Johnny Halloween Read Online Free Page A

celebration. No, it’s a night to be wary, a night to lock your doors and read your Bible. And I know that’s exactly what you good folks would be doing if the stakes weren’t so high, right here, right now.
    “I want to say that I’m very proud that you’ve chosen to be here with me, standing shoulder to shoulder against those who stand with the enemy. And I mean that, for those who stand against us stand with Satan, and they are evil! Oh, they may look perfectly innocent—they may look like your neighbor or your librarian or your friendly grocery clerk—but we know ’em! We can sniff ’em out! Satan’s army is marching, brothers and sisters, and we must stop it. Right here, right now!”
    Reverend Woodbury spun from the podium and was off of the platform and into the waiting limousine before his followers could begin to applaud. His right-hand man, Brother Bishop, lagged a half step behind—a studied half step that allowed the crowd’s riotous cheers to fill the limo before he slammed the bullet-proof door behind him.
    Reverend Woodbury’s strength of will was sometimes a fragile thing, and Brother Bishop wouldn’t allow it to be tested tonight. “Listen to them,” he said. “They love you, Woody. They really feel the Holy Spirit.”
    “I hope the rest of the evening goes so smoothly. Any more speeches? I don’t mind saying that my voice has about had it.”
    “Let’s see. You’ve hit the prayer rally down at the church on Virginia Street, the school board meeting, the demonstration over at that theatre that’s showing The Wizard of Oz , and unless you want to hit that video store over on the Florida Street Mall—”
    “No. I’d just say the same things I said about Oz , and then I’d have to listen to those TV reporters ask their asinine questions all over again. Lord, how those fools try to make it all seem so silly. They can’t understand how a child’s mind accepts evil. They think that a story about wizards and witches is just innocent fun and games. Why, that filthy tale is nothing but dark magic and murder. It glorifies the supernatural! I tell you Bishop, we’ve got to stop it! All of it!”
    Brother Bishop patted his friend’s knee. “We’re going to stop it. Tonight will be the last Halloween this city will ever see. Now, don’t you worry about that.”
     
    ****
     
    “Hand over the crowbar.”
    “You want it now? Ain’t there an alarm, or—”
    “This is a public library, not Fort Knox. Generally speaking, such institutions don’t have elaborate surveillance systems.”
    “You mean there ain’t an alarm, right?”
    “Look, just give me the crowbar.”
     
    ****
     
    Vicky Taylor passed a bag of Hershey’s Kisses over the grocery scanner, following it with a bag of Snickers, a package of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and two bags of 3 Musketeers.
    “Marge, did you leave anything on aisle nine?” Vicky asked.
    The town librarian smiled. “I just hope I haven’t missed all the trick-or-treaters. That damn school board meeting ran into overtime, as usual. Our friend Woodbury went on a regular filibuster.”
    Vicky sighed. “I would have been there, but old man Myers put me on the night shift this week. He’s been treating me like pond slime since I went to that city council meeting with you. In fact, I’m beginning to think that he’s a member of the reverend’s flock.”
    “Y’know, it’s getting so you can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys around here.”
    “That’s the truth. How’d the meeting go, anyway?”
    “Not good. The board agreed to pull The Wizard of Oz from the grammar school library.”
    “You’re kidding!”
    “Nope. They say they’re going to keep one copy behind the desk to circulate to kids whose parents sign a consent form, but you know how long that’ll last—I’ll bet my ACLU card that one of the reverend’s followers will have their little angel borrow the book and ‘lose’ it.”
    Money changed hands. “I guess