“I can’t wait for the trick-or-treaters to start coming!” Andie said to Mom. Andie and her friends were planning to go trick-or-treating later, once it really got dark. But right now the sun was still setting, and Andie knew that the littlest trick-or-treaters would be coming around first.
Andie liked little kids. She enjoyed babysitting them and volunteering with them at her church. Helping with little kids gave Andie a very important, grown-up feeling. She could hardly believe she was old enough to be so mature and responsible!
Smiling at herself in the mirror above the hallway table, Andie adjusted the high collar of her flowing black vampire cape. She thought it would be fun to hand out candy while wearing her costume.
Ding-dong! “Trick or treat!”
“Andie!” called Mom. “Your first group is here.”
Excitedly, Andie dashed for the door. She opened it and held out a bowlful of candy.
“Happy Halloween!” Andie cried.
“Happy Halloween!” answered the cute kids on the doorstep. They were dressed as a ninja, a princess, a dragon, and Little Orphan Annie. Andie couldn’t help but grin at the way their eyes lit up when they saw all the chocolate in the bowl.
After that, the doorbell kept on ringing. Andie had lots of fun giving candy to the sweet little trick-or-treaters. She wished them all a Happy Halloween, and some of the kids even chatted with her for a couple of minutes. Andie could tell they thought she was very grown-up! The best part of Andie’s night was when a little girl she babysat for came to the door.
Nicole was four years old. She was dressed as a Tootsie Roll. “Wow, Andie,” she breathed. “You’re a beautiful vampire!”
“And you’re a cute little Tootsie Roll!” Andie replied. She waved to Nicole and her mom as they left.
After a while, fewer and fewer little kids were coming to the house.
“Their parents probably want them in for the night,” Mom said. She grinned at Andie. “Now it’s your turn!”
Andie couldn’t wait to meet her friends. She was just about to pick up her own Halloween treat bag, when the doorbell rang again.
Outside on the step was the cutest little boy Andie had ever seen. He was about five years old, and he was dressed as a superhero in a blue mask and matching cape. He wore a red shirt, yellow boots, and yellow gloves.
“Trick or treat!” he cried in a sweet little voice.
“Awww,” Andie said to her Mom.
She grabbed the candy bowl and opened the door. “Hi, there. Happy Halloween!”
The tiny superhero smiled shyly. “Happy Halloween.” Then he put his hands on his hips and stared up at Andie, a big smile spreading across his small face.
Andie was confused. Why wasn’t he taking any candy?
“Want some chocolate?” she asked, shaking the candy bowl a bit.
“No,” grinned the little boy.
For some reason, Andie felt a prick of fear. Suddenly, the little boy didn’t seem quite so innocent. He continued to stare at her.
“Well,” Andie said after a moment, “what do you want?”
The little boy began tugging at the edges of his mask. “I want…” he began “I want to…” He stopped and yanked at the mask a little bit more.
Andie’s heart started to pound. “Um, Mom?” she called in a wavery voice.
With that, the little boy threw off his mask to reveal the face of a hideous, yellow-eyed, glowering monster! He grew three times his original size before Andie’s horrified eyes, outgrowing his costume till it burst at the seams!
“I want to eat you up!” he finished with a throaty snarl. “You’re just the kind of Halloween treat I like best!”
“Mommmmmm!” Andie screamed. “Mom, come quick!”
The monster scooped her up and was just about to take a great big bite of her, when Mom flung open the front door. In surprise, the monster dropped Andie on the steps with a thud!
“What’s going on out here?” Mom cried.
“M-m-monster,” Andie stammered.
“What?” asked Mom. “Where?”
Andie pointed—but then she realized that the monster was gone! Could it possibly be that she had imagined the whole thing?
“Very funny, Andie,” said Mom. “That’s enough Halloween pranking. Now you’d better hurry, or you’ll be late meeting your friends.”
Numbly, Andie stood up and turned to go into the house. It was then that she discovered a bright red-and-blue scrap of shredded costume caught in the bush by the door.
Maybe she didn’t have such a wild imagination, after all!
The Clay Jack O’Lantern