Oh, Katie believed in him for sure, the Halloween Man. Him with his long skinny-spindley arms and sharp-toothed mouth and eyes sunk deep in skull sockets like softly glowing embers, charcoal red. Him with his long coat of tatters, smelling of tombstones and grave dirt. All spider-hairy he was, the Halloween Man.

“You made him up!” said Jan the first time Katie told her about him. Jan was nine, a year younger than Katie, but she could run faster and jump higher. “He isn’t real.”

“You’re just mean,” Jan declared. “Going around telling lies and scaring people.”

“It’s true,” said Katie, trying not to cry. “He’s real and he could be coming here on Halloween night—right to this town. This could be the year he comes here.”

The town was Center City, a small farming community in the Missouri heartland, brightened by fire-colored October trees, with a high courthouse clock (Little Ben) to chime the hour, with plowed fields to the east and a sweep of sun-glittered lake to the west.

A neat little jewel of a town by day. By night, when the big oaks and maples bulked dark and the oozy lakewater was tar-black and brooding, Center City could be spooky for a ten-year-old who believed in demons.

All month at school, all through October, Katie had been thinking about the Halloween Man, about what Todd Pepper had told her about him. Todd was very mature and very wise. And a lot older, too. Todd was thirteen. He came from a really big city, Indianapolis, and knew a lot of things that only big-city kids know. He was visiting his grandparents for the summer (old Mr. and Mrs. Willard) and Katie met him in the town library late in August when he was looking through a book on demons.

They got to talking, and Katie asked him if he’d ever seen a demon. He had narrow features with squinty eyes and a crooked grin that tucked up the left side of his face.

“Sure, I seen one,” said Todd Pepper. “The old Halloween Man, I seen him. Wears a big pissy-smelling hat and carries a bag over one shoulder, like Santa. But he’s got no toys in it, no sir. Not inthat bag!”

They were sitting at one of the big wooden library tables, and now he leaned across it, getting his narrow face closer to hers. “That’s the only time you’ll see him. It’s the only night he’s gotpower .” And he gave her his crooked grin. “He comes slidin’ along, in his rotty tattered coat, like a big scarecrow come alive, with those glowy red eyes of his, and the bag all ready. Steppin’ along the sidewalk in the dark easy as you please, the old Halloween Man.”

“How does he do it?” Katie wanted to know. “How does he get a kid’s soul?”

“Puts his big hairy hands on both sides of the kid’s head and gives it a terrible shake. Out pops the soul, like a cork out of a bottle. Bingo! And into the sack it goes.”

Katie felt hot and excited. And shaky-scared. she couldn’t stop asking questions. “What does he do with all the kids’ souls after he’s collected them?”

Another crooked grin. “Eats’em,” said Todd. “They’re his food for the year. Then, come Halloween, he gets hungry again and slinks out to collect a new batch—like a squirrel collecting nuts for the winter.”

“Sure did. The old Halloween Man, he chased me once when I was your age. In Havershim, Texas. Little bitty town, like this one. Helikes small towns.”

“Nowhere for kids to hide in a small town. Everything out in the open. He stays clear of the big cities.”

Katie shifted on her chair. She bit her lower lip. “Did he catch you—that time in Texas?”

“No sir, not me.” Todd squinched his eyes. “If he had of, I’d be dead—with my soul in his bag.”

“Outran him. He was pretty quick, ran like a big lizard he did, but I was quicker. Once I got shut of him, I hid out. Till after midnight. That’s when he loses his power. After midnight he’s justgone —like a puff of smoke.”

“Well,I’ve never seen him, I know,” said Katie softly. “I’d remember if I’d seen him.”

“You bet,” said Todd Pepper, nodding vigorously. “But then, he isn’t always so easy to spot.”

“Magical, that old Halloween Man is. Can take over people. Big people, I mean. Just climbs right inside ’em, like step-pin’ into another room. One step, and he’s inside lookin’ out.”

“Can’t,” said Todd Pepper. “Not till he jumps at you. But if you’re lookin’ sharp for him, and youknow he’s around, then you can kind of spot him by instinct.”

