Trick or treat

by Eduard Joseph

  “Let’s try this house.” Steven said.

  David stared in the direction Steven was pointing. The house was totally dark and seemed like death. There was not one single decoration in sight – not even a sinister pumpkin lantern. Nothing except darkness lingered around the house. The people who lived there most certainly had no Halloween spirit.

  “I don’t know.” David said, “Something feels off about this house.”

  David stared at the house and he got the feeling that whoever lived there did not want to be disturbed. The windows on the second floor gazed out into the night like cold dead eyes.

  “I think we should rather steer clear of this one.” David said.

  David took Steven by the arm and led him away from the house. They continued down the street. David stared back over his shoulder at the house. It gave him the creeps. The house itself had an ominous presence that could scare Satan himself.

  They got to the next house which was decorated a bit more festive. They were definitely going to get some treats at that house. Steven freed himself from David’s grip and ran up to the front door. David sighed. He was getting bored and wanted to go home. Steven rang the doorbell and waited. A moment later the door opened and an elderly woman stepped out. Her eyes were covered with cataracts and her hair was a grey mess. She stood for a moment and raised her head as if sniffing the air.

  “Hello?” The woman asked.

  “Trick or treat.” Steven said.

  The woman sniffed the air again.

  “Why is the other one standing at the edge of my garden?” She asked.

  Baffled, Steven looked over at David and then back at the woman. He slowly raised his hand up in front of her face and moved it side to side. She did not respond to this action. She was definitely blind or extremely nearsighted.

  “How can you tell where he is?” Steven asked.

  “Just because I am blind, does not mean I cannot see.” The woman said.

  She sniffed the air again.

  “Trick or treat?” Steven asked.

  “I heard you the first time.” The woman said, “I’m not like other people who shy away from you. I’ve got candy and I’ll gladly give you some.”

  She turned to the table standing next to the front door. She reached into the bowl of candy and held out her hand to Steven. Steven stared at her arthritic hands and then took the candy from her.

  “You look really adorable in your costumes.” The woman said and shut her door.

  Steven looked at David with questions in his eyes.

  “That was so weird.” David said, “Can we go now?”

  3

  Jackson’s party in the graveyard was the place to be for any kid over the age of 13. They camped out under a weeping willow tree. Jackson’s older brother’s car was parked next to the tree trunk and music played on its stereo.

  Someone brought beer. Some of the kids were making out while others were drinking the beer. Johnny was talking to a girl. Her name was Cindy. She was a cheerleader. She was the reason he wanted to come to the party in the first place. He had a huge crush on her, but did not know that she felt the same way about him. They were still at that age when you hid the fact that you were attracted to someone.

  “So I was thinking that maybe we could go out this weekend?” Johnny asked, “Maybe go for coffee and catch a movie?”

  “Sure.” Cindy said with a lustful smile.

  She did not care much for the coffee or the movie. It was what might happen afterwards which interested her. He was a cute boy and she longed for him to make a move.

  “Cool.” Johnny said, “I see the new Michael Myers film is showing.”

  “I love scary movies.” Cindy said with fake enthusiasm.

  Peter felt completely out of place at the party. This was not his idea of what Halloween was all about. To him – and any other ten year old Halloween was about dressing up and collecting candy. Halloween was not dressing up and going to a make out party in a stupid graveyard.

  Peter stared at a couple leaning up against a tombstone while making out. These people had little respect for the dead. How he wished that the owner of the grave would rise up and devour them. Peter stepped closer to Johnny.

  “Johnny.” Peter moaned.

  Johnny ignored Peter. He was having fun and was not about to let his dumb little brother ruin it for him.

  “Johnny.” Peter said, “I want to go home.”

  Johnny was fed up. He turned around with a jerk.

  “Then go home.” Johnny said, “You know the way.”

  ”But this place gives me the creeps.” Peter said, “I can’t go alone.”

  ”Yes you can.” Johnny said, “I am enjoying myself and I am not going to let you ruin it because you are scared. Grow up.”

