Just Another Halloween

Junior felt sick. He knew he should be excited, but a mix between the syrup covered gruel and the thought that he would see his parents in a few hours churned inside his stomach. Would they be afraid of him? He hoped not. Junior thought about the rules and knew that his family had every reason to be afraid of him. He was a monster, after all.

Sometimes Junior didn't feel particularly monsterish. He missed home. Even after 2 years in the catacombs, he could still remember Saturday mornings and waking up to the smell of pancakes and bacon. He remembered too, the warmth that came from the steam radiator next to his bed and the gurgling sound of water working its way through the pipes that always fit into his dreams of trains and steam engines.

Life isn't easy for a monster child. And the catacombs weren't decorated like home. Monster children found themselves separated by their type and age into cells that were lit by bare light bulbs, and no furniture. Children were given one blanket each on their arrival, and if they were lucky to have good cell mates they would bundle up under several blankets together to conserve heat at night. Some children would become sick and die shortly after they arrived if they didn't learn how to band together, or become a bully and take whatever they needed.

The catacombs and children were under the control and maintenance of caretakers, strange creatures that look like giant men, except that their features are covered with wormlike growths. Junior had heard stories from some of the older children that the caretakers become completely wormlike and live in the lower chambers of the catacombs in complete darkness after a few years of service in the upper levels. The caretakers, the more men-like versions, supply the food, pots of sweetened gruel, several times each day. This porridge is nasty stuff, a lumpy oatmeal concoction, except for a sweet syrupy substance mixed in. This syrup is excreted by the old ones whenever they feed. It tastes like corn syrup, but with a slimier texture.

Despite the bad taste of the porridge, Junior tried to eat as little of the syrup as possible. He felt that when he ate it he lost control more easily and became as wild as his demon appearance suggested. He couldn't separate all the syrup from the gruel, but he would take his spoon and hold it against the side of the bowl, allowing the syrup to drain down before each mouthful. He threw the syrup into the trash hole when the caretakers weren't looking.

He suspected that it was the syrup that turned the children into true monsters. He learned from watching the others and by tasting the mash that the more sweet you eat, the more you bend to the caretakers' will. The caretakers enjoyed having the children there, and the more weak ones who died would disappear into the lower parts of the catacombs to become the caretakers' dinner. The older children, the ones most addicted to the syrup, would also disappear below. Junior didn't know any children who'd spent more than 10 years in the catacombs, but every so often he noticed a new caretaker join the ranks of those watching.

Junior knew it was Halloween only because for the last month, the caretakers began a count-down to the date that new blood would come down to the catacombs. Once a year the children were allowed out so that they could bring in new recruits. Halloween night, two years since he had seen the light of day, Halloween had a complete different meaning than it used to. The caretakers told him only this morning that he was assigned to the collection team in his old neighborhood. Trick-or-treat, candy, children, Junior thought about how his family would hate to see him come in the front door. He wondered about his little sister and brother, two years could really grow a kid if they weren't eating monster porridge every day to keep them as young seeming recruiters. The people above ground didn't know that just because the bodies didn't change, the aging process continued to the monster mind.

There were monster children in each group that were set to monitor the others' actions and respond if undue interest was taken of the world above. If a monster child showed any hint of wanting to remain behind, they would be dragged below and punished, sometimes to the point of death. The caretaker concern is not the health of the child, only that obedience must be shown, or dinner is dinner.

Junior feared he was going to screw up tonight. He wasn't acting half as much a demon as the rest of his cellmates. And truthfully, if it weren't for the caretakers' spies, he would be going home for good.

* & * & *

"Are the kids dressed yet? It's almost dark!" Deb asked her husband as he came downstairs. She had just filled up the large plastic orange bowl with Hershey's chocolate bars and m&ms.

Dave nodded and smiled, "Almost. You know, Joey looks good as a bloody, one-eyed pirate."

"Is it realistic enough to fool them, though?" Deb's brow was thick with worry lines.

"They're not very smart and the blood looks realistic. It should be enough." Dave responded, before cautioning, "Try not to worry or you're going to scare the kids more than they already are."

Deb didn't appear to hear the last part of his statement. She was still caught with images of her children tempted away from her by those poor, sad monsters. Of course she worried. She asked, "What about Sam? Is she scary enough?"

"I don't know how Sam could ever be scary. She's adorable no matter what she's dressed as. And she didn't exactly choose a scary costume…" he trailed off, thinking about how innocent his daughter was about things like these.

