I was just a kid at the time. 8 years old to be exact. I was being stalked by this old man in my neighborhood. Of course this was bothersome. My mom didn't know and I didn't care to tell anyone. I was kinda dumb. One year on halloween, I was out trick or treating by myself.

Another kid came up to me in some kinda costume. It was kinda odd. A pumpkin head that moved with his voice, a red witch's hat, an orange scarf, and a purple poncho. He walked with me as we did our trick or treating. He wouldn't let me take any candy from the people. He insisted on checking it himself before handing it to me. Kind of strange not gonna lie.

"I need to make sure no one's poisoned the candy!" he tells me. How nice of him to be looking out for me! Right? He never gave me his name so I just call him candy kid. As I was heading home with him, he stopped me from stepping onto my lawn.

"What are you do-"

He shushes me.

"Go in through your window that's by your tree house."

"How do you know about-"

"Go. I need to take care of something." As I'm climbing up my tree house, I hear a hellish scream mixed with the screams of the man. I couldn't help but watch as the candy kid turned into this tall terrifying monster. His teeth had gotten sharp as knives. His mouth and eyes glowed a hazy yellow. He grew 20 feet tall. His long boney fingers lifted my stalker from the ground and ripped apart his body. The blood was all over the lawn. Tears streamed down my face smearing my face paint. It smelled like sewage and rotting fruit and roses. I nearly fainted. I ran through my bedroom window crying into my pillow. What the hell was that?

I hear a knock on my door. Too scared, I didn't respond. But then it opens with an unpleasant creak. I take a glance awaiting the sight. I hope it's mommy. Then I could crawl into her lap and cry and she'll tell me it's ok. But unfortunately... or fortunately? The monster was there.

"Excuse me? I'm sorry for scaring you. My name is The Great Pumpkin. You can just call me Pumpkin however." he whispers to me. I tear up again and hide under my blanket as if that would protect me. "If you don't mind, I have a gift for you. I think you'd like it." This piqued my interest as an 8 year old. I did like gifts. But then again, this guy. This... Pumpkin... He just killed someone. In front of me.

"What is it?" I ask softly, peeking out of my blanket. He reaches into his bag. I dread what would come out. But it was just a carnival lollipop. Purple and orange stripes. He walks over to me with it. I feel so dizzy... As he handed me the lollipop, I began to calm down. Like just holding the lollipop infected me with overwhelming joy. I put it in my mouth. It tastes like grapes and oranges. Tangy but sweet at the same time. The tears from earlier finally fell. I felt safe again.

Pumpkin gives me a little smile. I must have looked tired because he took my candy bag from me and put it in my wardrobe. He then turns on my night light that was in the shape of a moon and lets out an orange hue. He turned off my light and all I could see was him lighting a candle and blowing it out. The smoke created a long oval shape and in the middle was a portal to god knows where.

"Farewell, Chuck." He says with a grin before stepping through the portal. How did he know my name? Why is he here? I fell asleep in a puddle of tears on my pillow.

The next morning, I rubbed my eyes and looked around my room. The lollipop Pumpkin gave me was on my nightstand. I furrow my eyebrows as I stand up.

On the bus to school, my best friend, Linus Van Pelt, was sitting next to me. I told him everything that happened the night before and he gasped, startling me.

"What???" I look at him with concern.

"You saw the great pumpkin! You're the luckiest boy in the whole world!" He shouted, earning some glances from the other children.

"Y-yeah? He killed someone"

"He was protecting you! He's chosen you to be his friend this year!"

"Protecting me? Friend?"

"Let me explain!" Linus then goes on this whole tangent on who the great pumpkin is. Apparently, he gives toys and candy to children. He protects children from pedophiles, murderers, and other bad stuff that happens on halloween. During halloween he picks someone to be his friend for the rest of this year and until halloween next year. He eats the poisoned candy he finds in your bag and replaces it with calming candy he makes. WIth the candy, he makes toys. He's eternally a child at the age of 7 despite being around for 2,000 years. As long as Halloween has been around. I then felt very very safe. Knowing this immortal being was protecting me for until next halloween.

Throughout the year, I've been kept safe from car crashes, thieves, riots, overheating, falling planes, and frostbite. I even convinced him to steal things for me. Toys, games, snacks, and other stuff. By October 5th, me and Pumpkin had a talk right in my tree house.

"Chuck, I need to remind you. Once this halloween is over, I must leave you. You will never see me again." Pumpkin says. I had been disregarding the looming realization for the whole year. Once he leaves, I won't have someone to protect me or get things for me.

"What?! How dare you!" I shouted at him. My first mistake.

"Chuck..." Pumpkin says softly.

"I can't believe you would just abandon me! After all this time?! After all we've been through!" I complained. My second mistake. I shoved him. My third mistake. I began to cry "You never cared for me..." I tried to manipulate him. My fourth mistake. But as I cried, I noticed he began to grow. If looks could kill, I would already be dead. "Get out of here!" I screamed at him. I sent him away... my last mistake.

Pumpkin broke off the roof of my tree house. He stood up. Twenty feet tall. He let out a hellish scream. I shrieked in fear and tried to run. But it was too late. His bony fingers lifted me into the air and he ripped my body apart. As everything turned to black, I heard him walk away.

I am now in the hospital as I write this. I'm 16 now and I am not fully healed. The doctors say it's obviously a miracle I'm still alive. I only celebrate halloween out of spite now.