Halloween Surprise

Segment Three

Patti’s scream echoed down the hallway, and Grady didn’t hesitate. Stepping around Sandy, he hissed, “Stay behind me,” as he drew his revolver and sprinted down the hall. She screamed again, and it startled him to find cold air coming out of Patti’s room as he stepped in.

He glanced up to see if the lights were on, as the room seemed dim and Sandy pushed by him, scooping Patti up off the bed and retreating to the door. “What’s the matter, honey?”

Through her sobs, Patti replied, “Meanie is…” she pointed to the bed, “under there!” She turned back, hiding her face in Sandy’s shoulder as Grady dropped down to his knee and looked under the bed. As he did so, he felt a tingle from the medicine bag around his neck. 

It was even darker under there and he pulled his pocket flashlight out, flipped it on, and shone it under the bed. He could see something under there, but couldn’t really make it out in the darkness. Getting down prone, he extended the light and revolver. “Come outta there, you sumbitch!”

He cocked the hammer and suddenly the darkness disappeared. The lights came back to full illumination, and the room started warming up. He quickly decocked the revolver, got to his knees, holstered it, and groaned as he finally straightened up. Sandy asked, “What…did you see?”