I do hope you enjoy what is now the 4th installment into what I’m starting to call my Halloween Disappearance stories. The first three will be tagged within the story below. This latest will take you into the writings of a man who spent some of his isolation time. As you read below his choice was to delve into the world of true crime and disappearances of people, and may have found something he may wish he had left alone.

I’ve found over the past craziness of 2020 that the Internet is crazy, but an interesting, place that can surely provide hours of entertainment. At the same time, I started looking around real crime websites and missing person stories as well. It was at this time I think I came across what could potentially be a serial killer or something around Halloween.

I say that as I came across stories of a cosplayer, computer coder, and what I can only call the unluckiest lucky guy in the world. All three of those I mentioned suddenly disappeared but in each case, there was surely evidence of a crime.

I got hooked into the stories and looked up all I could on each of them and even sent some open records requests to find out more if at all possible. I was obsessed and I started to put some ideas and thoughts together on what was going on, well potentially.

The first common thread I found was that in each case the disappearance came around Halloween. The three cases were a year or two apart with no activity found over five years. So, my first thought was that whatever was going on had ended.

Yet, I kept looking into things and was able to even get in contact with some potential eyewitnesses to the potential perpetrator of the disappearances. A fan of the cosplayer was able to get ahold of some odd invites that the cosplayer had received. In truth, the fan eventually told me they intercepted the mail and read them before making sure they went on ahead. So, when a limo went to pick the cosplayer up the fan was there ready to take some photos and follow them to the event.

The fan was able to get a few very very blurry images but there was obviously what looked like a little girl involved. I mean that’s how the images looked and they even appeared that the girl had horns instead of those bunny ears most people wear at Halloween.  I took that information and combined that with a neighbor of the unlucky dude. They just happened to be letting their dog out when they saw what they thought was a late trick or treater at his house.

The neighbor told this to the police at the time but the fact after a canvass of the neighborhood no one else saw the girl the police dismissed this.  I guess it was more to do with the neighbor admitting they had been drinking and was close to being drunk and figured the guy just hallucinated what he said he saw. The reason he described the girl being in a black princess dress with dual ponytails and what he thought were horns on her head. The neighbor did not see her face but did say it was the weirdest costume he saw that year and why it stuck out to them.

I kept digging more and more even during searches for black princess costumes to see if I could find an age range, as a girl committing these three disappearances did seem really off to me. However, maybe she was just the bait for someone else to cause the disappearances.

I swear as I got closer to another Halloween I started to get more mystified and even a bit nervous. It was then that one of my searches turned up John Martin. He had posted to his social media how it wasn’t cool that some kid was harassing the out-of-work school janitor by playing pranks on him.

I took a chance and reached out to him and told him that I was curious about what was going on and what type of pranks were being played on him. I believe the first contact came in later September a full month till the next Halloween.

John went into his life at first pointing out how rough he’s had it after doing 8 years in state prison for theft.  He did not go into detail on what he did but at only 25 to get sent to prison had to be rough for sure. Yet, I didn’t tell him this, but if he broke the law he had to do his time. He went on to talk about how he was lucky to get the janitor’s job and if not for Covid he’d likely still be working. Yet, as everything was virtual he was let go and been taking advantage of the additional unemployment benefits, and even paid only half his rent as he knew he couldn’t be evicted from his small one-bedroom apartment. I got to add I let John go on about his life but did not feel too sorry for him.

The guy bragged about how he had put on weight not leaving his apartment and having everything delivered to him. Everything from groceries, to clothing and of course his food. I do not know why I did not cut him off but when he mentioned his primary diet was pizza, Chinese and Mexican I understood his weight gain. It didn’t help that he stated he had some health issues in his legs as he was told by an online doctor he wasn’t moving around enough. I swear I am close to calling this guy a sloth after a while but it’s not my place to judge. Yes, he shared a lot of his problems but there could be even more he wasn’t telling me.

So, it was likely the middle of October after all our chats he finally got more into what was going on. I guess the pranks had started picking up more and although he had put in a security camera he never caught anything.

He stated the most current case was a note left under his door that read…

“One, Two, Three….

You have yet to see me,”

I asked him to repeat that statement as it was close to the note that was left for the cosplayer. The wording was not exact but the use of “One, Two, Three” struck a note with me. I then gave John a summary of what I had found on the cosplayer and mentioned the computer coder to him as well. I went as far as sharing the few news links I had found for each.

John was not impressed or even worried as he stated being an ex-con a stupid note from some kid is not going to concern him. He even brought up a wrestler who would wave his hand and say something like, “You can’t see me”. I tried to get him to understand from all I dug up that was how the other three seemed to take it as well. He just laughed and stated he wasn’t going to get off his couch and pace around the floor over some stupid prank.

