By Evie Smith, TIWP Student

October is my favorite month. I like to call it “Spooky Season.” Watching scary movies and snuggling by the fire. Eating candy corn. Planning my Halloween costume.

It was a hard day at work today, and all I wanted to do was cuddle in a pile of blankets with my puppy, Buster, and watch a horror movie. As we plop on the coach, I scroll through the different scary movie options.

Annabelle, watched that. The Nun, watched that. IT, watched IT plenty of times. Hmm The Shadow, I haven’t seen this one yet.

I click on the movie to see what its plot is, but all that seems to come up is “Watch at your own risk.” Seems enticing. Buster cries for popcorn, so I click on the movie and get settled.

“Let’s see what this is all about, Buster!”

The movie begins with the terrifying look of the Shadow Monster, and a sort of piercing sound. Buster runs off in fear, so I skip further on. The movie is slow and boring, my eyes barely able to keep open. I begin to doze, and can’t help but to fall asleep from boredom.

“Come on, Buster, let’s go upstairs.” We head upstairs to the bathroom, where I feel a breeze on my neck.

“Did you feel that Buster?”

I turn around to see the bathroom window closed, and the fan off as well. Where could this be coming from? Rushing to my room, with Buster in hand, I sweep open the door. There he is. Buster cries and bolts out the room. “The Shadow Monster!” I run, the Monster following right behind, and I rush right back into my room, locking him outside.

“What do I do Buster?” A knocking begins, getting louder and louder. My breath picks up, and my only choice is to hide under my covers.

“Buster, what are you doing?” He begins running to the door, and it slowly opens. “Oh My God!” I scream at the top of my lungs as my body jolts up.

I awake, in a puddle of sweat, to realize it was all just a dream. “Oh My God Buster, thank god it was a dream, you should have seen what happened-” My vision comes back after I rapidly rubbed my eyes, and there he is. Again. The Shadow Monster.