Kelly didn’t even have time to respond. She stepped out and the Charger leaped forward, the door slamming shut, and for the briefest of moments she was bathed in its tail lights. And then it was gone.

“Right,” Kelly muttered, slipping the handgun into her waistband. Shielding her eyes from the swirling snow, she jogged on to the sidewalk, started moving towards Briar Road. It took about thirty seconds for her to realise that sticking to the shadows was a problem when the streets were so well lit. Granted, it was a hellish light, of an almost greasy quality that made her stomach swim uneasily, but it was still light, and it threw the shadows far away from each other. But, whenever she could, she stuck to the shadows, because all the monsters were dancing in the light.

She passed carnage, and brutality, and depravity. At regular intervals the town became alive with screams. How Virgil could ever have stayed indoors and fooled himself into thinking these were shouts of celebration, she did not know.

Denial, she supposed. An awful lot of it could be laid at the feet of wilful denial.

She passed a girl who had spikes growing from her body, feasting on a small pile of junk food. The girl snarled at her, and Kelly speeded up.

She approached the turn on to Briar Road and slowed down, took a peek round the corner. It was clear. She hurried up the slight hill, nearly tripping over loose slabs of sidewalk that Hell Night had thrown up.

“I do declare,” said a voice behind her, “if it isn’t our favourite redhead, come back to pay us a visit.”

Kelly’s heart went cold, and she turned. Ricky and Dave from Sally’s bar grinned at her through grotesquely misshapen faces. They were each a different kind of demon, sharing only the same look in their eyes.

Kelly ran.

Ricky and Dave laughed and gave chase. Kelly ran until the street evened out. They were right behind her. When it became clear she wasn’t about to outrun them, she went for the gun, prepared to whip it out as she spun round. And then something slammed into her and she hit the ground, went sprawling.

“Oooh,” said the Party-Monster, looking like a real monster this time, “look what I caught.”

Kelly got up and backed away as the three demons advanced, clearly relishing the moment.

“You run pretty fast,” said Ricky. “For a girl.”

“Ignore him and his blatant sexism,” Dave said, moving closer. “He doesn’t know how to woo a lady.”

“You’re making fools of yourselves, the both of you,” said the Party-Monster. “The redhead’s a dyke, remember? She’s not interested in the noodles you’re packing.”

Kelly’s mouth was dry. “I don’t want any trouble, fellas.”

They laughed at that.