Thirty Two

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Dusk cast a gauzy film over everything. Creatures of all sizes and degrees of scariness ran up and down the street carrying bags or sacks to hold their stash. The rustling of costumes and the din of excitement pierced the gloaming, giving an electric charge to the cool evening air.

Grace, who had volunteered to stay home with Reggie and hand out candy walked Michael and the girls to the end of the driveway. She was surprised and elated by all the movement on the street. As an adult, Grace had never gotten involved with Halloween, so all this commotion and celebration put her in awe of what she now remembered feeling as a child – Halloween was a magical night.

Walking back to the house she told herself that parenting allowed adults to reconnect to the pieces of their own childhood. The part that had been pushed away and lost through time and neglect.

~~~~~

He parked down the street from the restaurant trying to keep attention away from his vehicle. He had scrapped the blue Celica after the car incident, but he knew he could never be too careful. It was important that he remain an enigma, especially tonight.

He reached the steps leading to the porch of the restaurant at the same time as another group of adults. They were in costume as well and appeared to be in a party mood. There was a werewolf, a witch, a gangster and a French maid.

'You can clean my bedroom anytime,' he thought as he leered at her long shapely legs. 'Enough,' he told himself, 'after all I have much more important business to take care of tonight.'

~~~~~

Reggie lay in the hall while Grace stood at the door giving candy to an array of giggling creatures. She fussed over each group and gave special attention to the little ones. She kept a light banter going with the older kids, thinking to herself that the rough transition between child and adult was upon them. Soon the magic and wonder of this night would be lost, at least until they had their own children.

Michael and the girls arrived back home about an hour after they left. The girls' bags were amply filled with the night's bounty.

"Okay," Grace instructed, "bags on the table and everyone take a potty break before we leave."

"Spoken like a true veteran," Michael complimented.

Once everyone was settled in the car, Michael checked the rear view mirror. The girls were fastened in, squirming with anticipation.

"Okay is everyone ready to party?"

"Yes," they replied at once.

"I can't hear you!"

"Yes!" the three screamed while Grace plugged her ears.

"Okay then, let's get this show on the road!"

They arrived minutes later and found one of the last parking spaces in the lot. In the dark, with the floodlights aimed up at the restaurant, the whole scene looked different than it had in the afternoon. Shadows elongated the structure giving it an off-balanced distorted appearance. The ships in the cove were also lit from below and scary organ music oozed out from somewhere deep inside their hulls. The jack-o-lanterns were illuminated, and the light imitating a flame danced about making their features flash with demonic delight.

"Oh, wow!" Grace gasped as they walked towards the stairs, "this is amazing!"


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