Prologue

A swift and tiny dragonfly landed on a dry leaf. Let's call him Jim. Jim took his lil bug wings and flew from one leaf to the next, before being squished by a merciless, unfathomable creature. It kept walking without a care, leaving Jim's slimy bug corpse behind on the forest floor. Rest in peace, Jim, but we're following this other creature now.

The fowl being trotted past a small patch of Witch Hazel and Deadly Night Shade, smashing a few of the pumpkins in the nearby patch, then creeping back into the woods. With its tail slithering right behind it, this beast jumped, almost flying into a nearby tree without a trace, except, of course, the tracks left behind.

And somewhere far, far away on Earth, sits Mrs. Angeline on her front porch, discussing payments and scheduling with the babysitter. "Alright, so you take them at six and bring 'em back by ten."

"Ten?" asked Isabelle, a living girl, but not for long. "These kids are only elementary schoolers."

"Yep," Mrs. Angeline answered, "Frankie an' me are goin' to the town hall. They'll be fine cause they'll have you." She sat back all the way in her white wooden rocking chair, "Take a taser or some pepper spray. Somethin'. Just stay on the good sides of the roads, and stick to Ian's little route he drew up of the houses with most candy."

"Yes ma'am," Isabelle replied, starting to walk away.

"Wait, Isabelle!" Mrs. Angeline called after.

Isabelle turned around, "Yes ma'am?"

"Wear a costume."

"Excuse me?"

"My boys aid that they'll only go trick or treating with someone if they're dressed up, too. I know it seems last minute, but just throw on a sheet, go as a simple ghost or something."

Isabelle smiled, "Yes ma'am, I'll be here at five thirty."