Page 5 of Devil's Embrace
The Halloween crowds grew thicker as I approached the main street.I blended in effortlessly, just another adult in dark clothing amid the costumes and decorations.No one looked twice at me.No one ever did until it was too late.
Emory
I continued down Lincoln Street with Mina's hand firmly in mine, her purple pumpkin bucket now heavy with candy.This was the showiest part of Havenview, where people spent thousands on Halloween displays.Mechanical zombies lurched from behind gravestones; fog machines created an eerie mist that swirled around our ankles, and holographic ghosts appeared in windows.Mina's eyes grew wide with each new sight, her earlier fear of the teenage monsters forgotten in the spectacle.
"Mama, look at that one!"She pointed to a yard transformed into a miniature haunted graveyard, complete with animatronic skeletons that popped up from behind tombstones when trick-or-treaters approached the door.
"That's pretty impressive."I mentally calculated how many months of rent that display would cost me.The inequalities of Havenview never escaped my notice—my modest apartment on the east side versus these sprawling homes with their perfectly manicured lawns and elaborate decorations.
A skeleton suddenly rose from a coffin with a mechanical shriek, causing Mina to jump and squeeze my hand tighter.
"It's okay, sweet pea.Remember, it's all pretend."I kept a watchful eye on the display.Some of these contraptions seemed a bit much for the younger children.
A family approached from the opposite direction—mother, father, and two children dressed as superheroes.The perfect nuclear family.The woman caught my eye and smiled.
"Adorable unicorn," she said, nodding toward Mina."Did you make the costume?"
"No, store-bought."I tried not to feel inadequate.The woman's children wore what were clearly handmade costumes, probably crafted during leisurely weekend afternoons while her husband took care of yard work.
"Well, it's lovely," she said."Happy Halloween!"
"Happy Halloween."I watched them continue on their way, the father's arm draped casually around his wife's shoulders.
I checked my watch—7:45 PM.We'd been out for almost an hour and a half.Mina's bedtime was eight-thirty, and I still needed to get her home, out of her costume, teeth brushed, and settled down from her sugar high.
"I think we have time for about five more houses."I gauged the weight of her candy bucket.It was already half full, more than enough treats for a five-year-old.
"But Mama," Mina protested, her bottom lip jutting out slightly."I'm not tired at all."
As if to contradict her statement, she let out a small yawn, quickly covering her mouth as though to hide the evidence.
"I know you're not."I smiled at her determination."But unicorns need their beauty sleep, and you've got school tomorrow."
She sighed dramatically but didn't argue further."Can we go to that house?"She pointed toward a Victorian-style home where the owners had gone all out with their decorations.Ghostly figures danced in the yard, projected from hidden lights, while friendly-looking pumpkins and smiling ghosts adorned the porch.
"That looks perfect."I felt relieved she'd chosen one of the less frightening displays.
As we walked, I noticed a side street coming up on our left.Unlike the main road with its bright lights and Halloween revelers, this street was darker, the shadows deeper between the streetlights.A chill ran up my spine that had nothing to do with the October air.
I slowed our pace, a feeling of unease washing over me.The street looked empty at first glance, but something about it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.A mother's instinct, perhaps.The same one that woke me seconds before Mina cried as a baby or knew when she was coming down with a fever before the first sniffle.
"Mama, why are we stopping?"Mina tugged lightly on my hand.
I couldn't explain the feeling.A presence maybe, or just the natural wariness of a woman alone with her child after dark.Either way, I trusted my gut.
"Let's cross here."I guided her to the other side of the main street, putting more distance between us and that shadowy alley.Something felt wrong about it.
As we crossed, I glanced back at the side street.I saw a tall figure in a dark coat step out of the shadows.Something about his posture, the deliberate way he moved, sent another wave of unease through me.
"Hurry, sweet pea."I picked up our pace without alarming Mina."That house with the ghosts is going to run out of candy if we don't get there quick."
She giggled and skipped alongside me, oblivious to my concern."I hope they have chocolate!"
"Me too, baby."
We reached the Victorian house, joining a small group of other trick-or-treaters waiting their turn at the door.I positioned myself so I could monitor both Mina and the street behind us.The figure I'd glimpsed was gone—if he'd ever been there at all.Maybe my imagination was working overtime, fueled by the spooky atmosphere and my constant state of vigilance as a single mother.
"What's your costume?"a little boy ahead of us in line asked Mina.