"Dave! She can't be adorable tonight! We can't lose her too!" Deb was shrieking, almost hysterically. She wasn't strong like Dave. Deb swallowed then took a deep breath, hoping to control her emotions before the children heard her.

"Just come take a look at her. I don't know what else we can do to her. She's a cute kid and an even cuter angel – she's not going to scare monsters, but you know monsters aren't interested in angels, they're interested in children. Have faith that Sam will do the right thing."

"We don't have much choice here. Not now, when they'll be here any minute. I hope she's strong enough. Please don't let them take her. I can't lose another child, Dave. Really, I can't. It would kill me."

Her husband reached out and took hold of her trembling hand. "Hon, we've done our best. Sam will do the rest. You can't cry or try to protect her. It would only give her away… like Jr. You have to be strong so that Sam can take her strength from you."

Deb sighed and looked even worse. "I wish… I wish we could dress her like a baby again. They didn't even look at her last year."

Dave shook his head. "She's four years old! She doesn't look like a baby anymore. She's a kid and monsters love kids! We shouldn't be arguing about this now! It's almost time and they'll be here soon. I need to know you think she's ready, otherwise we'll not be strong enough for this." His eyebrows raised questioningly. "Won't you just take a look at her?"

She sighed again and then nodded. "Ok, I'll go up. I'm just so scared."

Dave put his arm across her shoulder and squeezed it. He was quiet for a moment, sympathetic of her concerns. It had been a long year, and every year seemed to be worse than the last. He said, "I know you are. I am too. But if we can't be strong, how can we expect our children to be?" He paused to give his wife a chance to digest his words and then continued, "We'll get through this, Deb. It worked last year with Joey and it's sure to work again. And, we'll make it work for Sam too. Other families have saved their children and we'll save ours."

She nodded and said softly, "I wish we didn't have to let them in. Why do we have to?"

"We've discussed that before, Deb. You've heard about the families who don't welcome the monsters! If we don't ask them in they'll burn down our house and kill us all. You've seen the old Carmichael place! No, we don't have any choice but to answer the doorbell and feed them candy."

They both walked up the stairs. Dave's arm still wrapped over his wife's shoulder. He took a last glance behind him; the house did not look like it had two young children under the age of 7 in it. There were no pictures on the walls and no toys anywhere to be seen. Dave had rounded up all the toys and put them in cardboard boxes in the attic. The monsters would never find them there. In the boxes they seemed old and abandoned, as if they'd not been used for years instead of just days.

Little golden Sam ran out into the hall to greet her parents, "Mommy! Mommy! I'm an angel! Don't I look pretty?" She smiled as if she'd burst with happiness and reached up to touch her golden halo. "It's just like a crown, Mommy. Don't you like it?"

"Sam, aren't you wonderful looking! That angel outfit is beautiful!" Deb turned to Dave and said, "It's not scary at all! How can she keep the monsters from taking her, wearing that?" Deb heard her voice rising again.

Sam took her mother's hand, "Its ok, Mommy. They won't take me."

"Sam, I know you'll try, but I'll still worry all night. That's what mothers do." She bit her lower lip to prove her point then addressed them both because little Joey was standing at his door watching them and listening. He was such a quiet child, and had been ever since the night two years before when his oldest brother left. Deb caught her breath as she looked at her son. He was almost the exact same age as Junior had been when he was taken. The image of her first boy was indelibly burned into her memory as an eight year old forever. She held out her hand to her remaining son and he took it. Deb pulled him close and said, "Joey, Sam, remember – Offer them all the candy they want. Tonight you hate the stuff! If they offer you any, don't eat it, ok? Mommy will give you all the candy you'd ever want to eat tomorrow, alright?"

"Yes mommy. But why can't I eat the candy?" Sam asked, her voice so young and sweet and beautiful.

"Joey answered for his mother, "Because if you eat candy with them you'll become a monster! And you won't live with us anymore. Just don't eat it, Sammy."

Sam's blue eyes were huge in her tiny face. "I don't want to be a monster! I'm an angel. I won't eat any."

Deb smiled finally. The children's words comforted her. She just hoped that the monsters wouldn't take them regardless of if they ate the candy or not. They sometimes did that. She said, "Let's have a hug, and we'll go downstairs and wait there. They'll be here soon." She pulled them both toward her and held them tightly.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Deb regarded her family. "You remember what we're doing tonight? Offer candy to our guests and don't eat any." She hugged the children again and kissed each of them on the top of their heads. They descended the stairs and walked to the front door.

Dave looked at everyone, "Ready?"

