Halloween Night

  Andrew sat on the stairs of his house staring into the face of the plastic pumpkin he held. Its dark triangle eyes looked back at him and its mouth curled up in a frightening grin.
  "Why did anyone ever decide to carve faces into pumpkins anyway?" Andrew asked his older sister Rachel who had just walked out the front door.
  "Well the legend says a long time ago an old Irishman named Jack tricked the devil into not taking his soul. But he led such an evil life, when he died St. Peter would not let him into heaven. So Jack's soul had no choice but to wander the world of the dead with nothing but a burning ember from the devil to light his way. He carved out a gourd to hold the ember and now as a tradition we carve out our own gourds and put little lights in them."
  "That's a dumb story," Andrew scoffed.
  "And that's a dumb costume," Rachel shot back, looking down at her brother. "Like way to be original and dress like a pirate. No one ever thought of that before. And besides I wasn't done with the story. There are rumors that old Jack's soul roams around on Halloween night looking for a child's body to inhabit so he can leave the netherworld and have another chance at life."
  "Great story, Rachel. You really think I'm going to be scared by that?"
   Rachel shrugged. "I don't care if you're scared or not. You asked a question so I answered. I'm just out here waiting for Grant to pick me up so we can go to Mallory's party."
   "Why would you pick a party over candy?" Andrew asked, incredulous. Rachel flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder.
    "Maybe cause I am not ten anymore. Anyway, Grant is here now so I'll see you later. Be safe. Mom and Dad trust you enough to let you go out on your own. Don't let them down."
   "Whatever, go enjoy your lame party," Andrew told his sister as she walked down the driveway to Grant's idling car.
   "By the way," Rachel said, pausing with the handle of the car door in her hand, "The only way to save yourself from Jack is to put his light out so he can't find you."
   "Thanks, sis. I'll keep that in mind when I see him later," Andrew called back, rolling his eyes.
 
    An hour later the sun was setting and Andrew was walking down the sidewalk clutching the handle of his pumpkin shaped candy basket. He had visited three houses and already had enough candy to cover the entire bottom of the pumpkin. He passed kids dressed as firemen, princesses, ghosts and witches but despite Rachel's comments he was convinced his pirate costume was the best there was.
   "What does Rachel know anyway?" he thought to himself. "She doesn't even dress up anymore."
    Looking up, he realized he had reached the end of the street he was on. The only thing in front of him was a culdesac that lead into the woods. He was about to turn around and head to a new street with more candy when he saw a faint light coming from the woods.
  "Is someone there?" he called out. "Are you lost? Where are your parents?"
  There was no answer. Andrew took a couple steps closer to the trees.
  "Do you need help?" Still silence.
  Andrew sighed. He knew his parents wouldn't like him going off into the woods by himself but someone could be in trouble. Feeling nervous, he clasped his candy bucket held his head high and walked confidently toward the light. As he kept walking the light seemed to move from place to place and try as he might Andrew could not keep track of it. Discouraged, he was about to turn around when he heard a voice.
 "Well, laddy it's about time you showed up," it said, in a strong Irish accent. "I've been here a-waitin for ye."
  Andrew looked up to see an old man in front of him wearing a dirty blue button up shirt with thick black slacks and suspenders that were tight across his beer belly. In his hand he held a carved out gourd with a tiny light shining inside of it.
  "That's a sweet costume," Andrew said, his eyes lighting up. "You're the guy from the story my sister told me. The guy who tricked the devil."
  "Aye, that I did, my boy. I tricked and swindled many in my day and it cost me my place inside the pearly gates." 
  "I'm sorry to hear that," Andrew said with a smile, impressed at how dedicated this man was to his character.
  "Oh that's alright, laddy. You are here now to give me a second chance."
  "Wh-what do you mean?" the boy asked, feeling chills on the back of his neck as a wide evil grin like the one on his pumpkin bucket spread over the old man's wrinkled face.
  "I mean, I'll be taking that body of yours for my soul if you don't mind."
  The old man lunged for Andrew and the boy jumped back, his basket flying out of his hand, candy spilling everywhere.
  "What's the matter, lad? Are ye scared of a tired old man?" Jack cackled, as Andrew got to his feet and began to run. He could hear footsteps behind him getting closer and felt the rapid beating of his heart. Sweat dripped down his face from under the pirate bandana wrapped around his head.
  "You can't get away from me, boy. I am a dead man, I never tire." Jack let forth a loud evil laugh and Andrew pushed himself to run even faster.
   Suddenly he saw remembered Rachel standing by the car and the last thing she said before driving away. 
  "The only way to save yourself from Jack is to put his light out so he can't find you."
  Andrew dove behind a row of bushes onto his hands and knees feeling all over the ground for a rock heavy enough to throw at Jack's fiery gourd. Finally his hand ran across something cold and smooth. He grabbed it and stood up just as the old man reached the bushes.
 "It seems ye have figured out my one weakness," Jack surmised, watching Andrew's eyes focus in on the gourd he held in his withered old hand. Andrew nodded but did not speak.
 "Well ye have one shot," Jack told him. "Make it count."

