(SSSC) Trick-or Treat

This is one I wrote for my little one's and since we get to write more than one for the contest I figured I would start with one that is a family friendly story. I hope you enjoy reading it as it was fun to write.


Trick-orTreat

"Don't forget to save the seed's and I'll fry them later."

"OK Mom, but when is Dad getting home? I want to go trick or treating!"

"Soon Dahlia, he called from work just a few minutes ago and said he would be home in about 20 minutes."

"Yay! Trick or treat smell my feet give me some thing good to eat!"

"You better not you little goblin. Just remember to say thank you to

everyone."

"What if they don't give me something good to eat? Can we t.p. their

houses?"

"Go! I'll finish carving the jack-o-lantern and you go get your costume

on."

Karen couldn't believe that it was already October 31st, where did the

year go? The phone rang and she stepped into the living room and picked

up the phone."Hello?" No answer,just a dead silence on the other end.

Hanging up the phone she headed back to the kitchen to put the

finishing touches on the pumpkin and placed a black votive inside and

placed it on the front door steps as a sign for the early trick-or-treater's.

No sooner than she stepped into the hallway to grab her sweater from

her room than the door bell sounded.

Karen grabbed the black cauldron from the entry table and headed to the

front door to pass out the treats. Yet when she opened the door no one was there.

OK she thought out loud, "Looks like we have some tricksters" And

headed back to collect her sweater. Deciding in the mood of the holiday

she placed an old costume tiara on her head and called out for her

daughter.

"Dahlia! Hurry up sweetie Daddy's going to be home any minute!."

Again the phone rang and she headed back down the hall to her bedroom

and picked up the receiver."Hello?"

"Hi hon, it's me, listen you go ahead and take Dahlia Trick-or-treating

and I'll meet you back at the house later to pass out treats, we had a

late customer arrive and this may take awhile.""Oh no David, you've got

to be kidding?" 'I wish I were but I'll be home as quick as I can, is

there anything I need to pick up on the way home?." No, just start

passing out candy when you get here."

"OK love you, bye." "Love you too." Click.

Dahlia looks especially darling in her pink tutu and ballet

slippers, and 2 missing front teeth. Snatching up her barbie theme

bucket and discovering that her Dad would not be joining them they

rushed out the door as a big wind swept the fall leaves across the lawn

and swirled into a mini tornado right in front of them.

After over an hour of Trick-or-treating, Karen suggested that they walk

down Summit lane to the old abandoned Miller place where she and all of

her girl friends used to traditionally pass on Halloween. It was

notorious among the teens for being 'Haunted" and although it was at

the end of an old culdesak rarely ever used by anyone this was the one

time of year that the old disrepaired street saw any traffic.

"Yes Mommy! I love spooky houses on Halloween!" "OK I haven't been

down Summit in at least 10 years myself, lets go."

The old trees that over hung ominously on either side of the street

still stood as gnarled and scary looking as ever and the lack of street

lights made the narrow street seem even more spooky.

The wind again picked up and began making howling sounds through the

old broken branches of the nearly bare oaks.

As they approached the old Miller place Karen was struck with a

shocking surprise, she could see fire billowing from the chimney and

there were warm lights on in every room of the now completey remodeled

old house.

"I though you said it was abandoned Mom?" " I did, but I was obviously

not aware it had been remodeled and sold." "Can we still go up and see

it mom?""Oh I wouldn't miss this opportunity for anything Dahlia."

As they entered the driveway Karen was mesmerized by the wonderful

job they had done on the old place, it rivaled any of the more expensive

places on newer tracks in the neighborhood. The once dilapidated and

sloping roof was now replaced with the most exquisite tile and the

pillars that had long before collapsed were standing like the finest

roman pillars adorning the delicate framework of the hand carved

entryway and beveled glass double doors. Ivy which once had hidden the

entire front of the house was now shapely cut back to form a charming

display of the roses which they had planted all the way up to the main

wrap around deck along the brick walkways.

The scent of fresh baked vanilla ans cinnamon cookies was over whelming and Karen hesitated

for just a moment before she rang the door bell which sounded as charming as on old church steeple on Sunday morning.

A small built an well groomed kindly woman of about 80 years old greeted them and without hesitation invited them in while she offered them cookies and warm milk to take off the chill.

Sitting in the grand parlour in old over stuffed antique tapestry chairs they

basked in the warmth of the delightful stone faced roaring fire place.

Some where between the warmth of the fire and the scrumptious cookies and milk they must have dozed off because they awoke to the sound of the old grandfather clock in the corner of the room sounding midnight.

Both Karen and Dahlia awoke groggily, having been apparently covered up by lush and delicate hand embroidered patchwork quilts, they stood and gathered their belongings and headed for the door.

The old woman had obviously slipped off to bed at some point so they slipped quietly went to the door and found that it was locked from the inside, it was then that the little old woman stepped back into the room and said in a sickly sweet voice,"Now come girls, you know that you are only allowed to leave for one day a year. Your time was up at midnight, this is where you belong."

Happy Halloween!

Thanks for the fun read.

Loved it....a great read and the ending leaves you wanting more.

Wayne...

Thank you so much! I know that I have a long way to go to be a winner in this incredibly talented forum, but you know I have always received enough positive criticism to encourage me to write better each time. I worked with one writer he told me I have good mind-stream ability, and another said add dialog and then several told me to try and keep it less wordy. So In this story I attempted to do both and am happy with the end result and that it is one children could read on Halloween. Now if I could just learn to edit and remember spell check... Again thank you for your kind words it means more than you know.

[edit on 4-10-2007 by antar]

reply to post by antar



Nice one antar, you are improving. That was a great read and i thought the ending was 'just right'.
I think you can now count yourself among the stiff opposition in this forum.

mojo.

reply to post by mojo4sale


Thankyou Mojo, as you noticed I took your advice and incorporated a little dialog... Your story was really as they say here setting the bar pretty darn high.

Fun story...the Brigadoon of haunted houses!!

Perhaps we'll see the sequel next year...

ToT2: ESCAPE FROM MILLER PLACE

Very nice story Antar :-)

I thought you did great with the dialogue. Some day I wish to write a book, but I can hardly get the "real" dialog going, let alone trying to write it down lol.
I like the impressions of the little girl with the two missing teeth and then the leaves tornado swirling as well. I always enjoy watching that.

Keep up the good work.

antar loved your story. Love that....

Trick or treat smell my feet give me some thing good to eat!"

That saying's been around for a long time. Some people just didn't seem to have a sense of humor tho. No delicious carmel apple for me....just a box of plain old raisins.

waiting for the sequel

This is one of my favorite stories so far.

Great job on all fronts, congratulations and you get a star.

reply to post by Enrikez


Thankyou so much that means alot coming from a great writer. Happy Halloween!

Very nicely done, just how I like my tea.

Sweet with a twist!

MonKey

Thankyou, I had alot of fun writing this one...

And thankyou to all who read my story,


Happy Halloween!!!

Just sending this family friendly story out for anyone with kids to read on Halloween, scary but not too scary.

Enjoy and Happy halloween!