TRICK? or TREAT?

Halloween

https://soundcloud.com/m-teresa-clayton/halloween

We stood in front of the gate to the house, daring each other to be the 'first' to approach the door and knock. Her porch light was always on but few ever braved up to the door to knock upon it, especially on a night of full moon, black cats, and a fog coming in from the east. Especially on All Hallows Eve. Especially on HALLOWEEN!

Bobby was not about to let an opportunity for more candy pass him by, regardless of the shutters moving in the breeze, occasionally pounding upon the side of the house itself.  He took a step up onto the old wooden porch and slowly tiptoed toward the door while his friends taunted him from the street. He stopped long enough to note that there was no jack-o-lantern, no creepy store-bought Halloween decorations, and no indication at all that Old Widow Clayton was celebrating with bowls of candy for the trick-or-treaters behind that door.

Bobby's heart pounded in his chest and he turned to face the door once more.  With every step he took a creak would wince from the rotting wood planks.  The layers of long abandoned spider webs were real and the knocker centered upon the old wooden door was the face of a ghoul with a ring in its mouth, its eyes watching... taunting... waiting...

Knock.  Knock. Knock.

The brass ring was heavier than Bobby had expected.  He waited and listened for someone behind the door when suddenly the door slowly creaked open, making that same haunting cry that seemed to come from the porch itself, as well as the bushes, the trees, and from his own throat.  Bobby swallowed hard.

There she stood, a frail old woman with unkempt hair to her shoulders and wearing a black witch's hat.  She looked the part to perfection. 

She looked down at him and studied him as if he were a science project.  She did not speak right away. The silence seemed to freeze him to the spot and she smiled into his face, a sweet old-lady smile. Then....

"Trick...  or Treat?" she asked.

Bobby was confused by the question... aren't I suppose to be saying this? He thought to himself.

Again, she asked, "Trick? ...  Or Treat?"

Bobby stared at her unable to speak, confused by the question posed to him.

"Most of the children who come to my door on a Halloween night, though there are only a few, would have demanded a treat and be on their way... but you, Bobby (she knows my name, he thought), you haven't chosen yet... so, will it be Trick or Treat?"

Bobby swallowed hard again; there was something in the question that intrigued him.  "What if I said trick instead of treat?" he asked the old Widow Clayton.

"Well then, Bobby, please come in and I'll show you a trick." Her face seemed to change from that of a sweet old woman into something a bit more ominous.  Bobby looked back at the street where his friends were watching his every move.  I can't be a chicken now! I've come this far, I'll prove to them just how brave I am and then we'll see if any of them will knock on the door!

The old woman opened the door enough for Bobby to be able to enter in to the parlor of the house.  There on the table was a deep bowl, most assuredly filled with all types of candies for the taking.  All he had to do now was be nice to the old Widow Clayton, see the trick through, take her offering of candy treats and be on his way. His friends would have to follow suit and each take their turn knocking upon the door... but he was the first!  He was the bravest one!