Chapter One: Welcome to Halloween Street

Alice:

Laughter erupted at my expense, all of my friends trying to find the street that only appeared on Halloween night. The chilly autumn breeze lashed at my cheeks, my quaking fingers tucking a piece of my long wavy brown hair. My copper eyes scanned the bushes, shadow figures the size of children darted in between the crooked trees of my small town. Shaking my friend's shoulder, her wicked grin taunted me. Her sleek black bob bounced as her petite body pressed into my hourglass figure, her blue eyes twinkling with excitement tainted with malice. Her pink summer dress clashed with my black lace Wednesday Addams dress, her fingers playing with the white lace collar. I say they were my friends was an understatement, they just used me to win creepy points in school. Come Monday, the top spot on the loser spot would be mine.

"Come on Alice Mallsford, you can do this. Don't be a chicken!" She teased cruelly, her blond hair boyfriend leaned over her shoulder. "Don't embarrass me in front of Johnny!" Rolling my eyes, the jock of the football captain laughing like an idiot. His red and gold Letterman jacket hung over Lucy's shoulder, his white t-shirt hugging his broad chest. Syphron sulked in the back, my heart fluttering at the sight of his short black hair that hung over his ocean blue eyes. Johnny's mess of curls bounced with every stupid laugh, Syphron telling him to quit it. His blue eyes narrowed at his blue eyes, the pissing contest seconds from starting. Of course she chose him over me, he was hotter and more fun. Not so long ago, we were pals playing all sorts of games. Once high school hit, the popular girls won her over. Compliments morphed into insults, our friendship dead in the water.

"What you are asking is rather dangerous!" I pointed out seriously, wanting them to listen to me. "Most people who seek Halloween Street don't return. Do you want to become another statistic?" The two idiots laughed their heads off, Syphron's black band t-shirt brushing up against me. The t-shirt hung off of his slender frame, his hands tucked into his ripped jeans. My breath hitched, his touch sending my nerves into a frenzy.

"I won't leave your side if you come with me." He promised sweetly, the urge to kiss his lips growing. "We can always make it out." Watching his cross swing on his ear, his eyes gazed warmly into mine. Everyone at school was scared of him, but I was drawn to him. Sighing deeply, a defeated look dimmed my eyes. My lips parted to speak, my face paling. A brand new street materialized in front of us, the street sign reading Halloween Street. Lucy rushed in with Johnny, Syphron dragging me in. Panic gripped my mind, our old street disappearing behind us. Running back, a murder of crows blocked my way. Tears welled up in my eyes, Lucy and Johnny way too far ahead to realize the danger we were in. The ornate pumpkin lanterns flickered, shrill screams shattering the night. Bones cracked, the lanterns flickering out. Little shadow children darted around us, Lucy's and Johnny's dead body rolling to our feet. Nausea wracked my stomach, blood pooling from their empty eye sockets. Sharp angles twisted their bodies, Syphron covering up his mouth. Paralyzed with fear, cold hands reached out for us. Smashing through the shadows, our black converses pounded down the cracked pavement. Three shadow children stood in front of us, red eyes glowing underneath black hoods.

"Do you want to play a game?" They asked icily at once, raising their hands. "The only way out is to survive for a year on Halloween Street. The rules are simple, take care of us and fight back the monsters from Hell. If you succeed, then you will be sent back home. A little scarred, but rather alive. If one of us dies, you die. Also you have to carry one of us out of here. Can you imagine the only way to do that or I can just enter you?" What hell was these kids' fucking problem?

"Are you serious?" I inquired with disbelief, holding my flat stomach. "I will not birth one of you demons into the real world! Surely, he has a problem with that option." Syphron shrugged his shoulders, turning towards me. Silver blades shimmered in their palms, red drops dripping onto the cracked pavement. Her blood, no their blood ripped at me. There was no other option, I was stuck agreeing to their demands. Charging at us, my hands raised as I agreed out of desperation.

