"So tell me what you want...

What you really really want for Halloween..."

Anna was getting sick of the references her outfit had encouraged.    She'd just thought it was an ingenious use of a tea towel really.  And it had helped CHRYSTEL decide on her outfit too.  But the drunks at the Middle Waters News office party were getting beyond annoying.  Still, she put a brave face on it and managed to endure them until she felt it was a polite time to make her excuses and leave.  

She hastily gathered up her things and looked for CHRYSTEL.  She found her in the corner 'listening' to Godzilla and a zombie mermaid talking incoherently about...well...it was incoherent so she wasn't really sure what they were waffling on about, but whatever it was, her blonde-haired partner was looking incredibly bored and out of place.  

"Shall we make a move?" Anna asked.  

With just a quick, awkward smile and wave goodbye, CHRYSTEL escaped the two bores and headed hastily for the door.  Anna followed and they stepped out into the strangely warm October night air.

"Well," said Anna, "that was fun."

Happy to be finally free, CHRYSTEL smiled.  "Yeah.  Same time next year?"

"Ah sadly not...I'm er...doing my tax return."  Anna grinned.  "Come on, let's go home.  I think I need a hot drink and bed."

****

Anna woke up with a sore head.  Strange, she thought.  Her and CHRYSTEL were the only ones sober at the party and yet this felt like a massive hangover.  Or at least, what Anna imagined a hangover to feel like.  She slowly opened her eyes and allowed them to adjust to the light.  Not that there was much, it was still really dark.  

"NNNA?"  

Anna turned to see what was a far too familiar sight.  A bound and gagged CHRYSTEL sitting next to her.  Suddenly, Anna realised her own predicament.  

The two were sat cross-legged on the floor of what appeared to be an old, dank cellar, securely tied with rope and gagged with ball gags.  A draft blew over Anna's bare legs and sent a chill through her body.  A chill that turned even colder as she caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure lurking in the darkness in front of them.  

"You didn't laugh at my jokes Miss Keyer."

The sinister voice echoed round the empty room.  Anna glared angrily in the direction of their captor recognising him immediately as the sports editor of the Middle Waters News.  He was a creepy, slimy kinda guy and had spent a large part of the evening trying to "charm" Anna into going home with him after the party.  Anna guessed, somehow, he'd actually got his way.  Had he spiked their drinks?  Was he that kind of sicko pervert?  

Anna was just about to shout muffled abuse at him when she noticed the slimeball was still in his Halloween costume...although...she was sure at the party, he was dressed as Cthulu...???

But there he was in a mad axe murders' outfit but now, the axe was all too real...and he was approaching them...  

Quickly, Anna called Big Bro.  This was a matter of life and death so waiting to be alone was not an option...

The axeman walked behind them...

"They were good jokes Miss Keyer.  VERY funny.  Why didn't you laugh?"

Anna tried to ignore him and focus...

"Everyone else laughed.  You should have been laughing your heads off..."

Anna's heart raced...Come on Big Bro..this is urgent!!!

"...Maybe I can help..."

The axeman stood behind CHRYSTEL, the sharp blade glistening...

Anna knew the fear was blocking her attempts to reach Big Bro...

The blade swung back...

*****

Anna sat bolt upright with a start.  Sweat dripped off her brow and her heart thudded away in her chest.  

"Shit that was scary!"  she exclaimed.  

Her bedroom was a very welcome sight!  She took a few moments to calm down then got up to check on CHRYSTEL.  

CHRYSTEL sat quietly by her computer, streams of data flowing on the screen.  Anna breathed a sigh of relief and climbed back up the stairs to find a nice book to try and take her mind of that nightmare...