Letters

I had chronic nosebleeds as a child, and they were so bad blood would pour down my throat. It was scary and disgusting to me as I'd cough and spit up blood. But then I saw KISS perform on TV, and I watched in amazement as Gene Simmons spit blood on stage. In an instant he made my problem not just acceptable, but kind of awesome. I still remember seeing the Halloween mask displayed at the department store, and I knew what I wanted to be that year. I love this picture for so many reasons. My siblings went as a ghost, a football player and a princess - your traditional run-of-the-mill costumes. But me, I went as The Demon. God bless my mother for doing her best to try and throw together the rest of the costume. I was four years old.- Andrew Laker