by Ryan Attard
*****
Roland made it in time to see us walking away innocently. I winked at him as he took one look at the yolk-covered weeping teen and scowled at me.
“He’s gonna stink up my car,” he said.
“That’s why you get cruisers,” I replied with a grin. “Lighten up, Roland. It’s Halloween, and we caught the bad guy. Here, have some candy.” I offered him a chocolate bar, and he rolled his eyes at me.
I get that a lot.
“Thank you, Mr. Ashendale,” said Francis once I joined his gang of tree-huggers.
“That was quite a gamble you took.”
“I knew all along,” I said. “Just another hormonal teen. Now, about the fee − ”
Francis extracted a check. “I will call again should anything arise. You are certainly a pro.”
“Don’t swell up that head o’ his,” said Amaymon as he peered over to look at the three nice figures on the check.
“Thank you,” I replied.
I was about to leave when I turned back. “Can I offer you guys a piece of advice?”
They nodded. “Be kids,” I said. “This whole magic thing, it ain’t all sunshine and roses. There are real monsters out there, creatures that put that idiot to shame. There are spells that mess you up – sometimes going even as far as your great-grandchildren. So, just be kids. Magic is great and all, but there is magic in every little thing you do. True magic is happiness – seek that out and you’re sorted for life. So, go out, watch a movie, get laid – safely, but go ahead. Have some candy,” I said as I tossed them a handful from a nearby plastic cauldron. I even stuffed some in my pocket.
After the past couple of days I’ve had, I certainly deserved some.
Once we were gone, I felt the druids’ magic take effects. They pooled their resources to cast a spell – trying to uplift everyone’s mood. Not sure if it worked, but they thought they were making a difference, and that’s all that mattered.
Amaymon playfully elbowed me as we walked towards the car. “So. Halloween. Not a bad night, huh?”
I swallowed half the Snickers bar I was chewing and considered: we saved the day and everyone lived happily ever after.
Yeah, maybe I could warm up to this Halloween stuff.
That is, until I got to the parking lot where a group of teens were having an egg fight. One of those eggs went sailing right into my car, splashing disgusting goo all over the windshield. I stepped on something crunchy and sticky, and hesitated to look down at my smelly, yolk-covered boots.
I groaned loudly.
Halloween.
Still fucking hate it.
###
THE ORIGIN OF “DREAD NIGHT”
Halloween – that wonderful made-up holiday where people dress up in eyebrow-raising costumes and go door to door with demands for candy. A time where the whole community comes together to celebrate a phenomenon which, for centuries, has freaked people out. But not on Halloween. On this momentous night we all band together to drink, sing and eat candy – and occasionally egg a house or two.
For most people it’s a holiday; but for author Ryan Attard, it’s the set up to further torture his character Erik Ashendale, wizard, monster hunter and, generally, the unluckiest guy you’ll ever meet. For this particular job, Erik has to face his most annoying enemy yet – a rejected teen with a God complex.
Put a grouchy wizard with a sarcastic talking cat during a holiday as he had to protect a bunch of teens from a psychotic kid and what do you get? Fun times.
Dread Night is the Halloween Special for Ryan’s debut novel series, The Legacy Series. His first full length novel, Firstborn, comes out in December, published by AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc.
OTHER BOOKS YOU MIGHT ENJOY
FIRSTBORN by Ryan Attard
There’s a war raging between the forces of Heaven and Hell; and, as if he didn’t have enough to deal with from his own issues, his sister has chosen the wrong side. And now he’s got angels, demons, talking pets and a Japanese monster to contend with. Continue following the misadventures of Eric Ashendale in this first full length novel of The Legacy Series, due to be released in December of 2013.
2013: A STELLAR COLLECTION
This collection is intended as a tribute to the hard work and tremendous support these authors have given AEC Stellar Publishing, Inc. in our first year of business. The collection includes a short story from each of our first eight authors and, as a bonus, from two key members of our marketing team. Available on Smashwords.com and Amazon.com.
THE SCRIPTLINGS by Sorin Suciu
Merkin and Buggeroff are Scriptlings, learning to cope with capitalist magicians, quasi-magical computers, a wandering tribe of monosyllabic demigods, and sometimes-invisible goats. The Scriptlings is a laugh-out-loud contemporary fantasy that was conjured into reality in September, 2013. Available on Amazon.com.
MARSH ISLAND by Oliver F. Chase
Phil Pfieffer is an ex-Army Ranger turned private investigator who must outrun a psychopathic hit man, henchmen, ferocious sharks and even imprisonment to close the case. Marsh Island, Book 1 of The Hirebomber Crime Series, is coming in November of 2013.
MINUTES BEFORE SUNSET by Shannon A. Thompson
This first book in the Timely Death Series was released in May of 2013. It tells the story of two young adults whose entanglement may tip the balance between the forces of light and dark. It was recently chosen as a General Fiction Book of the Month at goodreads.com. Available on Smashwords.com and Amazon.com.
MATTER OF RESISTANCE by Raymond Vogel
The science fiction imagining of a former rocket scientist, Matter of Resistance pushes technology and human nature to the limits as it chronicles our Mars settlement's struggle for independence from Earth. Top scientific, military, and literary minds are all fans of this “instant SciFi classic.” Available on Amazon.com.
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