COLE

chapter 7; don't open your door

Halloween, the one day of the year that deems it socially acceptable to dress up as an axe murderer and not be judged for it.

Arielle stood in the corridor of her home with her arms crossed over her chest as Terence fixed his face in the mirror. She swore her life was already a horror show as it was but now she had to deal with... What was happening in front of her.

Terence spun around with his fingers curled up in the air, grinning.

"Guess what I am," he said, fixing his cape behind him with one hand.

Arielle looked at the fake fangs hanging in his mouth.

"Jeez, I don't know," she said. "What are you supposed to be?"

Terence straightened up and frowned, "A vampire, I thought it was obvious."

Arielle pressed her palm over her forehead and breathed in deeply. Terence turned and looked at her, suddenly worried that he'd upset her when it became clear that she'd begun to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You," Arielle choked.

"I was trying to look scary," he said, slightly insulted. "The children will start ringin' door bells soon."

"Oh trust me," she said, walking into the living room. "You'll scare them plenty!"

Terence shook his head and returned to fixing his appearance in the mirror. Despite his age, he thought it was all good fun to take part in such an occasion. Arielle could joke all she wanted, he was convinced she was jealous of his efforts.

"You could at least put some fake blood on yer face," Terence said after a moment, entering the living room.

Arielle gave him a look.

Before she could say anything, the door bell rang.

"Oh! They're here early," Terence said, shuffling out of the door. "I haven't got the blood on yet!"

"It doesn't matter," Arielle began but it was too late as Terence started for the kitchen where he still had the fake blood on the table.

"Please answer the door, Arielle!"

Arielle sighed, wishing she could do it louder so that everyone in her neighbourhood could hear her. She grabbed the bowl of sweets and walked through the lobby.

"I've got it!" she said, turning the lock and opening the door.

She was mildly surprised to see an older person, around fifteen, she guessed but couldn't tell for sure. The boy was tall and pale, hair greasy and combed back but more strangely, alone.

"Hey," she said, eyeing his horrendously dirty shirt. "Aren't you too old for this?"

The boy stared at her, almost like his gaze was transfixed. Arielle shifted her weight on her feet and shook her head.

"Okay, whatever. Open your bag then."

She grabbed a handful of candy and waited but realised he didn't have a bag or basket. Or anything on him, as a matter of fact.

"Um?" she mumbled, looking back at him.

She was slightly put off by the expression on his face, a very slight smile on his face that could easily be overlooked as a blank face. He looked emotionless yet still slightly smug about something. It was like he knew something she didn't and she didn't like it.

"Dude?"

Arielle moved to close the door, slightly irked by the stranger who still hadn't spoken when suddenly he reached forward and grabbed her arms, pulling her out of the doorway.

"What the hell?" Arielle screamed, dropping the sweets to the floor as she struggled to fight against him.

"Get off!" Arielle yelled, finally pulling her wrists free when she caught sight of the boy's face.

Her eyes widened as he lunged forwards again, instinctively she lifted her leg and kicked him in the balls. His face changed and suddenly he didn't look anything like a teenager anymore. He looked older, much older.

Arielle yelled again as she pushed the door but the bowl got in the way of it fully closing.

The man struck his hand through the gap, desperately grabbing at her when she kicked the bowl out of the way and slammed the door shut, trapping his arm in the doorway.

Terence walked into the lobby to see what all the noise was about when he saw the man through the glass of the door. The man had unmistakable glowing eyes, almost like an animal caught in a camera flash but not just quite.

"What on earth?" Terence exclaimed, too shocked to move.

Arielle used all her strength to push the door when finally the man withdrew his arm, allowing  her to close and lock the door.

She stood in front of the door, watching as the man with the strange eyes stared at her through the glass.

"Who was that?" Terence asked, fake blood dripping down his chin.

"Shh," Arielle said, creeping into the living room where she could see the figure move from outside the window.

She turned the lights off and crept low, looking for her phone on the sofa when she heard three taps on the window.

Looking up, she felt terror strike her as the man looked directly back at her.

"Trick or Treat?" he laughed, mechanically.

"Grandad, I'm calling the police," Arielle whispered, all the while keeping her eyes on the stranger outside.

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