this is my daughter, Jenna.”

“Little Scarecrow, eh? ” Dr. Smyth said. “And the Cowardly Lion—this certainly is a surprise. Out trick or treating? Here—” he dug into his pocket and produced a Butterfinger, dropping it into Jenna’s pumpkin. “Have a little candy on me, ‘kay? Good night— Scarecrow.”

With that he climbed into the back of his limo, which pulled slowly away from the curb.

“He’s strange,” Jenna said. “Did I ever meet him before?”

“Once,” Lee told her, shuddering as he remembered that particular Halloween—one he’d rather forget. “But you were probably too little to remember. Come on—let’s get you home, huh? You can get that hot chocolate with marshmallows.”

“Okay—but I have just one question.”

Time seemed to stop for a moment. Lee kept his face and voice carefully expressionless as he looked down at Jenna’s upturned face. .

“What question?” he asked.

“What was Dr. Smyth supposed to be dressed up as?”

This time Lee laughed out loud.

The End

They walked down the silent street, arms around each others’ waists, only the faint sound of their footsteps breaking the quiet of the NIGHT. Thick, dark, clouds were beginning to gather in the sky, drifting across the MOON and promising RAIN before sunrise. A chill was in the air and Lee pulled his companion closer to his side, hoping to shield her from the elements.

It had been an eminently satisfactory night, starting with a CANDLE light dinner in a secluded corner of the restaurant. Following the meal, they’d danced to the SOFT music, lost in their own world, almost oblivious to the knowing smiles of the other patrons. Lee’s heart had swelled with love and pride. He had been pleased when he’d found such a quaint, out of the way place where he could openly adore his beautiful fiancé. It had taken along time for their relationship to reach this level and having to constantly hide how he felt in public was frustrating.

The secretiveness was necessary for safety reasons and, on the positive side, at least it was a secret they shared, rather than something they kept from each other. That was the beauty of their relationship. They were a united front; two people who knew each other inside out and out. There were no skeletons in the closet; no secrets left to reveal. With his cheek pressed against her fragrant hair, Lee had happily sighed, knowing they were compatible on all levels.

Amanda had snuggled up against him, soft and warm in his arms. Her fingers had traced delicate patterns across the back of his neck while her body had brushed sensually against his, hinting at further delights before the night was over. When they finally left the dance floor, they’d had coffee and dessert, sharing a piece of PUMPKIN pie covered in whip cream. Lee had barely been able to suppress a groan when Amanda’s tongue crept out to slowly lick the cream from her lips, her deep brown eyes locked on his, while her foot ran up and down his leg.

Through hooded eyes, he’d noted that his partner was looking exceptionally lovely. Her make-up was more pronounced than usual with deep red lipstick, smoky eye shadow and blush swept dramatically under her cheekbones, giving her a HAUNTED, mysterious look. A skin tight BLACK gown was accentuating her trim waist while her breasts almost spilled from the low cut top. Lee had spent a good deal of the evening wondering what marvel of engineering had gone into her undergarments to achieve that particular look and couldn’t wait until he had a chance to discover the answer for himself.

By the time they reached his car, a faint MIST was falling and he flipped on the heater before pulling away from the curb. “Your place or mine?” He grinned, already knowing the answer and Amanda squeezed his thigh, smiling slyly at him.

“If you have to ask, the hints I’ve been throwing your way all night were obviously a waste of time.” Her husky voice held a trace of laughter and he picked up her hand, running his tongue over her palm and nibbling her fingers before setting it back down on his thigh and heading towards his apartment.

Only the swishing of the wipers, broke the silence in the car, their rhythmic movement almost mesmerizing. Amanda’s hand moved on his leg in keeping with wipers and soon Lee felt his heart beating in time as well, his blood surging through his system in a heavy throbbing beat. His breathing rate increased and the interior of the car grew warmer. The scent of arousal filled the air and he shook his head, trying to stay focused on the road.

“Lee...” Amanda said his name, her voice filled with need while her hand rubbed the bulge in his pants. Glancing in the rear view mirror, he quickly executed a lane change and pulled into a parking lot, heading for the back corner. Turning off the car, he barely had time to undo his seatbelt before Amanda launched herself at him, her fingers combing though his hair to grip his skull, while her mouth plundered his. Sliding his hands down her back, he searched for a snap or zipper, wanting to feel her bare skin. In frustration, his hands moved lower and lower until he finally encountered the side slit. He’d admired it earlier that night, noting how it went almost to the top of her leg. Now he used it to his advantage.

Hitching the skirt up around her waist, Lee ran his hands over Amanda’s long limbs then moved up even higher, encountering her bare bottom. A groan escaped his lips as he realized she was wearing a thong. His fingers dug into her soft flesh causing a shiver to cascade down her body.

“I need you...I need you, Lee, right now.” Her breath tickeld his ear as she nibbled his lobe, then ran her teeth down his neck, licking his skin, sucking open mouthed on his hot flesh. Fumbling, they managed to remove her thong and slide his pants and boxers down to his ankles. His shaft was throbbing, aching... Would he even be able to hold on long enough for Amanda to come? She shifted and lowered herself onto his rock hard erection. They sighed in unison but the ache was only momentarily assuaged. The need to move, to thrust, to go deeper, was overwhelming and soon they were moving as if possessed.

The sound of panting and moans filled the interior of the car. Somehow, the seat had been tipped back and Amanda was riding him as hard as she could while he gripped her hips and pushed upwards matching her wild rhythm. Through dazed eyes, Lee looked up at the woman he loved. Her head was thrown back, her eyes shut and her mouth open as she tried to reach that exquisite plateau. She was close, as was he, and he closed his eyes, concentrating on the feeling growing within. Almost... Almost there...

Suddenly, he felt Amanda stiffen and opened his eyes to watch her climax. His own vision was blurring as he struggled to keep control but he realized she was bending towards him. Her eyes were glowing and as she opened her mouth to kiss him, fangs appeared! Amanda was a VAMPIRE!

“What the—?“ He began to struggle, but it was no use. His body betrayed him, and as he became lost in the throes of his own orgasm, he dimly felt her teeth sinking into his neck. It was both shocking and erotic to feel her sucking his life blood, her fingers digging into his shoulders, while their bodies shuddered in release. Everything was growing dim. He had no energy left to struggle. His eyes drifted shut...

“Lee? Lee!” Someone was shaking him and he awoke with a start. Amanda was leaning over him and he gave a shout, throwing himself back as far as the car seat would allow. “Lee! Be quiet! Do you want to give us away?” She frowned at him, no doubt wondering about his strange reaction.

“What?” He looked around, confused and disoriented. They were in the ‘vette, in the back corner of a parking lot. Amanda was dressed in a black gown... Rubbing his hands over his face, he remembered that they had been undercover at a black tie affair and had left in order to follow a shady industrialist suspected of selling defence secrets. He cleared his throat. “Sorry, just having a weird dream. I wonder what was in that punch that I drank?” Sitting up, he looked around and noticed two men getting into a car across the street.

“Wilson and Gregory just left the office building and are getting into a car. They have the briefcase and the homing device has been activated. We’ll have to tail them.” Amanda gave him a concise rundown while she fiddled with the knobs on an electronic tracking device. Lee quickly started the car and pulled up to the edge of the parking lot, ready to follow the brown sedan.