Sam whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear. "They're scary, aren't they?" She didn't remember last year's visit because she had been sedated and sleeping, the perfect baby.

"They are, but only if you let them be," Dave answered. "Just think of it as a game. You see someone who's ugly, but you can't talk about it. You welcome them in, give them all the candy they want. And then when they've finished eating, they'll leave. If they ask you questions, it'll most likely have to do with eating candy. Just say, no thank you. I don't like candy. Ok?"

Both children nodded.

Dave lifted his hand to the knob and turned it.

Five hideous creatures stood outside on the front stoop while others milled on the street and at the other neighbors' doors. They were all small; the size of children who would never grow up and the costumes they had dressed in during some Halloween past had become a part of their true personas. All the little children that hadn't passed the monster's inspections during the previous years were gathered as part of this frightening entourage. But unlike children, these creatures were not a pretty sight. None of them had teeth, they'd lost them all to eating candy and lack of dental hygiene. They were all drooling, sniffling and pimply. Some of them had open and festering wounds, while others just looked unkempt, as if they'd never bathed or washed in their young-seeming lives.

"Trick or Treat! Trick or Treat! Give us something good to eat!"

Dave opened the door wider, "Please come in. We have lots of candy for you!" He looked at the little monsters and tried to smile, but he knew it didn't appear natural.

The monsters viewed the open door as invitation enough and pushed and shoved at each other to be the first to get to the candy bowl.

"Look, a pirate! He's bleeding! How did you lose your eye?" One monster asked Joey and stuffed his face with M&Ms.

"I fought at sea, burned three ships and took no prisoners." Joey said his lines aloud as if he'd practiced them all day and knew he'd get them right.

The monster nodded, "That was brave. Would you like to eat candy with us?"

"Candy! Candy! Candy! The other monsters chanted and then lost interest and stuffed their mouths with M&Ms and Hershey's bars.

"No thanks," Joey responded, when the chanting stopped, "I don't like sugar. I think salt tastes much better."

"Salt? Yuck! We never eat salt. But if that's what you enjoy, you can eat what you like."

Another monster raised a candy coated sticky finger and pointed it at Sam. "Look! An angel! She's got wings and everything! Would you like to eat candy with us?"

Sam was looking at all the monster children and was shaking in fright. "Thank you, but… I don't like candy."

"You don't? It's very tasty. I like tootsie roll pops the best." One quipped, before sticking one in his mouth. He must have been carrying it opened and half licked in his pocket. "Are you sure you don't want to try one?" He offered her his lollypop, all wet and gooey from sucking it.

Sam shook her head "No, I'm an Angel! Angels can't eat candy… Please, you eat it." Sam looked away from the monster and up at her mother for assurance that she'd done well.

Deb was watching the little monsters and thinking about years past and how her oldest hadn't answered correctly once.

The monsters were finished eating their candy and were licking their fingers to get the sugar off of them. The oldest looking of the monster children said politely, "Well, we must go! There's more candy to eat in the house next door."

The monster children chanted again, "Candy! Candy!"

He finished quickly, "Thank you for inviting us. Maybe next year you will join us for some candy. It's very good." The five of them pushed and shoved their way toward the door, muttering about what type of candy they wanted to eat next.

Dave closed the door behind them and let out a sigh of relief. "that wasn't so bad. Nothing to worry about, right?" They could hear the sound of children running on the street and playing with the toys left in every yard, gifts for the monsters to take with them on their journey back to the Monster place.

Deb went to the window and raised the curtain to look outside. Children were playing dodge ball in the street. Children… It looked normal, fun, if it weren't that the children were monsters. They didn't have homes like normal kids did. They only came out to play on one night of the year, Halloween. Deb bit her lip and felt sad. She wondered if Junior was out there playing ball.

She saw several children walk up the path to their front door and stepped away from the window to greet them.

"Trick or Treat! Trick or Treat! Give us something good to eat!"

There were four of them. They didn't even look like monsters. They were dressed in everyday clothes, jeans, tee shirts, and sweats. One of the girls was wearing a frilly flowered dress and she couldn't have been more than five years old. If it weren't for the fact that her hair was tangled and dirty, she would have been a cute child. She was just as cute as Sammy with her red cheeks, cold from the outdoors, and bright blue eyes. She was just a messy kid until she showed Deb her toothless gums. "Candy?" she said in a sweet, childish voice.

Deb shivered, sensing that dread of looking at another mother's once-loved child standing at her door begging like this. Her heart hurt looking at these children, all of them, even the ones who looked like monsters. Her son was a monster like this, going from door to door, one night each year. He was someone to fear, unloved except as a child in a memory.

