the bloody hand
It was a lovely Friday afternoon in McKinney that Halloween. The cottony white clouds balanced themselves in an ice blue sky while yellow leaves rattled as they were whisked down asphalt streets and across shingled roofs. My friend Jim had just got his monthly paycheck, and he was finally able to make the down payment on the ivory-colored volkswagen he’d had his eye on for the last three months. He was elated as he drove the new Beetle off the lot and over to his girlfriend’s house. That night they attended the annual “Ghost Walk” in old downtown McKinney, and afterwards they drove out to Lake Lavon to park. Things were getting hot in the little car when a dj broke into the romantic music they’d been listening to with a warning that a mentally deranged serial killer had escaped from the state hospital in nearby Terrell. Jim’s girlfriend got really scared and urged Jim to drive back to McKinney. He allayed her fears and they continued to make out. Suddenly the wind stirred the leaves and they made a scratching noise on the car as of someone raking fingernails on a chalkboard.
The next day the police found a deserted ivory VW with a red handprint on it. Jim and Jeannie were never seen again.
NaNoWriMo starts tonight at midnight, so I’m just warming up my fingers. I don’t know how I’m going to prevent myself editing as I write my first ever novel, but I guess I’ll learn. I’m just hoping I don’t bore myself stiff as I write it; otherwise, the bloody handprint may be on MY front door!
Happy Halloween.