As he waited for their quarry to move, he caught sight of a billboard across the street. It was advertising that Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, could be seen on channel seven at midnight. Ah-ha, that would explain it, he said to himself, giving his head a slight shake. He turned his head to tell his fiance about his dream but winced as a pain shot through him neck.

He reached up to rub the sore spot and his hand came away with a slight trace of blood on it. When had he cut himself shaving? Frowning, he looked over at Amanda. The street lights were casting an eerie glow inside the car and she looked...different... paler... And what was she wiping from the edge of her mouth? It looked red...

Giving himself a shake, he gripped the steering wheel and pulled out into traffic. Nah...It couldn’t be...Could it?

The RAIN drummed against the pavement in a comforting, hypnotic rhythm that filled the NIGHT, breaking the silence that had descended on the neighbourhood and washing away any reminders of the chaos that had occurred just hours before. Little rivers dripped down the windows of the houses in random paths, blurring the view of the interiors while outside, the darkened trunks of bare trees stood like sentinels along the sidewalk, guarding the roadway against unseen dangers. Branches swayed as the occasional gust of wind swept down the street, their movement casting eerie shadows on the glistening pavement below. Damp leaves skittered along the road, whirling and swirling before collecting in wet piles along the curb.

Street lights provided some small illumination, and it was in one of these brighter pools that a man parked his car. Getting out of the low slung vehicle, his shoulders hunched and he turned up the collar of his coat in an attempt to block out the unpleasant elements. Out of habit, he looked around for signs of danger, his sharp gaze searching the shadows before walking quickly towards a white Cape Cod styled home. Confidently, the man opened the gate, its hinges emitting a squeak and announcing his presence should anyone have been listening. Lightly, he climbed the steps, giving but a brief glance at the remains of a burnt out jack-o-lantern sitting abandoned on the porch, its toothy grin and merry eyes now tired and dark.

Without even knocking, he opened the front door and strode inside, obviously confident that the occupant would be unable to resist him. The door clicked shut and moments later the drapes were drawn effectively blocking out the curious eyes of those foolish enough to still be out on such a night.

He found her inside the house, reclining on the sofa, eyes closed, head titled back revealing the white column of her throat. Her chest barely moved, her breathing slow and shallow as if she'd been drained of all her energy. His mouth twisted as she stirred slightly, no doubt sensing his presence but too weak to do anything about it. Hours of dealing with the voracious needs of vampires and werewolves had apparently left her exhausted, unable to protest whatever he had planned for her.

Silently, he approached and her skin prickled in awareness. A long, cool finger trailed across her cheek to the base of her throat. She could feel him testing her pulse, feel his fingers curling around the back of her neck, drawing her slightly upwards as he bent over her, his breath fanning across his face. Her eyes fluttered open and locked on his. Opening her mouth, she inhaled deeply but it was too late. His mouth locked on hers in a slow, sensual kiss designed to cast a spell that would totally obliterate her free will.

Sighing against him, her eyes drifted shut and, of their own volition, her fingers moved up across his shoulders and neck, before burying themselves in SOFT, thick hair. She didn't protest when he lightly nibbled on her lips, then darted his tongue along the tender skin before delving deeper. He smelled of rain and spicy cologne, coffee and a hint of something mysterious that was unique to him alone. She moaned and tried to pull him closer, heady sensations washing over her as she became lost in the taste and feel and scent of the man hovering over her.

Finally, he pulled away and, bereft, she whimpered in protest. Brushing his thumb over her swollen mouth, Lee whispered a greeting. "Hi there."

"Hi, yourself." Her voice was husky and she wet her lips while trailing a finger along his stubbled jaw.

"Sorry I missed all the fun. The meeting ran later than expected."

"I noticed." Amanda swung herself up and surveyed the room. The boys' had hosted a Hallowe'en party and the house was showing the affects of several dozen teenagers enjoying themselves. Dirty dishes could be seen on every surface while popcorn, candy wrappers and bits of ORANGE and BLACK crepe paper were scattered over the floor. A SPIDER and several BATS swung drunkenly from the ceiling.

"Looks like it was quite a successful bash."

"Yeah—I lost count of the number of kids after the first half hour and just kept dishing out more and more food and punch. I never would have believed they could eat that much."

"Guess we'll have to go grocery shopping in the morning, then." Lee sat down beside her on the sofa and wrapped his arms around her.

"Probably. I think there might be a bread crust left and maybe a few cracker crumbs, if we're lucky." She chuckled and rested her head on the solid, muscled wall behind her. Snuggling deeper into Lee's arms, she absorbed the warmth and comfort they offered. Dampness had crept into the house, as the door had opened and closed continuously for several hours, admitting a host of ghosts, goblins and vampires all intent on feeding. Briefly, she considered having Lee light a fire but then decided it was more enjoyable to be warmed up by him. It felt good to relax against her husband as she gave him a brief synopsis of the night.

"Amanda, I really am sorry that I wasn't here to help you." When she had finished, Lee squeezed her gently and pressed his lips to her temple. "I was looking forward to my first Hallowe'en with the kids—you know, being a real-step dad and all...."

"I understand, and so do the boys. You helped with carving the PUMPKIN, planning and making the HAUNTED house and getting all the cool, special effects ready. That was the important part. Once their friends arrived, they wanted us to become invisible. We were only allowed in if we were bringing more food!" Amanda snorted and rolled her eyes at the memory. Wearily she got to her feet. "I guess I should start cleaning up."

"Hmm...Where are the boys now?"

"The Ramses took a bunch of the kids back to their house for a sleepover. I think they felt sorry for me and thought I deserved some quiet time."

"And Dotty?"

"Captain Kurt came and got her around ten o'clock. There's a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show uptown and they're meeting some friends—" Amanda burst out laughing at the look on Lee's face. "And yes, before you ask, she got dressed up for the event. Mother's very modern for her age, you know."

Lee just grinned and grabbed her hands. "You know, this mess will still be here in the morning and we have the whole house to ourselves for a few more hours..."

Amanda smiled and allowed Lee to pull her back down on the sofa. "What do you have in mind, Mr. Stetson?"

"Well, Mrs. Stetson. There's an old horror flick on TV. We could watch it, and eat some Hallowe'en CANDY and, when the scary parts come on, you can hide in the arms of your strong, brave husband." He leaned in and kissed her, then swiftly changed his expression into an evil leer. "And then, at the stroke of midnight, I might turn into a ravaging beast. I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you upstairs where I'll have my wicked way with you."

"Ooh! I think I like that last part." Amanda giggled, her body suddenly no longer quite as tired. "What do you say, we skip the movie and go right to the ravaging beast?"

"You wish is my command." And with a growl he swept her up into his arms and headed for the stairs.

Nights on the station are determined by which shift you’re working. I’m lucky. I get to work the graveyard shift, therefore nights are my days. That means my days are quiet. Ivanova gets all the excitement, I get the silence. A chance to look at the stars and wonder what surprises the cosmos has waiting for us.

Standing here on the observation deck, I blink as an inky blackness descended on the vista in front of me. Where once there had been a myriad of stars now was just darkness. The nightmare had arrived and A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT.

