The Devil Walks Among Us; Book l - Completed 4/21/22

"It's Halloween"

Tommy raged out of the hospital and to the back parking lot, approaching the dumpster where he left Mia. She wasn't in the same spot as she had been trying to get up, but was still laying on her side, shivering in the night air and crying in pain, occasionally bringing her knees up towards her chest after suffering another contraction. "You best hold that bastard baby in until we're done." He growled, reaching down to force her up onto her feet, checking over the restraints to make sure none were tampered with. Pleased, he effortlessly forced her into Lonnie's SUV, making her lay on her side in the back seat.

"Where to now?" Lonnie asked.

"I'm going to take my car and gather more people," Tommy replied.

"Wait... You-You're not coming with me? What am I going to do if I get pulled over or something?" Lonnie asked, hesitant. Truthfully, he didn't want to be involved in this - in kidnapping and watching the torture of a pregnant woman having moderate to severe contractions. He knew better than that... at least he hoped he did.

"I'll meet you somewhere. I still have to think. I'm going to go find Lindsay. They were driving around too. I'll call you when I find them."

"O-Okay..."

Tommy turned towards his vehicle, getting inside and driving off rather too quickly to be in a parking lot. Lonnie took a deep breath, hesitating before looking at the woman in the seat behind him, sweat breaking out on her forehead as she tried to slow her breathing. He didn't want her to be afraid of him as he had no cruel intentions, but he tried to understand her view of the situation. "I'm sorry, lady..." He sighed, putting his foot on the brake before putting the SUV into gear, only to be stopped by a bright beam of light in his face, stopping his movement immediately. Goddammit...

A police officer.

*

At that very moment, in the northwest section of Haddonfield - specifically within a two-story colonial house at 45 Lampkin Lane that once belonged to the infamous Myers family - a lean, handsome man in his early fifties stood in his kitchen, arranging a butcher board of charcuterie: bits of cheese and meat, veggies and dip, olives, a variety of crackers, fruit slices, and mixed nuts. He believed good food deserved good presentation, so he was taking his time with the arrangement. Music played loudly upstairs, a jaz tune called "It's Halloween" by Pete Antell, and he hummed along as he worked. He was excited about tonight. Halloween was admittingly his favorite holiday followed by Thanksgiving (mainly for the food), but this Halloween was different: he was expecting his husband's sister to come by for a movie night. She was due for her baby any day now and if he were honest, he was excited. He had always wanted children and so did his husband, but in the future, that would be an option. Although it was late in the night, never once did he grow worried that Mia hadn't arrived yet. After all, she took well after her brother... if she said she was "on her way," it was whether or not she was on her way out of bed, to the vehicle, or actually in route.

John Massey - Little John to his friends - had short white hair, a full white beard, and wore round glasses that he thought made him look intelligent. His husband, however, said they made him resemble a hirsute owl, and Little John privately agreed. When he'd finished with the charcuterie, he gave it one last look, pronounced it good, and carried it into the living room. He set the board down on the glass coffee table in front of the sofa, next to a basket that had been refilled with full-sized candy bars. The flat-screen TV was turned to a Halloween horror movie marathon, although the sound was currently muted. He'd started a fire in the wall-mounted fireplace earlier, and with the living room lights set low, it created a cozy, festive atmosphere. Perfect.

"Big John!" He called out.

He waited for a reply, but all he heard was Big John singing along with Pete Antell about cornstalks, old gray houses, and the cold white moon. He walked to the staircase and tried again, shouting more loudly this time.