Spirits of the Night

There was a time in the town when you could walk out alone at night and not have to fear anything. You could leave your doors unlocked and your car in the driveway without worry. You could drop the kids off at the cinema downtown and not think a thing of it. Or stroll through the park on a Saturday evening without watching every shadow or movement in the evening twilight.
But no more. Now, doors barred the entrances along with the windows. Residents hurried home lest they be caught outside after dark, and cars were secured in their garages as cats and dogs were brought in from outside. People watched in terror as the sun would sink low on the horizon, leaving the community vulnerable to the clutches of the night.
…