Halloween 40 Years Later *FAN FICTION*

Shapeshifter

Kristin looked out the pale glass window of her house. The bright sun's rays outside bounced off the glass' windows. She saw bright orange leaves falling from the nearby trees onto the streets of the neighborhood. The sudden wind howled wildly sweeping the leaves away in a powerful gust. Giant carved pumpkins with numerous expressions sat on the porch of many neighboring houses. Halloween animatronics activated swooshing their hands around while making grotesque noises and pleading for help.

She saw a large school bus driving down the road before screeching and making a hard stop. The vehicle's doors swung ajar as did the bus' stop sign. Kristin heard giggles from young children exiting their school bus. They smiled and ran from the vehicle going in different directions.

"The neighborhood kids really are excited for Halloween this year, huh?" Kristin asked. She wrapped her arms together before looking over at her mother. "What do you think, Mom?"

Laurie looked over at her daughter. She smirked. "Or, maybe they're just excited to be off school. You were a kid once too, you know," she said.

"Yeah, but back when I was a kid in the 80's, we were pretty excited about Halloween. It was big back then. I remember running off the bus telling my friends what I was gonna be."

"The holiday nowadays isn't what it used to be when you and I were growing up, that's for sure," Laurie said.

"We've got to keep it alive. At least until we can get around to early Christmas shopping."

Laurie laughed. She wrapped her arms together. "I'm sure Allyson isn't having much trouble with the holiday. She's too busy with boys and her sports at the high school."

Kristen sighed. "Don't remind me, Mom. She's 17, her hormones are all over the place, she's almost as tall as us, and she's liking boys. Hopefully she gets luckier than you did with Ben Tramer when you were her age."

Laurie raised her eyebrow. She glared at Kristen. "Is that so? Well, I'd say I did a pretty damn good job with you making sure you didn't get pregnant and become a high school drop out."

"Mom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

Laurie walked over to Kristen. "Gotcha. You're so gullible, Kristen. You definitely take after your father."

Kristen looked over at a nearby portrait of a man with pale skin, brown eyes, and curly black hair. He was in a football uniform with her mother dated 1979. "I wish he were still alive . . ." she said.

"He was a good man. This was a year before I got pregnant with you. It's a shame we're in the twenty first century and there's no cure to Cancer yet," Laurie said.

"Dad was strong, but he fought long enough. You can't win every battle."

Suddenly, the front door swung open. Kristen and Laurie immediately turned their heads to the door. There was nobody there.

"Hello?" Kristen asked. "Who's there?"

Laurie reached to her side and silently pulled out a revolver before aiming it at the door. "Kristen, get behind me," she said.

"Mom, it's ok. It's probably just some neighborhood kid trying to pull a prank on us," Kristin said. "It is almost Halloween after all."

"Everyone is entitled to one good scare, but I've had my fair share already of that. Now do as I say and get behind me."

Laurie slowly walked toward the door with her gun drawn. She breathed slowly while the creaks of her movement echoed throughout the house. "Come on out! Tricks are over!"

Laurie walked even further to the door, clicking her gun. "I'll shoot. You've got five seconds to come on out."

"Mom!" Kristen screamed.