A girl with long, curly, red hair skipped down the dirt road humming a merry tune. Her devil costume drug on the ground as she proceeded down the dark street. Scattered candy wrappers skidded down the street. The girl paused to observe her surroundings. She looked to her left. A display of glowing jack o’ lanterns sat on dry, crisp leaves. Behind the display stood an old black house, an eerie fog surrounded it. To her right was a pathway that led deep into the forest filled with lurking shadows.

A blood curdling scream rose from the depths of the night. Then the scream faded. Alice whipped around as she heard a low growl emitting deep within some sort of creature. She scanned the terrain but nothing was there except for the broken shadows. Alice froze as she heard the snarl of the creature behind her. She heard it lick its chops.

“Get away from me!” she bellowed. She scurried past the creature and dashed towards the steps of the house. Alice heard sticks snapping behind her from the pursuing creature. The stairs creaked under her rampaging feet. The creature stopped before the stairs, spun around, and ran away. An inhuman howl followed after it ran into the forest. Little Alice hadn’t realized this and resumed her journey into the house of dead and darkened souls.

The stench of rotten flesh reached her nose and she cringed from the awful odor. Her crystal blue eyes glistened in the dark of the house, clouded with fear. Having little knowledge, Alice went on, shaking uncontrollably. A shadowed figure passed before her, followed by a shrill laugh. Tears brimmed Alice’s eyes.

“Help me! Please help me!” she called out into the darkness. She wished it wasn’t pitch black so she could find her way out of the horrid place. From the corner of her eye she saw a room with light. Alice walked stealthily to the black doorway. She stepped on her costume and fell to the floor. She caught a glimpse of glowing jack o’ lanterns but as she made contact with the ground they disintegrated. Alice staggered to her feet, pain searing through her leg. Her hand fumbled down her leg and pulled out a piece of glass. She flinched and felt a warm liquid touch her fingers. The glass was so big that it pierced her bone slightly. The girl collapsed to the floor and crawled to another door, a black orb stalking her. Alice curled up in a ball and saw red and sickly yellow eyes peering at her, slicing through the darkness. The girl could see one of the demon’s talons grab for her leg. She fumbled with the door knob and pulled herself up. She swung open the door to see a soulless figure standing before her. His hollow eyes were alight with a blue flame.

“Welcome, Alice.” the figure spoke with an evil, hallow tone.

“Leave me a…alone!” Alice began to cry. She could feel talons dig into her leg and the demon’s hot breath on the back of her neck. The girl began to scream at the top of her lungs, then all went silent.

Alice was dead, left in eternal darkness. She felt something shake her shoulder and heard a distant voice.

“Alice! Wake up Alice!”

“No!” Alice screamed as she lifted her head from her desk. She looked at the teacher and blushed. Classmates snickered at her and her foolishness.

“You have detention with me on Monday after school, don’t forget. I’m very disappointed with you Alice.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Bunwere. I’ll be sure to be here on Monday.”

Alice left for home. She paused as she felt a stinging in her leg. She looked down and saw blood seeping through her pants. Alice quickly rolled up her pants and gasped at the site of a huge cut gouged in her leg. She knew it was from glass. The young girl froze as she heard a growl from a creature. She could hear it lick its chops.