They say trust no one, and always keep your guard.

Once you do these things, your soul will be safe, but if you do not, your soul will be vulnerable to the dark forces of this world.

October 12, 1979: 

With each passing day, more clouds fill up the sky, more wind starts to blow. That is why I like October days and nights; they get rid of the summer’s scorching heat. Still, the sun starts to fade away come October. Many kids my age are scared this time of year, “Too cold, too damp, too dark,” they say, with a fearful tone in their voice. I tend to ignore it.

School started a month ago, and they still teach the same courses repeatedly, every year. They sometimes teach different things, but when it comes to my school, it is a rarity. I live out in the middle of nowhere, with only few neighbors to say “Hello!” There is the one house close to mine; it is guarded by this tall red fence. It has been there since before I could remember, sealing off its abandoned, old house.  I’m told that that house is still up for sale, which makes me wonder: Who would ever buy that house?

October 17, 1979: 

Halloween is getting closer; I can tell, even without everyone reminding me. Many people like Halloween because of the candy and costumes, but I like it because I like the history that is behind it. I have always loved history. There are so many different events that happened all over the world that affected our knowledge that we have today; I believe history holds the key to the world’s greatest mysteries. The only thing that bothers me is that red fence. I do not know the history of it–no one does. I have asked all around the town, and no one knows anything about it!  It is so strange, and I have been asking myself the same questions since I was little: Did it just appear one day? Who built it? Why so big, why so tall? 

October 23, 1979: 

I have been having these nightmares of a dark figure. It holds nothing but anger and hatred in its mind and tries to feeds off the souls of others. The only thing that is keeping it away is a wall, covered in human blood. As I see that wall in my nightmare, I start to breathe heavily; I wake suddenly, and scream because I see that blood-red wall every day of my life.

October 27, 1979:  

My Halloween excitement has rapidly gone down over the past few days; instead, my Halloween fright has increased. I keep waking up in the middle of the night, too frightened to fall back asleep because I  know that, if I do fall back asleep, I will be vulnerable to a dark energy that wants to consume me. Even if I do stay up the rest of the night, those images from my nightmares never leave. With that disgusting red fence right next door, it doesn’t make me feel any better, and I believe that something, or someone, is waiting, and watching me. I pray to the heavens that my assumption is wrong.

 October 31, 1979:  

This year, Halloween is on a Wednesday. Most of the kids in my school are not too happy about that, but the teachers beg to differ. They forced us to play their cliché Halloween games; some are fun, but others are plain boring! Besides, I am fourteen, and I am too old for such games. I presume this Halloween to be a very dull one; I am not having any parties or meeting up with friends. I plan to go right home, eat dinner, read some history books, then promptly to bed. Now, it is All Hallows’ Eve night, as it is formerly known, and there are about three hours until this day of fear is over. I am exhausted; still, I think to myself, I can’t goto sleep. I can never go to sleep again!

As I lay on my bed, I start to sob quietly, my eyes are puffy and watery, and my sight is blurry. I have a weird impulse that I must look out my window. I peer out, and I see nothing, but that dismal red fence. Then, I peer up at the night sky, and the mood is blood red. I feel frozen; my mind wants to step back from that envious moon. Physically, it feels impossible, like I am paralyzed. The moon is staring at me. “Am I insane?” I say to myself. No, surely I’m not! The moon keeps staring at me, as I cannot look away.  This is a sign, a a sign warning my soul that whispers in the dead of night, “Something is coming.”

November 1, 1979: 

I am relieved Halloween is over, yet I am still terrified of this ill-fated omen. I know that blood-red moon meant something, but its true significance remains hidden, leaving me very anxious. What on Earth could be coming to get me? A creature, perhaps? Another thought enters my mind. Are my days on this Earth now numbered? I know I cannot think that way, but I am not going to back down anymore. For too long, I have been frightened with nightmares, dark figures, and that despicable red fence!  All this started when I thought about the red fence, like those horrible dreams! That must be the root of these fears. That red fence has been disturbing me for my entire life, and now is the time I confront it. I must face the red fence.