The RAIN had ended leaving a fine MIST permeating the atmosphere. Floating ominous CLOUD blocked the MOON in the night sky. Giving the area a HAUNTED look, trick-or-treaters didn't seem to mind. They were dressed in a variety of costumes. Dressed as a VAMPIRE, GHOST, BLACK CAT, ORANGE PUMPKIN or WITCH, they went house to house on a CANDY quest to homes with Halloween decorations. Safety in group they made their way up and down the street getting all the candy they could. At each house they would proclaim, "Trick or Treat. The revelers seemed to be having fun until…

All the lights went out and A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT. Then a cloud of BATS hovered overhead, their SOFT bodies occasionally bumping the children. Even thought they did nothing to harm anyone one girl dressed as a witch tried to shoo them away with her BROOM. That made the bats fly higher and soon they were disappeared as if they vanished in thin air. Children were crying despite the fact that nothing had happened, parents who had been nearby rushed over to comfort their children. Suddenly as if by magic the lights were on again and all were happy.

A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT.

It wasn't a scream of fright.

It was a scream of passion.

And it came from inside her house.

Dotty inserted the key and pushed open the door.

She rushed up the stairs and stopped at her daughter's closed bedroom door. Moans, groans and the squeak of bedsprings became louder and faster.

"Oh, Lee." Amanda shouted.

Well it was about time. She'd told her that man was an eleven. Looks like she finally took her advice.

Dotty smiled, patted the door and wondered if her date had driven off yet. Suddenly, she felt very amorous.

Lee carried Amanda upstairs, growling and nuzzling her throat. Once they were in the bedroom, clothing quickly disappeared with the help of frantic hands, then Lee swept her up in his arms again. "You are my prisoner, dear lady." He was trying to sound like a swashbuckler but was failing miserably.

She laughed at his antics and as he dropped her down on the bed, she feigned fear and rolled to the side, as if trying to escape. "No! I will never willingly submit to you, you cad!"

"Then, my pretty, I will force you. I have captured you and you will be mine." Lee grabbed her arm and pulled her back, pinning her to the bed with his body. Amanda bucked and wiggled underneath, secretly smiling to herself as she felt his body respond to her movements.

"Amanda..." Lee's voice rumbled out a warning but she was rather excited by the game they were playing and pushed at his shoulders while turning her head to dodge his kisses.

"No! Please, please, no..." She tried to put some terror in her voice but her giggles kept spoiling the effect.

Lee managed to capture her arms and pinned them over her head. His legs straddled her hips and he leered down at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and lust. "There's no escaping me. Struggle all you wish; the result will by the same—I'll have my wicked way with you." Lee was now attempting a Transylvanian accent and Amanda found it hard to keep a straight face.

"Oh no, Sir. Not that! I... I've never had anything wicked done to me before." She batted her lashes and pushed out a trembling bottom lip, while trying to pull her arms free. Lee tightened his grip and she felt a warm gush between her legs as the idea of being held captive by her husband sent waves of excitement through her.

Growling, Lee lowered his head and scraped his teeth across her throat and then her collarbone. Steadily moving lower, his mouth captured one pert nipple. Amanda moaned as he nipped, licked and sucked at her breast before switching to its partner. Arrows of pure pleasure shot through her body and centred in her womb. A throbbing ache began to grow within, and she stopped trying to escape, the game forgotten. Lee's erection was pressed against her stomach and she longed to touch him, to feel the hot velvety skin against her palm, her tongue, her secret womanly parts...

Lee, she discovered, wasn't tired of play acting just yet. Faster than she could have imagined possible, he grabbed his tie from the floor and bound her wrists together, then fastened them to the headboard.

"What?" Amanda looked at her husband in surprise. They'd never done this before. Not that she minded—she couldn't believe how turned on she was—but it was unexpected. Lee paused and looked at her, his passion filled eyes clearing for a moment.

"Are you okay with this?" His hand hovered over the knot he'd finished tying, obviously willing to let her go, if she wished.

"Yeah—it's okay." Amanda looked at him trustingly and Lee planted a hard kiss on her mouth before scooting down the bed, inhaling her scent, licking and nibbling at her along the way. He growled deep in his throat and she smiled. The holiday was certainly making her husband frisky; now he was playing wolf. She tried to think of something suitable to say in response to the role but lost her train of thought as he pushed her legs apart and began teasing her with his finger while nuzzling the sensitive skin at the juncture of her leg.

"Mmm—so wet" Lee murmured as he slid first one finger and then two inside her. Expertly, he stroked her walls and soon she was moving against his hand, the delicious feelings starting to build within her. When his tongue replaced his fingers, she thought she'd die. It was hot and moving against all her sensitive spots, lapping up her juices, teasing her nerve endings, winding the coil of tension within in her tighter and tighter...The edge was approaching and she pulled frantically against the silken material that bound her wrists. She desperately wanted to touch him, to bury her fingers in his hair and hold him to her... Her fingers clenched around the tie as a wave of pleasure washed over her.

"Oh, Lee..." Amanda gasped, enjoying the orgasm that was moving through her. Her eyes were slightly unfocused as she glanced towards her husband who was rising to his knees. He still hadn't had his release and his manhood was proudly pointing at her, a glistening pearl on its tip. The sight caused a new wave of excitement to build within her even before the first had dissipated.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noted that the rain had let up and moonlight was now streaming in through the window, and onto the bed. She stared at her husband's naked form poised over hers. It was probably some trick of light and shadows, but Lee looked different. His always impressive penis seemed larger than ever, his tensed muscles more pronounced. There was a wild glimmer in his hazel eyes and ragged breathing rumbled from deep within his chest. As he gazed down at her, a wolfish grin appeared on his face and she could have sworn his canine teeth were longer...

But then, he plunged into her and her vision blurred as shocked pleasure ripped through her. Never had she felt so stretched, so full...With hardly a pause, Lee withdrew and pushed into her again. She couldn't believe how deep he was. A hunger, a need, the likes of which she'd never before experienced, was clawing at her, begging for him to go deeper still, to move harder... Wrapping her legs around him, she tried to pull him closer while still straining against the tie that bound her wrists. Again and again, he pumped his hips, pounding into her, each thrust resounding through her body while his fingers dug into her hips. Her body strained, muscles tightened ... It was pleasure... It was pain... It was incredible, indescribable ... Suddenly, her wrists pulled free. She wrapped her arms around Lee's back, holding on as if her life depended on it. Her nails dug into his skin, searching for an anchor as she was tossed about in a sea of exquisite sensation.

A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT. On some level, she heard herself calling out, but it was almost as if she was disembodied, too lost in ecstasy to really be aware. Her eyes rolled back in her head... Then everything went black.

*****

Lee lay beside his sleeping wife, rubbing his hands over his eyes. That had been a close one. Usually Billy made sure he had an `assignment' when there was a full moon but it had been raining tonight—the moon hidden—and they'd thought it was safe. Thank heavens the clouds had rolled in again, preventing a full transformation.

He'd been young and foolish when he'd signed up for the government's experimental Lycan project. Dorothy had just died, he'd had nothing to live for... Billy had tried to talk him out of it but he hadn't listened. Now, he lived a triple life: spy, werewolf and most recently, a married man. God only knows what would happen if and when he ever became a father. Would his children also be like him? The thought made him shudder.

Being a Lycan certainly helped him as a spy. Injuries healed quickly. He was stronger and faster than the bad guys and his senses were heightened. On the down side, once a month, he had to go into hiding when the moon was full. The Agency's scientists were still trying to find a way to stop the monthly cycles that could turn him into an uncontrollable beast. Tonight, Amanda had screamed in passion, but it would be another type of scream altogether when she discovered that her husband was a werewolf!

