Halloween Curse
Cree…eeeaa…creeaaakkk. The door slowly, noisily swished back and forth. Cree…creak. It continued moving. It opened partway…halfway – just a glimpse is revealed of the musty room. Dust coated the chandeliers, hanging off their arms like spiders weaving their webs. One couldn’t move in the room without sneezing from the massive dust mites. It was strange, then, that someone sat in the big armchair. Creeaaa…creak. The door continued to swing noisily.
BAM! The person looked up in annoyance at the door. “Oh, would you stop it?” She asked, crabbily.
“But I’m not doing anything, Melinda.” The slightly white ghost giggled, pushing the door as he looked upon the knob. “The wind is catching the door.”
“What wind?” She tossed her book up, watching as it hung in mid-air. “You might not be touching anything, but we both know that you can move the door.” She grabbed her book and sighed, “Please, Charlie, the noise is killing my ears.”
“Killing?” Charlie popped up in front of Melinda, waving his arms in agitation. “Killing?! Could you possibly be any ruder?”
Melinda giggled, placing her hand over her mouth. “I’m terribly sorry, Charlie. It slipped out of my mouth. Now then, could you please stop the noise? I’m trying to ignore the day.”
“But..but it’s a lovely day. It’s Halloween! We’ve got jack-o-lanterns to create and people to scare!” He drifted around the room. “I love Halloween.”
Melinda watched the ghostly vapor. Charlie got so excited about Halloween, even though none could see him besides her. She hated to disappoint him; he never remembered that at dusk, he would disappear. Nodding determinedly, she stood. “You are quite right, Charlie. It is time to get ready. Who should I go as?”
“An adventurer! You could take a Tesla with you. I have just the outfit. Come on!” Charlie quickly flew away, pulling Melinda with him. “Oh, and this year, you have to do the drippy goo hanging from the walls. And…”
Melinda tuned him out; following, but not paying attention. Staring towards the door, she sighed. No one would come through. There would be no Halloween party. No dressing up, no candy, no dripping goo hanging from the walls. There would only be time – lost time. Can anyone hear me? Melinda thought. Can anyone see us? Shaking her head, she headed back downstairs, knowing what Charlie never realised.
The clock in the hall began chiming. The Halloween curse continued.
Bong. Bong. Bong. Bong. Bong. Bong. Bong. Seven times. Seven in the evening. Dusk on Halloween. The world stops… shimmers… and the day began again.
Creak. Creeaaakkk. And a giggle.