“It’s like an animal’s got in the jungle when a hunter is after him. The animal gets an instinct about the hunter and knows when to run. It’s that way with the ole Halloween Man—you can sort of sniff him out when you’re sharp enough. He can’t fool you then. Not if you’re really concentrating. Then your instinct takes over.”

Todd riffled the pages casually. “Nope. No kid’s ever lived long enough to take a picture of the Halloween Man. But I’ve described him to you—and unless he climbs inside somebody you’ll be able to spot him easy.”

“Thanks,” said Katie. “I appreciate that.” She looked pensive. “But maybe he’ll never come to Center City.”

“Maybe not.” Todd shut the book of demons with a snap. “Then again, you never know. Like I said, he favors small towns. If you want my opinion, I’d say he’s overdue in this one.”

And that was the only talk she’d had with Todd Pepper. At summer’s end he went back to Indianapolis, to school, and Katie was left in Center City with a head full of new thoughts. About the Halloween Man.

And then it was October, with the leaves blowing orange and yellow and red-gold over her shoes when she walked to school, and the lake getting colder and darker off beyond the trees, and the gusting wind tugging at her coat and fingering her hair. Sometimes it rained, a chill October drizzle that gave the streets a wet-cat shine and made the sodden leaves stick to her clothes like dead skin.

Katie had never liked October, butthis year was the worst, knowing about the Halloween Man, knowing that he could come walking through her town come Halloween night, with his grimy soul-bag over one shoulder and his red-coal eyes penetrating the dark.

Through the whole past week at school that was all Katie could think about and Miss Prentiss, her teacher, finally sent Katie home. With a note to her father that read:

“Are you sick, sugar?” her father had asked her. Her mother was dead and had been for as long as Katie could remember.

“I don’t think so,” Katie had replied. “But I feel kind of funny. I’ll be all right after Halloween. I want to stay home from school till after Halloween.”

Her father had been puzzled by this attitude. She had always loved Halloween. It had been her favorite holiday. Out Trick-or-Treating soon as it got dark with her best friend Jan. Now Jan never called the house anymore. Katie’s father wondered why.

“Okay, it’a deal. Halloween’s just a few days off. So I guess I won’t have long to wait.”

Katie had a sure feeling thatthis year he’d show up in Center City. Somehow, she knew this would be the year.

That afternoon Katie moved through the town square in a kind of dazed fever. Her father had sent her downtown for some groceries and she had taken a long time getting them. It was so hard to remember what he wanted her to bring home. She had to keep checking the list in her purse. She just couldn’t keep her mind on shopping.

Jan was on the street outside when Katie left Mr. Hakin’s grocery store. They glared at each other.

“Do you take back what you said?” asked Jan, sullen and pouting. “About that awful, smelly man.”

“I told thetruth ,” declared Katie. “But you’re just scared to believe it.”

“Listen, you’d better stay home tonight,” warned Katie. “I mean it. If you don’t want the Halloween Man to pop your soul and eat it.”

“Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Katie told her. “When he grabs you just remember what I said.”

It was later than she thought. Katie had spent so much time shopping she’d lost track of the day. It had just slipped past.

The brightness had drained from the sky, and the westering sun was buried in thick-massed clouds. A thin rain was beginning to dampen the streets.

Katie shifted the heavy bag of groceries and began to walk faster. Only two miles and she’d be home. Just twenty blocks.

A rising wind had joined the rain, driving wet leaves against her face, whipping her coat.

Not many kids will be going out tonight, Katie thought. Not in this kind of weather. Which meant lean pickings for the Halloween Man. If he shows up there won’t be many souls to bag. Meaning he’ll grab any kid he finds on the street. No pick and choose for him.

I’m all right, Katie told herself. I’ve still got time to make it home before it gets really dark . . .

But the clouds were thickening rapidly, drawing a heavy grey blanket across the sky.

Katie hurried. An orange fell from the top of the rain-damp sack, plopped to the walk. Katie stopped to pick it up.

