It’s funny how things come back on you. Maybe its was the glitter of a costume studded with sapphire glass beads that reminded me of Anita Belfort and her sapphire blue eyes, even though it had been months and a couple straight forward divorce cases ago. Those eyes still danced in my mind as clearly as they did the first time I saw them. I downed a Scotch and headed across the street for a party.

Twas Midnight. I attended a Halloween party at Jazzy Blues and packed away enough booze to make the walk across the street back to my office a zigzag extravaganza that took ten minutes instead of two.

I planned to camp out on the couch in my private office because I knew I would never make it upstairs to my apartment, and sleep off the celebration of ghosts, goblins and ghouls. But as I opened the door, whack a pain crashed through my skull and the lights went out. When I woke I was in hell.

A nightmare.

No.

I could feel pain and blood trickled down the back of my neck.

I woke in a place that was like the dead of night only broken by a red glow. I realized I was in a tunnel and could see the end of it, an opening through which I could see dancing flames and I could hear voices. Horrible wails of agony and lament.

I staggered toward it on the verge of collapsing and retching out my innards. But worst of all a voice, sweet, sickening, inviting and threatening pried into my thoughts, soft...... yet harsh, whispering and loud. It was maddening.

I wanted to scream but I had no voice. Logic instructed me to turn back but when I tried I was still moving toward the flickering opening that never seemed to get closer.

My legs began burning with fatigue. My ears were ringing and my heart banged in...