Halloween Haunts: Hanging on to Halloween by Chad Lutzke

For those of us born with horror in our blood, I believe the love of Halloween comes in two phases.  In our younger years, Halloween is a little less about frights and more about candy and being able to parade around after dark dressed as our favorite creatures–an excuse to break our otherwise strict curfews, our curious little minds entertained by the taboo that is nightlife in the neighborhood–like our parents preached:  “No good thing can ever come from staying out at night.”

But while the aesthetic of the holiday is pleasing to both the horror-loving youngster and our grown selves, it’s waited upon all year by the adults for other reasons.  For the films and the scares, for an excuse to read yet another piece by King, Barker, or Koontz, for that nostalgic butterfly (or is it a moth?) skittering about in our bellies.  Yes, Halloween makes us feel young again.  And I would argue that within the circles you and I can be found, the adults love Halloween even more than the youngsters.

Sometimes, as we grow older, we carry with us the irrational fears we developed as children, be it from our own imagination or from the horrific imagery and/or suggestion found in film or literature, some of which still holds up decades later.  And that brings me to sharing a bit from my own youthful past.

I recall the first R-rated film I ever saw.  It was Halloween II–a worthy sequel to Carpenter’s boogeyman masterpiece.  I saw it when I was 12 years old.  It was still fairly new, as was the slasher subgenre, so there wasn’t much to compare it to.  It certainly wasn’t old hat by then, which meant it made more of an impact on the not-quite desensitized horror fan just yet.

One of the things from the film that disturbed me most wasn’t just that enigmatic blank white face with its hollow eyes, killing nurses and chasing Ms. Curtis, but the scene with the poor kid in the hospital parking lot with the razor blade stuck between his teeth, holding a small towel to his face–the cloth growing heavy and wet with blood.  The scene was built upon the then-popular urban legend of strangers tampering with Halloween candy, particularly apples.  The scene took something innocent and added pain and gore–would I ever look at apples the same?

Decades later I drew on that scene to write a short piece of fiction titled “Apple Sauce” –a story about more trick than treat.  Enjoy.

Apple Sauce

“Come on, Danny.  Come with me this time.”

I stayed behind the bush as Kevin left without me.  This would be the third bag he’d stolen tonight—running behind the poor kids, snatching their goods, and sprinting around the block with a new supply of candy.

Minutes went by and Kevin threw himself on the ground where he’d left me.  Candy spilled from a couple of the bags as he landed.

“Chicken!”  Was all Kevin could muster while catching his breath.

“No.  I’m just not cruel.  I hope you get caught.  I hope Mr. Smits catches you.  Or Tommy’s big brother does.  You’d never do it again.”

“Oh, shut up and help me eat this. “

“No way.  It’s bad enough I’m sitting here watching.  I’m goin’ home.”  I stood up to leave.

“Awww, come on.  I’ll stop.  I stashed some eggs by the garage.  Let’s go decorate Old Smitty’s house with them.  I snatched one of his apples earlier.”

Kevin pulled the apple from one of the many bags and handed it to me.  It was giant and bright red.  Mr. Smits had always yelled at us for picking them.

“No thanks.”  I pushed his arm and walked away.

Kevin collected the stolen goods, stood, and ran to catch up.  “C’mon, Danny.  I can’t eat all this by myself.  It’s Halloween.  We’re supposed to cause trouble.”  He rubbed the apple on his shirt, polishing it.

“Not like this.”

Kevin skipped ahead and stood in front of me, still polishing the apple.  “Okay.  Let’s go to my house and watch a movie. My old man has that huge bookcase full.  We could watch any of the Jason movies, The Shining, Evil De…”

As he rambled on, a sparkle on the apple from the shine of the streetlight caught my eye.  It appeared to have something jutting out from it.  The more I stared at it, the more convinced I was that a razor was buried deep in the apple.

“Poltergeist, Dawn of the Dead…”

I waited for the piece of blade to catch on his shirt as he polished the apple, but it never did.

“Jaws, Phantasm…”

I never warned him before he took a bite.  I didn’t want to.

I watched as the blade cut deep between his top teeth.  I couldn’t tell if the crunch came from his gums or the apple itself.  Blood flowed around the apple and started a large puddle on the ground.  He dropped every bag he’d held and screamed, but his mouth could open no wider and the apple stayed lodged like in a roasted pig.