(Yeah – I know, ludicrous twisted ending, but hey – it's Hallowe'en and if Amanda, Mistress of the Night is a vampire, then Lee should be a werewolf!)

Amanda woke with a start, her body instantly alert and aware. Rising up on her forearms, she peered at the clock-radio on the night stand. It was three in the morning. Sighing, she sank bank down on her pillow, burying her face in the soft, surface. She hated when this happened. Just enough time had elapsed that she felt somewhat refreshed and now she'd be wide awake for the rest of the night.

Grumbling under her breath, she considered her options. She could stay in bed, hoping against hope that sleep would come again. There was novel on the floor that she could read or, she could go downstairs and start cleaning up from the boys' party. The last option, while the most practical, was the least palatable. As she contemplated her next move, a shiver ran over her and she reached down for the blanket, pulling it up around her bare shoulders.

Moonlight was streaming in the bedroom window which meant the rain had finally stopped. Frowning, she wondered why the blinds weren't drawn. Lee was almost fanatical about that, which was strange since he didn't like sleeping in total darkness. Earlier in their relationship, she'd tried to convince him that illumination from the moon or a streetlight would brighten the bedroom and make him more comfortable, but he wouldn't listen. The blinds had to be drawn and the bathroom light on. After a few heated arguments, she had decided it wasn't worth it. To be sure, the blind blocked some of the air flow from the window that she liked to have cracked open, but it was a small concession, and if made Lee happy, well then...She could put up with it. Everyone had their little idiosyncrasies, herself included.

The added warmth of the blanket was helping her relax and she decided to give sleep another try. Closing her eyes, she drifted along, letting her mind wander where it would. Last night had been amazing. No, not the boys' party, though that had been fun—the amazing part was the mind-blowing sex she'd had with Lee. Her husband had always been an excellent lover but last night... Mmm... He'd surpassed himself. Employing a little light bondage had excited her beyond compare and Lee's acting had certainly contributed as well. Chuckling softly, she recalled the roles he'd tried to play: a pirate, Dracula, and even a wolf!

His last impersonation had been the best. In fact, she'd almost thought Lee had looked wolfish as he'd reared up over her. Of course, it was all just a product of her imagination, brought on by her own arousal, the holiday and a trick of the moonlight, but still... She felt herself becoming aroused by the memory.

Lee had looked so wild. His eyes had been alert and piercing, raking over her naked body like she was his next meal. Deep growls had emitted from his throat and his musculature had been so crisply defined. He must have really been flexing, to create that sculpted effect, she mused.

Stirring restless, she wondered if he was totally worn out from his performance or if possibly, with a little encouragement, he might be `up' to another show. A wicked smile played over her lips as she planned a seduction scene in her head. A few well place kisses around his jaw and ear, followed by teasing fingers trailing down his stomach should just about do the trick.
Rolling over, she looked at her husband and ... A SCREAM PIERECED THE NIGHT

A... a dog... a big grey dog... no—make that a big grey wolf... was beside her! She scrambled out of bed, the sheets tangled around her legs. As she stumbled backward, the wolf lifted its head, then bounded to the floor staring at her. Its hazel eyes seemed to bore right through her and suddenly she was incredibly conscious of her naked body. Pulling at the sheet, she tried to cover herself and the wolf growled. She opened her mouth to scream again but the animal leapt forward, knocking her to the ground. As her head hit the wall, she summoned her last bit of strength and screamed out one word before darkness over took her. "Lee!"

*****

Lee paced back and forth across the bedroom, nervously glancing at the door. He wasn't sure if Dotty was at home or not. If she was, Amanda's scream had been loud enough that the older woman would have heard it. The fact that no one was pounding on the bedroom door, demanding admittance, led him to believe she hadn't returned from her date yet. Of course, knowing Dotty, she might have heard the scream and attributed a sexual meaning to it. Lee shook his head. His mother-in-law was like no other; incredibly modern and aware in some areas yet frighteningly naive in others.

It was her naivety that had allowed Amanda to work as a spy for over four years without being discovered by her family. Some of the stories they'd fed the older woman had been utterly preposterous, but she'd always accepted them. He hoped her unquestioning belief in their stories continued for many years to come because there were still a few secrets that Dotty wasn't privy to and, with any luck, she never would be.

Actually, he'd hope to keep Amanda in the dark about certain issues as well but... That was out of his hands now. Their night of passion had caused him to forget to shut the blinds and now his secret was out. It was probably for the best. She would have become suspicious and found out eventually, but he'd kept postponing the unpleasant conversation. When Billy pressed him about the issue, he'd always say that the timing would be better the following month or possibly after the next case...

With a sigh he stared at his wife were she lay on the floor. She'd bumped her head against the wall but after checking as best he could, decided her unconscious state was due to shock rather than an actual brain injury. He'd managed to pull the sheet around her naked body and now had to wait patiently until she woke up. Secretly, he hoped she'd stay out until sunrise—it would be so much easier to explain things to her then—but the chances of that happening were slim.

Resigned to having an extremely difficult conversation with his wife, he lay down beside her, curling his body around hers to provide extra warmth. He rested his chin in his hands... Oops, make that on his paws, and waited.

*****

Amanda stirred and moaned. Oh, but she was stiff and her head ached... Why was she on the floor? Frowning, she tried to recall what had happened. She'd been in bed with Lee and thinking about initiating a little romp... Hmm... But after that?

Warmth was emanating from something beside her. Probably Lee. Reaching over, her hand brushed against his soft hair, then trailed downward, in search of his shoulder. More hair... and more hair... What? Lee's hair didn't extend that far! Her eyes snapped open. She glanced to the left and gasped.

"Oh my gosh!" Sitting up, Amanda flattened herself against the wall. It all came rushing back to her. A wolf was in her bedroom! Frantically she looked around but Lee was nowhere in sight. Terror gripped her. Her mouth was dry and she felt her eyes widen...

"Amanda—don't be scared. It's me. Lee."

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she stared at the talking wolf in front of her. "Oh my gosh!" It was all she could think of to say.

The wolf kept talking. "I...I know this is hard for you to believe but... I... I'm a werewolf."

A little bubble of hysterical laughter burst from Amanda's lips. "I'm going insane or having the world's most vivid dream or hallucinating. I wonder if someone spiked the punch at the party..." Her eyes were fixated on the wolf as she muttered to herself.

"You're not insane, or dreaming. It's really me, inside a wolf's body."

Amanda shook her head, a half smile playing over her lips. "No...Oh, no. I get it. This is some weird trick that the guys at the Agency are playing on me. Francine is paying me back for dumping all that paper work on her last month... or Beaman and Leatherneck are testing out some new communication device..." She peered around the room for a hidden camera then stared at the wolf, looking for a collar fitted with a transmitter-receiver. None was evident but that didn't mean anything. Electronic devices could be incredibly small and secreted almost anywhere.

"Amanda it's not a trick. The wolf you see before you is me, Lee, your husband. I've been hiding this awful secret from you all these years."

Snorting, she started to get up, but a paw was placed on her leg. The paw was heavy and large, with very long, sharp claws. Slowly, she sat back down, her eyes glued on the beast before her.