She opened the door and the children pushed their way past her, not waiting for the ritual invitation. They grabbed chocolate bars and M&M packets and stuffed their rosebud mouths as if they'd not eaten in days. Their gums couldn't bite into the bars so they broke pieces off and held them in their mouths until the chocolate softened and then they'd chew them or gum then until they were melted enough to swallow. It was a horrible, heart-breaking sight.

The little girl with her tangled blond hair, looked at sweet Sammy with her halo and pretty white dress. She held up her dirty fist and offered a piece of half-melted milk chocolate, "Candy?" she said in a sweet, quivering voice.

Deb wanted to hug the little girl, but she knew it was forbidden to touch the monsters. She didn't know exactly what the punishment would be, but it was sure to be deadly. Perhaps lots of little monsters would gum her to death. She could only guess what would happen to her if she tried.

Sammy shook her head at the little girl, "No thank you." She said in a voice that was quite similar to the one who had asked.

Deb knew that she couldn't hug her daughter either.

One of the boys, a little older than her son and wearing a Boston Red Sox cap over his filthy locks, turned to Joey and asked, "You want candy?" He held out a few M&M's in his dirty palm.

"No," Joey answered, and he shook his head. "I don't like candy."

These children were worse than the first batch had been. They didn't ask as if they expected to hear yes, they asked more as if they hoped to hear no so that there would be more candy for them. They had no interest in anything but the candy. Deb watched them stuff their faces and finally when they were sick of M&M's and milk chocolate, they went to the door, waiting for someone to open it. There were no words of thanks. The children were almost too young to remember to speak in sentences, never mind to have politeness in doing so. Deb thought, Sammy would be like this if they took her now, and then she closed the door behind them.

Deb went back to her children and hugged them both, kissing each one on a cheek. Sammy's hair smelled of baby shampoo. She smelled clean like soap and fabric softener. Joey, although he was older, had the same clean scent. He didn't smell like Sammy's shampoo though. He used his father's, saying that he wasn't baby enough to use baby shampoo. It hurt to think of her babies growing up, but it was a better type of hurt than the kind she had when she looked at those poor children who would never become even a year older, stuck as candy-crazed, toothless monsters forever.

It wasn't long before the doorbell rang again. Deb stood up and brushed a few stray tears out of her eyes as Dave went to the door and opened it a crack to look out at the new bunch of arrivals. Six hellions stood waiting somewhat impatiently for the door to open wide enough to let them in. These were demons, little red-faced devils, with horns, forked tails and carrying little bags to hold whatever candy they wanted to take back with them. The bags were already more than half full.

"Trick or Treat! Trick or Treat! Give us something good to eat!" They all called out, and then elbowed each other and chortled about the good candy that was at the last house. Devils were the worst of the monsters, they could push and shove and really do damage if they didn't like what was in the candy bowl.

Deb held her hand up to Dave, "Wait! Let me put more candy in the bowl!" The little devils heard her cry through the door, and tried as best as devils could to be patient while she ran to the kitchen to bring out more candy. Deb returned with two bags, one of Reese's Peanut butter cups and the other of Musketeers bars. She emptied them both into the bowl so that it was almost overflowing.

The devils were poking each other, whispering and guessing about the candy she was putting in the bowl. The door was still only opened a crack, with Dave holding a finger out at them to ask them to wait. Deb was trying to remove some of the expensive glass vases from the living room, just in case the devils decided to play. You couldn't take chances that they'd pick up a vase and throw it at someone. And then a voice piped up above the rest, "C'mon Ma, open the door!"

Deb stopped fidgeting and froze, looking over at Dave and then her two children. How could she save them now? Junior was here and he knew exactly what the other children were.

Dave looked worried too, but there was nothing more that he could do. He opened the door with a sigh.

The devils pushed their way in and went directly to the candy bowl. There was a buzz of excited voices; the devil children were thrilled to have peanut-butter cups. It was the easiest candy to eat with no teeth and only gums to chew with.

With their mouths full of chocolate,, one devil child began the questions. "Look! There's a pirate! Do you want to eat some chocolate with us? These Reeses are great!" The devil held out a half bitten peanut butter cup to Joey.

"No thanks. I don't like candy. I'm glad you like them though. Please eat all you want."

Don't worry, I will!" The devil threw the rest of the cup into his mouth and bit down on it with his toothless gums.

