It's Halloween week, the time we've waited for all year long.

While children run door to door in laughter and mass, something watches from the shadows.

On Halloween night, not every face is friendly

and not every tradition is innocent.

I'm Blair Bathory and welcome to the Something Scary podcast.

Thank you for joining us as we descend into the darkness together. So, want to hear something scary?

Halloween Town Horror.

They said the midnight masquerade was about community.

They never said what kind, like in this tale from Small Town USA, written by Sarah Laskowitz.

Leah hadn't worn a costume since college.

She used to love it, the fake blood, the wigs, the chance to be someone else for a night. But now, in her 30s, Halloween just felt embarrassing.

Her office didn't think so.

Someone printed out what press release about the all-adult Halloween revival.

And suddenly, the break room was full of talk about costumes and pop-up shops.

The emails kept saying it was a movement

for community and creativity. Leah tried to ignore it, but every day the excitement grew. By the end

of September, everyone had a costume. Even the quiet IT guy was bragging about his zombie surgeon

outfit.

She told herself she didn't care, but on her way home one night, she drove by one of

those pop-up Halloween super stores.

No lights, just a warm glow spilling from the doorway.

Screw it, she thought.

...