Remember; You Have the Universe

[ 23 ]

This year,
Cadence and I
are painted yellow
and pink.
I am SpongeBob
and she is Patrick.
I think
we look stupid,
but Cadence
insists
that is the point.
We can't compete
with the
drama club's
über realistic
zombie makeup
or the art kids'
graceful
butterfly face paint
and homemade
dragon wings.
She says we,
as members of
Student Council,
must look as
cheesy as possible,
true to StudCo reputation.
The tie
itches around my neck,
but Cadence has
taken Kjrsten's side
and tells me
lung problem or no,
there are no
special exceptions
for me on
Halloween.
I am wearing this tie
until I keel over
or the night ends.
Whichever comes
last.

We race around
our neighborhood
(and by race
I mean that
we walk at an
ever so slightly
fast pace,
so we don't expose
my wimpy lungs
to too much exertion).
Collecting candy—
most of which
we'll trade
because she doesn't like
chocolate
and I can't stand
sour—
we cart Jason around
in a soccer mom
wagon.
He
made it down
the first street
and promptly began
wailing.
No amount
of pacifiers
or his bottle
would convince him
to keep
going.
Apparently he's
too old
and tired
for trick-
or-treating,
which I can
relate to.
Cadence and I
take turns
carrying him up
to front doors
and occasionally
soothing him
when some jerk
has a jump scare
on their porch.
He retired
after two and
a half
streets,
so Cadence and I,
satisfied with our
excursion,
retreat into
her basement,
switching sours
for chocolates
and trying to
convince each other
to give up
the best candies
for extra large
handfuls
of the cheap ones.
We delve into
a scary movie,
agreeing not to tell
my mom
that I ate something
on my no list
(pizza dinner)
or hers that she
sneaked
a scary movie
when her parents
banned her
after she had to
call her dad
at 3 AM
to pick her up
from a party
because she didn't
feel safe
driving home;
convinced
someone would hide
in her backseat
and kill her.

After all,
what's a best friend
for
if not to keep
your
secrets?