  Peter looked at Johnny with puppy eyes and knew that no matter what he said, he would not be able to change Johnny’s mind.

  “Fine.” Peter said disgruntled.

  Peter turned and walked away. Johnny watched a moment and then returned to Cindy who was lusting after him. He could care less whether Peter got home safe. He only had eyes for Cindy.

  Peter made his way through the never ending rows of graves. The music from the party faded into the distance and then he was alone; only kept company by the sounds of the night. Peter kept a watchful eye on all his surroundings, especially a freshly dug grave when he passed it.

  The path he followed was overgrown by weeds and it was hard to see. Some of the epitaphs caught his attention as he passed the tombstones.

  Devoted wife, loving mother. We’ll see you again, now go with the Father.

  Here lies mother of 8. There could have been more, but now it’s too late.

  So this is what death looked like? When you died, the only thing you left behind for this world was a limerick?

  He started wondering if there really were ghosts and ghouls. Maybe they were just things parents made up to keep kids under their control. Now that he was wandering through the rows of graves, the place did not seem that scary. It was still morbid and creepy, but what were the chances of running into the living dead? There had to be some truth to all the ghouls and monsters he saw in movies. His mother did not allow him to watch scary movies. Sometimes he would sneak out of bed to go watch horror movies in secret – and then he was too scared to sleep on his own. He’d tiptoe around the house scared of the shadows and crawl into bed with his parents.

  Something moved somewhere in a bush. Peter stopped and looked around him.

  ” Johnny?” Peter asked cautiously.

  There was no response. He was surrounded by complete silence. He stood listening to make sure whatever he heard was either gone or just his imagination. Darkness surrounded him. The only light came from the moon that seemed to jump from tree branch to tree branch as he walked.

  It was not his imagination. He heard leaves move in the distance to his left and then he could hear two distinct voices.

  Not sure as to whom it might be, Peter hid behind a large tombstone and glanced over the edge. The voices were getting closer.

  Peter watched as Steven and David came into sight from behind some tombstones.

  “Tonight wasn’t a total waste.” Steven said, “That blind lady gave me candy.”

  ”She was the only one.” David said, “Everyone else in this town is lacking the Halloween spirit.”

  Peter realized they were just two boys - probably on their way to the party. He slowly rose to his feet. He watched with confusion as Steven and David turned left and went down a row of graves leading away from the party.

  Maybe they were taking a short cut through the graveyard, but wasn’t there only one gate? Peter decided to investigate and followed the two boys. It was very odd to see the two boys strolling through the cemetery.

  The row of graves gave way to a row of mausoleums. Steven was digging into his candy as they walked. Peter kept a distance from them, not wanting them to spot him.

  “Next year
I want to dress up as Batman.” Steven said.

  “Batman?” David asked, “Why the hell would you want to dress up like that loser? He has no powers. He’s just a rich guy in tights.”

  “I don’t know.” Steven said, “I always liked him even though he has no powers.”

  When they got to the mausoleum decorated with two angels and pillars, Steven and David stopped. They looked at the mausoleum and then at each other.

  “This was a fun evening.” Steven said.

  “It was better than last year.” David said, “I’ll give you that.”

  David brought his hands up to his forehead and pushed his fingertips into his hairline. He pushed his fingers until the fingernails sliced into the skin. He grasped onto the skin, lifted it up and pulled it forward. The skin pulled free from his face. Beneath the skin was the true David - a bony decaying ghoul. David dropped the skin to the side of the footpath.

  Peter watched in horror as Steven pulled the skin off his face and held on to it for a moment. They were not of this world. They were the living dead. Peter started to tremble at the sight of the horrid, skinless creatures. He did not linger around any longer. He ran away as fast as his little legs could carry him.

  “Come on.” David said, “I want to get home before midnight. You know what happened to Sarah when she stayed out after midnight. She turned into a pumpkin.”

  “I know.” Steven said, “I just wish we could stay longer. I miss this world.”

  The two ghoul boys entered the mausoleum and disappeared back into their world.

  THE END