Trick Or Treat

A night of Trick Or Treating and fun turns into something different.

 It was 8:53pm on Halloween night and the trick or treaters has slowed down, but there were still some stragglers. The bell rang and trick or treat was shouted but there was no answer, which was strange; the lights were still on and it looked like there was movement inside. The trick or treaters called it a night and made their way home, it was late and it was getting cold out. The kids did not notice any movement inside the house, but did notice the aroma of rust coming from upstairs. It smelled like rusting metal and there was the sound of heavy breathing and what looked like a glare coming from what could be a knife on the wall in the hallway. In the distant you could hear a train passing, and soon joining the noise from the train was the sound of loud screams and the back screen door swinging open and slamming shut.

   “Mom, Dad we’re home! It was getting cold outside so we’re calling it quits.”

There were sounds coming from upstairs, but there was no reply.

   “Mom? Dad?” Ceara called up again.

   “It must be that cat of yours little brother.” Ceara told her little brother as they threw their bag of spoils on the kitchen table. With the noise of the bag hitting the table unknowingly to them knocked a bloody knife off the table splashing blood on the cream colored cabinets under the sink. The two still very hyper from their night of trick or treating ran up the stairs leaving their shoes at the foot of the steps, and half their costumes on the floor leading up to their room. As they were walking past their parent’s room they stopped to look in through a body size crack in the door. There they could see their mother and father asleep with the covers pulled up over them. Tedd thought it was strange that dad had the covers pulled up over his head.

   “Dad must not be feeling good.” Tedd whispered.

   “It is cold outside Teddy.” Ceara replied noticing the same thing.

Them both knowing that their dad hated having the covers pulled up over his head. With a little shove Ceara pushed her brother past their parents room, turned the end of the hall where their rooms were.

   “Tedd you stink and need to hit the shower, and don’t take to long cause I need to go next.”

Distracted by the covers on their dads head neither of them noticed the man shaped shadow being cast on their mother’s side of the bed. The smell of rust still filed the air and was stronger as they past mom and dad’s room. But both thinking it was the other still wearing the smell of play. Ceara orders her little brother to go and take a shower cause she can no longer take his smell.

   “Last time I checked it was you that was stinking.” He said as he removed his socks and threw them at her before running into the bathroom.

Ceara dodges the dirty socks and ran into her room.

The owner of the shadow moved quietly out of their parent’s room entering the hallway where the kids were just at play. His hands still blooded with their parent’s blood saw no better place to wash his hands then in the closest bathroom to him. As the bathroom door opened white thick steam rolled out as if it was liquid being poured from a cup. As he blindly made his way to the sink he walked about as if he belonged there, with no fear of being discovered.

   “What are you doing in here?” Shouted Tedd. “I’m not going to be much longer, I’m almost done.”

Tedd was given no reply so he pulled back the certain to see the figure of a man through the steam.

   “Oh, sorry dad.” Tedd took the silhouette of a grown man for his father. “I thought you and mom were sleeping. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

   “Who are you talking to Teddy, did you find that cat?” Shouted Ceara from her room.

   “No its dad,” He yelled back.

   “Oh hey dad. Did that brat wake you?”

   “I think he’s gone back to bed. The water has stopped running.”

Tedd then got out of the shower and made his way to his bedroom. Ceara had now taken her shower and was in her room preparing herself for bed when she started questioning if she locked the back door or not. Knowing she would not be able to sleep worrying about the back door. Not wanting to wake her parents she left the lights off, so she made her way down the dark hallway to the stairs. As she made her way down she heard sounds coming from the kitchen. Thinking, hoping it was her little brother’s cat she continued down to the kitchen. As she turned the corner what she saw was not what she expected. She stepped back in a bit of a shock from what she saw. Not only was the mess they left cleaned up, but the door was locked and the blinds were pulled. But that is not what made little Ceara step back. Through the blinds she saw what looked like a man crossing the street. She didn’t move but keep watching to see what he would do cause she thought to herself what could he be doing out at this time. She could tell it was late cause the time on the microwave said 1:30. She watched until she saw him make a right and walked out of her sight. Feeling much better she made her way back up and into bed. She was exhausted and it didn’t take long for her to go fast asleep.

Later that night Tedd found himself awake. Wondering why he hadn't seen or heard anything from his cat he left his room to take a look for him. As he made his way out of his room he heard something coming from his sister’s room, and noticed a body size crack in the door. He slowly made his way over walking carefully as to not make a sound. As he made it to her room and looked in he saw his father in his robe standing over Ceara.

   “Did she have another bad dream dad?” Tedd asked.

And in a soft quiet whispered voice. “Yes she did, now go back to bed Teddy I’ll check on you in a bit.”

Tedd made his way back to his room and climbed back into bed. And just as he drifted back to sleep he thought. “Did dad get taller?”

THE END?