How did it come to this? 18 years ago I was a kid trick or treating, last night I was shooting at children on my lawn

18 years ago I was 10 years old, and trick or treating with my 5 year old brother. We were out nearly 2 hours, and had a combined haul of 200+ pieces of candy. My mother told us to sort it out and then we could pick a few pieces to eat. We were sorting it out when the doorbell rang, we weren’t expecting anyone, and trick or treating had ended over an hour ago. I answered the door to find a boy, a little smaller than me, holding a little girl, and a baby. He didn’t have a bag, and I was sure that he was too big to be trick or treating anyways. I figured he was selling something, but trick or treating was over, so I was going to tell him to come back another day. “Trick or Treat” he said, his voice low and hollow. I was about to let him in, I was a kid, I didn’t know better, and I had already started to move out of the way, and he was about to walk in. <br><br>My brother, thank the lord, stopped me. I was going to step aside, to let the three of them in, but my little brother put a hand on my shoulder, and looked at me with a hard, serious look in his eyes. “I don’t think you should let them in, John” he said, and he sounded sure, like he knew something. He didn’t, and I never figured out how he knew, but he gave me that look, and it put me on high alert. I looked back at the little boy at the door. He was older than me, but younger than my father. He wore a suit, with a white shirt, a blue tie, and a fedora. He looked like a gangster from the 1930s, and trick or treating was over, so why was he here. His eyes met mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine. His eyes were cold, and hard, and dead. His face was impassive, and he didn’t look like he was going to take no for an answer. But I stood my ground, because trick or treating was over, and we were going to tell him no anyway. <br><br>“You aren’t getting trick or treating from us. Trick or treating ended an hour ago.” He looked at me, and I saw a muscle in his jaw twitch, and his face hardened further, and his eyes appeared to go even colder. “I will not be ignored, child. We have walked through the cold, and the rain, to reach you. And we will not be turned away.” He looked at my brother, and then me, and then back at me. “I will not be ignored. And you will not turn us away.” I was terrified, and whatever my brother had done, was starting to fade, and I was about to give him the candy. I didn’t have a choice though. But it didn’t matter, because my mom came out, picked me up, and told the boy to fuck off. “You’re a little big to be trick or treating aren’t you?” she said. He looked at her, and I swear to this day that I saw something move across his face, for a second, it was something almost like a scream, but it was so fast, that I might have imagined it. “You should give us some candy, woman” he said, his voice cold, and flat. <br>“I will not. And you have no right to be here. Trick or treating ended an hour ago, and you are far too big to be out. Leave.” He turned around, and left, walked back into the night. As we watched him go, he turned around, and threw the bag he was carrying over his shoulder at the house. It landed on the porch, and it made a sickening thud, like it was dead. It was too big for him to carry, and I don’t know how he was holding it without struggling. <br><br>My mom dropped me, and she went over to the bag. She opened it, and she screamed, and covered her mouth. I was coming over to see what was wrong, but my brother caught me. “John, no.” He said, and he looked me dead in the eye. “You don’t want to see. But you have to know that you did the right thing, mom did the right thing, and I did the right thing. And if we ever meet that man again, you have to know not to let him in.” “What is it” I said. And he shook his head. “You don’t want to know.” My mom was sobbing, and I was confused. But he was right, I didn’t want to know. And I never did find out. <br><br>Last night it was raining, and it was cold out, and it was exactly 18 years since that day. I was sitting in my chair, when I heard a knock at the door. It was light, and hesitant, and it was exactly 12:13. Was it just a coincidence? I didn’t think about it much, I lived in Chicago, and people were always coming to the door, trick or treating, caroling, and once, i swear to this day, selling goldfish crackers. But when I opened the door I was shocked. Standing on my porch, were three people. A young man, a girl, and a baby, in a bag. The man wore a suit, a white shirt, a blue tie, and a fedora. And he was holding a bag over his shoulder, and 18 years ago, a young trick or treater had thrown a bag like his at my mother. <br><br>I knew who this man was, and all I knew of him was that he was bad. I knew that 18 years ago, he had come to my door, and whatever was in that bag was bad. And now he was here, at my door. And I know I am an adult, and I would not be terrified like I was 18 years ago. But I still shake with fear as I think about it. And all I could think about was how he had said that he would not be ignored. And whatever was in that bag, and all the other bags. But I knew I had to stop him. And not just because of whatever was in the bags. But because I was an adult now, and I couldn’t let kids die. And he had children with him. <br><br>I knew I had to stop him. But I couldn’t let him in. And I know I am an adult, but I was terrified of him, and all I could think of was run, hide, and hope he didn’t find me. But he was on my front porch, and he was coming in. I knew it. And I can’t let that happen. I can’t let him come in. And he won’t go away. And I know he will kill me, whatever is in those bags, and the children he brought with him. So I can’t let him in. But I have to stop him. And he isn’t going to go away. And I have to stop him. And I can’t let him in. <br><br>I knew what I had to do. I slammed the door shut, and I ran. I ran to the back of the house, to my bedroom. I went inside, locked the door. I went to my closet, climbed up to the top shelf. I reached down to the back, and I pulled out my gun. I loaded it, and I left. I went down the stairs, climbed out my basement window, and went into the alley. I went around to the front, and I was shooting before I was even all the way around. <br><br>And I saw him fall, and the girl too. And the baby cried. And I was over to them, and I was reloading, and whatever was in that bag, was coming out. I knew it was. And I don’t know how. But whatever was in there. It was coming for me. And it was coming for everyone else. And I have to stop it. But I don’t know how. But I am going to. <br><br>And if you are in Chicago, stay inside. Stay away from the windows. Lock down, and stay safe. Because I don’t know whatever that man was, and I don’t know what was in those bags. I know it will kill everyone it can. But I will stop it. At any cost. And if I can’t, well. I hope you are ready, because it’s coming for you.