I just stared.  Somehow I felt he deserved it.  As though Kevin were a split piñata, kids gathered, laughing and looting the spilled candy.  To them it was just part of Halloween—another kid showing off his costume.  Kevin’s screams were like gunfire on the fourth of July—hidden amongst the loud children, trick-or-treat chants, and the sound of stereo speakers pointed out windows, preaching moans, chains, and whistling wind.  Kevin ran, leaving behind a trail of crimson.

I stood wondering which was worse:  Standing idly by while Kevin ruined the holiday for others, or watching karma rip through my friend’s face.

I picked up a sucker from the sidewalk.  Green apple, my favorite.  It was beginning to be a good Halloween after all.

TODAY’S GIVEAWAY:  Chad Lutzke is giving away a Kindle copy of his latest novella OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES.  Comment below or email membership@horror.org with the subject title HH Contest Entry for a chance to win.

Chad Lutzke lives in Battle Creek, MI. with his wife and children where he works as a medical language specialist. For over two decades, he has been a contributor to several different outlets in the independent music and film scene including articles, reviews, and artwork. Chad loves music, rain, sarcasm, dry humor, and cheese. He has a strong disdain for dishonesty and hard-boiled eggs. He has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue and Scream magazine. He is a regular contributor to Horror Novel Reviews, Halloween Forevermore and Heavy Planet. His fictional work can be found in several magazines and anthologies including his own 18-story anthology anthology, NIGHT AS A CATALYST. He has written a collaborative effort with horror author Terry M. West, THE HIM DEEP DOWN. In the summer of 2016 Lutzke released his dark coming-of-age novella OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES.  Later in 2016, several more releases will be added to Lutzke’s body of work, including his PALE WHITE coming-of-age vampire series, CAR NEX: FROM HELL THEY CAME, 47-16, A David Bowie Literary Tribute and AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS:  BATTLE CREEK with J. Thorn.  Stay tuned! Chad can be found lurking the internet at the following address: www.chadlutzke.weebly.com

OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES – A neglected 12-year-old boy does nothing to report the death of his mother in order to compete in a spelling bee. A tragic coming-of-age tale of horror and drama in the setting of a hot New Orleans summer.

Praise:

“Lutzke has a way with words that merges horror and compassion in a single sentence.  Reminiscent of Robert McCammon.”

~ Joe Mynhardt, Crystal Lake Publishing

“With “Of Foster Homes and Flies” Lutzke is firing on all cylinders. It’s a lean mean emotional machine. Coming-of-age presented in a fresh direction. Bearing tremendous emotional weight and heart. It made me cry. ”      

-John Boden, author of JEDI SUMMER and DOMINOES

“Disturbing, often gruesome, yet poignant at the same time, Chad Lutzke’s OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is one of the best dark coming-of-age tales I’ve read in years. You’ll laugh (sometimes when you know you shouldn’t), you’ll cry, you’ll find yourself wondering how soon you can read more of this guy’s work. Highly recommended!”

– James Newman, author of MIDNIGHT RAIN, UGLY AS SIN, and ODD MAN OUT

“…one of those real treats that comes down the pipe and manages to get you all excited about reading again…the whole thing is just beautiful.”

~Ginger Nuts of Horror

“OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES by Chad Lutzke is a lovely addition to the coming of age subgenre.  He creates in the character of Denny an authentic young man with passions and foibles, someone easy to relate to and root for.  The novella hits all the right notes you expect out of a coming of age tale, while also providing a plot that has originality and surprises.”

~Mark Allan Gunnells, author of FLOWERS IN A DUMPSTER and THE SUMMER OF WINTERS

“As heartbreaking as it is horrifying…OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is a clearly written, fine-tuned entry into the canon of Coming of Age/Innocence Lost genre… Southern Gothic in the true sense of the word.”

~Barrymore Tebbs, author of A THOUSAND PAPER CRANES and The HAUNTING AT BLACKWOOD HALL

“Of Foster Homes and Flies is the darkest, most disturbing story Chad Lutzke has written. It’s also his best..the ultimate one-finger salute to oppression…Highly recommended.”

~Dan Padavona, author of the Dark Vanishing series

“…couldn’t put it down…absolutely captivating…truly brilliant.”

~Bettina Melher, author of THE LIGHT KEEPERS Trilogy

 Purchase OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES here.

Read an Excerpt from Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke.