Chapter 1
*Date Night: Halloween*
Date night just happened to fall on Halloween for the Stevens family. Derrick, their only son, unhappily placed on restriction, didn’t think his parents would leave him alone to dish out the coveted candy. But sure enough, they’d planned just that. They’d not had any alone time for quite a while and refused to allow his punishment to ruin their evening.
Dad gave explicit instructions. “You are not to keep the porch light off. Your mother bought a lot of candy and I don’t plan on letting any of it stay in this house after eleven p.m. After all, I’m trying to watch my weight.” He turned to leave, then quickly spun around. “And don’t scare the children.”
‘Yeah right,’ thought Derrick. ‘Dad, you’re over-weight, just like the rest of us. If you’re watching your weight, you’re blind.’
He didn’t dare say that to his father. His father wasn’t heavy-handed, but he could really dish out some restriction work when prompted. The last thing Derrick wanted was to be stuck raking leaves until winter. Nothing was worse than gathering leaves while the leaves still fell.
“I won’t scare the children. I promise,” he stated in a dull voice with fingers crossed behind his back.
“Don’t go making promises either. You’ve already proven that you don’t take them seriously. Remember what I always say: your word is bond.”
“I know, Dad.”
“Say it, Derrick.” His father stood near the open door, hands akimbo. He always did this when he expected Derrick to repeat whatever saying or rule he had commanded. It had to do with his Catholic school up bringing.
“Honey,” his mother called from the car, “we’re going to be late for the show!”
Derrick’s father tugged on the belt, which barely held together over his portly belly. His father was tall, but all his bulk was carried in his mid-section. Due to his small legs, he carried the appearance of a sky-scraping Tweedle Dee or Dum… it didn’t matter which one.
“My word is bond. Okay, Dad, I get it. I promise.” Just go!
His father waddled to the car and squeezed into the driver’s seat. It took another two minute for him to fasten his seatbelt. Derrick patiently waited through this, wanting to make sure they not only headed out, but completely left the street. There was always the possibility that his mother would forget her purse or wallet. Or that his father had overlooked extra snacks to hide in his pocket. It had happened before…
Slowly, the boxy Lincoln Towncar reversed down the driveway. Derrick’s heart began to race with anticipation; they were finally leaving! The car straightened out its wheels and sluggishly rolled along.
‘Just a few houses away…’
The car angled left and stopped at the crooked stop sign at the corner.
‘This is it,’ Derrick thought with eagerness. ‘They’ll be gone for at least three hours. Go through the stop sign!’
The car sat motionless, it’s taillights glowing in the dusk. Derrick began to think they were going to return home. What could be holding them up? He kept vigil, chewing his lower lip.
Children were already out Trick or Treating with their parents. Kids running around in faded sheets with eyeholes and others in costumes that cost way more than parents should have paid. It was stupid, but Derrick loved this time of year. Not only did he get to go out for free candy; he also got to trash people’s hard work. The bonus was scaring the marbles out of the younger kids.
