Read Once Upon a Halloween for Free Online Page A

was blocking much of his view.
        "Screw with me," she said, "I'll chop you to ribbons."
        She was starting to breathe hard. Hunter saw her shoulders rise and fall as he scooted quietly toward her, feet first. Dribbles of sweat were running down her spine. A droplet slid down the crease between her round, solid buttocks.
        "Who's there?" she demanded.
         "Everything okay up there?" a man's voice called out. It sounded as if he were shouting from downstairs.
        "Fine and dandy," the woman muttered to herself.
         "Eleanor?"
         "No problem!" she yelled. "I've got the kid. I'll be right down!"
        Hunter drew back his right foot, aimed the sole of his sneaker at Eleanor's Achilles tendon, and kicked forward.
        

CHAPTER NINE
        
        Last year, a member of his cross-country team had accidentally gotten kicked in the Achilles tendon. The kid had let out a scream of agony. An axe to the back of his foot couldn't have done a better job taking him down. He hadn't been able to get up again. They'd carried him off the field and he'd missed the rest of the running season.
        When Hunter struck out at Eleanor's tendon, he hoped for similar results.
        He didn't get them.
        Instead of shrieking in pain, she gasped with surprise. Her right foot shot forward, flew high. She waved her arms. Her saber slashed the air. Then she fell backward onto Hunter. Sat down hard on his thighs, slammed his back against the hardwood floor. An instant later, the top of her head clipped his chin. His teeth clashed together.
        Though barely conscious, he felt Eleanor's weight on top of him and knew this was his only chance.
        Already, he could feel her trying to sit up.
         If I let her get away...
        He hooked his left arm across her throat and squeezed, trying to choke her. But something was in the way. Her chin? Then one of her hands was pulling at his arm while her other hand tried to bring the saber into play. He hammered his right fist down against her face again and again and again. She grunted and whimpered. She bucked. She thrashed and writhed, but she couldn't free herself from his squeezing forearm and clubbing fist. Though she jerked the saber this way and that, she couldn't get at him with it. Then she let it fall and caught hold of his wrist.
        "Stop!" she gasped. "Stop. I give."
        He stopped pounding her face, stopped trying to choke her.
        She released his arms, then lay limp on top of him, panting for air.
        After a few seconds, she said, "Let me up."
        "Don't move." Keeping his left arm across her throat, Hunter reached out with his other hand and grabbed the saber. He raised it over Eleanor's face to let her see that he had it.
        "Put your arms out," he said.
        "Huh?"
        "Like wings."
        She stretched out her arms.
        "Keep them that way and sit up. If you do anything, I'll chop you."
        With her arms out straight to the right and left, she sat up. Hunter winced at the weight on his thighs.
        "Now stand up," he said. "But keep your arms like that."
        She drew her knees in close to her chest and leaned forward. As she rose to her feet, Hunter sat up and shoved himself off the floor.
        Standing behind her, he pressed the edge of the blade against the side of her neck.
        "Now take off your belt. Unbuckle it and let it drop. Keep your hand away from the knife."
        She lowered her arms and head.
        Hunter could only see the backs of her arms down to her elbows. From elbows to hands, they were in front of her... unfastening the belt buckle by the sounds he heard.
        He watched the sheathed knife by her right hip. A couple of times, his eyes strayed over to her buttocks. He tried not to stare at them, though.
        Soon, the belt, sheath and knife fell to the floor.
        "Okay," Hunter said.
        "Okay