The Night Before Halloween

Prologue

IRELAND: 1808

Allana awoke with a start. She looked left then right. Up then down. Nothing but darkness. Allana screamed in terror. "I can't stay." she breathed heavily. "It's not safe." another heavy breath. "For my baby!" She screamed again. Then a violent shake brought her to sanity.

"ALLANA WAKE UP IT'S OK ITS JUST A HALLUCINATION! WAKE UP!" Allana looked around. She was sweating and her heart was racing.

"What's wrong Cabhan?" Allana's husband gave her an irritated look. "Oh my goodness no. Did I have another hallucination?" Cabhan nodded. "What was it this time?"

"You were screaming about how it wasn't safe for your baby here and that you had to leave. To save them." Cabhan replied.

"Oh." Allana replied flatly. Then she broke into tears. She shook her head. "I just. I just don't understand. How such an amazing man like you, could love me. And stay with me through the madness."

"No Allana, don't say that." Cabhan answered. By now he was used to it. It happened with every hallucination. "You're a beautiful woman. There is nothing wrong with you. I often wonder how there aren't men lining up at our door begging for you." Cabhan reached for Allana's hand. Allana pulled away. She shook her head.

"Stop it. Stop it." She stood. "JUST STOP IT!!" She screamed. "YOU'RE MAKING IT ALL UP!!! NO ONE COULD LOVE ME IF THEY TRIED!!!" She sat down. She wiped a tear from her eyes. "Just go to sleep Cabhan. You don't deserve this."

Allana pretended to fall sleep. As soon as she heard Cabhan's snores, she grabbed her few possessions and tiptoed out of the small house. But not for a minute. An hour. Or a day. No. Allana was leaving for good.

The next morning Cabhan reached over for Allana's hand only to find nothing. He dashed out of the house in his nightclothes. He ran to everyone he saw. "Have you seen Allana?" "Has anyone seen my wife?"

Most ignored him. The old woman next door said nothing more than that it was bound to happen. Cabhan faced the facts. Allana had left him. And despite his denial. He knew it was bound to happen. He trudged into the town store.

"Top o' the mornin' to ya Cabhan!" said the owner. "What can I get you today?" he said all cheerfully.

"Poison." Cabhan said flatly "There are some rats I must dispose of." With a strange look the owner gave him a bottle of poison.

When Cabhan got home he laid on his bed. And drank the poison.