Jordan was uncomfortable with that last statement, but his job came before his personal feelings. He had learned that much from his earlier encounters with Ms. Saween. She opened the doors to the dining hall and in front of him was a table filled with a nice spread of tasty food. He was seated at the head of the table, a place of honor for most.

He noticed that all the other guests seated at the table were the ‘questionable’ ones that he had gathered. It was then he saw the more refined guests approach from out of the shadows of the room and they stood behind the chairs of the other guests. It was then that Ms. Sahween came up behind his own chair and spoke.

“Dear guests, we are gathered here to feast with the dead, yet as required we must sacrifice life in order to do so.” In sudden fear Jordan then tried to bolt from his chair as did the other guests, but to no success as he found that his body was held in place by an unknown force. His host came from behind him, only now her skin took on an orange tone.

Her voice became distorted and harder to understand. “It is said that the great god of the dead Sam Hain does not exist, and it is commonly believed that Sam Hain is male. My dear friends my true name is pronounced Sahween and I am no man. It was these richer idiots who summoned me with the aid of their finances and I shall reward them as they deserve.”

Now the wealthier, more refined guest’s bodies were unable to move either and panic swept over their faces as well. Jordan watched as Sahween’s eyes began to emit a green glowing smoke. He began losing awareness and slipping off into something more than sleep.

He heard what sounded like several screaming voices in the distance as the clock struck twelve. It was midnight on Halloween. His host’s body withered and her dried skin looked like a prune.

“Tonight I sacrifice you thirteen mortals before me so that I may gorge on all of your souls. I will replace them with those of deceased serial killers. With thirteen unclean spirits taking your place, I can finally claim the earth as my own.”

With Jordan’s consciousness fading, he heard Sahween’s final words. “There will be a banquet tonight, but it shall be your earthly essences adorning the platter. I am hungry after one thousand years of dormancy. Now let us finish the Feast of Souls ceremony.”