Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark

Happy Halloween, Witches

It might surprise you to know that witches actually hate Halloween.

Witches are generally very quiet, introverted creatures. So the screaming children pounding on our doors and demanding candy... well, that just really isn't our style.

The little witch costumes are always kind of cute, though. It's nice to be a role model for just one night.

Vampires, on the other hand, love Halloween. Kids aren't usually out after dark, except for on this one night, and so the Vampires crawl out of their hovels (or their crummy, downtown flats) to ooh and aah over the little children and their costumes.

I can tell you're tense already, just thinking about that. Well, don't worry – our kind have a pact for Halloween. We don't touch children. Because of the... nature of some of our population, we can't guarantee that children will always be safe. But on this one night? We make sure the kids can come out and have a good time without fear of losing a limb or worse.

We're not the monsters you think we are. Well, not always, anyway.

So that Halloween night, I found myself sitting in my living room, studying from the Anatomy of White Magick, drinking some Da Hong Pao black tea, sent to me from my cousin across town.

I was finally totally relaxed after what had amounted to a long, hellish week, and was really enjoying myself... when I heard a scraping at the window.

I saw a shock of blonde hair outside the glass and had to suppress an eye-roll. I absolutely wasn't in the mood to be toyed with that night. But I rose to my feet and stalked over to the window, throwing it open with a dramatic flick of my wrist. The creature outside my window clapped as though the very sight of me inspired awe.

"Hey, sweetheart, invite me in!" he purred, his voice deep and smooth and hypnotic.

"Don't call me sweetheart," I deadpanned, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Geez, fine, you can be such a hardass," he said, irritation showing in his voice. I could tell it rankled him that his seductive powers had no effect on me. "C'mon, just let me in, I really need to talk to you."

"Is it about Halloween?" I asked.

"It's about Halloween. And it's very important."

I stared at him with pursed lips for a second. When people think of vampires, they generally think of tall, pale, dark hair, brooding... that kind of thing. Honestly, I blame Dracula. Bram Stoker was such a drama queen. The man before me was none of those things. He had sandy blonde hair and a deep tan, flashing blue eyes and blindingly white teeth. He had a real Beach Boy aesthetic. And they call this guy a creature of the night? I scoffed. Vampires get all the good literature.

I uncrossed my arms and said, "Fine. Come in, Gale."

He climbed in through the window and landed lightly on his feet, smiling at me. Smirking, more like it.

"I always knew I'd get inside your house one day."

"Seriously, what do you want? I'm having a perfectly lovely night in and I don't need you here to ruin it."

"Ooh, you wound me," he clutched his heart and threw his other hand over his eyes, as though about to faint.

My lips twitched but I forced back a smile. "Come on, just spill it. You said it was important."

He sighed, "You're no fun, you know?" Then he became serious. "We have a problem down on the east side of the city."

"What do you mean?"