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THE WINTER MORNING HAS BARELY risen. It is dark outside and the sky dampens with churning fog. The streetlights are still on, humming with the crickets. It would seem it was unbelievably early—maybe 2 AM—but in fact, it is close to 7:21 AM.
Regardless, the day doesn’t stop when it’s dark and downstairs at a prestigious house, both Carmen and Richard had gotten themselves ready for work. They were already done with their breakfast. All that is left to do is wash the dishes, finish their morning drinks and wait for their son to do the same (or rather, wake up right now).
Now, their house is luxurious and fully loaded with high-quality appliances; a true one-of-a-kind. The all-white kitchen is lit up with hanging lights and spares ink-coloured cabinetry. Its countertop is of marble and carries no litter, aside from a glass bowl for valuables and a pinboard for notices about bills or appointments.
The couple is eyeing the morning news on television. Usually, it’s filled with some political notice or a tragedy overseas but today, all of the outlets were speaking of the same thing: be on the lookout for a cannibalistic man.
“It’s always the same story with that killer,” Richard comments, loading the dishwasher.
Meanwhile, Carmen seats herself at the dinner table, directly across the kitchen. On the wall is their Smart TV, thin and covering half of the wall. What else covered half of the TV screen is the man’s mugshot, including smaller icons of two extra people in balaclava; she too is annoyed with the constant reminders.
“And those two robbers out as well,” Carmen adds, stirring her hot tea. “There seems to be nothing else for them to talk about. I tire of it. It’s not January anymore.”
“Agreed.”
Casually talking. An easy conversation for the early morning.
Yet, despite their simple chatter, they are well aware. They know of the killer, Bob Velseb. They know that he’s been roaming around the town for half a year now; he has slashed lives, ripped out blood vessels, severed hands, pierced eyeballs, you name it.
Carmen cringes at the graphic imagery. Disgustingly violent; no instance of probity in the man at all, but as long as he does not get close to her area or family, she does not need to get into Velseb’s business, whatever that may be.
Because surprise: they are from the same… affiliation, if you will. They had to know each other. They won’t know where he is or when he will strike again (should no notice be sent out) but Velseb is no idiot to leave tracks; his brain is as big as his stomach.
Soon, the hysteria calms down into compilations of funny videos, starring pets and babies. As soon as Carmen hears her husband shut the dishwasher door, she shuts the television off. She checks the clock. It reads 7:26 AM.
She begins to tie her hair up and walks to the edge of the stairs.
“Reynold! Wake up and get dressed for school!”
In a blink, seasons have passed and more than half of the year is finished. October greets the tiny town with its warm-toned leaves. The Thursday air begins to chill and humbles itself with a soft atmosphere.
Well, it should be a soft atmosphere but it’s not. It’s sharp and serrated. The household is loud in the afternoon, which would be alarming for the neighbourhood, but for the house itself, this is their usual.
Sometime after dinner, Carmen had gotten herself into an argument with her son about him not going outside for the night. She was just about to head to the stores for last-minute groceries with her husband, though instead of joining along, Roy had asked to go outside to celebrate Halloween.
He was immediately shut down.
“You will stay at home tonight! Whatever you have planned can wait in the morning,” she says.
But if there was one other thing Roy had inherited from Carmen other than her looks, it was her hard-headed nature.
He fights back, thrusting a finger at her. “But it’s Halloween! Tonight! You let me out last year!”
And it’s true. She did. Her son came back with an ample amount of sugar. The night ended fine.
However, and under a hasty notice from her ‘affiliation’, that overweight lunatic would be roaming around the town tonight. Near them. There is no universe where Carmen would allow her son to be out. There is no chance she will be persuaded otherwise, not with Velseb on the loose—who would, without regrets, consume a child or two.
Carmen holds her ground, her hands on her hip. “NO. Reynold, if it is the confectionery you want, I will buy some when we get home. Or you can come with us and you can choose yourself.”
