I’ve always hated Halloween. From October 15th on, I’m filled with fear. Even as I park my car by my open barn, I get the feeling that someone is watching me. I sit in my car for a minute while I stare at the empty barn. Eventually I have enough courage to get up and race to the house.

When I get in the house, I still can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching me. I look out the huge bay windows, halfway expecting to find someone terrifying looking back at me. It never happens though. I suppose my imagination just runs wild. But this year, it was different. Something wasn’t right. It seemed more clear. There were sounds, like footsteps of people following me. It all seemed to real.

Tonight was Halloween Eve, and I was terrified. As I was driving home, I realized that I would have to drive back and park by the barn. I swear, someone is in there. I park, and sit, staring at my steering wheel, careful not to look up, sure that someone was there. I looked up. There was a mask, laying on my windshield. When I got out of my car I yelled out “Haha! Very funny, Bub!” in a cowardice voice. My brother didn’t come out from behind the tree I thought I saw a figure behind. He didn’t snicker or giggle. There was no sound. It was too quiet.

I ran towards my house as fast as I could. Not stopping to look back. I felt the leaves crush underneath my feet, but then I felt something different. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned around to see what or who had touched me. Hanging awfully low was a tree branch, lacking in leaves and looking like a hand. I laughed at myself and said “Duh, silly. Dad hasn’t cut that branch yet. You’re being ridiculous.” I rolled my eyes and began to stroll to the house again, feeling the fall air surround me. Once again the tree made a sound. I assured myself it was just the branch and then kept walking, just a little bit quicker.

Suddenly, there was a voice. It was low and quiet. “I can see you.. I’m watching you.. There’s nowhere safe.. I’m always here..” I froze in my tracks. I slowly rotated, trying to find the source of the voice. I squinted and looked closely at the skyline. I could see no figures. I clearly was just hearing things. Then, the tree branch made a crack again. I looked up. There, in a black cloak with the mask was someone, or something. I began to run as he jumped down onto me. I let out a pained grunt as everything began to go black and I heard him say “Don’t worry, this won’t hurt. Halloween is just a game, after all.”


BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! My alarm sounded. My brother came into my room screaming “C’mon! WAKE UP! We still have school you know!”

The dream was sitting so vivid in my mind as I walked into the kitchen. I was dressed and ready to leave when I saw something blowing in the wind. I went out the door and grabbed it. It looked like the mask from my dream. Whatever, it must be Ty’s costume. As I got in my car, I looked at my windshield, written in the dew was “YOU’RE NEXT.”