"You have to hear me out. As crazy as it sounds, I'm really a werewolf. Quite a few years ago, before we met, I became involved in something called the Lycan Experiment. The government was working on genetic manipulation, trying to find ways to increase the efficiency of its soldiers and agents. They wanted to make us stronger and faster, with increased sensory perception and more efficient recuperative powers. I volunteered to be one of the test subjects. For the most part it worked but there were a few side effects. Turning into a werewolf every full moon was one of them."

The wolf quit talking and looked at her expectantly. Amanda blinked once, twice then looked away. Shaking her head, she stared at her wedding photo hanging on the wall across the room. It was nice picture. They were holding hands. Her head rested on his shoulder. Lee looked so good in that picture, his hazel eyes seeming to look right at her from out of the photo.

Lee, a werewolf? It was ridiculous... wasn't it? Out of the corner of her eye, she checked out the wolf again. Its eyes looked just like Lee's... No! Firmly, she told herself that she didn't believe in werewolves. She stared at the wedding picture again. Her husband was an incredibly handsome, ordinary man. Well, not exactly ordinary, but... Against her will, something about the wolf drew her gaze back. It was looking at her so sincerely, so hopefully, with the same `little boy lost' look that her husband sometimes had... "Lee?"

A silly grin appeared on the wolf's face. It stood, tail wagging and licked her face, then nuzzled her neck enthusiastically causing her to fall backwards. The wolf kept sniffing and licking away and Amanda struggled to keep the sheet wrapped around her body. This wolf was certainly acting like Lee! "Hey! Enough of that!" She shoved its shaggy head away, as it tried to push the sheet down and lick her breast. "You might be my husband, but when you're in wolf form this is just... wrong."

"Aw, Amanda." The wolf complained as she rebuffed his advances.

"I'm sorry, Lee, but your an animal and I—"

"You're not the first woman to tell me that you know." He seemed to leer at her and laugh, if a wolf could indeed do that.

"Will you be serious. This is... It's just... It's...Well... It's weird, that's what it is!" Amanda fumbled to find the words needed to explain her feelings at this new revelation. She'd taken vows for better or for worse, but this really was beyond anything she'd ever expected!

"I know and I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I never knew how, so Billy and I just made sure I was unavailable when it was a full moon."

"Billy knows about this?"

"Of course. He's the section chief. He knows about all the agents special abilities."

"Oh..." Amanda wondered if Billy really knew everything—there were a few skeletons in her closet as well... Lee continued talking, so she temporarily abandoned that uncomfortable train of thought.

"Yeah, Billy usually says I'm on a special assignment and locks me in one of the detention or quarantine rooms--whichever is free—and then says it's a `need to know' situation. No one questions anything they might hear. The system has worked great so far, but tonight we got careless. I really wanted to be here for the boys and since it was rainy, we thought it would be safe. If actual moonlight doesn't touch me, I can usually control it and don't totally transform but we got carried away and I didn't close the blinds...I never planned on you finding out this way." Lee hung his head sheepishly and Amanda tentatively reached out to comfort him by scratching behind his ears.

"It's okay. I was bound to find out one day, and there really is no easy way to break this kind of news." Lee's hind leg began to thump up and down as she scratched his neck. Amanda laughed. "You like that, don't you."

"Mmm... If I roll over, will you give me a belly rub?" He dropped to his side and flipped over, looking at her hopefully, his tongue lolling out of the corner of his mouth.

Amanda rolled her eyes. Even as an animal, he was incorrigible. Maybe this new side of him wasn't such a surprise after all! As her fingers played through the soft fur on his stomach, she considered the situation. She had a little revelation of her own. It had been weighing heavily on her mind for quite some time. Perhaps this was the opening she'd been waiting for.

"Lee?"

"Hmm?" His eyes were half shut as he enjoyed the feel of her hand stroking his belly.

"I have a little secret of my own that I need to tell you."

"What's that?" He rolled over and stood up, looking at her expectantly.

"Well...you never met my father, and you might have noticed that there are no pictures of him."

"Yeah, I always wondered about that."

"There's a good reason. You see...Daddy couldn't be photographed. He was a vampire."

"A what?"

"A vampire—and I'm half vampire."

"Amanda—there's no need to make up..." He paused, narrowed his eyes, and cocked his head to the side. "You know... I think I believe you."

""You do?" Amanda was shocked by his calm acceptance.

"Yeah, I really do. A few years back, we were on a stakeout and I had this weird dream that we were having sex in the car and, just as you climaxed, you turned into a vampire and bit me. After I woke up, there was this sore spot on my neck and I never could figure out where it came from."

Amanda felt herself flush in embarrassment. "Lee, that wasn't totally a dream. We did have sex in the car and I got a bit over excited and bit you. The venom can affect people different ways and obviously it fogged your memory a bit, making you think it was a dream."

"Oh... Well, that explains it. But... " His furry brow furrowed. "You've gotten `carried away' before and never bit."

Wincing, Amanda realized it was time to `fess up. "Actually, I've bit you several times, but you never remember. And I do try to control myself. It's worse when I'm ovulating and really fertile so I try to avoid sex then, but sometimes you can be quite...persuasive. Then I just can't help myself and have to take a nibble. You're quite tasty, you know."

Lee sat back on his haunches. "I guess that explains why I feel sort of drug out some mornings after we've had sex. I just thought I was getting old and you wore me out."

"I try and make you eat breakfast or at least drink some juice the next morning, to help build you back up again." Amanda knew she sounded a bit defensive but it wasn't totally her fault. If he wasn't such an animal in bed... She giggled when she realized how true that was.

"So, you drink my blood sometimes but... You aren't out... er... `drinking' from other men are you?"

"Oh no! I'm only half vampire. Blood is just a little treat now and then. Regular food usually suffices. Really, I'm just as normal as you are... Except, I guess that's not saying much now is it?"

Lee rolled his wolfish eyes. "What did Joe say about all of this?"

"He didn't find out until the marriage was almost over and then it was just one more excuse for him to stay away. He wasn't comfortable around me anymore."

"You mean, you never got `carried away' with him?"

"No. Joe never excited me the way you do." Amanda smirked as she saw Lee's ears perk up at this bit of news and noted his tail wagging.

"So all those stories about vampire having an uncontrollable thirst for blood are false?" Amanda nodded. "What about the garlic and being afraid of the light and turning into bats—"

"They're all just old wives tales."

"What about wooden stakes?"

"Unfortunately, that parts true. It's what did Daddy in. We were out camping and he tripped and fell on his weenie roasting stick and `poof' he was gone. There was nothing left but a pile of ashes." Her voice broke at the memory.

"Amanda, I...I'm sorry. That was such a... unusual... way to go."

She nodded and blinked back tears. "After that, Mother and I dedicated ourselves to teaching everyone about camping safety. That's why we're so involved in Junior Trailblazers. No son of mine will die on a weenie stick, if I can help it."

"So the boys...?"

"They're quarter vampires and, if we ever have any children, they will be too."

"And half werewolf, if these genes transfer to a new generation." Lee added thoughtfully.

"Wow—I wonder what they might be like."

He shrugged his furry shoulders then yawned. "I'm sorry, Amanda but maintaining this form really wears me out. Why don't we hop into bed and try to get some more sleep. The sun won't be up for at least another hour—that's when I'll turn back into a human."

"Yeah, I'm a bit tired and overwhelmed too. I'm glad tomorrow's Saturday. The boys will be over at Joe and Carries' so we can talk this out a bit more." Amanda wandered over to the bed and straightened the covers, then climbed in. Lee hopped on top of the bed and curled up beside her.