Deb and Dave were both looking over the devil red faces trying to figure out which one had been Junior when one looked up and smiled knowingly at them.; He had one front tooth left, it was crooked and looked like it was hanging loosely from his gum, and it was covered in chocolate from the Reese's.

"Look at my sister, guys! She's an Angel! Sammy, do you want to eat candy with us?"

The other devils chortled, about how crazy it was that a devil and angel could be related, and they almost blocked out Sam's response. "No thank you. I'm an Angel and God loves me. I don't eat candy."

Junior looked over at Sam, "Are you sure? This candy is really good, better than you could possibly imagine without trying it." He held up an unopened Reese's package to his sister. "Go on, take it."

The other devils joined in and chanted, "Take it! Take it! Take it!" and then scoffed down some more Reese's.

Sam bit her lip and looked at the chocolate, then up at her mother. She shook her head. "No, I don't want it. I'd rather have my mommy over chocolate, any day."

Deb almost cried out when she heard the word mommy. Would they take her after hearing such a childish word?

Junior looked at the chocolate in his hand, and then put it into his candy bag for later. He smiled at his mother, having heard the mistake, but he nodded at her in understanding. He looked at his sister satisfied, "Well, maybe I can convince you next year, then." He looked at his mother again with regret, knowing what he'd left behind. He reached up and touched his last tooth and it fell out into his palm. He dropped the tooth onto the table and said, "C'mon guys, we've got other houses and other towns to visit before the nights over!"

He walked to the door and opened it himself. All the devil children followed behind him closely, forever talking candy. The whole family stood at their open doorway and watched as monster children ran through the street following the call of some mystery monster in the search for children and candy. Junior never looked back.

Deb kicked the door closed with her foot and hugged both the children against her. She walked over to the table and picked up Junior's chocolate-covered tooth then started crying. Chocolate-covered or not, she was holding Junior's last baby tooth, her baby who'd never grow up.

She looked at the bowl with disgust. "Let's throw this stuff away. We can always buy more when we want it."

Sammy pulled on her mother's sleeve to get her attention before she went to get a garbage bag from the kitchen. "Mommy?"

"Yes, what's wrong Sam?" Deb rubbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater.

"I won't eat chocolate ever again." Sam whispered as she took hold of her mother's hand and squeezed it.

Deb smiled at her young daughter who loved chocolate, knowing that it would be a hard promise to keep. "Let's see how you feel tomorrow." She paused and looked at the living room clock. "I think its bedtime, children. So who's going to brush their teeth?"

Dave locked the door and shut off the lights as his family raced up the stairs toward the bathroom and their toothbrushes. He looked out the window onto a now dark and empty street. No more children anywhere to be seen. No more Junior. Just another Halloween, he thought, and closed the curtains tightly against the chill of the night. He wished he could block out the memory of Junior in the same fashion. It was too much heartbreak to endure year after year, with a son gone but not dead, never dead, who would have been better off dead. There were easier ways to grieve than this. Dave followed the sounds of his children's voices upstairs and then kept climbing up into the attic. He found the box filled with Junior's old toys and sat down beside them.

After the children slept, Deb came up to sit beside him on the attic floor. She held the tooth in one hand, and touched his knee with the other. "It's over now."

Dave nodded, "For another year." He said, saddened.

Deb handed him the tooth, wrapped in a piece of toilet paper. "for another year," she repeated.

Dave dropped the tooth into the box and then stood up. He smiled suddenly, "we can always move."

"Someplace without Halloween?" asked Deb, doubting that there was such a place.

Dave responded tiredly, "why not?" he wondered why he hadn't thought about it before.

"We can't escape this, Dave. He's always gonna' be out there someplace, maybe he won't be tormenting us, but other families just like us. He's our son!"

"Maybe we can't escape it, but we can save our children, they should grow up without fear of being like that. Let's move!"

"Where?"

"Anywhere without Halloween. China? Germany? Australia? It doesn't matter where, your choice even. Let's just not stay here."

Dave helped Deb off the floor. They turned and took a final look at Junior's box then walked toward the stairs.

Deb asked, "My choice?"

Dave nodded and remained silent.

They reached the second floor hallway and Deb could see the nightlight shining in Joey's room, the same nightlight he'd used since the Halloween when Junior had been taken. "Let me think about it." She said.

They walked into the master bedroom and Dave closed the door.

"Let me think about moving." Deb finally continued, "I don't want next year to be like this. But is moving our only option?"

"There's no other way to end this. Junior's never getting better. We can't mourn him if we see him every year. It's hell seeing him like that. Hell! And you saw how close we came to losing Sam tonight. There are no other options."

