Horror

Token

"Hey man, I feel on fire today. Would you like to go to the piers?" said Luis, leaping from his truck.

"The piers? I can't, Luis. I must go home; my mother needs help with the trick-or-treaters."

"Oh, mama's boy," said Luis mockingly, "I will go alone then, bye!!"

The piers were the red light district. Luis needed to vent his frustration with some fun. As he walked through the area, he was approached by a few girls in daring costumes, but he wanted to avoid their type. Finally, Luis entered a bar with a neon sign that said "Banana split" and sat in the front bar rail watching the girls dance. While he was drinking, a man dressed as a witch doctor approached. "Hey, have I met you before?"

He tried to divert his face and said, "No, I don't think so."

A flicker of recognition was shown in the doctor's eyes. "Yes, you do. But, oh man, I am glad you have recovered already after the death of Marinelle and your child. I am sorry, man; she was so happy about her pregnancy and leaving this life, yet she sadly passed away in such an ugly way. Did they find her attacker?"

Luis shook his head.

The witch doctor continued, "She had violent clients, but only a sick man would do that to her. I am sorry. I shouldn't speak like that. Marinelle had this done for you a few days before passing." 

He gave Luis a bracelet of braided red hair tied with a silver ribbon. "It is hers. Custom-made with her hair for you. She loved you." 

Luis smiled faintly and pocketed the gift. They shook hands."Let's hang out soon," said the witch doctor and left.

Luis' face darkened. Finding an old acquaintance there was just his luck.

Luis finished his drink, paid the bill, and left. He couldn't throw the bracelet away in that place, so he walked down the street to the harbor, avoiding the lively crowd. Cursing, he threw the lock into the water and went home.

As hours passed, he turned on the TV and mindlessly watched the news. He repeatedly heard knocks from children at the door asking for candies, which Luis gave away. It was almost ten when he heard another knock. As usual, he went to open the door only to find the lock of hair on the floor that started to glow red and float in the air.

A beautiful redhead girl with a baby appeared before him, smiling. She wore a white dress, the one in which she was buried. He walked backward but froze when a wound in the gut of the ghost girl started to bleed. The girl approached floating and said, "I missed you." She caressed his cheek and showed him the baby, now just a puddle of gore. She kissed him as her face transformed rapidly into a decaying corpse.

He couldn't escape his sins anymore since her hold was firm. Finally, he felt the blood in his mouth and faded into darkness, screaming.