"Goodnight Amanda, sleep well."

"You too... and Lee?"

"Hmm?"

"Happy Hallowe'en, Sweetheart."

"Happy Hallowe'en, Amanda."

~~~SMK~~~

October 31, 1962

The cold, damp, NIGHT air sent chills racing down his spine, and a swarm of butterflies staged a dogfight in his stomach. He stood at the mouth of the alley and peered into the inky blackness before stepping into the confined space.

Inch by inch, he picked his way over the debris of broken bottles and over-turned trashcans, careful not to make a sound. A BLACK CAT darted out from behind a cardboard box, and raced past him. He jumped, and a scream lodged in his throat. His heart pounded so hard, he was afraid it would pop right out of his chest. Bracing a hand against the brick wall, he took a few deep breaths to calm his racing pulse.

Looking back over his shoulder, he saw his friends laughing at him. Determined to shut them all up and prove he wasn't a scaredy-cat, he straightened his shoulders and continued down the passageway.

Clouds rolled in, covering the MOON, plunging him in darkness. He wished he'd had a flashlight to light his way instead of just a dumb CANDLE that went out with every gust of wind or drop of RAIN.

Walking alone in the middle of the night, down a SPOOKY alley, wasn't such a great idea. Next time, he'd just keep his mouth shut, and he wouldn't have to prove he wasn't a chicken.

Instead of being out here in the cold and rain, he could've been at the base Halloween party, stuffing his face with CANDY and ORANGE soda. Mrs. Miller told him she'd help him find an appropriate COSTUME to wear, but that party was for babies, and at 12 years old, he wasn't a baby as his uncle was fond of reminding him.

At last, he'd reached the end of the alley and Mockingbird Lane. There, just across the street, stood the old Marlow place. At one time, it was a funeral home, and some people said the dead still walked the grounds. Others claimed old man Marlow murdered thirty-one people, chopped their bodies up, and then buried them around the yard. Every Halloween night, their spirits rose and walked the grounds, searching for their missing body parts.

His mouth went bone-dry and he looked back over his shoulder, down the alley to see if his friends were still there. Sure enough, they were standing right where he'd left them, and waving at him to get on with it.

He couldn't put it off any longer. Slowly, he crossed the street. The butterflies in his stomach morphed into BATS, the closer he got to the HAUNTED house.

An iron fence surrounded the property. The spiked pickets looked sharp and dangerous. Two cement pillars supported an archway of matching metal, and a rusted gate ineffectually blocked the entrance.

Lee heard noise behind him, and turned around to see his friends emerging from the alleyway. He should have known they wouldn't take his word for it. They'd have to see for themselves that he actually entered the building.

Turning back to face the structure, he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he pushed the gate open. The metal creaked and groaned as it swung aside, sending a shiver racing down his spine.

As he crossed the threshold, he looked first left, then right. Overgrown grass and weeds came up to his chest. Several huge trees--their bony, naked limbs reaching out like skeleton's hands, ready to grab unsuspecting souls, stood sentinel on each side of a winding walkway.

Years of rotting leaves squished under his feet as he took a few tentative steps down the path. The steady drizzle let up, and the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, giving him his first clear view of the house.

The building was huge. He counted at least eight windows on each floor. Some of the windows had missing glass while two-by-fours sealed other windows. Most of the wooden shingles had come off over the years, leaving gaping wounds on the edifice. Storm shutters hung lopsided on rusted hinges, and banged against the frame each time the wind howled.

One side of the house had a third floor, and a turret like the one you'd see on a castle, complete with a spire for the roof. The other side had two-stories with an iron balcony, and a very long ceiling to match the roof of the third floor. A window with a pointed roof stood between the two-sides.

He couldn't be sure, but it looked like there was some sort of walkway between the two wings of the house. An iron fence ran the length of the roof. He'd need to get closer to be sure.

Once again, he began walking toward the house. He'd taken only a few steps before his foot landed on something SOFT and squishy. As his foot came down on the object, he felt it pop, the way a grape popped when you squeezed it hard between your fingers.

He knew there weren't any grapes decorating the ground. He only thought of one thing it could be. He grimaced and his stomach turned. Tonight's dinner tried to come back up. Swallowing a few times, he forced it back down.

Once he had his stomach under control, he relit the candle. Slowly, he lifted his foot, and took a step back. Bending down to get a closer look, his stomach flipped again. He sucked in a breath, gathering his courage before peering at the object.

A huge sigh escaped and his stomach settled back down. He hadn't stepped on an eyeball, as he feared, only a very big, hairy spider. He stood, and using his hand to shield the candle flame from the elements, he continued down the walk.

Seven wooden steps led up to a covered porch. The wood had rotted through in some places, leaving gaping holes on the floor. A giant lamp hung from the ceiling on a chain. It swung in the breeze, creaking as it rocked back and forth. Lee was afraid it would come crashing down at any moment, and vowed to make sure he didn't stand under it tonight.

He navigated around the rotted steps and porch. Standing in front of the door, he turned to face his buddies. Johnny flapped his arms. Lee could see his mouth move, and knew he was making that awful chicken noise—baawk, baawk. Artie had his thumbs jammed in his ears and waved his hands at Lee. His raspberry was so loud; Lee heard it all the way on the porch. Dave was too busy warding off teasing blows from his brother Andy, to pay attention to what Lee was doing. Lee shook his head at his friends' antics, and then gave them a quick wave before he pushed the front door open, and ducked inside.

The interior was dark, and he tried to look around using the meager light from his candle. He stepped further into the room and felt a cool finger caressing his cheek. He couldn't hold back a yelp.

Ready to face a zombie or VAMPIRE, he lifted the candle high in the air, and whirled around only to discover cobwebs covered the room, and he'd just walked through one, which explained the sensation he felt.

Steadier now, he walked around the first floor. Most of the rooms were empty except for one on the far left. Curiosity had him entering a room that my have been a library at one time. Empty shelves lined the walls, and a rusted suit of armor stood sentinel between the windows.

Dingy, grey sheets shrouded the furniture making them look like specters. Lee smiled as he though of the perfect way to give the guys a taste of their own medicine. Too bad, he didn't have a PUMPKIN. That would have been the perfect addition to his little plot. Oh well, he'd just have to make do with the helmet from the suit of armor.

He walked across the room and stopped in front of what appeared to be a desk. He whisked the sheet off the furniture, sending dust flying into the air. It hung there like a MIST before sinking down and coating everything, in a fine powder, including Lee, causing him to sneeze a few times.

Dragging the sheet behind him, he crept back to the front door. Positioning himself near the entry, he doused the candle flame before tossing the sheet over his head and body. He tucked the helmet in the crook of his elbow before stepping out onto the porch. He waived his arms around, and moaned a bit, pretending he was a GHOST.

A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT.

He tugged the sheet off of his head just in time to see his friends running back down the alley.

Lee laughed so hard tears streamed down his cheeks. Now he knew who the real chickens were. Something caught his eye and he looked up at the sky. He couldn't believe his eyes; a WITCH riding on a BROOM sailed through the heavens. She turned and winked at him.

He screamed, dropped his costume on the porch, and raced after his pals.

End