Deb nodded, "Ok, we'll move." She undressed and slid under the covers.

"Next year won't be like this, you'll see." He said to comfort her as he reached to shut off the lamp.

Deb closed her eyes, "I know, but I feel like we're abandoning him."

Dave held his tongue. She'd agreed to move, that's all he needed to fix things. They could live on an island, in a hut, on a boat, or in a castle in any other country. Anyplace would be fine as long as there was no such thing as Halloween there. Maybe then he could forget Junior.

* & * & *

Back in the catacombs, Junior could hear the new recruits crying in the cells around them. The boys stored their collection of candy in their pillowcases, they'd sleep, heads resting on their stash until it dwindled to nothing. A gong sounded down in one of the lower chambers. The children crawled under their blankets and nestled together for heat, listening to the young ones complaining of the cold, and the older ones yelling at them to shut up.

He was glad they didn't have new kids in this cell, preferring the quiet to seeing the newcomers' fears come to life. He remembered his first year well. It would be a long time to forget the joy and warmth of the outside world. He knew it would be months before the new recruits would stop complaining, and learn to muffle their tears in their pillows, late in the night. Even now, he would see some of his cell mates cry in their sleep, or wake from nightmares, dreams of the catacombs made real.

Long after lights were out, a voice came from the pile of blankets beside his own. "Junior? You still awake?" It sounded like Billy, a recruit from the year before.

"Yeah. What's up?" Jr. whispered back into the darkness.

"Tonight… your folks were nice."

Junior didn't respond, letting the words settle into the quiet, afraid to say too much.

"I wish we could have stayed there." Billy said

Junior was quiet for a time, before responding with the appropriate words, in case any others were listening. "me too, but there's no place up above for monsters. This is our home now."

Billy didn't speak again.

Junior lay in the dark, and thought about home. He wondered if next year would be any different. Maybe he should attempt to break out. Maybe when the gates opened next year he could go home and sleep in his own bed. Maybe next year, he could have his brother and sister back. It was worth trying. When Junior finally slept, he dreamed of going home and receiving a hero's welcome, and of taking the others, kids like Billy, with him. In his dream, he was not a monster at all. None of them were.

Junior woke early the next morning, knowing that he could go home. He could do it. He kept saying over in his head, I'm not a monster, I don't belong here. I will go home. He hoped if he said it enough in his head, it would cancel out the effects of the gruel. He had a year to plan out his escape, and it would only work if he remembered that he had a home and a family, neither of which were in the catacombs. I'm not a monster, I will go home.

When the caretaker arrived with the gruel, the kids crowded him with their bowls held out to receive their breakfast portions. Junior joined them, knowing he had to eat to live. But he didn't fear them any longer. He felt a reason to hope. He was going home. He'd keep track of the calendar, 4 meals a day, 1460 meals until freedom. He could do it. I'm not a monster, I will go home.

* & * & *

One meal until freedom, Junior considered not collecting his portion of gruel, but didn't want to make the caretaker suspicious. He was a pro at separating the syrup from the porridge now, and he had taught a few of the younger ones to do the same. Kids like Billy, who had voiced late in the night, that desire to leave the catacombs, Junior pulled them aside and whispered that there was a way, if they wanted it bad enough. Billy looked over at him, before going to the caretaker and holding out the bowl with the rest of the cellmates.

Billy laughed and pushed the guy who had jostled against him. With a full bowl, he went to sit beside Junior on the cell floor.

"Tonight, finally, candy. Best night of the year. Chocolate. M&Ms, Reeses, musketeers, I can't wait."

Junior nodded, "yes, the candy's gonna' be the best." He was excited to be going up above in less than an hour. "I'm looking forward to playing with the toys, though." By this time of year, most of the toys that were brought down to the cavern were broken by the syrup drugged children.

Billy nodded, "yeah, toys! That'd be cool too."

Junior watched Billy scoop into his bowl of gruel, siphoning the syrup off against the side of the bowl, he felt like the others were watching them.

He laughed and took a big spoonful of the porridge, and spoke with his mouth full, "The candy's gonna' be awesome."

He'd already reminded Billy that they would have to find a way to not eat the candy tonight, without making the other kids suspicious. He could only hope that Billy would remember, after eating the gruel. This year, they were being sent to Billy's home town. Junior knew that if he could stay there with Billy, he could always call home at the end of the night.

Home, it was amazing to him that the whole year had passed and he was going to be sleeping in his own bed by tomorrow night at the latest.

