The Last Night of October

The last Night of October It's that time, again, the last night of October, the last glow of twilight nearly gone. Children race out and about, winding through the streets and alleys. Brightly colored costumes, mom's old wig, dad's old sport coat. All hoping to fill their bags with the prize: Candy bars, bag of licorice, candy corn, pop corn balls, apples, Bit-O-Honey, and Pez dispensed joy. Some, their favorites, to greedily keep their own, others to give to a poor sibling, who stayed home with the mumps. With faces painted, steel themselves, for the gauntlet ahead, the familiar street now somehow strange in the gloom, to walk past hallowed ground, All was quiet, save for the rustling of the leaves. The daylight gone, now cloaked in Stygian darkness.., ahead lie, the old grave yard. Raucous laughter, which echoed only moments before, trailed off into whispered murmurs. All eyes from the once merry band looked now, to their leader, albeit quickly chosen, the tallest, and oldest, and bravest. He too, resolve waning, felt the grip of those things unknown, in the shadowy mist, heart now beating faster, he chides the little ones, for being such silly ninnies. Just now, what was that! What was that sound?!? Was that an owl? Or, maybe Old Man Godfrey, come back from his now disturbed rest! Young sister's hands clasped brother's, tightly, and brother's, impishly taking the clammy worts, decidedly grew, just a bit older, wiser, and braver in kind. Now turning the corner at Elm street, they walked at even pace. With heads bowed low, mid-block, each chanced a glance, only to look away, from the wrought iron gate. Young heads, did now envision mystic spectres, ghouls and fantastic phantoms, with jaws agape, smiling in toothy cheer, bony fingered hands reaching through the heavy bars. Swallowing dryly, daring just one quick glance back, at the narrow lane winding, into the stone covered grounds, dotted with ivy covered trees of willow and oak. Back into the world of the living, back to All Hallow's Eve. -Happy Halloween