Author's Note: Here is a link to what the haunted house really looks like. http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchjr25/293145341/

Boo Bash

October 29th, 1977

The steady hum of the motor kept Amanda focused on the task at hand. The next two days were going to be hectic and she had serious doubts she could accomplish everything. Times like these she wished Joe were home.

His new job with the EAO took him away for long stretches of time. Even out of the country. This time he’d been sent to the country of Estoccia in Africa and would be gone for six weeks. At least, he’d be home for Thanksgiving and, she hoped, for Christmas.

Amanda thanked her lucky stars for her mother. After Joe had gone away on his second assignment, she’d moved in to help with the house and taking care of the boys. At first Joe hadn’t liked the idea of a live-in mother-in-law, but Amanda persuaded him to see it her way. She’d used a little bit of sneaky persuasion, it’s wonderful what a man will agree to in the throes of passion. In the end, she hadn’t needed to resort to those tactics alone. Just one afternoon of him trying to relax after returning from a trip, had shown him the hectic lifestyle of a mom trying to clean house and run around after two small boys, both under the age of five. Since then, he hadn’t said a negative word about her mother living with them.

She lowered the foot onto the fabric, pressed down on the pedal, and guiding the material with her fingers, she stitched a seam on Phillip’s COSTUME. While sewing she glanced over the top of the machine to her youngest son sitting in front the TV. He lay on the carpet with his chin resting on his hands watching Saturday morning cartoons.

Jamie was her quiet child. He’d happily watch TV or play with his toys by himself. Rarely did he give her any trouble.

Phillip, on the other hand, was her wild child. Always getting into this or that. It amazed her how two children could be so different. She had to watch him like a hawk. Which is why her mother had taken him with her to the store. They were on a hunt to find a Jedi lightsaber. She prayed they’d find one, because she had no idea in the world how to make one from scratch. He had his heart set on being Luke Skywalker for Halloween. She didn’t want to disappoint him. He’d wear his own boots and she had an old belt she could fashion into a utility belt for him. The white tunic had already been made and the pants were the last part of his costume that she needed to finish.

Then she would concentrate on making Jamie’s. She’d found a pattern for the cutest tiger costume at the fabric store along with the perfect material. Luckily, she didn’t have to make one for herself. A couple of weeks ago, while at garage sale, she’d found the perfect one. Raggedy Ann.

Her stomach rumbled telling her that soon she would need to stop and fix lunch. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. So much to do, so little time. Sewing today. Baking tomorrow.

She wished Halloween could be like it had been when she was young. Memories of dressing up, going door to door and getting as much CANDY as possible made her smile. Those days were over. Poison and razor blades hidden in candy had been found in children’s trick-or-treat bags over the last few years. Those incidents had turned what used to be a fun time, into one of suspicion and fear.

The local recreation center announced at the beginning of the month that they would hold a Halloween Boo Bash. A safe place for the children of the neighborhood to trick-or-treat that would include candy, games, food and contests. Amanda and her mother had volunteered to help with the baking.

“We’re home.” Her mother entered carrying a bag of groceries. “I got everything on the list that we’ll need for tomorrow.”

At that moment Phillip came storming through the kitchen brandishing a lightsaber. “I’m going to get you Darth Vader.” He switched the saber on. It began to glow blue as he swished it back and forth through the air.

“Hold up there Luke.” Amanda placed her hand on her son’s arm. The way her son played with his toys she could see it being smashed to smithereens by him attacking anything that moved. “Let’s save this for Halloween. We don’t want it to get broken.”

Phillip stood still for a moment, his brow furrowed. “May the Force be with you.” He handed her the saber and went to join his brother watching TV.

“You’re not going to believe the trouble I had finding that toy. We went to three stores before we found it. Then I had to buy batteries, because it doesn’t come with them. He even wanted to bring it into the grocery store in case Darth came to attack us. I told him that Darth doesn’t go shopping, that his storm troopers buy whatever he needs. Of course, he still wanted to bring it. I finally told him that the store had an agreement with the Alliance to be protected from the Empire. I’m so glad I’ve seen that movie more than once. Of course, I only went again so I could watch that hero, Han Solo. He’s so cute and such a rascal. I love rascals.”


October 30th, 1977

What in the world had she been thinking when she decided to make Hairy Daddy Longlegs cupcakes? She cut another piece of BLACK licorice lace into four-inch pieces. Each one needed eight legs and she had fifty cupcakes to decorate. A muscle in her hand tightened and she gasped as the pain shot up her arm. She put down the scissors and flexed her fingers, cracking her knuckles. As the pain subsided she counted licorice cuttings. If she’d done her math correctly, she only needed to make two more sets of legs. She could do this. She’d already frosted the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing, covered them in chocolate sprinkles for the hair and put on the candy eyes.

“I’m back.” Her mother entered the kitchen. “Jan will bring Phillip home at four.”

“We’ll have to have Jan’s two boys over next weekend to give her a break. She’s so sweet to take Phillip for the afternoon giving us time to finish the baking.”

“Oh, you’re almost done with the SPIDER cupcakes. They’re so cute.”

Amanda put the legs on one and admired it. “Yeah, they really are.”

“Is Jamie still napping?”

“I’m hoping he’ll sleep for at least another hour.”

Her mother grabbed a bag of tortillas. “Did you see that list of what everyone is making?”

“I have it right here.” Amanda gestured to a piece of paper to her left.

“I swear some of those recipes sound complicated or at least hard to decorate. Those Sweet Scarecrows for example that Jennifer is making. She has to cut sugar wafers in half, use chocolate sprinkles to create a mouth, cereal for the hair and candy corn for the nose. I can’t believe she has the patience to do all that.”

“Rita called me earlier. She said the PUMPKIN Pie-sicles turned out perfect and they taste delicious.” Amanda placed some more legs on her cupcakes.

“I’m so happy. She was worried that they would taste weird. Who would’ve thought freezing after combining butternut squash, maple syrup, light cream and pumpkin spice into a mold would make a great frozen treat.” Her mother rummaged through a drawer. “Have you seen the BAT cookie cutter? It’s supposed to be right here.”

“It should be.”

“Oh wait, here it is. The GHOST cookie cutter was hiding it.”

While her mother cut out bat chips from tortillas to broil and salt, Amanda continued to look over the food list. The reason they’d been asked to announce what they were contributing had been so no one would duplicate an item. They wanted a wide variety of goodies for the children. The key word for the food had been SPOOKY.

One of the items on the list made Amanda curious. Charlotte had put down she would make Bug Juice, which consisted of frozen strawberries, lemonade, ginger ale, raisins and something she called worms. Amanda wondered how in the world she would make worms. She’d find out tomorrow.

“Will you watch to make sure this batch doesn’t burn? I’m going upstairs to check on Jamie.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Amanda rose to get the next tray of cupcakes. This batch would be one hundred times easier to finish. The only decoration on them would be ORANGE frosting with a piece of candy corn in the center.

October 3lst, 1977

Earlier in the afternoon, Amanda had driven to the recreation center to deliver the cupcakes and bat chips. The decorating committee had gone all out; paper ghosts billowed from the ceiling along with black and orange streamers. The walls were covered with cut outs of skeletons, scarecrows, pumpkins, bats, vampires, witches and black cats.

