The night I went trick-or-treating
A not-so-scary Halloween story. Family friendly.
by Lynn WL
It was 7 pm Halloween evening, and I just finished my light dinner. A number of little kids had come to our door, and I enjoyed handing out candies to them while admiring their fancy costumes. Now I was ready to go out trick-or-treating myself.
Red Riding Hood... wolf... I shuddered. Don't be silly, there are no wolves around here, I told myself. It must be the noise from the wind blowing through the bare tree branches. Then I heard an owl hooting as if summoning the dark creatures of the night to come out and feast.
I had goosebumps and felt like stepping back inside. I would rather sit by the fireplace and watch a scary movie or read a ghost story book in bed under the covers. But it was Halloween, and I had promised my friends to go out trick-or-treating together, maybe for the last time since the following year some of us would be too old for it.
So I gathered all my courage and stepped down the porch, and started walking down the road. The ground felt cool on my bare soles. I was second-guessing my decision to go out barefoot. Would it get colder later on? Should I go back and put on shoes? Nah, I had been wearing shoes all day at school. This was my fun time out, I didn't want my feet to be hot and sweaty again. I'd be fine!
Many of the houses on our street were decorated for Halloween. Usually I loved looking at those creepy decorations. But that night it was a little different. The glowing Jack-o-lanterns looked so eerie in the misty and chilly night, and I was having goosebumps again. I didn't see any other trick-or-treaters on the street which I thought was unusual. I knew I started a little late, but I was still expecting to see a few older kids. But I was the only one around, and the street was dark and deserted. Meanwhile the wind kept blowing. I felt like running back home but I kept going as I was already half way there.
As I continued walking I approached an old house with all the lights out. There were no decorations, not even a pumpkin. I figured the people were probably out partying or just didn't celebrate Halloween, and didn't want kids to knock on their door.
But... there was something behind the big tree on the side of the house. A white, tall shrouded figure. It was standing still. Since it was dark and misty, I couldn't really make out what it was although I had slowed down.
Was it a decoration? A costumed person? Or could it be a... ghost? That thought sent chills down my spine. Even though I was curious, I was scared and didn't really care to find out what that thing was, so I quickly ran past the house.
My heart was beating fast, but soon I heard kids laughing, and saw my friends in the distance as they called out to me. I was greatly relieved.
"We've been waiting for you, Lynn! What took you so long?" asked Amanda.
"Sorry guys, I had to make sure I look my best in my new costume," I replied.
"Hahaha, you're so vain! Hey, you look different this year. You've always gone out as a witch, but tonight you're Red Riding Hood. Oh, but you're still barefoot, hahaha!" said Evelyn looking at my feet.
I just smirked. I wondered if I should tell them about what I saw in front of that old house. I decided not to, cos they would probably make fun of me for being such a wuss. I would probably check it out in the morning before school when it's bright, just to satisfy my curiosity as to what that spooky thing was. Most likely a Halloween ghost decoration, I thought.
My friends and I had a blast trick-or-treating that night. I was the only one barefoot in our group, but my feet didn't get too cold. We got tons of candies and other Halloween goodies. We shrieked and giggled as we got spooked by some of the scary decorations and people wearing creepy costumes. Afterwards we spent a little time at Amanda's house as her parents had some treats for us. Then we played games and told spooky stories.
Time flies when you're having fun. It was 9:30. I had stayed longer than I had intended. I had previously told them my mom was coming to pick me up at the street corner. But now I got a little nervous as I was walking out the door for I suddenly realized I had to pass by that spooky old house again. I wished someone, preferably an adult, would walk with me or better yet, drive me home. But I was too embarrassed to tell them I had lied. So I just told myself, everything would be ok. It was just a short distance.
I decided to take a different route though, which was longer since I had to walk around a couple of extra blocks, but I would rather not walk in front of that spooky house with the creepy looking whatever behind the tree at that late hour.
Meanwhile, the night had grown colder, and the wind was still blowing. My bare feet really felt cold now, and I was shivering as I walked briskly home. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk, and didn't look at any of the houses or trees just in case. I wouldn't be able to handle seeing anything spooky again.
I was all alone out there in the dark and cold night. I saw no other people around. Not even a single car drove by. I got creeped out and was really anxious to get into my warm bed, but it was taking me forever to reach home. I felt like crying. So I ran the rest of the way.
It was almost 10 pm when I finally arrived. I breathed a sigh of relief as I climbed the stairs to the front porch. I heard the owl again, but this time I wasn't afraid. I felt like he was welcoming me back home. I smiled, looked towards the trees, and said, "Good night Mr. Owl!" Then I opened the front door, and stepped into safety and comfort.
Mom was sitting in the living room enjoying a cup of hot apple cider that she had made earlier. She was a little shocked to see me shivering.
