Autum is here!

Golden leaves and cool days. Breathtaking sunsets and pumpkins.

It’s Halloween!

I love Halloween. We get to make decorations and cool costumes. We try to change every year, but Blade prefers to go as a harlot. High heels, a mini-skirt, a huge ball of hair and garish cherry lipstick. She will brace the cold just to turn heads.

"Maybe we’re getting too old for this, Punxie", Blade says.

"Hell no," I reply. "You seen six foot blokes out there in costumes trick or treating".

"Yeah," she laughs.

"We’ll do it until we feel embarrassed then we can stop."

"Like when we’re twenty-one?" I ask.

"Yeah," she looks at me seriously then bursts out laughing.

I love Blade so much.

No surprise that Blade is going as a harlot again. It takes her hours to get into costume. I’m going as a ghost. Not creative at all but I love my simple long, white costume with holes for eyes. I got me some two foot high platforms with cork heels. Yes, two feet high so I’ll be a giant out there! I’ve tried them on and it takes getting used to.

Evening comes and it’s dark early because of the turning back of the clock not long ago. I put on me shoes and practice walking in me bedroom. I slide and sway a bit for effect. I look spooky. I have this gliding motion that looks, well, ghostly.

Blade comes over. All that make-up and sexy costume makes her look older. And she does look sexy –- even to me. That’s strange. I can feel me heart race.

She grabs me by the waist and says, "hey mister, how about a date?"

"Blade!" I shout and push her away. She’s startled.

Was only kidding, Punxie, what’s with you anyway?

"I’m sorry," I say. "Don’t know what got over me. You look smashing."

So do you," Blade says, but I can she is concerned.

I’m concerned too. What was that? Why would I have even a teeny bit feeling like that towards Blade? I like boys.

We pick up our bags and head for the first house. The Bonns are always good givers. They got a variety of sweets and no fruit. Who wants fruit for Halloween? Mr. Bonn is quick to bring out the bowl of sweets as he leers at Blade.

"Come back again," he says eagerly as the missus yells for him to get back into the house.

It’s no secret that we get tons of sweets when Blade dresses up as a harlot. Not only are blocks our age anxious to check her out, but their older brothers and dads too.

Soon it gets too dark so we turn on our torches. And let the narrow beams guide us. A crowd of kids run past us squealing noisily. My bag is heavy and I’ve just about had enough. My feet are starting to hurt.

"Blade, why don’t we go home?"

"Yeah, we’ve got more than plenty," Blade says. "Oh wait, look at that house there." She points at the house at the end of the street. It is abandoned. It has been empty as long as I can remember. It is wildly rumoured that the last occupants died violently due to murder and suicide.

"Let’s see what’s in there," Blade says.

"Are you kidding?" I stand rooted to the ground. I want nothing to do with that house.

"Come on Punxie, ain’t you a bit curious?"

"Not about this house. No."

"I’m going," she says and walks towards it.

I’m trembling as I reluctantly follow. The house is two-story and very old. Obviously no one has bothered to fix it in ages. Windows have been broken by naughty kids.

The door seems unlocked so blade pushes it open and walks in. I’m afraid but follow. Don’t wanna be by meself. It’s quiet as a tomb in there. Blade forges forth her torch light making out the cobweb-covered furniture.

A few steps into the living room, the front door creaks shut. We gasp and swing aound. Me heart is in me mouth. Did a wind blow it shut or were some pranksters around?

We are headed for the door when we hear a sound behind us. Our torches reveal a man, his head half blown off by a shotgun. The right eye rests on his shoulder held by bits of skin and hair. The brain pulses as blood drips down his chest.

I honestly don’t know how those platform boots left my feet, or how we opened the door. I come to realization blocks away screaming and clutching my bag of sweets. Blade is right there beside me.

We don’t know what had happened in that house. All I know is that the man looked real. This wasn’t some prank with a made-up dummy.

Trick or treat indeed.