𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 , 𝙟𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙟𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙪

03

𝙰𝚁𝙻𝙾𝚆𝙴'𝚂 𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙾𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝙵𝙸𝙰𝚂𝙲𝙾

┊┊❁ཻུ۪۪♡ ͎. ｡˚　　°

Halloween. The one time of the year Arlowe Evangeline dreaded working more than any others. It filled his mind with nightmare fuelled imagery and things he could wish would only disappear but he would have to settle for being plagued by the ghosts of his childhood. Although Arlowe worked throughout the Halloween season there was nothing that could numb the pain and emptyness that filled his heart so much so that for hours on end he would stare at the wall just waiting for his phone to buzz, ''Arlowe, honey hi is it possible for you to meet me to work a job?'' Mallory questioned, the obvious sound of her chair being wheeled echoing in the background.

''yeah I can come, where to Mal?'' Arlowe meekly responded picking at his cuticles, ''about 10 minutes away, they found a 20 year old woman by herself looks like a drug overdose but their still asking for us to come in.'' silence filled Arlowe's side of the phone as Mallory answered him, ''Arlowe you there, hello?'' Mallory sounded quite worried for the man. The flaxen haired man curled into a ball, keys in hand observing the wall opposite him, ''yeah I'm still here Mal.'' Arlowe sighed.

Autumn 1996, well Halloween to be exact was the day Arlowe Evangeline's life changed forever. His older sister Christina Evangeline promised him that she would walk around with him to help keep the 14 year old boy safe while trick-or-treating if only she had returned home that afternoon. Arlowe knew he should've told his parents that his sister had left him alone while babysitting to see her boyfriend of 2 months, hell like any 14 year old boy at the time he thought his 20 year old sister would be able to care for herself and that she would return home.

Arlowe and Christina had always been quite close. So close in fact that Christina was practically more like a mother than a sister. She would protect him from the outside world, she would keep him away from any harm that may come to him and she loved him more than anything else. Arlowe knew his sister hadn't always had the cleanest record when it came to drugs and alcohol but she promised she would come better for him.

That night of October 31st 1996, Arlowe had been lightly resting his eyes since 8 o'clock well until a brass shaking motion woke him up. His mother standing over him tears strolling down her cheeks and his father shouting at police officers in the backgroud, ''Arlowe, honey are you with me? Arlowe? Arlowe!''

Mallory's voice drew Arlowe out of his haze. God how could've he forgotten that he was stop over some poor woman's body. His eyes light turning bloodshot as water droplets ran down his cheeks, ''are you okay honey, you seem really out of it today. Your not talking to me and now your crying why don't you go sit out for a bit and come back when your ready.'' Mallory ordered pointing to the bench opposite the setup. Arlowe stuck his knees up to his chest, silencing the sobs that were threatening to leave his mouth, 'oh dear god not here please not here. Can't it wait until I get home.' the man thought observing the pile of leaves in front of him.