Roy’s face crinkles at her offer, uninterested. “Ugh, no way. I’d rather stay home.”
“Then this is the end of it. I do not want to hear another complaint and I especially do NOT want you meandering outside at night anymore.” With one glare, Carmen quickly silences Roy. She knows that he knows better than to continue his mouth when she pulls off that look.
Ignoring the annoyed noises, Carmen walks to the kitchen counter to retrieve her purse. She needs to get going before it gets too dark and Richard was already waiting in the car outside.
“We will be back very quickly.” She clicks her purse closed. “After you finish your meal, be sure to lock the back door before heading upstairs and keep your phone OFF of Silent Mode. Understood?”
“Yes, Mum. Bye.”
“Call me if there’s trouble. Bye.”
It’s been less than ten minutes since their scuffle and Carmen and Richard finished buying what they needed to (or could) buy.
They packed all of the bags into the trunk of the car, making sure each bag is tied shut to avoid the goods spilling and rolling around. With Richard outside, he shuts the trunk while Carmen readies herself in the car.
Disappointment tinges her mind; she thought that she could stock on more groceries but alas, the night is busy. Everyone was buying something and there were more empty shelves than she expected. Despite that, she did not want to go around multiple stores; she is tired from work and she wants to go home as soon as possible.
Soon, Richard joins her side, starting the car with a single turn of the key. “Did we get everything?”
“Not all... but I think I can buy the remaining things tomorrow after work,” she muses, putting on her seat belt. “Oh, I also need to buy some sweets for Reynold tonight. There was hardly any left on the shelves when I went to the aisle.”
“There’s that candy store down the street,” adds Richard, fixing his glasses in the mirror.
Carmen raises an eyebrow. “...The CandyClub?”
“Mhm.”
“That place is filthy.”
“It’s close by.”
“So you say. Lead the way.”
With a flick of the indicator, they head right to the end of the road.
As Richard says, the CandyClub really is around the corner, illuminating the entire street (albeit, it's the only main building). It stands lonely with an empty parking lot, yet the signs and windows are brightly lit with strong hues of blue and neon pink. There are no distinct stores from its sides; only houses scattered towards its direction and closed shops across from it, save from a food truck selling pambazos.
All and all, it’s pretty secluded from the main part of town, even though it only took a single turn.
Since they are the only ones there, finding a space for the car is no challenge at all. Carmen lets Richard park close to the main entrance and she grabs her credit card from her purse, exiting the car within minutes.
As she closes the door, she speaks from the partially closed window. “It shouldn’t take long.”
When Richard gives her an ‘ok’ hand, she returns it and turns towards the building.
Dear heavens. She feels as if she is losing dignity just by breathing near the building. The quicker she buys something, the better.
Upon entering the store, neon colours overwhelm her quickly. The floor is clean, she’ll give credit, but it isn’t clean; it is as if someone did a half-assed job at using the mop and basically swept it in one direction.
She notices the two young children approaching her direction. When they stop to stare, she shoos them away with two swift motions of her hand, not wanting them to get close. She has had enough of lesser people being near or touching her today and young kids are no exception. Personal bubble, and all.
Stepping closer inside, she inspects around. The walls are covered with an abundance of candy, individually with diverse amounts and prices. Each plastic display of candy is fully stocked and thankfully, lacking insects or the scent of dead animals. Some are discounted; some are brand new products; and some come with a deal or some sort, which piques Carmen’s interest.
At the main counter stands a lone and skinny young man with a disgruntled face and a lop-sided name tag. Upon seeing her, he pulls a wide smile and another worker quietly appears from the back room, more dishevelled and larger, and carrying a box.
“What would you like, ma’am?” says the gangly worker, his voice raspy.
Something about his tone and expression, she does not like. It holds fake politeness, just like the smile he gives her.
“Not you,” Carmen retorts.
Uncertainty clouds her mind about what to specifically buy for a short second. She could get a bag of lollipops, gummies or chocolate but there are hundreds of flavours and textures. Scanning around, there are a few brands of candy that she has definitely seen Reynold eat.
