TRICKS AND TREATS
ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT
written by: Phyllis P. Colucci
@FictionTarot
The wind howled, the pelting rain charged at my windows, and the swaying trees danced in the darkness beneath the full moon. If this was any other night, it would have been okay. Tonight, however, it was Halloween and I was alone in the house. The lights flickered, the floors creaked, and ghostly shadows crawled up and down the walls of my living room, eyeing me from the ceiling. My house suddenly transformed itself into an eerie dwelling for all creatures of the night. They slipped in through my windows, through my skylight, under doors and through my mind. They settled in, took control, and moved about as invited guests. To me they were unwanted intruders and I was their hostage.
As they continued to roam like gloomy silhouettes, brushing past the mirrors in the room, I snuck into the kitchen and made myself a cup of tea. Thankfully, they didn’t follow me. While they made themselves at home in my living room, I sipped my tea. I sipped away time in the kitchen, minute by minute, with every swallow. There was something about tea that always calmed me down. Especially when I drank it from one of Mom’s dainty vintage teacups, adorned with hand-painted roses. – Ugh! The dainty little teacup did not work in my favor this evening. Even that precious teacup seemed quite out of place in a house that reflected the unnatural overtures of a freakish Halloween night.
I heard my big old Grandfather clock, as it chimed at fifteen-minute intervals. That familiar sound comforted me. It gave me strength. I walked back into my living room amongst the unwanted intruders, and stared right at them. I was fearful – but this was my home. I glared at them as their shadows swept past my couch. Yes, I sat down anyway and continued to sip cold tea; but my mind played tricks on me. I heard footsteps above me, coming from the bedrooms. Some were loud, others soft. They stopped, then started up again. I even heard ghoulish whispering with hints of laughter. Impossible! The man of the house, my significant other, was working late; and the kids were at a Halloween Party. No one was home but me. I sat there frozen in time and space. Was my house haunted? Absolutely not! I lived here with my family for many years and there was never an issue or a supernatural occurrence! Ever! – I must be insane!
My imagination ran wild tonight. I rolled myself up in a ball on my couch, and decided to stay that way until someone came home. As long as those footsteps remained above me, I’d be okay. If they started coming down the stairs, I’d be ready to run the heck out of here. I listened and listened until they finally stopped. However, the ghoulish whispering with hints of laughter continued…then the footsteps started over again! I gazed toward the stairs in the direction of the bedrooms as the footsteps subsided. Curiosity got me to stand at the foot of the stairs as I listened some more, while fear grabbed my hand and escorted me back to my couch. Oh my God, I was truly alone in this huge house. I didn’t even have the television to keep me company. It was out because of the rain. I had nothing and I had no one to save me from myself tonight…After several more minutes of this self-inflicted torture – the doorbell rang. I jumped for joy knowing someone else was out there, even though I was frightened by who it might be. I was willing to take my chances.
I peeked through the blinds and saw a group of anxious children dressed in their best costumes. They yelled out, “Trick or Treat! Trick or Treat!” – I was so relieved. So I put on my purple witch’s hat, grabbed my over-sized plastic orange pumpkin that overflowed with all sorts of Halloween candy and, with a great big smile, opened my door and dropped fistfuls of candy into each one of their bags. The little ghost thanked me, the happy princess jumped with glee, and the two shy skeletons ran off with their goodies towards the adult waiting at the corner. In a matter of seconds, they were all gone and I was alone once more. I apprehensively walked back into the “house of horrors”, ducked past phantom shadows, and took my seat on the couch, again. I hugged my favorite throw pillow, and waited for my family to come home. All was quiet though the shadows still lurked around, climbed up my walls, and brushed past the mirrors. I was numb, and I felt intoxicated by the night. I blinked hard in hopes that the shadows would disappear when I opened my eyes. They hadn’t. They were still there! However, “Divine Intervention” came to my rescue. I magically dozed off while Halloween continued to breathe and thrive all around me; but I was safe in the arms of slumber.
…I felt someone gently tap at my knee. I opened my eyes – and there stood my kids and their father, with platters of cupcakes, cookies, candies, chips, pretzels and soda. They wore floppy black hats that sparkled with orange glitter, as tiny white plastic spiders sat in cobwebs across the brims. I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or if this was real. They all laughed hard, while I sat there in shock. I asked, “What’s going on? Why are you home so early?” What I soon learned was that they had never left the house. They were upstairs playing Halloween tricks on me, while preparing trays of goodies so we could celebrate this beautifully, terrifying night together – and that’s just what we did.
I must admit I was quite upset since they let me go on for hours feeling spooked, while they were upstairs having a grand ol’ time watching me. Despite their little “tricks”, however, it was quite a “treat”. I accepted their sweet, silly antics as the spine-tingling perfection it proved to be on this spectacular Halloween night.
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