Today is the only day you'll see him, the man across the road. He only comes out when everyone else is dressed up. Some call him grim, some call him Oscar Zahn, but I know the truth. He's no man, nor mortal but a shell, a ghost, a partial protector on an old soul, he stops in every year to stare from across the road. He makes sure all is well, I assume maybe he used to know someone here, hell - maybe in some life he knew me, but he'd never say. No words, minimal motion; he just stands there and stares for a while, the children all dressed don't seem to notice, some will even pass through him.

After a while I've assumed he's had his fill, maybe he saw what he came to see or maybe he just stayed as Long as he could but regardless, he'll just vanish, like the wind picking up the autumn leaves, he'll pass as if no one knew he was here. but I do. I see him every year, I used to just watch but now I wave. I watch back even, I'll never know what he comes for but I look forward to him every year. A little tradition of my own if you will. I sit on my porch and wait, when he appears, I watch him as he watches me, until he's gone and then I wait again till next year. I don't know what he's looking for, but i've come to look for him, I hope he never truly disappears.