But she’s also seen Reynold eat that brand as well. And that one. And that one. How in seven hells is she able to pick just a few scores of sweets? The boy never said anything about what was his preferred choice; Reynold just ate them.
“Hmph.”
Better play it safe.
“Give me one of everything—”
And if he finishes it and asks for more? Well, surely it’s better to stock up than to return multiple times. It’s embarrassing enough to even stand inside for any longer, Carmen quickly thinks.
“—and double it.”
When she hears the store clerk’s confirmation, she tunes out a little bit. After she gets her Reynold’s treats, she can at last end the day. Once she puts all the food away, she can change clothes, eat something light for dinner and tuck herself into bed for the night, watching her dramas.
But…
Well, she can’t describe it sufficiently but there is this nagging pull on her stomach since she finished shopping earlier. It’s strange. She mentally rules out her menstruation since it ended a week ago, and she doesn’t think she ate anything out of the ordinary.
Stronger cramps come by the minute, and she huffs. Carmen’s heels click on the ground, once. Then twice. Then thrice.
Call it a mother’s instinct: something bad is in the air.
Her fingers and patience snap.
“And hurry up!”
She was in and out of the CandyClub, quickly and briefly.
In addition to the candy, she brought a store-brand bag. Normally, she would absolutely not bother, however, she thought it would look more authentic if she did—as in, more presentable as a Halloween bag. The bag itself is a bright yellow colour with a single pink-wrapped candy logo in its centre. Shockingly boring but… it is a design people other than Carmen might enjoy.
As she sits in her seat with two bags on her lap, she notices how Richard now held a cigar in his mouth, though unlit. She sends him a look, he gives her a shrug and the mute conversation ends as soon as it started.
She can somewhat understand. He’s stressed. She’s stressed. As long as smoke isn’t trapped inside the car or house, Richard can do whatever he needs to.
Back to the candy.
“Give me a moment or two.”
Carmen unwraps the plastic from the cotton bag and begins to transfer all of the sweets into it. As soon as she finishes tying the neon pink ribbon, she turns behind her seat and plants it right behind herself on the backseats.
“All right.” She faces her husband. “To home.”
It takes less than five minutes for them to return back to the middle of town.
The moon hangs from its highest point on a cloudless night, and Halloween still is alive. Both adults and children hiss and roar at their car, attempting jumpscares with ill-disguised smiles. It phases neither Carmen nor Richard. Hooligans are what typical townspeople are, they don’t get the attention.
Carmen leans on her window, elbow supporting her head and eyes resting momentarily.
Her day wasn’t particularly great but it wasn’t horrendous either. Just cumbersome; same old routine, same old crooked co-workers, same old pile of workload. Then with indecent people getting too close to her and the dinner argument earlier…
Tomorrow will be a better day.
She opens her mouth to yawn—
Richard taps Carmen’s shoulder with a free hand, waking her up a little bit. “Is that...?"
Confused, Carmen narrows her eyes and follows his gaze to the right, leaning forward to see his view. Lo and behold, on the edge of the sidewalk, their son stands next to two taller children.
She responds with an incredulous click of the tongue. Even for a few minutes, their son cannot follow simple instructions alone. ‘Stay at home’, he says. Lies!
“Unbelievable...” Her hands curl into white fists, her nails digging into her skin. “Richard, make a U-turn.”
Taking no less than a minute, the car is on the other side of the road and stops at the boy and company, who stopped their chatter. Carmen hears Richard talk reprovingly but she doesn’t register it; she’s more focused on getting out of the car and grabbing Roy inside.
The two finally meet eye contact and the boy shrinks under her shadow.
She is upset about her son lying. However, she’s more upset at the fact that he exited the house looking like some trash-bag hoodlum—or as Reynold puts it: a rapper. Why a rapper when there are proper costumes to wear? Come to think of it, when did she even buy those clothes for him?
