The bowl was filled with candied apples. The night said Halloween. The party said dance. The pumpkins glowed golden. The windows were open to the cool night. The kids were from high school. The girl Linda was hosting. The music said swing. But in a low voice. Her parents were solicitously upstairs. They had paid some of the kids to be there. Linda was one of those girls not well liked. Her cat was black as all the Halloween nights together, but with white circles round his eyes, had been played with gently, for these were nice kids. Linda sat on the edge of the nubby green couch, delicately drinking punch. A girl, Diedre, was talking to her about nothing really, and listened politely, smiling a bit, tilting her head as if listening. Linda had gotten her cat  neutered,, declawed, fed, watered, played with, and copiously loved, who slept with her every night, who loved her mightily. She had seen enough horror films, to know if there was an animal, especially small and defenseless, something horrible would happen to it. She touched the hollow of her neck, brushed a hand on her pony tail as her cat propelled into Diedre’s lap as Diedre instantly made over him, as Chip, a nice boy, came to Linda, asked her to dance, her second with a second boy. He kidded her. She was told she was a good dancer. Some boy asked politely if she would like to go to the movies Saturday. He understood that she had to ask permission. Finally the party ended. Everyone said it was cool, ‘night Linda, as she stood at the door, cat of Halloween safely in her arms. Her father came down the stairs, smiling, asking how did it go. She smiled. He nodded sagely and said, see, they’re just like you. Yes, she thought, managing not to scream in horror, yes they are.