This is my submission for the 2015 Halloween contest. I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to vote or leave a comment if you so desire.
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The predator watched from the shadows, just as he had each Halloween for the past six years. The hour was growing late, and it would be time to move soon. He'd held his hunger off for a year, but now he could unleash it upon the unsuspecting woman inside the house.
He'd watched her for the past month, admiring her from afar. She was a tall brunette with ample breasts and hips to match. She could be a raven haired Jessica Rabbit, he'd noted with a grin. He'd first seen her at the local grocery store, her deep red lips and hazel eyes nearly mesmerizing him. She was the one; he'd known it from the moment he first saw her.
She thought nothing of it when she'd received the flowers in the mail. They never do. Of course, they always wonder who sent them, but they never guess. Not until he showed up on their doorstep, that is. Then they'd know. The small listening device in the flowers told him what he needed to know. She was planning to be home alone on this night, which was exactly what he'd hoped to hear.
He emerged from the bushes he'd been hiding in and approached the door. He crouched down in front of the entrance, looking up as he rang the bell. After a half minute, the prey opened the door and looked down at him, a smile crossing her face. In her mind, he was a child that had dressed up like a table, which had upon it a gruesome head on a lettuce covered plate. The illusion continued when he played the recording of a loud child shouting trick or treat as he mouthed the words.
She opened the door to hand out some candy, and suddenly felt a jolt of pain throughout her body. The predator was on his feet and inside in seconds, closing the door behind him. The taser had done it's work and the prey would be his.
Shedding the costume, he knelt beside her and grabbed her by the hair. Her body was still suffering from the effects of the taser, and she could do little to stop him.
"I'm not going to hurt you, little one, unless you force me to. Do you understand?"
The prey, Alessia was her name, nodded her understanding with fear in her eyes. Behind the fear was loathing, but she held that back for the moment.
"Good. In fact, by the end of the evening, I'm guessing you'll be thanking me. I know what a woman needs," the predator growled in a boastful tone. "I plan on filling those needs of yours."
He could sense her regaining her strength, so he hit her again with the taser for good measure. A few minutes later, she was tied to her bed, face down, and he was on top of her. He had violated her front and back before he was finished. He considered her mouth, but that was always a risk he didn't care to take. It might take a day or two for her to realize how lucky she was that he'd chosen her, he reasoned. He wouldn't risk those teeth at the moment.
The fact that no woman ever reached out to him afterward, despite him leaving an email address for them to do just that, mattered little to him. He remained under the impression they somehow felt blessed by his invasion.
The predator grabbed her by the hair and kissed her lips before gathering his things to leave. Before he went, he loosened one of Alessia's hands the slightest bit, estimating it would take her an hour to break free. He'd be long gone by the time she did. He whistled as he walked out the door, back in costume once again. Once in his car, he smiled as he ate a candy bar he'd taken from the home of his prey.
* * * *
Alessia finally freed her hand, tears streaming down her face as she reached for the phone. She hit a speed dial number and waited for several rings before the phone was answered.
"You're calling me late, Lessy. What's going on?"
"I...I need help, Odessa."
"What happened? Are you okay?"
"I...I'm tied to my bed," Alessia said with a sob. "He...the bastard surprised me...and..."
"Who, Lessy? Who was it?"
"I don't know, Alessia sobbed."
"I'm on my way, honey. Hang tight."
Alessia lay there sobbing as she waited for Odessa to arrive. She struggled with the rope that bound her other wrist, tugging at the knots that were securely set in place. Little by little, she loosened the rope until she finally freed her other hand. By the time Odessa arrived, she had just freed her second foot and sat up on the bed.
"Lessy?" she called out from the other room.
"I'm in here. In the bedroom still."
Odessa rushed in, Nova and Nicole following close behind. She threw her arms around Alessia and held her close as she started to sob again. Remaining quiet, she waited until Alessia had calmed enough to speak.
"Okay honey. Tell us everything," Odessa said with an intense look on her face. "Start from the beginning."
By the time Alessia had finished, Odessa had already formed a plan in her mind. Still an hour before midnight, they had time to make this a very special Halloween for Alessia's attacker. A very special Halloween indeed.
Fifteen minutes later, they stood around a small table in the center of a room. On the table was a glass orb, which at the moment was cloudy inside. Odessa read from the book, and the others recited their responses to each item she read. Gradually, the orb began to clear and they could see Alessia's attacker, sound asleep in his bed. The ritual chanting grew louder, as the coven of witches continued their task of placing a spell upon the unsuspecting rapist.
Smiles grew as they watched the image in the orb change. Although still asleep, it was obvious that the attacker was in great discomfort as the process went on. Finally, the predator lay still. Odessa closed the book and they all joined hands.
"We sleep now," she said. "Tomorrow will be a busy day."
Early the next morning, the predator awoke face down in his bed. Terror rose in his chest as he realized he couldn't move. Not an arm, a leg, or even a finger. He couldn't even open his eyes. He was frozen in place. Almost as bad, or perhaps even worse, was that he felt uncomfortable in his own body. Something felt very, very wrong. He was laying on top of something soft, but couldn't figure out what it was. He tried to speak, but found he couldn't do that either.
Think, his mind screamed at him. Calm down and think. I must be dreaming, he thought. Of course. What else could it be? As he wrestled with his thoughts, he heard voices and footsteps in his house. Moments later, her heard several people enter his bedroom.