How hideous. How inelegant. How repugnant.
She has just gotten enough of it.
“Get inside, Reynold,” orders Carmen. “You shouldn’t hang with plebeians like these.”
Watching Roy head to his seat, she too follows suit. So much for a calm night. Today wasn't exactly easy-waters, being aware that Velseb would be out on this night, but for it to roll into a churning storm!
Her son lied about no longer engaging with those two boys. He lied about staying at home. Roy lied.
To put it in a simple word, Carmen is pissed.
Though, and hopefully, she can contain herself. Those cramps from earlier aren't getting any better but she had worse.
When Carmen sits down in the car, Roy asks, “Can I say bye? You know…”
She lets out a heavy and tiresome sigh. She isn't pleased or less angry but she would allow it.
And when she says yes, she watches Reynold throw out the candy bag worth one hundred dollars. The whole bag. To those children. And none for himself.
Her eyebrow twitches.
“Bye, guys!” After his farewell, Roy's smile falters under two discontented and unblinking looks. He finally explains himself, avoiding their slicing gaze. “My, uh—My friend’s sister is sick. I wanted to help him get a lot of candy for her. And our’s got stolen.”
“How charitable.” Carmen's sarcasm drips with venom. Her fist relaxes and then tightens as to not break skin. She sends a look at Roy through the front mirror. “But charity is not cheap, you know.”
Roy does not reply.
The atmosphere inside the car is now cold and tense.
Richard breaks the ice. “Why didn’t you stay in the house as we asked you to?”
"I- What? I just told you! I wanted to help my friends!”
Carmen can contain herself. She glances at her nails. She lets her leg bounce up and down. She can contain herself.
"So you decide to leave the house without telling us? Reynold, you know better than that."
"Well, I thought to come home early. Plus, you guys never let me hang out with my friends! You let me out for Halloween all the time; what's the big deal about tonight anyways?"
All her built-up tension finally comes pouring out. Carmen claws at the back of the driver's seat to face her son.
“BIG DEAL? You could have died, Reynold!” she shouts. “Of all days you choose to disobey, today was the poorest decision you could have made!”
Roy throws his hands up, exasperated. “What do you mean?!”
“I offered you a chance to come along and you refused. You said that you will stay at home and yet, I found you OUT of the house! Outside, where deranged people are walking! Reynold, you could have encountered HIM!”
“'Him?' Who's him?! What are you even talking about?!”
Just before she can retort back, Richard cuts in. “Carmen,” he says.
The shouting ceases.
Annoyed. Irked. Nettled. Carmen observes Richard for any particular prompt but she cannot read his eyes this time, his face adorning the usual stern face. She then turns back to her son, who only stares back with both puzzlement and anger.
"Hmph." Carmen sinks back into her seat, sharing the same seething look.
This time, the atmosphere is too heavy for anyone’s liking. No one speaks or makes a sound; not even the car radio plays a tune, the only music playing is the grit of the road.
Eventually, the car stops at the traffic lights. Pride succumbs and Carmen loosens her emotions first.
She explains slowly, her eyes anywhere but the back or her left. “There’s a serial murderer on the loose. Here.”
It takes a moment for her words to sink in.
“S... Seriously?” asks Roy.
“YES, seriously. Why did you think I told you to stay inside in the beginning?”
“I thought you were just saying that…”
Carmen holds up her index finger. “Listen. I’ll say this once. Some inbred miscreants escaped jail and for goodness sake, there’s a significant increase of people going missing because of that cannibal. Or abductor. Or both! At this point, any one of those insane people could have taken you!”
“Cannibal? Kidnapper?? HUH?”
She frowns. “I am going to be deeply concerned if you did not see a single missing person poster all month.”
“No, I did! But I thought they were early decorations for… Anyways, I didn’t see anyone suspicious, just some assholes. I already know about 'Stranger Danger' or whatever it is...” Roy defends.
