1 October 2012
The doorbell jangled for what seemed like the hundredth time this evening. I sighed, put down my book and heaved myself out of my armchair. On opening my front door I was greeted with two tiny, excited and extremely cute witches.
"Trick or treat!" They sang in unison, giggling. I held out the obligatory bag of sweets with a sigh. I'd never really been in to Halloween and being constantly interrupted by costumed children, high on sugar, was not my idea of a relaxing evening. The witches took their treats and skipped off to the next house, a hurried "thank you" called over their shoulders. I slammed the door grumpily.
Back in my chair, I was barely two paragraphs in to my book before the doorbell rang again.
"For goodness sake," I muttered - at this rate I'd never finish my reading in time for class tomorrow. And there was going to be a test, I just knew it. I threw open the door, expecting more tiny horrors holding out empty pumpkin containers, but I was surprised to see a young man, about my age, standing on my doorstep. He was pale-faced and sweating, looking around nervously into the evening gloom. There was a little blood on his temple and his lip, and dirt on his clothes; it looked like he had been in a fight. Otherwise it was a poor excuse for a costume.
"Oh!" he gasped, startled by the way I had flung open the door. His green eyes were desperate and afraid. "Please," he started, his voice hoarse and trembling, "please help me. I was attacked, a man attacked me. I don't know why."
Every fibre of my being told me to shut the door in his face and call the police - it was either a Halloween prank or worse and this man really was in trouble. Trouble that I didn't want to be involved in. But something about the fear carved into his handsome face and glassy eyes made me do the exact opposite; I waved him in to my house and closed the door behind us...
Trick Or Treat - Part One • Opuss № I