Halloween

• Kiera North, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2009

It was Halloween in Paris and everything was quiet except for the howling wind and the very few children joyfully shouting ‘Trick or Treat’. Daniel and Edna Jackson were walking on Bellmore Avenue with a few of their friends.
“Edna, let’s try that house,” Daniel suggested pointing towards a shabby shack.
“Yeah, okay, “she replied; shrugging her shoulders.
Daniel and Edna quietly tiptoed away from their group of friends and climbed the three concrete steps that led to the shack. Edna held out her fully gloved hand and knocked loudly on the battered door. A light hanging above their heads began to flicker and swing. Very slowly, the door creaked open and a gust of wind blew Edna and Daniel backwards. Edna grabbed Daniel’s long black cape as he started to run.
Edna stepped inside peering around the corner. She pulled Daniel along and walked down the very narrow corridor. A faint green light lit up a black door. Edna shook her head and reached for the round handle on the door. She slowly twisted the handle and gave the door a slight push. The hinges made an eerie creaking sound as the door swung open.
Edna pulled Daniel in and wrapped her arm around his waist. The room was dark with white silky cobwebs in each corner. A broken window was covered by a torn grey curtain. A giant wind storm brewed and nearly lifted Daniel and Edna off their feet.
Edna turned to face the creaking door as it slammed ever so loudly. She felt Daniel shake as he clung to her. Daniel sat on the floor and opened up a candy he had got from his friends. As he popped it into his mouth a swirling vortex of different colours whisked him up. Edna jumped in without thinking and she too was gone.
“Daniel, are you here?” Edna asked, her voice echoed faintly.
“Edna, what happened?” Daniel asked, rubbing his head.
“I’m not sure but we’re in some strange tunnel.” She replied as she rummaged for a torch.
Edna shone her torch down the tunnel and saw a little girl very much like her sister. She ran towards her to find that it was her 5 year old sister Grace. She scooped her up into her arms and walked to the exit of the tunnel. Edna recognised the street straight away and ran straight to their house.
Daniel, Edna and Grace all walked into their house to find their mother sobbing on the lounge. In her hand was a picture of her three children.
“Mummy,” Grace yelled running towards her with her arms spread apart.
Their mother was speechless. She wrapped her arms around Grace and sobbed even more.
Daniel and Edna walked over to Grace and their mother and sat down beside them.
“Mum, can we explain?” Edna asked.
“Darling, don’t worry about it.” Their mother replied.
Their dad gave them all a hot drink then put them to bed after a big hug.