When it came time to go up above, the caretaker opened the gates and the kids crowded them, pushing each other through. The caretaker was keeping tally on a notebook, Junior had warned Billy to keep a low profile, to rush through the gates with the others, and then head for the yards with the most toys and games. He knew from the two years experience with Halloween, that the demon kids wanted candy more than toys, and that it would be hard on the others to watch all the good candy be collected by the other monsters. He suspected that he could manage to separate from them, if the toys seemed appealing enough.

When they arrived in town, the street lights displayed a large well lit playing field, with a jungle gym and swings on one side. Junior pulled at Billy's arm, "Let's try the park." They headed in that direction, away from the houses.

"Hey! Where are you going? What about the candy?" Johnny, the demon leader asked, pointing toward the houses, and the other kids who were beginning the rounds of trick-or-treating.

"We're gonna' play at the park first. Billy told me how cool it was last year, and I want to try it," Junior responded, behaving like he was the oldest and leader of the group.

"We want candy, we want candy." The demons chanted.

"We want to play at the park" Junior pulled again at Billy's elbow in the direction of the field.

"We're supposed to stay together," Johnny called after them, and followed.

They could hear chanting of monster children down the street, "Trick or treat, Trick or treat, give us something good to eat!"

Junior started climbing the jungle gym, with Billy two rungs behind him. When he reached the top he swung up onto the hanging bars, and worked his way across them, then swung his feet up and hung upside down. Billy climbed up on top of the bars and was sliding across them careful not to lose his balance.

"Trick or treat, trick or treat, give us something good to eat!" The monster children were greeted and welcomed into another house.

"Candy, They're gonna' get all the good candy," complained one of the demon kids, watching the two playing on the bars.

Johnny said softly, "we're supposed to stay together." He looked longingly toward the street and houses.

"You're planning to stay here?" he asked Junior, while thinking about the caretaker, and not wanting to get into trouble for leaving the two behind to play.

"For a while, we'll go for candy in a bit. I really miss the bars." His arms hung down, and he swung back and forth, allowing the blood to rush to his face and hands. "If you wanna go, we can meet up with you down the street."

"Yes! Let's go! Candy! The others are getting all the good candy. We can meet them later!" a few of the others chimed.

"We're supposed to stick together," Johnny whispered, looking first at the boys on the bars, then at the rest of the children, impatient to begin collecting candy. "Ok, it's your loss. We'll meet you down the street in about half an hour. We're not supposed to stay in town long… don't be late!"

Johnny looked at the two boys one last time, before rushing toward the road and the houses beyond.

When they were gone, Billy whispered, more air than words, "what do we do now?"

Junior responded, equally as quiet "We stay here for at least 10 minutes, just in case he checks on us between houses." When they look like they're heading further down the street, we'll find a hiding place, until they all go back to the catacombs. You know of a place we can hide?" He flipped, so that his feet were hanging toward the ground again.

Billy nodded, "I think so. It's near here. A tree house, but I don't know if it's still there."

"We'll check it out. We can't go to your house until the monsters clear out. We don't want to risk your family to them."

"No candy tonight, huh?" Billy's stomach was already grumbling.

"None, we can't risk how crazy it'll make us. If we want to be free, we have to skip the candy tonight."

"Ok, I was just asking." Billy said, jumping down off the jungle gym, and heading toward the swings.

Junior swung once more, then jumped, landing on his feet. He followed Billy and began swinging as high as his feet could pump. Billy was keeping pace with him, and watching the demon kids walking further down the street. Johnny didn't even turn to check that last time. The kids were chanting throughout the town, in a sing-song, "Candy, Candy, Trick or treat! Trick or treat! Candy!" with lots of laughter among the monsters, but with little from the neighborhood families.

Billy stopped pumping his feet, and the swing slowed down, "Is it time yet?"

Junior dragged his feet to stop the swing, and looked toward the houses, "Yes, I think so. Is there a way to get to the tree house without being noticed?"

Billy nodded, and led the way off the play ground, "yes, follow me!" He ran toward the edge of the field, then across the street. In front of them, was a small wood, behind of which gleamed lights from a very large house. There was a bike parked in the long driveway next to the house.

Billy looked at it, "that's my old bike. You know, some years, most monsters don't come out this far. My folks always said that we were lucky not to get to many trick or treaters."

Junior warned, "they're probably gonna' get a lot tonight," as Billy led him as quiet as possible around to the back of the house. There were a lot of trees back there, and one of them had the makings of a disintegrating tree house in its upper branches. Junior looked for a way up into the tree, but didn't see one.

