Tale #8 - part 1 - from the menacing horror short story anthology GRIM RENDEZVOUS, written & narrated by Chris Harvey.

"The bogeyman'll get you! The bogeyman'll get yo-!"
Mandy Barnes slammed the door in the kids' faces. She had neither the time nor the patience to humour them tonight.
She let out a long sigh and looked at her watch.
8.38 pm.
The party was due to begin at ten and she hadn't even started on her make-up yet, although she was kitted out in her fancy-dress costume. Apart from that, everything else was ready more or less: the food and drink was prepared, the decorations had been hung and the pumpkins put in their positions, the music was playing and the lights were dimmed. Now she just had to get her make-up done.
Mandy sucked in a breath, turned away from the cottage's front door and made her way back up the stairs to her bedroom..."

** WARNING: SOME VIOLENT CONTENT**