Kyle was an average guy in his late twenties, and the last person anyone would ever expect to become a terror stalking his suburban development at the edge of town.
"Your father couldn't keep his eyes off my tits, you know." Gina looked out at the endless pine trees lining the road as they whizzed by in the twilight.
"I mentioned it to him," Kyle said. "He's always been a lecher. Getting worse in his old age, too. But can you blame him? I said you should wear something less form-fitting. You're not exactly small."
"Neither are you," she grinned, reaching over to rub his dick through his pants.
"Hey," Kyle said, gently removing her hand. "Naughty girl. I have to pay attention when driving on these back-country roads. Nearly hit a deer once."
"Why do your parents live way out here, anyway?"
"It was their dream to retire to a house in the country. Someplace private where they can have their parties. They throw the most confusing, weird parties. In fact, theyβ"
"Oh shit! LOOK OUT!"
Kyle jammed on the brakes and steered until the car shuddered to a stop in front of a hulking figure standing in the middle of the road: a moose.
It regarded them through the windshield, calmly chewing something. Antlers like massive pointy snow shovels fanned above its head. Its long legs looked ludicrously thin to support such an immense body.
Gina and Kyle stared at the creature, then at each other, ashen faced with hearts pounding.
"That was close," Kyle said. He beeped the car horn and waved. "Shoo! Get off the road, dummy."
The moose was unmoved.
He opened the door to step out. Gina grabbed his arm.
"That's not a good idea," she said. "I heard moose can kick a guy's guts out in a flash."
"I'll be careful," said Kyle. He got out of the car and walked towards the creature, waving his arms. "Hey, stinky. Scat! Git! Get out of the road, you ugly dumb beast."
The moose's eyes flared. It tossed its head, snorted and clopped closer to Kyle, lowering its head to glare straight into his eyes. The forward tines of the antlers nearly grazed Kyle's temples. Rotten cabbage moose breath filled the air.
Kyle thought its eyes looked intelligent, almost human.
Forcing a smile, Kyle raised both palms and backed away. "Sorry, mister moose. I can see you're not dumb. And you're not ugly. You're very handsome, uh, for a moose. I'm going to get back in the car now, if that's okay with you."
Kyle turned and eased towards his car. The moose bellowed, a sound like a pig squealing through a vacuum hose. Kyle ran, but the moose caught his jacket in its teeth. A toss of its head sent Kyle flying to the edge of the pavement. He laid there in a heap.
Inside the car, Gina jammed her hand on the car horn, startling the moose with the relentless blaring noise. She flashed the lights, revved the engine and yelled.
Giving her a stern look, the moose snorted, then trotted off the road into the trees.
Gina ran to Kyle and helped him sit up. "Are you all right? He really threw you."
Kyle staggered to his feet. "I'm okay." He felt his shoulder. His jacket was ripped and when he pulled back his hand, there was blood.
"Oh, shit!" said Gina. "You're bleeding!"
She helped Kyle back to the car and had him sit while she fetched the first aid kit. She wiped the wound with antiseptic wipes.
"A moose once bit my sister," she said. "We were at a wildlife park. Moose bites can be pretty nasty." She taped gauze over the broken skin. "It's only small. His teeth just grazed you. But we'd better get you to a hospital. That moose might have rabies."
"No," Kyle said. "I'm fine. I just want to get home."
~~~~
"But I want to be a tiger," Gina said. "Tiger tail, little tiger ears, painted on whiskers. Raarr!"
Kyle was pawing through the racks of costumes in the crowded store. He said, "Oh, everyone was a cat or a fox or something last year. I think you'd be incredibly cute as a deer. Did the salesperson find any costumes?"
"She hung a bunch in the dressing room. I'll try them on. What are you going to wear? Please don't say you're going to make a costume again. Halloween is next week."
"Not sure," said Kyle. "We can't both go as deer, so maybe a Steve Irwin type? A conservationist? Or forester? Maybe a veterinarian?"
Gina shook her head. "Roman soldier. With a chest plate and one of those short, armored skirt things. And no underwear for easy access."
"And you say I'm the one with the filthy mind." He swatted her bum. "Okay. Anything for you. I'll look for that while you're trying on yours. And let me see them!"
Gina emerged wearing a full-length brown unitard. The tummy and front of the legs were off-white, the back painted with square white spots. A white deer tail and headband with ears completed the look.
Kyle took one look and gasped. "Oh my god, Gina," he said. "Do you think I'm some kind of pedophile? You can't wear that! It's sick." He spun her around, ushering her back to the change room. "Go try on an adult costume."
She returned wearing a sleeveless fur vest, white T-shirt, and brown yoga pants. No spots. This time the headband had both ears and antlers.
"Better?" Gina asked.
Kyle looked her over and licked his lips. "You look great," he said. "But we have to lose the antlers. That cross-gender stuff is just too confusing."
~~~~
Back at home, Gina and Kyle eagerly tried on their costumes.
Kyle held up his plastic short sword and spun, revealing he was indeed not wearing underwear. Gina posed in her deer outfit. She had removed the antlers and painted the tip of her nose black. She stuck out her bum to show off her white fluffy tail.
"That's so sexy," Kyle breathed.
Gina stepped close and reached for him under the skirt. "Are you going to fuck your little doe, mister gladiator?"
Kyle kissed her. "I'm a centurion. Or maybe a legionnaire. Can't remember which. Gladiators are different."
Gina pulled him to the bedroom. When she laid on the bed and started peeling down her yoga pants, Kyle stopped her halfway.
He had a funny look in his eyes. "Turn around," he said, and positioned her on all fours at the edge of the bed.