Steal Away the Night

October 31

Summer Glenn California, 1997

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            Keri Tate, like every year on this day was woken from her nightmare by her son John,
who then went to get her medication for these instances from the medicine cabinet. While her
sixteen year old did so she stretched and shook herself a bit.

            It wasn’t real, it isn’t ever real. He’s dead and so is she.

            But the horrifying nightmare had changed since last year, the usual nightmare about
Michael Myers was now different, and worse in a sense. But she shook it off and smiled when
John brought her her pills. “Thanks honey.”

            “No problem, I’m gonna go start breakfast.”

            She nodded and watched him leave, then sighed. She stood from her bed, swallowed the
medication, then changed into a skirt and blouse, not bothering with the usual sweater. She
moved into the kitchen and straight to the counter where the mail was laid out by Ronny every
morning before he went to work, Ronny being the security guard of Hillcrest Academy. He
slipped it through the window every morning.

            She flipped through some bills and came across a card envelope addressed to her.
Curious, she pried it open with a fingernail and took out the card. She smiled, a Halloween card,
probably from John and his girlfriend Molly, the handwriting on the envelope had been feminine.
She opened it.

            ‘Hope you have a ghost of a Halloween’

            She smiled and her eyes went to the signatures and froze.

            ‘Love’

            Jennifer, 19, Jacob, 1 year, and Michael, 46.

            Love you Mom was written under it in the feminine scrawl.

            Soon Laurie. Was under that in a more masculine handwriting, one she recognized from
many photographs. But the name he assigned bothered her more. Laurie, Laurie, Laurie, Laurie,
Laurie, Laurie, Laurie, Laurie, LAURIE!

            Her heart beat as she looked at the envelope and realized something else was in it, her
hand slipped slowly in, maybe it was a prank. She withdrew five pictures, like the kind you had
done at Sears. The first of a young woman, dressed in black, smiling, her en hen hair past her
shoulders in soft waves, her green eyes sparkled. The second of a baby, blue eyes and brown
hair, he was laughing as he sat with a stuffed jack-o-lantern. The third of the woman with the
baby, tho he was undoubtedly this woman’s son, he didn’t really look much like her. The fourth
was of the woman, the baby, and a man. Keri’s heart nearly stopped beating. He wore a white,
emotionless Captain Kirk mask, brown hair adorned it, though it wasn’t real. His cold blue eyes
shone through the eye holes, one hand draped around the woman’s waste, the other not in view.
But the fifth picture bothered her the most, mainly because she knew who these people were
now.

            These two, this woman and man, kissing, her lips pressed to his mask shyly. This hadn’t
been intended to be sent, for Jennifer and Michael didn’t even know it existed. It was taken on
their wedding night in the doorway, no flash, but the two had been preoccupied anyway. Keri
shoved it in the envelope and repressed nausea, John looked at her. “What is it Mom?”

            She looked at him, a tear ran down her cheek. She smiled a bit. “You remember I told you
about your sisters, right?”

            He tilted his head. “Jamie and Jennifer?”

            She nodded. “And how they’re dead? Or I thought they were?”

            “Yeah...”

            “Well Jamie is but apparently Jenni isn’t. My nightmare is real John, she’s with
Michael.”

            His brow furrowed and he went to the envelope and looked through the pictures. Then
placed them back in the envelope and blinked. “So, what, the baby’s my nephew but my cousin
too?”

            She nodded. “My grandson and my nephew.”

            He frowned. “How old is she?”

            “Jen? She’d be 19, 19 in August.”

            He chuckled. “What a coincidence, I was born in August.”

            She shook her head. “John there’s something you don’t know about her. She was sold to
Terrance Wynn before birth by her father. She was taken away at night in the hospital and the
staff was paid to tell me she’d died. Then I had Jamie and the same happened with her. I didn’t
get them back til they were four and three. And I gave them up when I, Laurie Strode, died.
Jamie was killed two years ago, now Jenni must be her replacement.”

            The phone rang and Keri went to answer it. She picked it up and sighed. “Tate.”

            Jennifer smiled on the other line. “Hello, would you happen to know where I can reach a
Laurie Strode?”

            Keri froze. “What?”

            “Yes you see, she’s going by the name of Keri Tate, she’s my mother and well, I’m only
going to be allowed to call her once a year so I’d really like to speak with her.”

            Keri sat. “Jenni?” She asked, about to start crying.

            “Hi Mommy.”

            “Oh God you’re ok. I’ve had these dreams that he’s got you and he’s raping you and
hurting you but you’re ok.”

            Jennifer shook her head. “I’m ok. He wouldn’t do that mommy, he loves me. At least he
might, but let’s not waste time I have til midnight but you don’t. How’s Johnny?”

            Keri laughed. “Try calling him that now, he’ll kill you. 16 and tough.”

            Jennifer laughed. “Be nice, now. Do you want to talk to Jakey?”

            “The baby?” Keri asked.

            “Yes the baby! You got mail I see. Here hold on, Jake, come see mommy. Say, ‘Hi
Grandma.’”

            A fuzzy sound came over the phone, then a small voice. “Hi Grandma.”

            Keri laughed and felt her throat tighten. “Hey Jake.”

            Jennifer laughed and came back on. “I swear Mom, it feels like just yesterday I was
holding him in my arms feeling how tiny he was and now Michael and I cant keep a grip on
him!”

            Keri nervously shifted. “But Michael, he’s good to both of you?”

            “Oh yeah, he likes to take Jake out back and spin him around like a little plane!”

            “Where are you, exactly?” Keri asked.

            “Haddonfield, where else?”

            “The old house?”

            “Yup.” Jennifer shifted. “Dad fixed it up for us.”

            “Dad? You’ve...”

            “Oh I meant Wynn.” She laughed. “He talks of me like I’m his daughter so I’m really
used to saying that. I’m one of his best doctors at Smith’s Grove.”

            “A shrink in our family? Wow, we usually go see them.” Keri sighed. “Well, I’m proud
of you honey and as long as I don’t end up butchered tonight I guess...”

          
#160#160;“Mom you won’t. See, in Michael’s curse there’s a loophole. 5 years of love and the curse
ends, he wont have to kill anyone. It’s been 1 so far, I think it’ll be pretty easy. I mean, behind
the mask and all, he’s a really great guy aching to get out.”

            Keri sighed. “I trust you, Jen. I have to go, headmistress and all.”

            “Yeah, talk to you next year. I love you Mom.”

            “I love you baby, give Jake a kiss for me.”

            Jennifer smiled at this and sighed. “I will. Give John one from me.”

            “I will.” Jennifer hung up.

            Keri went to her son and kissed his cheek, smirking at the face he made. “Ew Mom, what
was that for?”

            “Your sister.”

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 *Begins to lift knife, realizes this is rash, then smiled sweetly.* Review pweez!