[CG]

~*~

Mac was growing all the more annoyed with Bloo with every passing minute. He'd just arrived, like he said he would, and Bloo was a no show. When he'd asked various friend in the house they all shrugged, some mentioning just what he'd unleashed upon the house that day. Mac apologised a few times for the mud, the clothes, the holes in sheets, but eventually he found Frankie in the bathroom. She was doing the messy task of putting her hair up. There was a lot of pins and hairspray involved.

"Frankie!"

"Hey Mac, cool costume!" Frankie exclaimed. Mac was in a cowboy costume, but his skin had been painted green with multiple scars on his face and hands. Even one of those fake arrows through the cowboy hat tricks. Zombie cowboy. Inventive to say the least.

"Thanks, listen, where's Bloo? We were meant to leave for trick or treating ten minutes ago." he looked at his watch. As much as Mac couldn't eat half or more of the candy he collected, he still enjoyed going out and spending time with his friends. Since this year Wilt, Coco and Eduardo (or so he thought) was going to accompany him and Bloo.

"Sorry Mac, I haven't seen him since I saw him with Wilt and Coco." she replied as she finished adjusting her hair so it sat just right.

"So where are Coco, Wilt and Eduardo? They were meant to come too." Mac glanced into the hallway, to see Ringo Rango dressed as Jack the Ripper walk past.

Frankie froze for a moment.

"What?" Mac asked, catching it.

"Oh um... look Mac," Frankie knelt down. "Eduardo... can't come trick or treating with you guys."

"Why not? He can't be that scared." man, Mac felt a little stupid after he said that. Eduardo was scared of his own shadow, and spiders the size of a penny. Of course he'd be terrified of Halloween.

"It's not that, Mac. Listen. There's something you gotta understand about Ed." Frankie said, her voice quite low now. "See, I kind of remember. It happened the first year Eduardo came to live with us. He'd arrived with all these other Imaginaries, his... 'family', I guess."

"I didn't know Eduardo had family." Mac said, surprised by this piece of information.

"Well he does. Kind of. Imaginaries created by the same person, but the rest were... well. They're too scary and dangerous to be living outside. They're a kind of extreme-o-saur. But anyway - I don't know why, but every year around Halloween Eduardo... kind of changes." Frankie was trying to be mindful of what words she used. Too much and it'd seem too scary.

"...changes how?" Mac asked, his voice slightly lower then normal.

"It's a blur, really." Frankie shut one eye in thought for a moment. "He just. Becomes so scared that he becomes bad so he won't be scared. And when I say bad, I mean 'bad'." To be honest Frankie hardly remembered the day it happened. What she could was the roars, the yells and screams, and the mess that followed afterwards. She was honest she couldn't remember it. "So every year at Halloween we have to go put Eduardo somewhere safe and secure so he won't get out and hurt himself. Or someone else."

"Whoa." Mac was way surprised to hear all this. "So how long does he stay locked away?"

"By tomorrow this time he's fine. He doesn't like it, of course, but it has to happen." Frankie stood up, dusting her white gown of any dust that might have clung to it as a result of her kneeling.

"...wait..." Mac started quietly.

"What?"

"...Bloo." he said the one word and both of them understood at the same time. When it came to Bloo and locked doors, or anything that might hold ANY secret behind it, lead to trouble. Both looked at the other with wide, terrified eyes, before both running off in different directions calling out Bloo's name.

~*~

It always felt strange having to do that job, but Wilt was the only one who could actually manage to get Eduardo into that room without much hassle. Mostly because Eduardo had so much trust and respect for him did it work. Frankie tried one year but Eduardo ended up running off in tears, claiming she didn't like him no more so that was why she was trying to get rid of him. It had been an unhappy feeling all around. But now Eduardo was in his 'secure' room, still hiding beneath his blanket and hopefully things will pass without too much strife this year. At least he hoped that's what was going to happen.