A table had been set up for pumpkin carving. Parents would help carve small pumpkins to take home with them. Another table held the makings to build your own scarecrow. Baskets held crumbled newspaper, material and different colored yarns to make the heads and hair. The children would draw the faces with magic markers. The bodies were pre-made and dressed, ready for the heads to be attached.

Another area had been set aside for ‘Ring-Around-A-Pumpkin.’ Instead of a ring, you tossed a hula-hoop to try and get it over a pumpkin.

A large black CAT hung on the wall to play ‘pin the tail on the cat.’ Plastic bones would be used in ‘Drop the Bone’ into a jug.

In one corner a ‘Bowling for Skulls’ lane had been set up. Regular sized plastic balls would be used instead of bowling balls to knock down as many plastic skulls as you could.

Instead of bobbing for apples in a bucket of water, which could wreck havoc with costumes and face paint, it had been decided to have kids attempt to take a bite out of apples hanging from strings.

They’d created a small HAUNTED house. Nothing too scary that might frighten the very young children and make them scream and run in panic.

One of the things that impressed Amanda, was that whatever game a child participated in, they would be given a prize in the form of a piece of candy into their trick-or-treat bag.

Amanda checked the time and saw that it was almost five. The Halloween Boo Bash would start at six. She had little over an hour to get herself and the boys ready. She would dress Jamie last; she didn’t want him ruining his tiger costume. When she’d tried it on him the other day, the first thing he’d attempted to do was pull the tail off. All he needed to complete his costume would be some black eyeliner drawn on his cheeks to simulate whiskers.

“Amanda, could you zip me please.” Her mother entered the bedroom.

She zipped her mother’s dress. “You look lovely.”

“Really? Can you tell who I’m supposed to be? She stood ramrod straight and crossed her arms.”

Amanda took in her mother’s attire. A wig of long black hair parted in the middle. A long black, fairly tight black dress. Black Onyx necklace and ring. “Since you don’t have a pointy hat or BROOM, that leaves out WITCH. The only person you could be is Morticia Addams.”

Her mother laughed. “Jameson came up with the Addams Family idea. This is my old witch’s dress. The one I bought several years ago for a costume party. I just hope he has a suit like Gomez’s. I hate to think my date will be Uncle Fester or Cousin Itt.” Her mother shuddered and ran her hands up and down her arms.

Amanda laughed as she pictured Jameson in a hairy outfit. “All he needs is a pin striped suit. If he doesn’t already have one, it shouldn’t be hard to find.”

“You look cute, too. Too bad Joe isn’t home, he could’ve been Raggedy Andy.”

Amanda padded over to the full-length mirror. The red-stripped stockings, blue calico dress, white pantaloons and pinafore apron were an almost exact replica of Raggedy Ann.

“I’m going to get the boys ready, while you finish your makeup.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Amanda sat down in front of her dresser. “Just make sure that Luke doesn’t destroy his lightsaber and that the tiger doesn’t pull off his tail.”

“Jamie’s so cute in his costume. So soft and cuddly. I just want to squeeze him. Oh by the way, I listened to the new weatherman, you know Doug, Don, Dan.” She waved her hands in the air. “Whatever his name is, on Channel 4, and he said there’s a 35 percent chance of RAIN tonight.”

“I’ll make sure to bring an umbrella.” Amanda put on the wig, which had been made out of red yarn, picked up her rouge and began to rub bright red circles on her cheeks.

*****

Several hours later Amanda toted bags filled with candy, pumpkins, scarecrows and a gift bag the organizers had given her and her mother for helping with the refreshments. The street had been dampened from a SOFT MIST that had fallen while they’d been inside. She looked up into the starry NIGHT sky and a full MOON greeted her. Not a cloud in sight.

As she stowed the bags in the back of the station wagon she opened the gift bag. Inside she found a large candy corn shaped CANDLE, along with a large bag of apple cider scented potpourri and a festive dish to display it in.

She hurried back to the recreation center; she’d left the boys playing one last game of Skull Bowling with Ana and her daughter.

Amanda climbed the steps to the entrance and, before she could open the door, a boy of about six dressed in a black cape came bounding out. He stopped in front of her, raised his arms holding the cape up and grinned displaying a set of VAMPIRE fangs. “I want to drink your blood.”

“Jimmy John!” A woman yelled as she exited the center. “You get back here right now.”

Jimmy John pulled his cape over his head and made a mad dash down the steps.

A SCREAM PIERCED THE NIGHT as Vampire Jimmy tried to bite a little girl dressed as Cinderella.

“That little monster is going to be the death of me,” the boy’s mother said as she passed Amanda and chased after her son.

“Did you get everything put away?” Ana asked, as she herded the children in front of her out the door.

“Yes, thank you.”

“My pleasure. It was the least I could do, since you’d have done the same for me. I’ll call you in a few days.” Ana picked up her daughter and headed off to her car.

“Mama.” Jamie held his arms up to her. Whenever he did that it meant he wanted to be carried. Amanda lifted her son into her arms. He rested his head on her shoulder and yawned.

“No more roars?” For most of the evening he’d pretended to be a tiger, he’d scrunch his hands like claws and roar.

“Roar,” he yawned.

“Okay, let’s get you home to bed.”

Phillip and couple of other little boys also dressed up as Luke Skywalker were dueling with their lightsabers and attacking low tree branches.

“Come on Phillip, let’s go home.”

Suddenly, Phillip ran down the sidewalk, his saber held high in the air. “I’ll save you Princess,” he yelled.

Amanda noticed a woman walking in the direction he ran. She wore a long white robe-like dress with long flowing sleeves. Dark rolls of hair on each side of her head completed her costume.

Princess Leia.

A tall man clad in black jumpsuit, boots, cape, mask and helmet with his hand on the small of her back guided her along the walkway.

Darth Vader.

A sour feeling invaded Amanda’s stomach as Phillip charged up to Vader hitting him in the back with his saber. “Phillip! Stop!” she yelled.

She ran as best she could with Jamie in her arms towards the trio. Darth turned around, looked down at the boy, and Phillip head butted him in his midsection.

Just as she reached them she heard a loud sound come from the masked man. “Oomph.”

Amanda’s free hand covered her mouth. “Oh my gosh!”

Phillip flayed at Darth with his lightsaber again. The man put his hand on top of Phillip’s head to keep him at a distance.

“Stop that young man.” Amanda grabbed Phillip’s arm and pulled him away from his nemesis to stop him from attacking the poor man anymore. “Are you all right?” Amanda looked into the face of Darth; she couldn’t see his eyes, or any part of his face. All she could do was hope he wasn’t furious with them for interrupting his date or injured.

“I’m fine. The Force is powerful in this one.” His voice sounded deep and metallic.

“I’m so sorry. Please accept our apologies. Tell him you’re sorry?” Amanda tugged on Phillip’s arm.

Phillip looked down at the ground and scuffed his boot on the pavement. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

Darth placed both hands on his hips in “Your son is forgiven. This time.”

At that moment Jamie let out a loud, “Roar,” and tried to swipe his hand at Darth.

“They’re tired, please excuse us, I need to get them home.” Amanda turned to leave and she heard the woman say to the man, “let’s go to your place Darth Lee to make sure there’s no permanent damage.”

As she began to walk away, she heard the man laugh and say,“trust me there’s no damage and I’ll prove it as soon as we’re alone.”

The End

Links to the food I described in the story:

http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-cakes-cupcakes/hairy-daddy-longlegs-cupcakes-685481/

http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-snacks-treats/pumpkin-pie-sicles-689185/

http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-snacks-treats/bat-chips-715209/

http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-recipes/halloween-beverages/halloween-bug-juice-678127/

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/sweet-scarecrows-686957/