Unknown Dangers

October 31st; the middle of fall. Trees are going into hibernation, shedding away the life of the leaves. The silence seems to echo around the shadows, making every crevice seem like a nightmare coming to life. Every superstition haunts your thoughts. Even mere cats can make you jump as you turn the corner.

The color orange is coming from everywhere: from the dark leaves, nearly dying; from the pumpkins, carved into masks of terror; even from the sky as the sun is setting, leaving you to the dangers of the night.

The thought of zombies, ghouls, and ghosts are enough to keep you hidden under your covers, letting your childish thoughts hold on to the picture of a happy place. A place where nothing can go wrong. Where there is nothing that can harm you. Where you are unaware and unprepared.

The only way to light your way at night is to follow the porch lights. The road deemed unsafe by most children, they simply cut across the dead grass. They run, hoping to collect as much candy as possible. The parents followed on the sidewalk, making sure their children were safe. Teenagers travel alone.

All of them walking through an unknown danger. All of them unknown to the creatures parading around them. Unknown...

“Do you think he’s here?” One little girl asked, leaning on the cold gate to the cemetery. Her curious brown eyes went unnoticed to the older kids who were still upset that she had to tag along. All but one girl, who had the same pair of eyes. She knelt down next to the smaller girl.

“Of course he is. Maybe he’s just hiding from us!” She grinned, hoping to keep the younger girl excited. One of the other kids rolled their eyes, walking up to the the black gate. They checked the pad lock and smirked.

“How will she get over the fence, Sarah?” He asked, facing the girl and her younger sister.

Sarah smiled right back. “Ashley’s good at climbing. Aren’t you?” The little girl nodded and giggled. Sarah turned back to the boy. “See? No problemo.”

“Yeah, bu-”

“But what? She can get over the fence. She’s not scared. Let’s just do this.”

A couple sighs could be heard, but the girls ignored it. Instead, they started to climb up the fence. Sarah went first, clinging to the gate as she climbed over it and dropped down onto the dead ground. Ashley went next. She expertly shimmied up the gate, dropping into Sarah’s arms.

No one else followed. They looked into the distance behind Sarah with their eyes widened in fear. “S-Sara-” One started to mutter. The others started to run, so soon he followed suit.

Sarah turned around, her eyes widening in fear. “Ashley, get over the gate... now.”

“Why?”

“Just go!”

Ashley did as she was told, only turning around afterwards. Her eyes searched in the sudden fog, but Sarah was no where to be found.

Written by: Megan Wonsmos