   Moments later, a young boy dressed as a pirate emerged from the woods at the end of the culdesac. He pulled at the frilly collar that was tight around his neck. In his other hand he clasped an empty candy bucket shaped like a pumpkin. All the candy had been lost in the woods and now he would have to start over. It felt like an eternity since he had eaten anything. Thankfully he was coming up to a house now which meant candy was close at hand.
   With his free hand he knocked twice on the door and waited. The door was opened by a blonde middle aged lady wearing a white blouse with a pink skirt that had a poodle on the side. She smiled down at the pirate and he looked back up at her. He had seen this done a million times, it couldn't be that hard.
   "Trick or treat," he said, surprising himself with the high pitch of his voice. He held out the candy bucket in his short little arms.
   "You're quite the adorable pirate," the lady said, her bright red lips curving into a smile as she dropped a handful of candy into the pumpkin.
   "Thank ye, ma'am," the adorable pirate answered.
   "Oh and so polite too," the woman praised. "What a nice young man." She waved goodbye to the pirate and closed the door.
    "I am a nice young man," the pirate thought to himself as he walked away from the house. "Maybe this time I have a chance at heaven after all."

Bailey Second Guesses

"Is it going to hurt? Bailey asked, skipping a step to catch up with Darby's fast pace."How long will it take? Are the fangs like normal teeth?"
 Darby let out an exasperated sigh.
"Are you going to do this the whole way there?"
"We are talking about changing my life here. I think I should know a little more about what I am in for before I make a decision."
 "You already made a decision," Darby reminded her, her thick dark eyebrows creasing into a confused frown.
 Bailey bit her lip and looked down at the sidewalk.
 "I know what I said but now that I have had time to think about it, I am getting nervous."
 Bailey waited a minute for Darby to say something and when she didn't, Bailey sidled up to her and looked up expectantly.
"Do you want me to tell you it's all roses and sunshine? That you will wake up feeling like a superhero and all your problems will be solved?"
  Bailey cocked her head to the side thoughtfully.
 "Well no, not that exactly. But you did imply that my quality of life would be significantly better. I guess I was hoping for proof."
 "That's not something I can give you," Darby admitted, using a softer voice than Bailey had ever heard. "I can tell you it was a big adjustment for me but then again, I didn't get the option of deciding for myself like you have."
  Bailey's eyes went wide.
"You mean you didn't even want to be this way?"
"What do you mean "this way?" Darby snapped, the softness in her voice instantly gone. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned on Bailey glaring at her with a ferocity that made the timid girl take several steps back.
 "I...I didn't mean anything by it," she whimpered. "I just meant this isn't something that should be forced on anyone."
 "Sometimes things happen that we didn't choose," Darby said simply. "And we have to adjust to it."
 "How long does it take to-" Bailey started to ask another question but stopped when she caught the annoyed glint in Darby's eye.
 "Do you want to make a pros and cons list? Should I flip a coin?"
 "No, but you could stop being a bitch," Bailey snapped. Darby looked down at her with a hint of an amused smile.
 "Oh really? A minute ago you were cringing away from me and now I'm getting sass?"
 "I couldn't stop you if you decided to hurt me. But I still wanna go down swinging."
 "I don't want to hurt you, I want to help you. But you are going to have to decide for yourself what you want. If you want to back out, you should decide now," Darby told her, stopping and gesturing to the ivy covered house that towered in front of them.
  "I used to drive past this house when I worked at the supermarket down the street. Is this where you live?"
  "It is. Would you like to go in?"
   Bailey stared at the house for a moment. It was imposing and mysterious in the growing darkness. She knew if she went in there with Darby right now there was no turning back. She would be a vampire with the ability to defend herself and control the weak minds of arrogant pizza delivery guys or self centered bosses. Darby would teach her to be confident and stand up for herself and maybe they would actually become real friends.
  "I would like to go in," Bailey told her. "I'm ready to be like you."
  "Very well," Darby answered. She led the way to the large wooden front door, turned the brass handle and pushed till it creaked open. The two girls stepped into the entryway and Darby shut the door behind them.
  "I should tell you I don't live here alone. The man who owns this house is named-"
  "Stephen," hissed a voice in the darkness. Bailey screamed as she felt the sensation of someone coming up right behind her.
  Darby rolled her eyes.
 "Do you always have to be so dramatic, Stephen?" she complained.
 "Forgive my manners," the vampire said, stepping around the still trembling Bailey so she could see his face in the dim light of the candle he held.
 "I am not used to having visitors that I do not eat," he admitted. Bailey nodded and extended her hand.
 "Hello, Stephen. I am Bailey. It's nice to meet you."
 "The pleasure is mine, I am sure," Stephen said, taking Bailey's pale hand in his paler one and giving it a gentle kiss. "Darby has spoken quite highly of you. We both expect great things."
  "Stephen will you back off?" Darby snapped. "She just got here, I am trying to make her feel comfortable."
  All of a sudden, a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the house sending shivers up and down Bailey's spine. She yelped and squeezed Stephen's hand.
  "Make her comfortable you say? You might want to start by silencing your guests," Stephen mused with a wry smile.
  "Wh...what is he talking about?" Bailey asked, still clinging to Stephen's hand. Darby looked down at her uncomfortably, saying nothing. How was she supposed to explain why Thomas, one of Bailey's neighbors, was chained up in a room to be used for the girl's first meal as a vampire?
   "Darby!" Bailey said again, more insistently this time. "What is Stephen talking about? Who is that?"