Trick or Treat

“Trick or Treat,” the two witches, princess, cowboy and headless man chanted as they hurried to the house next door. Classic costumes really; they were nice kids. He cast a look up and down the street, but it was getting late, and there were no more little monsters to see.

He snuffed out the candle in the jack’o’lantern, and turned off the porch light. Then he looked over at the bowl of goodies; he could remember a time when it would have been empty, but these days too many people kept their kids inside, afraid to let them have a little fun in the dark.

Clancy thought that was foolish. The things to be afraid of weren’t outside. They were always much closer than that. Well, he’d probably been the same when his Kitten was younger, he thought.

He selected a chocolate bar and headed toward the basement door. He pulled out the key and turned the lock, then shot back the heavy blots that fasted the solid oak top and bottom. For a moment he hesitated, then he took a deep breath and opened it.

“Time for your treat, Kitten!” he announced, stepping down into the dark, windowless cellar.