by R. J. Ross
“We gotta follow!” Evie says, tugging on her sleeve and pointing. Ashlynn looks at Kim, who smiles.
“There was absolutely nothing up when I left school today, I swear,” she says.
“But that’s been, what, a couple of hours?” Kim offers. “With these kids, it’s enough time to take over a small country.”
“Or to toss together a small village, at least,” Sandra says over her shoulder. “Blackjack and Banshee went candy shopping, so there should be plenty for everyone, but—” she says as Robo and Cubby race towards them, followed by their big sister, “you gotta trick or treat to get it,” she tells them firmly. It’s sort of ruined as both boys jump on her, excitedly. She slings them both onto her shoulders and keeps walking, as if they weigh nothing. While at one time this might have worried Ashlynn, now she just shakes her head, used to it.
“An entire village?” she repeats.
“We figured something just a little bit scary might work. Next year, though, my dad’s planning to take us out. But honestly, it’s mostly about the candy,” Sandra says. “You have brother duty, Adanna?” she asks the other teen.
“My father can’t come on campus, and Mama decided that they would have a nice night alone,” Adanna says dryly.
“Don’t worry, I’m on brother duty, too,” Sandra says.
“Good luck with that!” Trent calls back to her as he reaches the platform. They all head in, only to stop at the top of the steps and stare at the little village that’s spread out over the side of the canyon floor. There are little houses and driveways in ramshackle “neighborhoods,” Floating over them are silly looking ghosts that look like they’re made out of bedsheets. To the right of the village is a corn maze tall enough that even adults would get lost in it.
All four of the kids gasp in awe before trying to race down the steps. The teens catch them before they can. “You have to do this properly, you goofs,” Sandra says. “You have your bags?” she asks.
“Yeeees!” they chime.
“You got your masks on?” she asks.
Cubby pulls down his black cat mask and Robo tugs down the Panther uniform mask. They grin at each other, because CLEARLY people are going to mix them up with this uniform switch. “Good,” she says, “Now, do you know the proper way to get candy out of supers?” she asks.
“Trick or treat!” they yell, jumping up and down excitedly.
“Payment first!” another voice says, at the same time. They all look over; staring in shock at the three Deadly Darlin’s holding markers and standing outside of one of the small houses.
“SKYE!!” Cubby yells, almost falling off of Sandra, he’s so excited.
“CUBBY!” she shouts, turning to them. It shows that she’s dressed up exactly like—a bee. She even has a fluffy tail with a stinger hanging down from her waist. “EVIE! ROBO! And an ADORABLE little girl I don’t know! YAY!”
“We’ve come to go trick or treating with you! Since SOMEBODY forgot to invite us to the tea party,” Ariel. She’s wearing a silly mermaid skirt that doesn’t even have feet holes, because she never walks, anyway. Even Doris has gotten in on the costume thing. She’s wearing a pair of high-waisted button up pants, suspenders, and a dress shirt. She even has a fedora on, along with a candy cigar sticking out of her mouth.
“They’re going to learn something strange, aren’t they?” Kim says to Ashlynn.
“Absolutely,” Ashlynn says, having experienced many dinners with Skye and the girls since moving in.
“We will only forgive the tea party with LOTS of candy, right, girls?” Skye says.
“That’s right, and I have the markers,” Doris says, pulling out a large pack of them. “Pick your colors, kids.”
“What for?” Hana asks, blankly.
“You demand candy and then you write your name for them,” Ariel explains, as if it makes perfect sense.
“Your SUPER name,” Skye tells her. “We can’t sign it with our REAL name, remember?”
“The kids can use their real names, here,” Doris says, handing out markers.
“I’ll take it!” several teens call from inside the houses. “I want Cubby’s autograph!”
Soon the Darlin’s and the little kids are running from house to house, going, “PAYMENT FIRST!” only to have to say, “Please?” afterward, because the mothers (and one sister) are right behind them. Then they scribble on paper, hand it back and get a handful of candy for their work.
“Did they do all of this just for the kids?” Ashlynn asks after a while, only to realize that a handful of houses have new “staff” and a group of teens in funny outfits are running around, doing the exact same thing. Except Carla, who’s leading another group of small children through the village like a tour guide.
“We’re never going to be able to take them trick-or-treating properly, again, are we?” Kim asks as Hana hits up the next house with gusto. She blinks as the girl is handed a plate with a hotdog and chips, instead of candy.
“No,” Ashlynn says, “but I am DEFINITELY trick or treating at that house. It’s got to be Vinny’s, and I hardly had any time to eat dinner,” she adds, opening her purse to make it look like a trick-or-treater bag and getting in line. Kim hesitates for all of a second before lining up behind her.
~About the Author~
R.J. Ross has been writing since junior high, when she discovered that it could help her keep an A in English Class. She lives in Missouri, where she spends all of her time writing. If you would like to see more of her work, you can find several short stories at amazon.com/author/rjross!
Like her on Facebook for bonus material such as character profiles, unpublished information, and status updates at https://www.facebook.com/capehigh! Or check out her blog for free Cape High short stories at https://capehigh.wordpress.com or follow her on twitter @rjrosscapehigh
~~~~~~
~About the Cover Designer~
Artist, designer, and programmer - you would think that by growing up near the Gulf Coast Leslie Zielinski would spend more time on the sandy beaches. No, she spends her time in front of a computer screen creating digital art and making it come to life.