One's love of Halloween

The screaming. The loud echoes for help. The bloody hand print on the door. My heart pounded as the fear ran its icy grip along my spine. I adored Halloween: the preparation leading up to the holiday, the fear inducing costumes and decorations, the constant reminder horror and evil exists. It was different to all the other holidays with their fluffy, chocolate giving bunnies and jolly, fat men in red. Halloween was fear and a reminder that not everything is all good and nice in the world. The most realistic holiday in my opinion. It was a special night.

The house was that of a big one. Shadows loomed over the entirety of the massive house and despite the failed attempts of renovation, the old Victorian style lingered everywhere. The house now being a hotel, surrounded within legends, myths and mysteries was a popular must-see attraction. It was nearly impossible to hire a room with it catching the attention of horror lovers, history addicted and scientists wanting to debunk the so called lies. However, since our first day here I had not seen a single soul within these walls besides the attendant who remained into the capacity of his room on the first floor and Alex, my boyfriend of eleven months.

We had been planning this trip almost the entirety of our relationship. I had always been fascinated by dark things as a child I would study old lore and myths. I was the definition of goth and preferred to stick with people with the same interest as me. I had met Alex the day after Halloween at a festival. We instantly had a connection and bonded over our mutual love of darkness.

Now at almost one year of our meeting, we sped through the hallway, doors on either side shut tightly, none willing to share the secrets hidden behind them. An involuntary shudder of fear and curiosity goes through my body as I realize what horrors probably lay behind them. The corridor was narrow, my shoulder casually brushing on one side of the wall. Ahead of me Alex ran, somewhat wanting to be a hero and protect me, playing his part of a dutiful, loving boyfriend. Behind his brave facade however cracks were beginning to show, and I felt a pang of guilt for bringing him here. It was my idea to come here, wanting to experience Halloween the right way, away from the begging of candy and the pathetic, skimpy outfits we now call costumes.

Somewhere from behind us I could almost feel a presence following, non-threateningly. Still I paced my small frame behind Alex’s larger one, eager to disappear into our bedroom and hide under the covers. Up ahead our bedroom sat and as we neared it, we came to realize there was a single half hand print, pressed in blood upon the gaping white door. Taking one look at the blood, I felt Alex’s tension as he weighed up his options and decided what to do. Finally, and slowly, he nudged the door open with his foot, a cone of light from where we stood fell onto the dark floorboards. It was cold in the room and I huddled closer to Alex seeking warmth and protection.

The lights flicked on as Alex switched them on. My heart pounded ever so loudly, and I feared I was going to experience a heart attack any second. I was scared but I could not prevent the thrill and excitement running throughout my body. Always had I had this obsession with dark things and the fear that carried along with it. Even now, with the risks of either of us losing our lives, I still found the anticipation in the fear.

Suddenly a loud, shrill of a scream echoed throughout the room and I began to shake. Alex’s body stiffened up from besides me as he got prepared to fight. The screaming progressed and both our hands covered our ears as we doubled over, the volume of the screaming rising and the pitch becoming high. My head throbbed and I begged for it to stop.

Finally, as sudden as it began it finished, leaving only a painful memory. My head throbbed but from the corner of my eye, in the darkest corner I caught sight of movement. Leaving the safety of Alex’s side, curiosity arose, and I cautiously stepped towards the corner. I heard Alex shift as his eyes followed my path from away from him. The room was still almost as if everything in the vicinity was holding its breath. Nothing else occurred as I neared closer and closer, eventually stepping into the shadows of the corner and scanning the area looking for something. But there was nothing. I felt the disappointment run over me. As random as the previous screaming started, Alex let out a howl from behind me and I turned to see him struggling with something invisible.

“Somethings grabbing me.” I managed to make out through his screams and ragged breathing, but still I fail to see anything. “Run.”

Unsure what to do I rushed to him, in some attempt to help but in the midst of his struggling he pushed me away, towards the opened door. I didn’t want to leave, I wanted to stay but my feet took off in the opposite direction towards the door. A few seconds later he manages to follow me, still making sounds of pain the whole way.

We made it halfway down the corridor before he stumbled and fell down on the floor. I grabbed at his pale hand and helped him to his feet but still he stumbled. Using our bodies and the tight space of the hallway, we wedged ourselves between the walls and aided each other in walking as fast as we could down the corridor. But it was too hard. Alex stumbled and fell, and I caught sight of his shoulder, scratched and bloody, his t-shirt barely hanging together in threads. He was losing too much blood, it rushed down him covering his skin in the red stickiness. As he fell again, my feet give way as his heaviness pulls me down with him. Admittedly, I tried to avoid landing on him and his wounds but I couldn't stop the momentum and failed, landing on him and burying his sore shoulder deeper into the floor. He screamed in pain.

“I’m so, so sorry,” I cried, my vision becoming blurred as I tried to press his wounds with my hands and reduce the blood loss. It was hopeless and had zero success as he continued to call out in pain. I didn't know what to and my heart was still a loud in my ears. My breathing was labored as the thought of loosing him was frequent in my mind but I pushed it back. His blood continued rushing out, painting my hands in a thick coat. He was becoming too disorientated from the attack and sweat coated his whole face and hairline. I looked down at his pained expression, taking into consideration his beautifully etched face. He looked up at me through his grunts of pain and whispered an 'I love you'.

Before I could reply my body was snapped backwards like it was within an elastic band. The air went out of my lungs as I was flung backwards away from him. Many little sounds occurred all around me and I caught glimpses of little dark shadows rushing past me towards him. I landed gently against the wall but restrained. I could still see his flailing body from my position and hear his blood curdling screams as I struggled to fight against the force holding me there. He fought at the little things only he could see, shouting and yelling at them to leave.

It only took a few seconds before his screams began to soften and become less infrequent. Finally, the force slackened, and I could experience movement again. It was within a matter of seconds before I was by his side again, his last words still lingering in my mind.

“I love you too.” I say, a full-blown smile growing on my face as I peer down at his failing body. He was still alive, just barely, and he peered up at me a look of questioning. "But, I love this night more." I send a smirk down as a answer before opening my mouth, my jaw becoming unhinged and wide. I began the process of devouring his blood, flesh and bones. The hunger I had squashed for a whole year, finally had stopped begging to be fulfilled and now quietened with the satisfaction of fresh meat. It was only one day a year on Halloween that I was able to eat. It was a special day. It took me a good part of an hour to fully consume the weakling of a male, only leaving residue and a few blood splatters upon the flooring. I could sense his poor, trapped soul joining the rest of my past boyfriends. I knew by next year the isolation and heartbreak would drive him crazy, turning him as deranged and hungry as the other forces within the structure of this house.

Satisfied for another year I call upon the attendant from downstairs and order the man to clean it all up. He knew the deal and proceeded in silence, already having a routine in place. I clean myself off, already planning for the next year's Halloween.