It was Halloween night. My favorite holiday. I have been waiting all year for this. My friend Steven is having a huge costume party that everyone is going to, he has it every year, and this year I got invited to it. It’s the biggest party every year. I’m so ready for this party. 

“What do you mean I can’t go to the party?”

“You have to take Ava Trick-or-treating.”

“But dad said I can go to Steven’s party this year.”

“Is dad the boss around here?”

“No.”

I put my head down knowing I wasn’t going to get out of this.

“Good. Now go help Ava put her costume on.”

I stomped up the stairs to Ava’s room. I was mad, no, I was angry. My dad told me I could go last week, now I can’t. I have been waiting forever to go to this party. I grabbed my phone and called my best friend, Josey. 

“Hey girl. So, I was wondering if you’re picking me up or if I’m picking you up?”

“Bad news. I can’t go.” 

“What the hell? Why? We had this all planned out already.”

“I know! I’m so sorry! My mom told me that I have to take Ava trick-or-treating tonight. I really wanted to go but you know who the boss is.”

“I know. Do you want me to come with you? After that we can watch movies and eat candy.”

“No. You go and enjoy the party. I don’t want to take that away from you. You have been waiting so you go and have fun.”

“Ok girl. I love you. Bye”

“I love you too.”

I set my phone down and walked into Ava’s room. I saw her struggling to put her hair into space buns. I walked over and helped her, then grabbed her Jack Sparrow costume and put it on her. I did her makeup and argued with her for 10 minutes.

“Ava, you need to put the hat on.”

“No! It will mess up my hair!”

“Ava! I’m not going to fight with you. NOW PUT THE DAMN HAT ON!”

I stopped and froze as I heard my mother’s footsteps coming closer to Ava’s room. I looked at Ava and she had a big smile on her face. 

“Oh you little bitch.” I whispered.

“What is going on here?”

I just looked at her scared to even move.

“Mommy! She yelled at me because I called her pretty.”

My mouth dropped open as I stared at her.

“That is not true! She wouldn’t put her hat on!”

“Mommy, she’s lying. I never said that.”

“I hate you!”

“Allison Ann Miller! Say your sorry to your sister right now!”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

“I’m sorry.”

She smirked at me and wiped away her fake tears. God she’s good. 

“Thank you. Now go out and have fun. Your dad and I will be back later on tonight so you need to give Ava a bath and help her in her pjs. Make sure she is in bed by 9 o’clock. Got it?”

“Yes mom. I got it. Now bye.”

She shook her head at me and walked out of the room. I rolled my eyes and looked down at Ava. She just smiled and grabbed her bag. 

“Come on. We are going to miss the houses that give out the big candy.”

I sighed and grabbed her hand. I walked down the sidewalk while Ava skipped beside me. 

“Okay Ava. I’m going to be standing here while you go up to the house.”

“No! It’s scary up there.”

I looked at a toddler as they were walking up to the house with their mother and got candy.

“Ava. A 2 year old just walked up there. I think you will be fine.”

“Please come with me or I’m going to tell mom that you left me to go to that party.”

My mouth dropped. She wouldn’t. 

“How do you know about that?”

“I’m friends with Steven’s little sister. She told me in school that he was having a big party tonight and that he can’t wait to see you.”

What the? Steven was excited to see me? Now I’m not going to be there. You have got to be kidding me.

“Let’s just go.”

As we were walking, I looked behind me and a car drove slowly behind and I couldn’t tell who it was because they were wearing a mask. I grabbed Ava’s hand and pulled her down the street faster so we can get away from them. 

“Why are we going so fast? We are missing the good houses!”

I didn’t say anything and pulled her up to a house. After an hour of going to houses, I didn’t see the car again. 

“Okay. We have been walking for an hour. Can we please go home?”

Ava looked into her candy bag.

“One more house.”

I rolled my eyes and trailed behind her as she walked up to a house.

“Okay. Now we can go.”

She put her hands in the air. I raised an eyebrow.

“Carry me.”

“No.

“Okay. I’ll just call mom-”

“Okay. Okay.”

I picked her up and carried her all the way to the house. I sat her down so I could unlock the door. As I grabbed the key, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the same car driving slowly by, and we made eye contact, or I think we did. I opened the door and pushed Ava inside. 

“Okay. Go grab your clothes and I’ll meet you in the bathroom.”