“It’s Halloween,” Richard deadpans, his gaze still fixated on the road. His finger taps the steering wheel rhythmically as he waits for the light to turn green. Compared to Carmen and Roy, Richard’s voice is slow and deep but still, it carries a chiding tone. “When everyone is smothered in fake blood, it would be awfully difficult to look suspicious.”
The car passes by a group of older teenagers pouring red-dyed water over themselves, loud and carefree as they celebrate each bucket dump. Water leaks onto the road but Richard is mindful enough to avoid any mess to the car. He turns lightly to the side and Roy watches the crowd, his head turning and eyes fixated until they are out of view.
After a moment, Roy returns his attention to his parents, curious. “Mum, what did he even look like anyways?”
Carmen blinks.
“Do you children not pay attention to the news?” After Roy shakes his head, she sighs and looks upwards in thought, trying to remember the mugshot. Maybe it’s time to stick to news outlets from now on. “Of course, no one knows who the abductor looks like but the cannibal? The man is fat. Tall. Short dark hair, some stubble. Has a Southern accent or so. Used to work at that greasy restaurant near the butchery, I think.”
Roy thinks in silence. He doesn’t think he’s met anyone specific to that description (but to be fair, he doesn’t notice a lot of things) and so, he gives a shrug.
Unfortunately, when Carmen adds ‘he may have been wearing a red devil’s mask’, Roy freezes.
His eyes grow wider. The walls of the car seem to pulse closer as he realises: yes, he most likely did encounter the town’s murderer. Red mask? Fat guy? An accent? Shit—the devil himself DID approach him and his friends. The devil stole their candies; had they not given it to him, would he also have stolen their lives? Was the fact that he was a cannibal the reason why he was drooling so damn much?
“Oh. Uh. Oh.” He could not muster a single, complete word. Only vague noises.
The sudden blurts catch Richard's attention. “Did you see him—”
“Nope.”
A reply of unease.
The immediate response just tells Carmen and Richard that Roy is lying, and the boy is more or less aware, staring down at the frayed ends of... 'his' blue jacket. The couple glance at each other, yet neither pushes it any further.
Because at least their son is safe and alive.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Carmen leans back and adjusts her seat belt. She begins to think, letting her vexations simmer.
Would this have happened if she had said yes… but still set a deadline for the boy to return home? Would this have happened if she had said yes but only allowed him and her to go? Perhaps. Perhaps not. There remains the possibility that everything could have been thrown into disarray, and the risk is too great.
And then those begrimed boys by her son’s side; one belonged to someone she did not know, and one, regrettably, belonged to someone she knew well. How on earth he became acquaintances with them, she does not know.
Mucky children. Mucky children and their foetid ways.
What would her social circle say if they claim they saw her boy hanging around with the lower class? Why, they would be ridiculed. It doesn’t matter if the ridicules were vocal or not; if it was even thought, it would be the end of it.
Carmen can not let her son get into anything less than he deserves (Reynold is one of her everything, after all—if he is worth a few thousand gems, then he should be receiving things worth a few thousand gems, never less).
Him frolicking with the people below... It would reflect badly on the family's image, and she was only taught one thing: image is everything.
They are now reaching their suburb. Instead of the usual one-storied houses or thin apartments, the houses are fatter and taller. Multi-storied houses are littered around but you would know who is the wealthy just by the architecture alone; many plants outside, elegant lamps and clean walls. There are also fewer treat-or-treaters roaming the area; it is largely empty compared to the main part of town, which is noted to have more Halloween-obsessed fanatics.
Carmen checks the time on the car. It is getting late, nearly past 11 PM.
“Reynold,” she says as their street comes into view. Her tone is now calm. Roy looks up and stops fidgeting with his fingers; his face tense with conflict. “When we get home, help me bring the groceries inside; afterwards, brush your teeth. You are heading straight to bed, it is still a school night.”
“Uh-huh.”
“It is a ‘yes’ or an ‘okay’, Reynold.”
“Okay, Mum.”
“Better.”