Sarah, Katie's eight-year-old daughter, dressed in a monkey pajama set, descended the stairway as she rubbed her eyes.

Calling out to her mother, she questioned, "Where is Daddy?"

Katie, trying to hide her feelings, nervously sets down the phone and greets her daughter, "Honey, he had to be at work super early this morning. How about you go get dressed. I'll make you breakfast, and take you to school." Katie reassured Sarah by embracing her for a tight hug.

Sarah reluctantly replied, "okay," as she squirmed out of the hug and meandered up the stairs.

Digging through her white dresser, Sarah found what she wanted to wear. A Jo-Jo t-shirt with a giant pink bow attached to the front, loose fitting jeans with green fabric around the bottom of the pant leg, and a pair of beige sandals. She slid her chunky green headband over her head to keep her frail sandy blonde hair out of her face. While turning to exit her room, something caught Sarah's eye. She slowly approached the single pane window by her bed to investigate. Peering out the window, Sarah embraced the view of the front yard and rising sun. Mesmerized by the colors, Sarah put her right hand on the window.

A slight movement from below distracted Sarah and demanded her attention. Lowering her gaze to the cemented path leading from the front door to the driveway, she found what caught her eye. A silhouette of a man stood in the driveway at the edge of the path wearing black head to toe with the exception of his white mask. Sarah thought this was quite peculiar. She questioned herself, "Halloween wasn't for a few weeks, so why was there someone dressed up?"

She studied the figure for quite some time without either of them moving. Sarah wondered, "Could he see me?" To test her curiosity, she lifted her right hand from the window to wave. She added a cheesy simile, so the man would know she was friendly. Sarah's excitement grew at the possibility of making a new friend.

The pitch-black silhouette raised a hand to briefly wave before dashing off around the edge of the house. Sarah raced down the stairs to ask her mom if she could play outside.

"Hey, mom?" Sarah grabbed Katie's hand, "Can I go outside and play?"

Katie, setting down the bowl of Frosted Flakes she prepared for Sarah, bent her knees to squat down to Sarah's level. Confused she questioned, "Honey, why do you want to go outside? You need to eat breakfast, and we have to get you to school."

Sarah pouted, "But please. I made a new friend."

Rising an eyebrow, Katie hesitantly asked, "Who is your new friend?"

With excitement Sarah beamed, "The man outside dressed up for Halloween!" She described his outfit and their recent encounter in detail.

Stricken with fear, Katie, hid her panic from Sarah, but poked her head around the living room curtain to peer out the window. Nothing. All she saw was an older neighbor walking her poodle in a stroller. Convincing herself that it was merely Sarah's imagination, she returned to the kitchen to serve the bowl of cereal. When retrieving a spoon, Katie glanced at the digital clock, for the third time this morning, 7:50 a.m.

Ring!

Ring!

Frozen in her stance Katie stared at the phone. She dared to wonder, "What if it wasn't her daughter's imagination? What if this wasn't a prank caller?"

Ring!

Ring!

Katie's heart raced and she reached to answer the phone. Hesitantly, she answered, "Hello?"

The toneless husky voice breathed, "I'm here." Dark repulsive chuckling exploded through the speaker deafening Katie's right ear.

Petrified, Katie lowered the phone, ended the call, and attempted to collect her thoughts, "Could this be a joke?"

Feeling uncertain, Katie pulled out her cell phone to dial her husband. She knew he wouldn't be able to talk since he was operating on a patient this morning. After several rings, her husband's voice recording played, "Hi! You've reached Trevor. I can't come to the phone right now, so please leave your name and number, and I'll call you back. Have a great day."

Beep!

Inhaling a gulp of air, Katie left a message, "Hey. It's me. Your wife. Uhm, there is something strange going on. I am sure it is nothing. Maybe one of the neighborhood kids playing a prank. Just call when you can. I'll take Sarah to school and meet you at the hospital." Feeling lonely Katie ended the call, and tucked her phone in the back pocket of her jeans.