Unbeknownst to Wilt, something short and blue had followed him and Eduardo through the house, ducking behind corners and treading extra gently so not to be heard. Bloo watched as Wilt and Eduardo vanished into a room he hadn't seen before. A few moments later Wilt re-emerged by himself and locked the door behind him. Then he placed the key on the door's top frame and walked off. As soon as the hallway was clear, Bloo walked up to the door and stared up at it. It was massive, and made of metal obviously. He reached out and tapped the surface, feeling just how cold it was. Then he stepped back and narrowed an eye in thought at the key that he knew was up there. He didn't know why Eduardo was being locked away, but man! He wanted to find out! Secrets behind doors just weren't safe with Bloo around.

But how to get to it? He wasn't tall enough, and he knew asking Wilt would get him no where since he didn't want anyone knowing. So what could he do... a-hah! The broom! Bloo looked back and forth before rushing off down the hall way. He knew where the broom was kept, he'll take that and if he's asked why he'll say he's helping a friend who needs a broom to dress as a witch. Perfect!

Having found the broom Bloo rushed on back up the stairs, dragging it behind him and tripping up a few unfortunate friends in his path. But finally he reached the door, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He lifted the broom and began moving it against the door.

~*~

Within the room Eduardo was huddled in the corner, eyes wide. Even though technically he couldn't hear anything horrible, he swore he could. And practically see them. He saw the spiders climbing down from the ceilings, encasing him in their webs in order to eat him. He could most definitely see the witches and hear them singing gleefully about cooking him in their pot and using his fur as a nice coat. He could hear the shrieks and howls of spirits, cursed to wander the planet for all time. It was all getting louder and louder, but then he heard it.

Something was trying to get in through the door. His head jerked up as his wide eyes watched the door, in what little light he had. This room was unfortunate enough to be blessed with one light that hung in the ceiling, and unfortunately even more so the bulb was almost dead and gave off enough light to make Eduardo aware of the shadows and just what could be lurking in them.

The noise was awful. Something heavy and blunt dragging itself along the door outside. But then it stopped, and for a few fleeting seconds Eduardo could relax. But then another noise had replaced it. Something with bristles, something big, was not at the door. After a few moments of this noise, something hit the floor. But then, much much worse . . . the key was in the door.

~*~

"Bloo? I don't know, haven't seen him since you reminded me of my.. uh, 'job', Frankie." Wilt had been caught up by Frankie, who was looking more frazzled then before. Which was impressive given her costume. Mac was also with her again, heaving and wheezing.

"M-man how c-can it be so hard t-to find that little loudmouth w-when you need him?" Frankie wheezed, annoyed.

It was then the house was rocked to it's foundations by the kind of roar you only hear in the movies in surround sound. It sounded angry, it sounded violated, it sounded like-

"Eduardo!" all three cried at once.

"Bloo!" Mac added as a split second after thought.

~*~

Of all the things to expect, this wasn't it at all.

Bloo had tried getting the key down with the wooden end of the broom at first, but when that failed he used the other end. This way was a bit difficult, what with the thick bristles now being at the top of the long pole. But finally he moved it to where the key was, and the key fell.

Unlocking the door was no problem. It was opening it that was difficult, it was heavier then it looked and that's saying something of a metal door. But finally he pushed it open enough to look inside.

~*~

Eduardo felt this room was his safe haven. Wilt had assured him time and time again, year after year, that this was his safe room. No one could get into this room. You shouldn't be scared of anything in this room. No one can hurt you.

But he had been wrong. After so many years, something horrible had worked out how to get inside.

Something had worked out how to get inside HIS safe room.

As soon as the door was wide enough Eduardo threw the blanket off of himself, leapt and landed right in front of whatever it was (he was so terrified that he was literally blind to what was really there), and bared his massive teeth which suddenly seemed far more threatening then normal. His purple fur which was normally so soft, and gentle to the touch had risen with such ferocity you'd think he had doubled in size. His eyes too, seemed to had been removed of any worry lines that normally were there. His pupils were large, dilated, angry but terrified in the same instance.

~*~

Wow. Eduardo's teeth are huge.

That was the last thing Bloo thought until Eduardo unleashed a savage roar of epic proportions right into his face.

Then everything went black.


. . .

To be continued.