A bold choice

Little Annie was preparing for her first Halloween night, in which she would go around and ask people, “Trick or Treat?”. Her costume for this year’s celebration was Princess Leia’s cosplay. Her mother braided her hair, and she also wore a cloak because she would accompany Annie and her little friends for the night. After some time of preparation, it was time to go out.

“Mom, I’m very excited! Do you think that I will be able to fill my basket with candies?” - Annie asked as they walked.

“Of course, darling, we just have to go around a lot of houses. We have all night for this.”

“You’re right. Let’s go now!”

And so they went out and in the next few minutes the children’s company gathered. There were five children. As they walked the dark streets of Las Vegas, they met countless kids, teenagers, and adults dressed in a variety of costumes. Then they chose their first house - tiny, looked neat, was quite decorated. There were two large shaped pumpkins with lanterns in them that stood on either side of the front door. Toilet paper, gauze, and thread were scattered across the lawn, reaching the canopy of the house, creating a view of cobwebs. And a bottle of fake blood was probably squeezed out of the windows.

Barbara, Annie’s mother, knocked on the door and stepped back, leaving the children ahead. A few seconds passed, and a pretty old woman appeared at the entrance with a large bowl in her hand, full of all sorts of sweets.

“Trick or treat?” - The children asked.

“I’ll choose a treat, sweethearts!” - The old woman replied, handing out a handful of sweets to everyone. - “Happy Halloween!”

“Happy Halloween, ma’am!” - Annie said, and smiled kindly.

They went on and toured a few more houses, each giving them treats. The last house on the street was Mr. Garson’s house. He was known for inviting his guests inside, and the house was called a haunted house. Barbara wasn’t sure if they would visit this house either, but as the children insisted, she agreed.

There was a knock on his door, and almost immediately it creaked open. Mr. Garson showed up and the children asked him, “Trick or treat?”

“I choose treat.” - The gentleman replied. - “Welcome inside, children.”

They entered, and he led them down a long corridor to his backyard.

“Do you see this maze?” - He asked, and the children nodded. - “There’s a bowl of countless treats at the end, bigger than two baskets like yours. There are five entrances, fortunately and you are so numerous. Each of you will go your own way and whoever reaches the end first will win the treats.”

“I’m not sure it’s appropriate, sir. They are just children, I hope it is suitable for them.” - Annie’s mother said.

“Of course, ma’am. It’s all about child safety.” - He answered. - “And now, my dears, stand in your seats and when you see the fireworks, then it starts!”

The children stood in front of their entrances and waited. Each of them held their basket in hand and waited impatiently to see the lights in the sky. There was not a minute that Mr. Garson fired the fireworks and they exploded in the sky. At that moment, the children ran forward. Annie ran, but the turns slowed her, and after one of them, a surprise awaited her. She turned in the next direction, and a clown appeared in front of her, an ordinary clown that everyone’s parents hired for birthdays. But he stood looking at her, and she was a little scared.

“Would you like some candy, little lady?” - The man in the clothes asked in a playful, twisted voice.

“No, my mother taught me not to take anything from strangers!” - She replied.

“I assure you, child, this is one of the most expensive and sweet candies in the world!”

“If you please, Mr. Clown, I have a task!” - Annie said, and he nodded.

“Very well, child, very well. Your first test has passed!”

Then the clown moved away and let her pass. The adventure in the maze was not only profitable, but also instructive. Mr. Garson’s idea was to entertain children, but also to teach them the values of life. He used Halloween as a day for that.

Annie kept moving forward, no longer in a hurry because she didn’t know what to expect from every angle. She stopped in front of two exits - left and right. On the left she saw only darkness, but on the right the road was littered with lanterns. The little child’s intuition led her to the right, and she walked over there. A man disguised as a vampire appeared. He gritted his teeth and the child screamed. The mother heard her and shuddered, but Mr. Garson assured her that nothing bad would happen to the child.

“Good choice, kid.” - Said the vampire.

“I don’t understand, I chose the lighted path. There should be no bad people in the light.” - The girl replied confused.

“That was the point. Always choose the lighted roads, but you must know that evil is lurking around every corner, child. Expect bad things from the good sides of the world!”

“You knew I wasn’t going on the dark road.” - Annie said.

“I won’t let you out of here. You chose the wrong side, darling.”

Annie ran back and returned to the crossroads where she was in a dilemma. She walked down the darkened road, and as she walked a little further it began to light up. Finally, Annie saw three doors, each with an inscription. On the first door was written: “Reward!”. On the second: “Sweets!”. And on the third door it said only: “Be careful!”. She thought. During this time, two more “survivors” in the labyrinth came to her. One rushed to the first door, the second to the next, and those doors never opened again. On the one hand, Annie thought, they must have taken the sweets, but on the other hand, it doesn’t make sense to have two winners and two doors leading to the same place. She stepped timidly forward and opened the third door. The door led her to her mother and Mr. Garson.

“I do not understand.” - Annie said.

“You won, little lady.” - Mr. Garson replied.

“Where are my friends?”

“Right there.” - He pointed to the left, and when she looked she saw them angry that they had lost. - “One lost in the beginning when he took the candy from a stranger. The other lost when he decides to go through the vampire. Only you chose boldly and wisely and that’s why you get all the sweets!”

“I’m proud of you, dove!” - Her mother kissed her. - “Let’s go home now.”