Safe?

It was a Wednesday and October 31. Melody Haynes had agreed to take her cousins trick or treating. Seven-year-old twins may seem like a handful, but Melody was one of Kevin and Thalia's favorite people, so the siblings made an effort to contain their mischievous natures with her. Hence, the reason why she was usually the first one to be called upon as a babysitter.

She never even thought about asking for payment whenever she looked after the children; they were family. But Auntie Alison always insisted on giving her money. She kept the bank notes in a well-worn jewelry case and often used the cash to buy birthday presents or Christmas gifts. Melody and her mother Sara lived just around the corner so, if need be, she could walk home later. She'd most likely be done before the sun began to set anyway.

Alone in her own house, she found some ripped jeans and a took a brand-new t-shirt with a flaming skull print from her wardrobe. She laced up comfy black boots and slipped chunky bracelets on both wrists. She had silver cross earrings in place. Her natural black hair with blue highlights was let loose from its braid and it was all crinkly. The final touch was a bit of dark makeup.

Although Melody considered herself too old to dress in an actual costume, for this particular Halloween, she knew the kids would appreciate her choice of clothing. The weather was unpredictable, much the same as it had been with every other Spring season, so she also grabbed a cardigan before leaving. By five o-clock she was out the door, remembering to lock it behind her. Sara probably wouldn't be back from work for at least another two hours.

She nearly missed the flimsy cardboard box that was dumped on her doorstep. There was a red blanket, with something of a decent size wriggling around inside. Melody had no idea who would do this and not leave a note, but she couldn't just ignore whatever animal might be in trouble. She sat down next to the box and reached out a hand, preparing to pull it away really fast, should the thing decide it wanted to attack.

A pair of yellowish-green eyes appeared from underneath the fabric, staring up at her. Melody kept very still. Her hand was inches from the large black cat's face, but it didn't seem bothered at all. Instead, he/she moved a little closer and licked the top of her fingers. A soft meow came, followed by a deep purr as Melody softly stroked the cat's head.

She lifted it up and glanced at the tail end to confirm the gender. "Okay, so here we have a pretty girl." There was no collar around her neck, yet the cat had obviously been well taken care of, up until this point. For a brief moment, Melody thought she might keep her. She even had a name in mind. However, there would be a problem; if she recalled correctly, Sara was severely allergic to cats.

She wondered whether her cousins wanted to have a feline playmate. Alison could hardly turn the abandoned cat away. Standing up with the cat held safely in her arms, she continued walking. Small groups of kids, some accompanied by their parents, others being watched over by teenagers like her, were already busy wandering around the streets of Hudson Gale.

The town itself was already of a decent size, but every week it seemed to be growing. New buildings and residences were taking up the previously vacant areas of land dotted here and there. Melody herself had found a job in a recently opened vintage clothes store. She noticed only a few houses had decorated to celebrate the spooky holiday. Her aunt and uncle's place was definitely one of them; cobwebs and spiders, bats, carved pumpkins, eerie orange lights, plus a skeleton on the front porch swing.

Peter answered her three knocks. "Hey Melody. Happy Halloween. The kids are upstairs." "Happy Halloween uncle. Thalia made Kevin promise he wouldn't tell me what costumes they were wearing, so now I admit I am kind of curious." He smiled, his gaze landing on the black cat comfortably snuggled against her chest. "Who is this furry bundle?" "No idea who used to own her, but somebody dropped her off in a box outside my house. I've called her Jinx."

Rapid footsteps from above, got the cat's attention. She tilted her head ever so slightly and watched the two children practically fly down the stairs. Thalia was dressed as a witch. She held a tiny broom, while her brother opted to go all werewolf on them, with his mask covering his whole face.

They stopped in their tracks when they saw that their cousin had brought a friend. Jinx hopped out of Melody's arms and lay on the front floor rug. She let the young girl pet her. Kevin joined his sister. "She's beautiful. Wherever did you find her?" " I guess you could say, she found me. I'd love to have her in my home, but you know your auntie suffers from terrible allergies. You both look awesome by the way." The twins hugged her warmly. "Thanks."

Alison came into the room to see what all the fuss was about. Jinx went straight to her, winding around the woman's legs and purring again. Melody laughed. "I think she likes you." Her aunt bent down to scratch the cat's ears. "We'll take her. Now, don't you two rascals have some candy to score?"

She knew from previous experience that Kevin and Thalia were full of energy and enthusiasm, which Melody didn't really mind, but tonight even she needed a little breather every once in a while. Recalling her own trick or treating endeavors, she was well aware of the right houses to approach and which ones to avoid.

Not everybody living in Hudson Gale relished the idea of buying and handing out sweets to the local kids, some of the older folk could get quite mean about it. Luckily this time, no one bothered them. Her cousins were able to fill their bags almost to the brim. She had no doubt the collection of goodies wouldn't last long; there are very few things children love more than candies.

Melody checked her watch. It was 6:15. She'd promised to have the kids back by no later than seven. She raised her voice to the siblings as they were heading up a long driveway. " Guys, we should be going now." "Okay." Peter offered her a ride, but she shook her head. "I am literally two blocks from my place, I'll be fine." Her uncle sighed, realizing he couldn't talk her out of it.

"Call us when you get there." "Of course. Mum texted me a moment ago, to say she was finishing early, so she may already have gotten home." Alison walked her to the front door. "Good. Take care Melody. Oh, and ask your mother if the two of you are free for dinner this weekend." "Will do. Our schedule is clear, but that can change. I'll be off then."

Although she had walked by herself along these familiar paths many times, the emptiness was making her feel edgy. She thought she sensed a strange presence that had for whatever reason, set its focus on her. Melody turned onto her street, chastising her sometimes vivid imagination.

She was allowing the atmosphere of Halloween to mess with her. It was just another holiday, and it was almost at an end. Still, without skipping a beat, her boots picked up their pace. She tried to think of more pleasant things, like her cousins playing with Jinx, or Sara baking apple pie with vanilla ice cream and custard.

Footsteps seemingly out of nowhere, were coming up behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw nobody. The streets were still very much empty and yet the feeling of something sinister following her grew stronger. She couldn't help shivering. Quicker than a lightning strike, a hand shot out from the darkness and dragged her into a rather conveniently placed alleyway.

He was cold and strong. Melody heard the menacing tone in his voice. "Be quiet and don't struggle, or I'll tear you to pieces right here!" She didn't fully understand when a sharp pain in her neck caused her to go rigid like a statue. What did worry her, was her head starting to get all woozy.

Despite his threat, she wanted so badly to grab for her phone, but her hands felt totally useless, like she'd become some sort of mannequin. She resigned herself to the fact that she had no possibility of escape; he would catch her easily. His mean laughter echoed in her ears as her vision slowly darkened...

TO BE CONTINUED