The Halloween Moon by Joseph Fink

Author:Joseph Fink [Fink, Joseph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Published: 2021-05-22T00:00:00+00:00

“WHO WAS THAT WOMAN?” SAID AGUSTÍN.

“I have no idea. And I have no idea why they all seem to know Mr. Nathaniel or why they’re all afraid of him,” Esther said.

“Well, Charlie is a little scary, I guess,” said Mr. Gabler.

“Let’s just keep moving,” said Sasha, glancing back.

“I want to check on my mother,” said Agustín.

“Of course,” said Esther. She hated that she hadn’t suggested it first, that he had had to remind her that he also was scared because this situation was, objectively, scary.

They moved as quickly as Mr. Gabler was able, keeping an eye out for anyone following them, but no one did. Passing by the canyon, the high school party there seemed to have grown. Lights and voices, celebrating, barbarous and remote from the considerations of the town around them. Something about the party made Esther shudder.

But she soon forgot the high schoolers’ party as they approached Agustín’s block and saw something truly extraordinary.

Agustín’s house was easy to spot, even from a distance, because it had transformed completely. Where once had been a modest plot with a few sample grave markers in the front yard, now there was a massive cemetery with tall black fences. The gate to the cemetery was chained shut. The gravestones were ancient black monoliths, several stories tall. The writing on them was in glyphs that did not look like any language Esther knew. Badly maintained paths wound their way through the overgrown cemetery as it sloped up a steep hill. More and more vines appeared among the other plants, until the hillside became choked with vines in its upper slopes, steep cliffs that were more vine than rock. And at the summit, Agustín’s mother’s workshop, perched atop the vine-shrouded hill. The light in the workshop was on, and even from that distance they could see the shadow of his mother, moving back and forth. Somehow, they could also hear her, humming and hammering away, hard at work and seemingly oblivious to the inexplicable transformation of her yard.

“Mom!” shouted Agustín. “Mom, can you hear me?” But there was no response. His voice echoed out through the gravestones, until it was absorbed by the choking vines that covered the hill.

He rattled the locked gate. “What is happening?”

“I don’t know,” said Esther, because how could she? Nothing she had thought she had known about the world would explain what was happening here. “But I do know we need help.”

“Maybe we should go to the police,” said Sasha. “I know 9-1-1 isn’t working, but we could walk to the station.”

“No,” said Agustín and Esther.

“No!” said Mr. Gabler with a vehemence that surprised them all.

“Okay, it was just a suggestion.” Sasha threw up her hands. “You all are so mean.”

“I’ve got to try to climb up there,” said Agustín, touching the fence experimentally.

“I know from climbing,” Mr. Gabler said. “And I don’t see a way. Even for me.”

“We could go to the hospital,” said Esther.

“None of us are sick,” said Agustín.

“I know. But Mr. Gabler hurt his ankle.

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