It was a few weeks later when John got back in touch and I remember the day very well. It was October 29^th just two days before the next Halloween. John had to leave a message for me as I was on a conference call for my day job. I was sent to work from home after many of the mandates had started.

John’s message was…

“I JUST GOT ANOTHER FUCKING MESSAGE!

This one read,

One, Two, Three….You have yet to see

Four, Five, Six…You will not be led to hysterics

Seven, Eight, Nine…You will be fine cuisine.

WHAT KIND OF KID LEAVES THIS TYPE OF MESSAGE??

Yeah, I did read those news stories you shared, and all were years ago. I really think some smart-ass kid found them as well.  I’ve ordered a large meat pizza and will have some pop and just sleep on the couch tonight.

Call me so we can talk more about this note thing.

John”

As I mentioned this came on the 29^th, and I tried calling him back that afternoon and got his voicemail and that continued for two days. The 31^st of October was finally here and I tried calling him again. This time it did not go to voicemail, but someone picked up.  It is this conversation I need to make note of and also why I am doing all this. I’m going to send all I’ve found to the FBI just from that small conversation.  It was also very one-sided as I suddenly lost all ability to talk when I heard what I can only say was a young girl’s voice. It wasn’t sweet and nice-sounding at all but full of malice and a tone that was “deadly” serious. I want to add that I wish I was paraphrasing that conversation but it’s been engraved into my brain. It’s so bad I swear when I closed my eyes I could see the words floating in that darkness.

It was the fourth ring when the call was answered and for a moment silence, and I asked, “Hello? John you there?”

I waited and as I was about to ask again that voice came over the phone…
“One, Two, Three…You not calling for me

Four, Five, Six…It is not quite your time to panic

Seven, Eight, Nine…It is getting cold so I must dine

Ten…Who shall be next my friend?”

It was at that moment I found my voice, but the line had died. I kept calling back for what felt like 30 minutes.

I checked my phone and saw I tried at least thirty times before I finally stopped after one last call back.

I left a message for John to give me a call when he can as I was worried for him and if that bit with a girl’s voice was a stunt, it was well done. It creeped me out better than a horror movie marathon on Halloween, and in reality, I stayed up all night with the lights on.

I want to say that I started to let the whole thing go away after about two weeks of no contact from John. I instead went back to my web searches checking again for missing people around the holidays. This time I decided I would avoid Halloween but with Thanksgiving coming up next I’d look for that time frame.

However, a news story caught my eyes when I saw, “Janitor Goes Missing”.

I couldn’t believe what I just read and of course had to click on the news story and suddenly I went cold. My worst nightmare had come true as I read the article it stated how 36-year-old John Martin had gone missing. Police were called by a local pizza joint as they noticed the man had not called in his weekly orders and they were worried about him. I stopped there thinking about how much he said he loved his pizza. I went back to reading.

Police arrived at the apartment and after knocking on the door they looked through a window and felt immediate entry was needed. There was a photo that showed a blood-stained carpet and a wall that appeared to have blood sprayed at an upward angle. I have no idea how the press got those pictures but those were well worth a thousand words each for what was put into my mind.

The article continued that despite what appeared to be the scene of a traumatic event there were no signs of a struggle. The police had concluded an initial investigation that did not show any reason for the public to worry. There were even some eyewitness accounts of John handing out candy to some kids that knocked on his door. One sent, even more, chills through my body, and I did not think that was even possible. Yet, there it was one witness stated they saw a girl with black hair, dual ponytails, horns on her head, and a black dress.  The story wrapped up shortly after with police continuing to investigate and at this time the public should not be concerned as police feel it’s an isolated incident.

Yeah, so this is why I am recording all this and sending it to the FBI. I am thinking I’ll make copies and send them to the appropriate police departments as well. Sure no one may believe me as I am just some keyboard true crime junkie but it’s worth a shot. I’m sending this via email, but also going to print and send and a physical copy to each as well. I figured someone taking time to post via the mail may get taken more seriously over just a potential “crank” emailer.

This is a quick addition to all the above. If you take this letter seriously over the email I sent I have to let you know I may be next. I know it’s not even Christmas but got a note in the mail with no return address and after opening it all I found was the below written what appeared to be red ink. I’m writing here for you.

One, Two, Three…You should forget about me

Four, Five, Six…or you may wish to panic

Seven, Eight, Nine…as Halloween may get a new headline

Ten…How shall you meet The End!!!