Preface - Part 1

He was walking quitely down the road, lightly circling a few trees. He was thinking. It was only today that he had heard about Samhain [pronounced: Sow-en (sow rhyming with cow and en like end)], but he was already fascinated. This was All-Hallow's Eve anyway.
He stopped. His cape fluttering slightly behind him.... But, there was no wind. He pondered that thought as long as he could before...
A dark image suddenly dropped from the treetops in front of him....
The only sounds were the crack of twigs underneath the figure as it approached....
And somehow, he couldn't move.
He dare not speak.
He hardly breathed.
He waited....
As the figure was within 3 feet of him, he called out...
Just as the figure was close enough that he could feel it's hot breath on his face...
They heard it:
"STAC---!!"
But it was too late.

End