"I will do it!" I blurted out pathetically, the knives clattering inches from me. "Just let us live." Helping me stand up, one of them turned into a ball of black energy. Slamming into my stomach, my hand cupping the milky flatness. Acute pain shocked my body, the dark energy going into one of my eggs. Pressing a simple silver sword into my palms, the other two dragged me to the only house at the end of the street. The worn wooden pumpkin flickered to life, the black door swinging open. Crude furniture surrounded us, three mats laying on the floor. My heart shattered at the lonely site, my head snapping towards the kitchen. Childlike wonder brightened my eyes, it was all of my favorite food. Turning back towards them, maybe they weren't that bad. Bowing my head in shame, firecrackers made me leap back. Devilish rows of white teeth greeted me, a loud groan pouring from my lips. I could not wait for this year to be over. The house shook violently, two giant black eyes peering into the window. The sword clattered to the floor, the two children dragging us outside. A ghost would have been tanner than me at this point, clammy sweat drenching my skin. Sy trembled next to me, a giant scorpion towering over us. A lump formed in my throat, one of the children tossing me a blade. A white light swirled around me, the sword darkening to an inky blackness. Black raven fluttered over the hilts, the point of the tail coming down for me. Raising my blade, sparks drifted aimlessly as my blade clashed violently with his tail. Sy popped up behind me, his sword reminiscent of a red electric guitar. Strings lined the length of the medium sized sword, the handle a neck of the guitar. Strumming the blade, the sound waves confused the scorpion. Tossing me up in the air, Sy gave me a thumbs up as my hand grabbed the smallest part of his tail.

"Look for the gem!" The children yelled together, freaking me out. Pincers crashed towards me, my blade the only thing keeping me from dying. Scanning the body for a gem, a ruby sparkled in the stinger. Groaning to myself, why did it have to be there? Dodging both the pincers and stinger proved difficult, a pincer catching me. A steady stream of curse words flooded from my lips, Sy laid still on the loose dirt. A black ball of energy swirled at the end of my sword, the shadow children shouting at me. Preparing to die, a shrill rang echoed in the still air. A burst of energy blasted me out of the pincer, the ball striking the ruby. A jolt shot up my spine, the ground breaking my fall. The children raised their arms, a wall of shadows blocking the explosion burning us all up. Tears welled up in my eyes, a line of blood destroying my only dress. Sy stirred at the base of the tree, shock freezing us.

"What the hell was that!" I screamed bitterly at them, the shadows dancing away. "I am no longer scared of you, but pissed. I am going to ring your black shadowy black necks, and make you wish you never met me." Sy cleared his throat, his hand grabbing my arm. The stern look in his eyes frightened me, cold sweat dripping off of my brow. Clutching me close to his chest, his words paralyzed me. Tears welled up in my eyes, the whole thing was a ruse. Sighing deeply, I would escape. This can't be my life now, hatred brewing in my gut.

"If you yell at them one more time, I will personally kill you myself." He threatened coldly, his energy shifting. Turning my head, red eyes glared in my direction. A scream exploded from my lips, my teeth sinking into his arm. Howling in pain, he let me go. Sprinting down to the house, relief washed over me as dry grass crunched underneath my feet. My vision blurred, a snarl curling on my lips. The field of dry corn danced in front of me, my eyes blinking.

"What the fuck!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, the blasted Halloween Street sign taunting me. "I just want to wake up!" Sy walked towards me, his outfit now a black business suit. A fang hung over his black lips, offering me his hand. Shaking my head, a cloud of dirt chased me as I sprinted past the house again. No, this couldn't be true. Every time I ran past the limit, I was back at the street sign. Tears streamed down my cheeks, Sy catching me this time. Struggling in his arms, his fangs sank into my neck. The sound of him drinking my blood sickened me, my vision blurring. His words faded in and out, not reaching my ears. The pink on my fingernails darkened to an inky black, the color leaving my hair. White waves cascaded over my hands, red eyes reflecting back at me in the puddle of blood.