"Oh my goodness, you had to walk home in the cold? Why didn't you call me? I would have gone pick you up. You should've worn a sweater. And gosh! Your feet are filthy! Why didn't you wear shoes?!" she scolds.
"Oh... uh, I'm ok mom, it's very close by, and it wasn't that cold when I left," was all I could say to defend myself.
"Well, I hope you won't catch yet another cold before it's even winter." She then offered me some of the hot apple cider. Ahh... it felt great as it went down my tummy. "Make sure you wash those feet before you go to bed!" she admonished.
"Ok, mom," I said smiling as I walked into my room.
I hung my costume carefully in the closet, then picked up one of my favorite ghost story books and crawled into bed intending to read at least another short story before going to sleep. After all, Halloween wasn't quite over yet. But I was so tired that I fell asleep after reading just 2 paragraphs. I didn't wash my dirty feet, but luckily mom didn't know.
I didn't wake up early enough the next morning to check out the old house before going to school. So as soon as I got home I changed into my favorite attire (tank-top, shorts, and bare feet) and headed out towards that old house which wasn't too far away. It was a balmy autumn afternoon. The sun was shining brightly and the air was crisp. There's nothing to be afraid of, I told myself.
The house looked old and a bit spooky even in the bright sunny day. The yard was unkept, and colorful leaves blanketed the lawn. There was a dusty old wooden bench with some cobweb in the front porch. I wondered if anyone was actually living there.
I looked around for a Halloween ghost or other decorations but there wasn't any. I saw the big tree but there was no object behind it or hanging from it. Did they take down that ghostly Halloween decoration already? Yes, Halloween was over but many people would usually leave their decorations up for a few more days.
A large raven swooped over the house and perched on one of the tree branches. Then it turned its head toward me and croaked. Suddenly there was a cold breeze, and I was having goosebumps. So I quickly ran back home.
So, what was it I saw the night I went trick-or-treating? If you believe in ghost you'll probably say it was a ghost. Otherwise, you will say it was a spooky Halloween ghost decoration or perhaps my mind and eyes were just playing tricks on me in that misty Halloween night. I guess the truth will remain a mystery.
Have fun trick-or-treating this Halloween, and stay safe!
Check out these other stories:
Grandpa and grandma - read what happened when I wandered off on a school trip and got lost in the woods barefoot.
Mom told us about the faceless ghost - it was a weekend Halloween, and mom wanted to give us a special treat, so she told my little brother and me a spooky ghost story.
by Lynn WL
It was 7 pm Halloween evening, and I just finished my light dinner. A number of little kids had come to our door, and I enjoyed handing out candies to them while admiring their fancy costumes. Now I was ready to go out trick-or-treating myself.
I was supposed to meet my best friend Amanda at her house, which was just 2 blocks away, and then go out together with a couple of other friends. My mom wanted to walk with me there, but I was 12 years old and I thought I was old enough to walk 2 blocks by myself. Besides, we lived in a very safe neighborhood, so I wasn't scared or anything. Or so I thought. So I lied and told my mom that Amanda had gone out with her mom to the store to get some stuff, and they would stop by and pick me up on their way home, and she believed me.
I dressed as Little Red Riding Hood that night. She's often depicted barefoot, so I decided to go barefoot with the costume as I loved going barefoot. My mom was busy in the kitchen when I said goodbye to her. She said my costume was cute but she didn't see my feet. Otherwise, she would have told me to put shoes on. I giggled softly to myself as I stepped out into the front porch feeling a little smug as I had gotten away with being a little rebellious.
It was already dark, and there were no more kids coming. Although there was a full moon, the night was misty and a bit chilly. Suddenly there was a strong wind blowing and I heard a howling sound. I froze. What was that? Could it be a wolf?
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| Barefoot Red Riding Hood - click here for the costume |
So I gathered all my courage and stepped down the porch, and started walking down the road. The ground felt cool on my bare soles. I was second-guessing my decision to go out barefoot. Would it get colder later on? Should I go back and put on shoes? Nah, I had been wearing shoes all day at school. This was my fun time out, I didn't want my feet to be hot and sweaty again. I'd be fine!
Many of the houses on our street were decorated for Halloween. Usually I loved looking at those creepy decorations. But that night it was a little different. The glowing Jack-o-lanterns looked so eerie in the misty and chilly night, and I was having goosebumps again. I didn't see any other trick-or-treaters on the street which I thought was unusual. I knew I started a little late, but I was still expecting to see a few older kids. But I was the only one around, and the street was dark and deserted. Meanwhile the wind kept blowing. I felt like running back home but I kept going as I was already half way there.
As I continued walking I approached an old house with all the lights out. There were no decorations, not even a pumpkin. I figured the people were probably out partying or just didn't celebrate Halloween, and didn't want kids to knock on their door.
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| Halloween ghost decoration - click for more info |
Was it a decoration? A costumed person? Or could it be a... ghost? That thought sent chills down my spine. Even though I was curious, I was scared and didn't really care to find out what that thing was, so I quickly ran past the house.
