Victor's mysterious Fangs

5

Aria

I followed the trail of pumpkins on his pathway.
"What time is it now?" I asked mr Vic.

"6:40," he answered plainly.
"Gosh. Sorry I'm so late Mr Vic," I beamed. "You did so nice with your yard."

"Thank you." His eyes followed me as I eased my way onto his porch.
"Trick or treat," I smiled.
"A treat after a trick," he replied.
I titled my head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The maze of course," he raised his thick hands and  ruffled my hair. "A whole bunch of candy is waiting for you if you conquer the maze," he explained.

"That maze is huge. Your backyard is the entire maze. It's going to take me forever," I frowned.

"I bet it won't," he challenged.
I switched the topic. "Are you going to tell me how you move so fast?"

I watched him rise from the corner of darkness of his porch. "I don't tell my secrets." He kept mum.

"Fine. Why am I your only visitor?" I pressed.

"Who said you're my only visitor?" He smirked. "Hm," he paused. "But I think Maybe because you are the only somebody who loves my selection of candy and these horrid decorations I spring together."

"It's meant to be scary. I think you're the best," I admitted.

He flicked his lighter easily, almost too efficient."Thank you," he fumbled for his cigarette, bringing the fire closer as he took a long drag of smoke. His face scrunched when he eyed me. "Why are you still here? You have to go through the maze before your father finds you." He shooed me with his left hand. That's when I noticed the black band around his finger.

"Come with me," I begged. "Please."
"That's also cheating," he chuckled.
"Pretty pleaseeee. I'll split my bowl of candy with you," I tried to entice him.

"Fine," he threw his cigarette deep into the bushes. My gasp was soon replaced by giggles. Vic moved so quickly that it didn't register he had picked me up and put me on his shoulder.

"Mr. Vic I'll always ask, how do you move so fast?"
"It's your imagination," he denied.

"You're so tall," I admired this height.
Mr Vic hummed in agreement but didn't say anything. The ground under his feet suddenly stopped crunching. He unlifted me and placed me solid on the ground. I was bummed; I really liked riding his shoulders, seeing the world how he did.

"Let's go," he extend his arm toward the maze. I caught sight of the band again.

"Are you married Mr. Vic?" I pointed at the ring.

"Oh this," he brung the ring to face me. "Nothing of the sort. It's just like these ghosts and things. All for decoration."
"Oh," I was mildly disappointed. "Have you ever been married?"
"What's with the sudden interest in my life?" His brooding face was a mixture of annoyance and something else I couldn't quite place.

"You're just always alone," I whispered. "I never see you with anyone. You don't even talk to anyone else. I asked my friends to come here with me and they said they were forbidden. You wanna know why?"

He sighed. "Humor me. Why? Did their parents say it's dangerous?"
I gasped at his correct estimation. "They sure did! They said a mad man lives here."

"How can they call me a mad man when they don't know what I look like?" His laughter boomed and echoed through the night air, stirring the birds and creatures. "Do I look like I'm crazy Aria?"

"Crazy people don't always look crazy," I shuddered at the mention of the word. Ayden's mom was crazy. I walked home with my group of friends one day and we found her slicing a chicken. The next thing we knew, Ayden's father had her removed from their home and I hadn't seen her since, or been back to their house. Ayden told me her mother was crazy and she lived in a crazy home now.

"What do you know?" Victor's voice brought me out of my memory.

"They only judge you because they're scared," I said. "But I'm not afraid, Mr. Vic. You're so cool and talented and you're strong and tall. And you always let me have all of the candy. You're the absolute best in my book."

A small smile graced his lips. "Okay. How about we just skip this thing and you get the candy."

"That would be no fun," I shook my head. I sprung to his side and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with me into the empty darkness of the maze. The door of the shack slammed behind us and suddenly the inside was brought to life by tiny little lights that lined the guardrails. I squeezed Vic's hand every time something jumped out at me. My screams amused Victor and every time I screamed, I would get annoyed at how he laughed at me.

We came upon a choice of doors and I was so indecisive.
"Look around," mr Vic urged me. "Clues to find the best door."

I looked at the floor, spying a loop of rope. I trailed the rope with my sight. Staring at the ceiling, I could see where the rope led to and where it came from. "Middle door," I picked.

"Correct," Victor pushed the door open and just then, the rope suddenly moved. "It was a trap."

Maybe he was crazy. What kind of person would actually set a trap in a haunted maze?

I pressed on, quietly following Vic inside until a bowl of candy entered my sight. It was just out in the open, begging for me to come to it.

"Before I run to get my oh-so deserved treat, Is this the end or is it another trap?" I asked.

"Go get your candy," he waved.

I ran to the bowl, dumping mostly all of its contents into my bag and pockets. "Thanks mr. Vic, but I think I'm overloaded again."

"That's fine."
"Aria!" I heard my dad shout my name into the distance.
"I have to go," I was reluctant to say goodbye to Vic. Maybe, just maybe. "Do you want to walk home with me?"
"I'm fine watching," Vic replied.
I pouted.
"Just because you frown doesn't mean I'm going to give in," he crossed his arms. "Go home."
"Ariaaa!" My dad's voice echoed.
I pleaded with clasped hands, "Please."

He relented with a drawn out grunt. "Let's go." I grabbed his hand and walked in silence toward the ever growing voice yelling my name. My dad was on the pavement in front of Mr. Vic's gate. As if he knew I'd be here.

"Jack," Victor approached my dad in a calm manner. "Here ya go. Little monster always gets all the candy."

Jack relaxed. "I was getting worried. But then I remembered she likes the way you put so much effort into the spooky holiday." He ran his hands through his coarse black hair. "Thank you."

"No problem," Victor handed me off to my dad. "Happy Halloween."

"Goodnight," my dad dragged me by the hand. I turned to give Mr. Vic one last glance. I caught him winking at me before my dad locked the door.

**
"Let's eat," my dad dug into his box of pizza. I was sick of pizza.
"I'm not hungry dad," I shared.
He questioned, "Are you sure?" I nodded. "Go get yourself ready for bed then."

Only 8 o'clock but my heavy eyelids drooped and I succumbed to sleep.
**

A quick yawn prompted me to wipe some sleep from my eyes. I glanced at the glock. It read 1:09. I could hear rapid footsteps crunching and grinding the leaves, as if someone was running. I crept to my window, spying a girl running away from Mr. Vic's maze. Mr. Vic watched the girl, unphased that she had ran away. My room was completely dark and I thought there was no way he'd see me. But he did.

His smile was never creepy, but in tonight's darkness, his smile looked sinister. He placed a finger over his mouth, "Sh." He gestured. I gulped, ducking under the window, forcing my eyes shut. When my breathing calmed down, the clock read 1:17. I crept to the window again and there was no sight of him or the girl.

I released a gasp of relief. I climbed back into bed. I'm just having a nightmare, I convinced myself. In the morning, everything will be back to usual.