Monsters, Vampires, & Werewoves, Oh, My!

October is my favorite month. Why? you may ask. Because Halloween is my personally favorite holiday. How could this be?! you are probably wondering. And to answer that,  I say, I live for wonderfully scary and horrifying stories. Not true stories, you understand, but fiction. I read a lot of different kinds of stories, from some mainstream (popular fiction, like bestsellers), although not much, to a lot of science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, and any combination of them.
But October is the perfect month to read those dark fantasy and horror stories. In part, because the month ends with Halloween, which represents the pagan holiday of Samhain. In past times particularly, but still today for some, this holiday was thought to be the time of year when the separation, or the door, so to speak, between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. And so, communication, and even contact, is possible. Or so it is believed. By some.
But October is also perfect for those spine-tingling stories, because it is getting colder, as winter approaches. The leaves are changing color, and beginning to fall from the trees, and darkness is falling earlier as the days grow shorter. Yep, I'll say it again. I love October.
Eddie, my feathered friend, doesn't really care what time of year it might be. As long as he is warm, gets fed, and can receive headrubs upon demand, it's all the same to him.
Then there's Albert. Normally, at this time of year, bears would probably be making preparations to hibernate for the winter. Albert, however, who is now quite used to living indoors most of the time, seems to have no intentions towards sleeping through the winter. In fact, right now he is planning on going walk-about (an Australian term for wondering around, sometimes for very extended periods of time) for a month or two. He's been watching a lot of tv, and he heard a lot about how global warming is destroying the homes of the Polar Bears, and making life difficult for many animals. He's pretty angry. Unfortunately, he has also heard a number of politicians, pundits, and presidential hopefuls, (Republicans all, of course), denying there was any such thing as global warming, and speaking against any action to correct it. Big mistake. At least, as far as Albert is concerned.
So, he wants to drop-in on as many of these fish-for-brains idiots (His words; it's lucky I can understand him. Mostly.) as he can come across. What his exact intentions are, I can't tell you. But, I can say, I believe he has tasted human flesh at least once in the past. And, after all, it is the perfect month for trick and/or treating. Any treats, however, would probably be for Albert. And none that would be given freely.
So, it's not Halloween yet, but you can't begin to prepare too early. But be forewarned. If you are on the right (as in the conservative) side of the political spectrum, I would try to avoid letting a big black bear named Albert into your home. It would not be a good thing. Just a word to the wise.