My heart was beating fast, but soon I heard kids laughing, and saw my friends in the distance as they called out to me. I was greatly relieved.
"We've been waiting for you, Lynn! What took you so long?" asked Amanda.
"Sorry guys, I had to make sure I look my best in my new costume," I replied.
"Hahaha, you're so vain! Hey, you look different this year. You've always gone out as a witch, but tonight you're Red Riding Hood. Oh, but you're still barefoot, hahaha!" said Evelyn looking at my feet.
I just smirked. I wondered if I should tell them about what I saw in front of that old house. I decided not to, cos they would probably make fun of me for being such a wuss. I would probably check it out in the morning before school when it's bright, just to satisfy my curiosity as to what that spooky thing was. Most likely a Halloween ghost decoration, I thought.
My friends and I had a blast trick-or-treating that night. I was the only one barefoot in our group, but my feet didn't get too cold. We got tons of candies and other Halloween goodies. We shrieked and giggled as we got spooked by some of the scary decorations and people wearing creepy costumes. Afterwards we spent a little time at Amanda's house as her parents had some treats for us. Then we played games and told spooky stories.
Time flies when you're having fun. It was 9:30. I had stayed longer than I had intended. I had previously told them my mom was coming to pick me up at the street corner. But now I got a little nervous as I was walking out the door for I suddenly realized I had to pass by that spooky old house again. I wished someone, preferably an adult, would walk with me or better yet, drive me home. But I was too embarrassed to tell them I had lied. So I just told myself, everything would be ok. It was just a short distance.
I decided to take a different route though, which was longer since I had to walk around a couple of extra blocks, but I would rather not walk in front of that spooky house with the creepy looking whatever behind the tree at that late hour.
Meanwhile, the night had grown colder, and the wind was still blowing. My bare feet really felt cold now, and I was shivering as I walked briskly home. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk, and didn't look at any of the houses or trees just in case. I wouldn't be able to handle seeing anything spooky again.
I was all alone out there in the dark and cold night. I saw no other people around. Not even a single car drove by. I got creeped out and was really anxious to get into my warm bed, but it was taking me forever to reach home. I felt like crying. So I ran the rest of the way.
It was almost 10 pm when I finally arrived. I breathed a sigh of relief as I climbed the stairs to the front porch. I heard the owl again, but this time I wasn't afraid. I felt like he was welcoming me back home. I smiled, looked towards the trees, and said, "Good night Mr. Owl!" Then I opened the front door, and stepped into safety and comfort.
Mom was sitting in the living room enjoying a cup of hot apple cider that she had made earlier. She was a little shocked to see me shivering.
"Oh my goodness, you had to walk home in the cold? Why didn't you call me? I would have gone pick you up. You should've worn a sweater. And gosh! Your feet are filthy! Why didn't you wear shoes?!" she scolds.
"Oh... uh, I'm ok mom, it's very close by, and it wasn't that cold when I left," was all I could say to defend myself.
"Well, I hope you won't catch yet another cold before it's even winter." She then offered me some of the hot apple cider. Ahh... it felt great as it went down my tummy. "Make sure you wash those feet before you go to bed!" she admonished.
"Ok, mom," I said smiling as I walked into my room.
I hung my costume carefully in the closet, then picked up one of my favorite ghost story books and crawled into bed intending to read at least another short story before going to sleep. After all, Halloween wasn't quite over yet. But I was so tired that I fell asleep after reading just 2 paragraphs. I didn't wash my dirty feet, but luckily mom didn't know.
I didn't wake up early enough the next morning to check out the old house before going to school. So as soon as I got home I changed into my favorite attire (tank-top, shorts, and bare feet) and headed out towards that old house which wasn't too far away. It was a balmy autumn afternoon. The sun was shining brightly and the air was crisp. There's nothing to be afraid of, I told myself.
The house looked old and a bit spooky even in the bright sunny day. The yard was unkept, and colorful leaves blanketed the lawn. There was a dusty old wooden bench with some cobweb in the front porch. I wondered if anyone was actually living there.
A large raven swooped over the house and perched on one of the tree branches. Then it turned its head toward me and croaked. Suddenly there was a cold breeze, and I was having goosebumps. So I quickly ran back home.
So, what was it I saw the night I went trick-or-treating? If you believe in ghost you'll probably say it was a ghost. Otherwise, you will say it was a spooky Halloween ghost decoration or perhaps my mind and eyes were just playing tricks on me in that misty Halloween night. I guess the truth will remain a mystery.
Have fun trick-or-treating this Halloween, and stay safe!
Check out these other stories:
Grandpa and grandma - read what happened when I wandered off on a school trip and got lost in the woods barefoot.
Mom told us about the faceless ghost - it was a weekend Halloween, and mom wanted to give us a special treat, so she told my little brother and me a spooky ghost story.
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