The children came to the door every year, without fail.
Each year they would knock on every door down the same Street where they lived and played for years;
The curious thing was that all the other groups of trick-or-treating children came away with their buckets laden with sweets, chocolate and baked goods synonymous with the time of year, but when these children knocked, it was as if the residents who opened the doors didn't even see them.
They would just look ahead as if they really couldn't see the three youngsters at all, they would say.
"Hello, hello?! Who's there? Who is it?!"
The children merely thought it was a trick-or-treat prank on them.
The children could remember a time when they, like the rest of the young people also received treats from the Streets inhabitants, although the memory of it felt like a distant recollection, like that of a long forgotten dream, and even when they spoke about it amongst themselves, none of them could pinpoint the times between the 31st October.
They followed the same pattern every year, but always wondered why Maggie wasn't there with them; she was the ringleader to every escapade and adventure they undertook and went on and for her not to be there on their favourite night of the year was somewhat unfathomable to the other three children who however hard they tried to remember could not seem to recall the last time the four of them had been together.
Maggie had come to dread Halloween, the trick-or-treaters were not an issue (the little ones looked sweet in the little pumpkin and scarecrow costumes, and the older children's costumes and make-up were always so artistic and creative; she really enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the day, it reminded her of good times long ago when her and her friends, Alastair, Janet and Owen used to get as excited as these youngsters were to go from door-to-door çhantng
"trick or treat!"
It was a usual, average Halloween evening in 1978 on the way to Maggie's home, when the accident happened (a drunk driver) claimed he didn't see the two siblings and their neighbour due to it being dark but he still got five years for his crime, a sentence considered by most people at the time woefully short.
It hit Maggie hard, the loneliness and grief that followed that night were soul-destroying and bitter,
Maggie considered it was these dark emotions that may have caused the annual visits, (you can never be sure of exactly what the human psyche is capable of); but she had later come to the conclusion that the visits would have happened anyway.
"Unfinished business!"...
Maggie had come to dread Halloween because every year, at the same time, there would be the familiar knocks on the front door.
The Children talked amongst themselves, excited at the prospect of receiving some tasty snacks, although as Janet pointed out (much to the annoyance of her older brother Alastair)
"We better hurry up and get some treats soon; we ain't got anything yet!"
They came to the last house on the Street, it felt to Owen like Deja Vu as if they had been here many times before, but that was understandable he supposed, but the feeling was strong and creepy.
Alastair knocked three times on the door.
Maggie took a very deep breath, picked up the basket of treats and opened the door.
The children stood there, just as they had so many years before,regular-looking kids in Halloween costumes; a devil, a witch and a Doctor Who Cyberman.
(Maggie couldn't help but give a little smile, Owen was always a Doctor Who nerd!)
"Trick or treat"
The children chanted in unison.
Maggie cleared her throat.
"Wow, great costumes kids! Very creepy!"
The children smiled and laughed happily, relieved and pleased that someone actually acknowledged all their hard work.
"We made them ourselves!" Janet said exuberantly.
"Yes, I know…I was there when you ma..!"
Maggie's sentence trailed off.
"Here you go, take this; you can take the whole thing, it's getting late now, I think you shall be the last for tonight."
She handed the basket to the devil and he took it gratefully.
Thanks, missus, that's great!"
Maggie smiled and said.
"You're welcome; see you next year Alastair!"
She then shut the door hurriedly hiding the tears running down her face.
"How did she know your name, Ali?!"
Janet asked her brother quizzically.
"We live on the same Street stupid; she probably heard someone saying my name at some point!"
Alastair replied playfully, shoving his little sister and then putting his arm around her shoulder.
Oh yeah, I suppose!
Come on, maybe we will meet Maggie on the way back; I wonder where she could have got too?!"