"You are now my bride whether you like it or not." He informed me coldly, my red eyes glaring up at him. "I have been waiting centuries for you." A growl rumbled in my throat, my jaw clenching. No, I was not going down this way. Smashing my fists into arms, a silver blade spun in his palm. Kicking it out of his palm, enough was enough. Biting his arm, he howled in pain. A chunk of his flesh bounced around my mouth, the clouds rumbling above me. Horror widened my eyes, drops of blood crashed onto my head. Spitting out the chunk of flesh, the lanterns flickered out. Vomiting up the energy in my eggs, black smoke poured from my lips. Collapsing to my knees, his strong hand picked me up by my collar. Dangling me in his face, a mixture of frustration and hate brewed between us. My crush for him is now dead, his true colors showing.

"Are you aware of the year it is?" I snapped hotly, the three shadow children walking sadly behind us. "You turned me into a demon for what! You know what is pathetic. You made this all up for what! What about our years of friendship!" Evil laughter erupted from his lips, the smug smirk on his face pissing me off.

"I never existed." He uttered simply, shrugging his shoulders. "Didn't you ever know why my sister never really acknowledged me. Johnny could see me, so I pretended to be his friend too. It was strange you never asked her about her brother though." Thinking back, Sy never spoke which caused Lucy never to interact. Panic coursed through my head, my hands cupping the side of my head. That bastard tricked me, my whole life a fucking lie.

"So I looked insane in school when I talked to you." I bitched bitterly, accidentally biting my tongue. "Or did you erase their memories or something like that?" Tossing me over his shoulder, the question was ignored. Bursting through the door, he slammed me down on one of the mats. Snapping his fingers, black chains wrapped around my legs. Shackles gripped my wrists, a sudden weakness paling me out. Sitting down across from me, his slender fingers tossed his jacket to the side. Tending to his wound, the daggers shooting from his eyes would kill me if they were real.

"You didn't look insane, my very presence would automatically erase their memories." He informed me calmly, his fingers drumming on his pant legs. A wicked grin danced across his lips, my face only hardening at the sight of him. Relief washed over me, at least I didn't look insane in school. Refusing to look at him, the chains rattled as I struggled. Standing to his feet, disbelief widened my eyes as he left the room. Snapping his fingers, the flames died down. Sitting in the total darkness, rage boiled in my veins. How dare he chain me up in the dark! Ripping at them, black flames melted the chains. Climbing out the window, maybe I could get away now. Chilly air lashed my cheeks, dirt flying behind me as I ran past the boundary. Jumping up and down, the leaves rustled the moment I crashed into the field. The stalks cut me up, a large creature crushing everything in its track. Crap, I was lost. Running towards the center, rows of teeth devouring the corn behind me.

"Shit!" I swore venomously, my dress snagging on a shard of dried corn. Pulling at it, my face paled. Why did this have to happen to me? Cold sweat dripped off of my brow, the fabric finally tearing. Falling back, my hands raised in the air. A flash of black caught the corner of my eyes, a flash of red slicing the creature into a pile of steaming guts and blood. Cowering, a familiar hand hovered in front of my face. This is not the hand that I wanted to see right now, a grimace plastering itself on my face.

"Are you going to take my hand or what!" Sy demanded hotly, shoving it back into his pockets. "Fine, just stay out here and become monster meat." Turning his back to me, the fucking fact that I needed him was pissing me off. Struggling to my feet, dirt covered my skin. Bowing my head in shame, the next words began to poison the tip of my tongue.

"I am sorry." I apologized irritably, my arms swinging limply by my side. "I hate you with every fiber of my body." Without saying a word, he tossed me over his shoulder. Cocking his brow, the next words sent chills up my spine.

"I will make you like me, no love me." He gloated gleefully, his head swelling. Of course this demon would have a god complex. My next goal was to make him hate my living guts, so he would set me free. Wait, was I dead or alive?