Coming along the walk under the blowing trees, tall and skeleton-gaunt, with his rotted coat flapping in tatters around his stick-thin legs, and with his sack slung over one bony shoulder. The red of his deep-sunk eyes burned under a big wide-brimmed slouch hat.

She whirled around with an insucked cry, the soggy paper sack ripping, slipping from her fingers, the groceries tumbling to the sidewalk, cans rolling, split milk cartons spitting white foam across the dark concrete.

Not looking back, heart triphammering her chest, she flung her body forward in strangled panic.

Where? Where to go? He was between her and home; she’d have to go back into the heart of town, run across the square and try to reach her house by another route.

But could she run that far? Jan was the runner;she could do it, she was faster and stronger. Already Katie felt a rising weakness in her legs. Terror was constricting her muscles, numbing her reflexes.

He could run like a lizard. That’s what Todd had said, and lizards are fast. She didn’t want to look back, didn’t want to turn to see him, but she had to know how much distance she’d put between them.Where was he?

The long wet street stretched empty behind her, char black at its far end—just the wind-lashed trees, the gusting leaves, the blowing curtain of rain silvering the dark pavement. There was no sign of the Halloween Man.

He’d outfoxed her. He’d guessed her intention about doubling back and had cut across the square ahead of her. And he’d done the final demon-clever thing to trap her. He’d climbed inside.

Concentrate, she told herself. Remember what Todd Pepper said about trusting your instinct. Oh, I’ll know him when I see him!

Now Katie was in the middle of the town square. No matter which route she took home she had to pass several stores and shops—and he could be waiting in any doorway, ready to pounce.

She drew a long, shuddering breath, steeling herself for survival. Her head ached; she felt dizzy, but she was prepared to run.

Katie flinched like a dog under the whip, looked up in dry-mouthed terror—into the calm, smiling face of Dr. Peter Osgood.

“Your father tells me you’ve been ill, young lady,” he said in his smooth doctor’s voice. “Just step into my office and we’ll find out what’s wrong.”

“Your face looks flushed. You may have a touch of fever, Katie. Now, I really think we should—”

“Get away from me!” she screamed. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I know who you are—you’rehim !”

Past Mr. Thurtle’s candy shop:Him , waving from the window at her, with his red eyes shining . . .

Past the drug store:Him , standing at the door inside Mr. Joergens, smiling with his sharp shark’s teeth. “In a big rush today, Katie?”

Across the street on the red light.Him , in a dirty Ford pickup, jamming on the brakes, poking his head out the window: “Watch where you’re running, you little bitch!”

When Katie reached her house, on Oakvale, she fell to her knees on the cold wooden porch, gasping, eyes full of tears, ears ringing. Her head felt like a balloon about to burst, and she was hot and woozy and sick to her stomach.

Katie stood up shakily, got the door open and crossed the living room to the big rose sofa, dropped into it with a heavy, exhausted sigh.

Outside, a car pulled to the curb. She could see it through the window. A dark blue Chevy!Dr. Osgood’s car!

Katie faced him, panting, her back tight against the bolted door. “We can’t let him in. He’s gonna steal my soul!”

“The Halloween Man. He can get into big people’s bodies. And he’s inside Dr. Osgood right now.”

Her father smiled gently, then moved to unlock the door. “I think you’ve been watching too many scary movies. You don’t have to be afraid of—”

But Katie didn’t wait for him to finish. She rushed up the stairs, ran to her room at the end of the hall, hurried inside, and slammed the door.

Panic. There was no lock on her door, no way to keep him out. She ran to the bed, jumping under the covers the way she used to do when she was little and things scared her in the dark.

Katie leaped from the bed in a sudden frenzy, toppled over the tall wooden bookcase near her closet, dragged it over against the door.It probably won’t hold him, but . . .

She ran across the room, stumbling over spilled books, and looked out. Dr. Osgood was just driving away through the misting rain in his blue Chevy.

Katie swung around to face him. “Oh, no!” She was trembling. “It’s true! Nowyou’re him!”

Katie’s father reached out, put a big hand on each side on her face. “Happy Halloween, sugar!” he said.