halloween · horror · serial killers · psychopathic · sadistic · hunting · deception · couple · ashwood hollow town · thriller
A bitter autumn wind claws through Ashwood Hollow, carrying the smell of damp earth and decay. Pale moonlight fractures against the boarded-up windows of Stonegate Cottage on the hill. Inside, the air hangs heavy with waiting. Elara, the witch-sheep, adjusts the stiff smile fixed upon her face, her gaze sharp and hungry. Beside her, Silas, the pumpkin rabbit, runs a hand over his matted fur, the edge of a blade tucked discreetly against his wrist. They listen for the final footstep on the porch, ready to twist an invitation into a waking nightmare.