--
Good luck to everyone in the contest.
--
-~-
Halloween - a time where the barrier between the spirit world and ours grows thin, thin and frail so that the vile creatures within that realm sometimes can cross over into the mortal plane.
Humans are the prime desire of the spirit demons, to take them to their abode, twisting mazelike trenches that reek of death. Men do not last long in the dark caves of the monsters, their shrieks echo through the halls of the cavern, ringing out like a shrill bell. It is within these caves that humans are flayed and eaten, a delicacy among ghouls.
The children who roam the shaded sidewalks at twilight are easy prey for them, small and frail, juicy and delectable. They skip along in naive ecstasy, from door to door they trot, collecting treats and sweets from those they do not know.
The ghouls they come by the dozens dressed up like happy children, wearing masks and costumes, they too run about with the others whom are unaware of them. The youngsters squeal with delight when the 'youth' who looks like Chinese dragon Qinglong toddles up to them, his eyes rolling in his sockets, mouth hanging open.
Their squeals of delight turn to screams of terror when Qinglong grabs them by their shoulders and shoves them into a dark, moldy sack. They run to and fro, back and forth from the grabbing claws, but to no avail. His tongue writhes in his mouth, an insanity consumes him as he twists and turns.
It is Halloween and the ever so delicate border between the spirits and the living is thin.
-~-