Trick Or Treat

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In the O'Briens house a mouse scurried across the wooden floorboards
and darted in and out between legs of furniture . There it made a exit
through a little hole in the skirting board .

All down the walls to the edge of the floor strange shadows danced as
the house lights were dimmed to allow the candlelight to escape through
hollowed out pumpkins with weird faces cut out into them .
Inside there was a candle glowing and from the walls of the room to the
marble fireplace a small army of hollowed out pumpkins were alive with
the flames of candles flickering from inside .
The three O"Brien children were playing hide and seek and waited for
their Dad to come and find them .
Their little voices called from some where in the home .

"You can't find us ."

"Ready or not then here I come "
Mr O'Brien screamed back .

As he left the kitchen Mrs O'Brien said
"While you are finding them I'll set the table ."

Ok then . " said Mr O"Brien .

Mr and Mrs O'Brien liked Halloween .
They enjoyed watching the kids play and seeing them enjoy themselves
.
Mr O'Brien stomped his feet in the hallway and shouted out in his very
best
Children friendly deep scary voice .
"Ready or not then here I come .There's no where to run and no where
you can hide . I'm coming to get you ."

In the kitchen Mrs O'Brien set the table was set for five .
Tumblers with apple juice sat there in front of trays with crackers and
cheese . There was some fruit and peanuts as well as candy apples
.
Even though the O"Briens were poor they always had a Halloween party
.
It had become a custom and most of the neighbourhood kids also went
around the doors dressed up .
Mrs O'Brien had hand made the three outfits . This year the Halloween
outfits were little Bo Peep , A Cowboy and A Witch ."
Mr O'Brien soon rounded up the three kids and as they all sat down at
the table at knock came to the door .
"I'll get it "
Said Mr O'Brien went and opened the front door but there was no one
there .
"That's strange "

He said and closed the door .
When he returned to the kitchen there was no one there either .
"OK come on . Hide and seek is over ."
But not a sound was heard .
"Where are you ? "
Mr O"Brien said in a not so worried father friendly kind of voice
.
After a half hour looking in every room Mr O'Brien was starting to
wonder and worry what was going on and it was obvious now by the tone
of his voice .
"Brian . , Diane , Eileen , Colleen . Where are you ."
His call returned unanswered .
Again and again he screamed out their names .
"My candles gone out ." said a high pitched voice .
Mr O"Brien stood motionless . He was stunned and yet not frightened as
one of the pumpkin heads on the fireplace spoke to him .
"I'm in a tangle please light my candle . "
Mr O'Brien bent over a lit a taper from the open hearth fire and
touched the wick inside the pumpkins head . The pumpkin said .
" Ah that's much better . So then you must be the one who answered the
door then I take it ."
"Yes " came the immediate response and he continued .
"Where are my family."
"Why they're here of course ".
The Pumpkin replied .
"Where ?"Quizzed Mr O'Brien .
'All around us but in they are actually in another place as anti matter
of fact I could say."
"I don't understand ."
"Well let me explain . You opened the door at the very moment in time
when
two separate worlds had crossed in the exact same place in a void
between Halloween and Whisper world ".
"What is whisper world Pumpkin head ?"
Mr O'Brien asked .
"Why that is where you are now of course and somehow I've got to
get
you back to Halloween before its too late ."
"Too late for what ."
"Too late for the balance to be corrected ."
"Balance ?"
"Yes the balance of matter between this dimension here in Whisper World
and your third dimensional world where you live ."
"Am I going mad or what ?" Mr O'Brien asked .
"Why not yet but don't you worry . You'll not be turned into a ghost or
a talking pumpkin just yet . So hurry and do what I say before the
turnips find you're here ."
"What do I do ?"
"Go to the staircase and find the seventh step "
Mr O'Brien rushed towards the staircase .
"You'll need to bring me with you " said the Pumpkin .
He walked over and carried the pumpkin head to the staircase .
As he brushed away the dust from the seventh step the pumpkins head
began to glow very brightly . As the light became intense the staircase
opened up and the pumpkin said
"Quickly lets go "
And into it both went . Down a ladder that seemed to go for miles until
he climbed holding the pumpkin . Finally he arrived at the bottom where
a trapdoor awaited .
"Lets go ." said the pumpkin with a gasp and as he did the candle went
out and all around the darkness scrambled as Mr O'Brien searched
frantically for the box of matches from his pocket . As he opened up
the box he struck a light and at that very moment everything was bright
and back to normal .
There he stood at the door where a group kids said ,
"Trick Or Treat ."
He handed over a couple of coins from his pocket and closed over the
door .
Returning to the kitchen table he sat down ,
"Who was at the door ?"
Mrs O'Brien asked .
"How long was I away from the table ?" came the reply .
"Not long . Who was there ?"
"Oh just a few kids dressed up as green turnips ." said Mr O'Brien who
continued ,
"Do I look all right "
"Sure . Are you feeling ok ? You seem very far away ."
Mrs O'Brien said .
"I'm just a little confused and maybe tired dear ."
"Are we going to go out and knock some doors ?"
"Sure ." replied Mrs O'Brien and the kids all ran out the front door
.
"Why don't you have an early night . I'll clean up and put the kids to
bed ."
Said Mrs O"Brien .
Mr O"Brien stood up and smiled .
Then he went upstairs to the bedroom . On the way he stopped at the
seventh step and sat down for a moment . Then he scratched his head and
made his way up to bed .

THE END