My phone rang in my pocket and I looked at the caller ID. 

“Hey Josey! How’s the party?”

“Boring. Steven isn’t even here.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Nobody has seen him the whole night.”

I went to talk when I saw the same car drive pass once again. 

 “Oh my god.”

“What?”

“This car has been following me all night.”

“Do you know who it is?”

“No. They are wearing a mask.”

“I don’t know, but be safe please.”

“I will. Have fun!”

I walked up the stairs and helped Ava get ready for bed.

“Okay. Mom and Dad will be home soon. So please go to bed and I’ll make sure they don’t eat your candy.”

“Okay but don’t eat my candy either.”

“I won’t.”

I pulled the blankets over her and turned off the light. I closed the door and grabbed her bag of candy and started looking through it. I turned on the TV and started watching some scary movies. When the movie was finished I heard a car door shut. I thought nothing of it, but then I heard a knock on the door. Me being stupid, I opened the door without looking, and no one was there. I looked around and saw nothing. I heard a crash in the garage. I went to close the door when I saw the same car that has been following me all night parked across the street. My face paled as I thought of everything that could happen tonight. I turned off all the lights and the TV. I grabbed a flashlight and a pocket knife from my dad’s knife drawer. I slowly walked up the stairs and got Ava.

“What’s going on?”

She sat up rubbing her eyes.

“Ava. I need you to listen to me okay?”

She nodded.

“Don’t be scared, and I need you to be quiet. A very bad person is in the house right now. I don’t know what they want or why they are here but we need to try and go without them seeing us.”

“Are they going to hurt us?”

I didn’t want to scare her even more, and I can tell she was crying.

“I won’t let them, okay. Go hide in your hiding spot and I’ll be back. Remember our secret word?” 

She nodded.

“Okay good. I’ll be right back.”

I watched as she got up and went to her hiding spot. I walked into my room and grabbed my car key off my table. I looked at my phone, trying to call 911, but it died. Great timing. I slowly walked down the stairs and went to our home phone. I put it up to my ear and saw that the line was cut. I heard footsteps going up the stairs. My heart started racing as I walked behind them. They turned and went into my room and I ran into Ava’s room.

“Mr.Fluffy.”

I whispered. She crawled out of her spot and ran over to me, hugging me tight. I grabbed her hand and walked down the stairs to the door. I saw the handle was broken off the door so we couldn’t leave. 

“Damn. Ava, I need you to go back to your hiding spot. I’m going to find a way out and when I do, I’ll come get you.”

She looked at me then started looking around, tears rolled down her face. I raised my hand and wiped them away.

“I need you to be brave. Remember that movie we watched, that had a very powerful woman who looked like superman?”

She nodded and gripped her teddy bear tighter.

“Okay. I need you to be her okay. Be my big brave girl.”

She took a deep breath and wiped the remaining tears away. 

“Okay. I need you to go into my room and grab my phone charger. Here is my phone. Go into your room, lock your door, and try to put something heavy in front of it. Charge my phone and call 911. You remember our address, right?”

She thought for a moment then smiled.

“Okay. Now quietly go.”

I watched as she ran up the stairs. I let out a breath when I heard footsteps getting closer. I grabbed a bat from under the couch and hid behind a corner. I heard their footsteps as they got closer and closer. I got up and went to hit them in the head, but they grabbed the bat with their hand. My eyes widened as I came face to face with a masked stranger.

“Who are you and what do you want?”

They didn’t say anything. They just stared at me. I could see their eyes. They were a dark green. Then they pulled me up the stairs and we stood in the middle of the hallway. They just stood there.

“Please let me go. You can have everything. Please don’t hurt me.”

They let go of me and had their back turned to me. I thought quickly and I kicked the back of their legs and they fell. I went to the stairs and before I could get down them, they pushed me and we both fell down the stairs. I had blood running down my face and I had a big headache. I turned my head and I saw them getting up and I saw a gun on the floor. I got up and kicked them in the stomach and grabbed the gun. I pointed it at them.

“Who are you?”

They put their hands up and didn’t say anything.

“I asked you a fucking question.”

I heard sirens in the background and smirked. They knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

The police walked in and grabbed the person. 

“Wait! I want to see who it is.”

I walked up to them and grabbed the person’s mask. My eyes widened and I dropped the mask on the floor.

“Steven?”