Christopher’s First Halloween
Christopher looked out the window at the trick-or-treaters passing his house and beamed, anticipating being able to go out this year as well. He was four and three quarters years old, finally old enough for his mother to trust him to be alright with his older brother Richard as an escort. Looking through the eye holes in his ghost costume he wondered what it would be like going from house to house and seeing all of the neighbors dressed up. Maybe he would run into one of his friends and they could run around together making scary noises and collecting candy. There were so many possibilities for the holiday and he didn’t know where to go first. It would be his first year.
“Alright, sweaty, are you going to be alright?” his mother fretted, bending over her son to adjust the ghost costume. “Remember that none of the monsters are real, okay? It’s all just other children in costume.”
“I know mom.” Christopher replied, the wine in his voice not a reaction to her concern, but his desire to get going. He only had two hours before his bedtime and there was so much he had to do. “I’m not a baby.”
“I know.” She sighed, letting out her worries so she wouldn’t pile them on her small son. “Richard! Are you ready yet?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Richard was in his mid-teens and was dressed as a poorly put together werewolf with a costume store mask pushed back over his head like a hat. “Why can’t you take him trick-or-whatever? I was going to hang out with my friends.”
“You can spend time with your little friends anytime.” His mother scolded. “Chris is your only brother and you should spend some time with him, even if it’s just on holidays. I have to be here to pass out candy to the other children.”
“fine.” Richard grumbled, pulling the mask over his face and wrinkling his nose at the smell. “Come on twerp. You’d better be fast so I can have time with the guys.”
“Okay!” Christopher didn’t care what his brother said; he was just so excited to be going trick-or-treating. He loved Halloween and after making decorations in pre-school for a week he was almost out of his mind with excitement. Grabbing Richard’s hand he pulled him out of the door, running toward the next door neighbor’s house.
“Hey, Rick!” a boy with bandages wrapped around his face and hands like a mummy called from across the street. It was nearing eight o’clock and Richard was pissed that it was taking so long to bring his brother around the neighborhood. It was Charlie who was calling him. “Dude, I thought you were going to Brian’s tonight.”
“Got to watch the brat.” He groaned, gesturing to the little ghost who was running up to the door of the next house. Charlie crossed the street to talk with his friend.
“Too bad man.” Charlie grinned through the bandages. “He’s got the good stuff this time. You’re missing out.”
“damn.” Richard kicked a jack-o-lantern off of the curb and into an oncoming car which laid on the horn as the pumpkin bounced off of the wheel. “He gonna have some tomorrow?”
“You kidding me?” Charlie laughed. “The party’s going down now man. And there’s going to be a few college chicks there. You can’t miss this one, Rick.”
“yeah.” He watched Christopher come running back to him. “I’ll be there. Just give me a minute.”
“Sure man.” Charlie retreated back to the other side of the street, kicking the mangled jack-o-lantern as he went and sending it spinning into a group of fairy princesses.
