brothers.

40~ A Haunting Face

"Three for Spider-Man, three for Mr. Cupcake, three for Barbie, and three for Carrie. Happy Halloween!" The candies all dropped into each person's bags with a rustle.

"What do you say?" Thelma said to the two kids she was watching.

"Thank you!" they both said, beaming at the homeowner with smiles.

"You're welcome." The woman smiled back. "Have a good night!" She closed the door as we left her porch.

"Did I already tell you that I love your costume?" Thelma told me as we walked back onto the crowded street. She tipped back her cowgirl hat.

"Yes, like a thousand times," I chuckled.

When I attended Summit, I had many names. But one of them fit today's theme quite well, and gave me a good costume idea than this morning's.

After school, Susan took me to a costume store nearby. I bought a simple, light pink dress, a toy princess tiara, and red paint to pour over me. It was uncomfortable and sticky at first, but it eventually dried and became part of the costume. Susan even helped put on smudged mascara to make it look like I'd been crying.

We went up to the next house, our candy bags growing full. We would go to about four more houses before heading home in time for my curfew. The house was a small, green one, looking sort of decrepit. It seemed... haunted. The homeowners probably went out of their way to make their house look spooky.

Thelma knocked on the wooden door, the paint peeling off. "Trick or treat!" we all said.

The door opened a few seconds later. When I saw the homeowner, I really started feeling the Halloween spirit.

Oh, my God...

There was no way. No way. I had to be dreaming. No. No way. This couldn't be happening.

His face was burned into my memory. This was definitely him. He was supposed to be in jail. How was he here? How did he end up so close to me?

We were standing here, face to face, 12 years later. My past came back to haunt me.

He scratched his potbelly, which somehow got even bigger. He wore a tattered wifebeater and his beard had grown. He forced a smile and sifted through a bowl of cheap candy, giving each of us two pieces.

Not wanting to be obvious, I held out my hand for my share, keeping my gaze down. I couldn't risk him recognizing me. I put the candy in my pocket instead of my bag.

"Happy Halloween." He smiled at us.

"Thank you!" the kids said along with Thelma.

Before he closed the door, he hesitated and looked at me. My stomach jumped and I kept looking at my shoes.

"Hey, you... Carrie."

I stopped. Slowly, I turned around, glancing up at him.

He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. "Have we met before?"

No way does he recognize me. No way. "N-no, sir, I don't think so," I said, feeling myself shaking.

"You sure? I feel like I know you."

"No."

He stared at me for what seemed like forever. It was like my nightmare was coming true. Maybe it was.

Thelma glanced between us, sensing the situation. "Happy Halloween, sir." She led the kids away. He slowly closed the door, his eyes never leaving me.

I ran down the steps and speed-walked down the sidewalk. Thelma followed as fast as she could, coaxing the kids to hurry. When we were far enough, I finally started breathing.