My white polyester angel gown itched at my young, smooth skin. The gold-sparkled craft-wire halo I was wearing was beginning to slope to the side of my curly head as I danced past luminous orange carved pumpkins and the frightening jack-o-lanterns. I was glowing in the dark this Halloween night and I was prancing along the rugged neighborhood walkways. Grass was peeking through the aged, leave-scattered sidewalks and laughter filled the excited air. I swung my candy-filled plastic pumpkin back and forth as I journeyed from house to house with my annual group of trick-or-treaters. I hadn’t opened a single piece of candy, yet I could practically taste the Kit-Kats and Hersheys and Reeses! I wandered along wanting to fill my bucket as high as I could before it was time to head home for the night. My short legs were getting weary and tired as the night wore on and I began to fall behind; my brothers were too anxious about the candy to worry about me. It began to be difficult not to trip on the rough ground as I trudged along. Fear filled my body as they began to distance themselves. Just about as I was to yell their names, I heard a little chirp. What had I heard? I looked up and there was an odd little bird fluttering above my halo. The strange little birdie began to veer in a different direction and my wondering eyes couldn’t leave it. Without realizing what I was doing I began to blindly follow my little creature friend to wherever it would lead me. I made a right, another right, a left and more turns followed. The trees began to grown bigger and taller. They dangerously loomed over me, ready to swallow me up, but I hardly noticed: I was transfixed on this guiding spirit. Concrete had turned to dust and dirt, warm house lights had turned to stars, and children filled streets turned to creature filled forests. Where had I wandered off to? The little birdie came to a stop at an exceptionally tall tree. It was doing the most peculiar thing; it was hanging upside down! My body began to shake and I looked all around me wondering where I had gone. Why had I let myself get lost? What had I been thinking? I heard a loud crack in the sky and my body rattled with distress. I felt something wet fall onto my forehead and I looked up and the stars were disappearing behind dark clouds. The rain began to fall harder and I began to cry uncontrollably. Suddenly, a lightening bolt struck down scaring my black birdie away. A second bolt of lightening crashed down and this time it was closer and it illuminated an ebony house up ahead. I hurriedly raced to the house. Branches tore at my white dress and my glitter-covered wings fell from my back in my urgent scramble to get to safety. I finally reached my destination. The house was dark and looked similar to a house I had seen on television once on a show about a very odd family. The name of the show slipped my mind; I was scared and disoriented. Yet the door was open. A soft glow was coming from inside. I slowly walked up the stairs and looked inside. It was a long hallway. Portraits hung on the walls and the carpet was the color of blood. There were three candles. One right at the doorway, one halfway, and one at the end of the hall. At the last candle there was a large wooden door behind it and next to the door, hung upon the wall, there was a telephone. I slowly made my way into the dark, foreboding hallway. Each step was more terrifying then the last and my body trembled as I walked. My halo slipped from atop my head and I was too terrified to turn around and pick it up. I just needed to make it to the phone, then I could call home. Just as I reached the second candle I heard the door slam shut behind me! I ran as fast as I could, horrified, towards the phone. I reached the phone and just as I did the phone rang. I picked up the phone and listened. “Welcome” a dark, deep voice said as they let out an evil, maniacal laugh. All of a sudden all the candles were blown out by a huge gust of wind and the floor beneath me gave out and I began to fall into darkness screaming.

I woke up with a start. Sweat covered my entire body. I was screaming as loud as my small, young voice would let me. I quickly turned on my light. There it was: my unworn angel costume hanging on my door. It was Halloween eve. I looked at the clock. Midnight. I then decided that tomorrow I would not be trick-or-treating, but rather passing out candy.