“It’s Halloween!” exclaimed Marcia.  “Let’s go trick-or-treating.  I am going to eat candy till I get sick.”  Eddie wasn’t quite that excited about it but his sister wanted to do this so he reluctantly agreed.                 They both had their costumes on and started out into the night to pack their sacks with goodies.  They were greeted by a full moon that was just peering over the mountain tops in the east.  The big Orange ball as of yet was not obscured by even a few hazy clouds.  It struck Eddie as being a rather intimidating moon.  Maybe this was only the fact that it was Halloween, the night of ghosts and goblins and things that go bump in the night.

                The two of them went from door to door for the next forty minutes saying “Trick-or-treat,” and collecting goodies as the moon slowly raised upward in the sky, shedding its orange glow and diminishing in size.  There were now a few clouds rolling across the sky and they would from time to time block the light from the moon creating shadows on the ground and causing the two to begin to feel a certain amount of apprehension.

                Suddenly they heard a soft moaning sound which seemed to come from inside the door they were just getting ready to knock on causing Marcia to recoil and grab for Eddies arm.

                “It’s all right,” exclaimed Eddie.  “It’s just the wind.”  Marcia didn’t take much comfort in Eddie’s explanation.  It sounded like some kind of sinister spirit to her.  Then the door slow opened and as it did it made a foreboding creaking sound.  Both children stepped back for they could swear they could see through the figure that stood before them.

“Don’t be frightened,” the man said.  “Come in.  Our Halloween party is just getting under way.”  Neither of them wanted to enter but they were somehow compelled to enter.  It was as if they had no will of their own but were somehow   commanded to do as they were told.

                They no sooner were inside than the door closed of its own power and the lights which had been rather bright now became dim creating an ominous atmosphere and causing them both to whimper as they suddenly felt trapped and defenseless.

To add to their fear the room suddenly became simply another vision which faded into oblivion and they were standing in a wooded area.  The sounds of an owl hooting in the area somewhere close but not quite visible to them caused them even more anxiety.  Suddenly the clouds which had been partially obscuring the moonlight were moving in all directions.  As they came closer to the two children they turned from clouds to ghost-like creatures and the sounds of the night air were now like those of poltergeist.   Eddie tried to duck as a banshee went  flying straight toward him and although he could not duck fast enough the spirit flew right through him as it let out a bloodcurdling scream.  Now the two dropped their bags of candy and began to run.  They had no idea where they were running too but they were simply running away from whatever this was that they felt had captivated them.

                The sinister figures were in hot pursuit and the children felt they had no hope of getting away but now they couldn’t stop running for fear.  Fear of what, they did not know nor they want to find out.

                As they ran out of the wooded area into a corn field there stood an old lady reaching for them.

                “I’ll help you,” she exclaimed but the children only yelled louder and ran away from her.  As she was running away along side of her brother Marcia looked back and could swear she saw the old woman fly away on a broomstick.  While looking back Marcia lost her footing and went sprawling onto the ground.

                “Help me,” she screamed.  Before she knew it, Eddie was pulling her onto her feet and they began once more to run. 

                Suddenly the noises were gone.  The clouds were back in the sky again and the moon, full and bright was shedding enough light for them to see there were no ghouls, specters or menacing creatures.  In fact, they were on the street where they lived.  Eddie hugged his sister to him.

                “Come on,” he said.  “Let’s go home.  When they got to their front door they found their bags of candy lying on the porch waiting for them.  Had this been some sort of dream?  When they got inside their mother asked, “Did you have a good time?”

                The two didn’t answer for a long moment and then Eddie said, “Yes.  Yes, we did.”  It was exciting.”  Neither he nor his sister would say more.