It's Halloween! Halloween of 1965, that is. The fall air is cool and crisp, and the fiery colored leaves crunch under her feet. Cowboys, fairies, and witches run about, giddy with laughter. She's dressed as a princess, and her brother as a ghost. Twins are sweet, aren't they? Of course, they're trick-or-treating around the neighborhood and getting their year's supply of candy! Kenny decides to join his friends for a few last laughs. He runs off, with the departing words of, "No girls allowed!". His sister shakes her head and smiles. That's just how 10 year old boys can be.
She visits a few more houses and gets a few more treats, though most lights have gone off and people are heading home. It's dark now, and there's a chill in the air. She decides to head back to her own house, because Kenny should be there soon. To take her mind off of her cold fingers, she turns her thoughts to the candy in her pumpkin bucket. Kenny likes licorice, but she doesn't. Maybe they could trade for all of his chocolates with caramel- her favorite. Just thinking about them makes her mouth water!
She finally reaches the driveway, but after a few steps, she stops. Something's not right. That scary, empty feeling settles in her gut. She brushes it off, and keeps going. It's probably just childish fears creeping in from watching those horror films this past week. She runs in the door, plops down on the floor, and dumps her candy out. "Kenny!", she calls. There's a strange silence about the house and the expected reply from Kenny never came. Her mother comes in the room and asks where he is, but it seems no one can answer that question.
Together, they go outside to look for him. They don't get very far before they hear the commotion, coming from a few blocks away. A little ghost comes running towards them. Her mother gives a relieved sigh, but as he gets closer, they realize it's not the ghost they were looking for. The father, trailing behind his little ghost, is wiping at his eyes. Is he crying? Why would he do that? Halloween is a happy time; the best way to welcome autumn... Right? As they pass, he looks at the princess and her mother with such sadness and sorry eyes. She is so confused, but she knows. She knows something's wrong in the world. Something's out of place in her heart. Something's missing.
Her mother grabs her hand and pulls her faster. They reach the madness, the flashing lights, the accident. There's little boys in hysterics, mothers crying softly and comforting their children, a rusty blue pick up truck, and the body of a child hidden by a circle of paramedics. When they come on to the scene, time slows down. In fact, it seems to stop. The silence is deafening. The words should be left unspoken.
The times that follow were nothing but a blur of tears, pain, a broken family, and a heart left in half. A decade with such an amazing person was just not enough. Life went on, but was never the same. The family vacations were never as fun, pictures brought torrents of tears, dinners were silent, and as for Halloween; Well, it was unheard of.
To this day, the now 56 year old "princess" refuses to celebrate the holiday. She doesn't hand out candy or decorate her house. She doesn't carve pumpkins or even acknowledge that October 31st is different than any other day. To her, it's a painful memory and the day she lost her other half. May he rest in peace - K.C.
*Based on a true story!!!