"No ladder?"

"My dad must have taken it down, with me gone, there's no point to keep it out."

"It's ok, it's probably safer not to have one. The others won't follow us up there. If you give me a boost to the first branch, I can pull you up."

Billy clasped fingers making a place for Junior's foot. Junior grasped hold of the lowest tree limb and pulled himself up. He wrapped his legs around the branch and reached down. Billy had to jump to reach Junior's hands. Soon, both boys sat together on the branch and surveyed the tree house above them.

Billy smiled, "I know this part, follow me." He stood up, and wiggled his way up the trunk to the next set of branches, and then even higher, to the trap door leading into the tree house. He squeezed into the open hole, and disappeared into the pitch black within.

Junior followed Billy's example, clasping tightly to the trunk, and then a branch, climbing higher into the tree. Reaching the tree house, he held tightly and looked back toward the house. He couldn't see the road from here. The lights were on in the house, and displayed a large portion of the yard below. The tree house would be a perfect place to hide for the night. Junior decided to suggest to Billy that they stay hidden until morning, just in case the caretakers came out to look for them. There were a lot of unknowns, regarding how the monsters would take a disappearance from their ranks into the outside. He'd never heard of anyone trying this before, at least no-one who ever got away with it.

Junior slipped into the tree house, and whispered his thoughts to Billy.

Billy agreed easily. "I don't want them hurting my parents either."

Junior whispered again from his place in the darkness, "I hope they won't remember where you live. But, we can't be too careful… I think a half hour has passed."

"Already?" asked Billy.

"I think so. They're gonna be looking for us soon. We're gonna have to stay real quiet tonight."

"Ok," Billy whispered. "Anything to be home."

Junior lay on the floor of the tree house. He remained quiet and listening for movement in the yard below. Nothing. Not yet. He suspected it wouldn't be much longer. He hoped the monsters would be summoned home without causing any damage to Billy's house and family, because Junior worried about them almost as much as he worried about himself and Billy.

Things could get really bad out there.

Suddenly, he heard from close by, "Trick or treat! Trick or treat! Give us something good to eat." Billy reached over and clasped his hand. It sounded like it had come from the front of his house. A door creaked open, "Hello children. We've got lots of candy for you tonight!" Billy's mother claimed.

"Look! There's Peanut butter cups! I love those!" Junior recognized the voice of a demon child.

"Yum! Peanut butter cups!" Johnny exclaimed.

And then the dreaded question, "Ma'am, did you see two other demons tonight? Before us?"

Billy's mother responded, "no, you're the first demons we've had. We've only had two other groups, some ghosts and witches. Are you looking for them? If they come later, do you want me to tell them?"

"Yes, please! We'll be in serious trouble if we don't go back together! Can you tell them that we'll meet them near the gate?"

"But of course, Dear! I'm sure they don't want to be in trouble." The mother exclaimed, wondering about the two children who had not yet made an appearance.

Junior heard the demon children talk happily as they ate and collected candy, then thanked the woman and left the house.

The warning gong sounded, reminding the children it was time to head back to the catacombs. Junior and Billy squeezed hands and lay quietly on the floor. Then they heard from the street, the sound of one demon child questioning, "They're not in the playground. Could they be trick or treating behind us?"

Johnny answered, "no, we went slow. They would have caught up."

Another child piped in, "what are we gonna' do?"

Johnny responded, "We can't do anything. We gotta' go back and tell the caretaker."

Junior could hear fear in the demon's voice, "But we'll be punished… won't we?"

It was a while before Junior heard the answer, "yes. I expect so." Johnny said.

And then another posed the question, "what will happen to them?"

Johnny responded, "The caretaker will come and get them."

Another child asked, "What if we didn't tell them, maybe we won't get in trouble?"

Johnny sounded thoughtful, "not tell them? … They counted heads, they'd be sure to know."

Then one asked, "what if we don't go back? We could stay out here too."

Johnny responded, "The caretakers will definitely come after us. We'll be killed. No we have to go back."

Finally, one child showing he thought more than the rest, quipped, "Won't they kill us if we go back? They won't like us knowing that kids can escape. They won't trust us out again."

Junior could hear their voices getting further away and wondered what would happen to them. Then all was silent.

Billy and Junior stayed awake in the tree for hours, listening for any sound of disturbance from below or from the house. Despite rumbling stomachs and the evening chill, they curled up together and slept.

Junior dreamed of his family, his home, and standing outside in the rising sun.

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