"Trick Or Treat!" by Natalie Del Carlo

 Lily has been waiting to go trick or treating, it seems since forever. Her mom has always cooped her inside during Halloween telling her daughter that trick or treating was dangerous and not safe for little children like her. Reminding her daughter to never accept candy from strangers whether it was Halloween or not. So every Halloween she would stare out the window and watch all the kids pass her window in cool costumes, and race to all of the houses around here to get lots and lots of candy, with smiles on their faces. Until her mother changed her mind on her ninth Halloween or at least she thought so. 

 Kristy was knocking softly on the wooden door, “Lily, do you need help?¨

“No,” Lily yelled, as the door flew open and she twirled out of the bedroom inelegantly in her Cinderella costume, and with two messy brown pigtails. She stumbled and caught herself with her hands before she could faceplant in the carpet, and turned to her mother with big brown eyes and a beaming smile, “Mommy isn't I pretty, I'm pretty aren't I?”

Her mother drew her into her arms for a big hug, “Of course you are my sweet girl,” and sighed “We should probably do something about that mop.” Lilly giggled as her mother led her to the bathroom and set her on the counter. She opened a drawer and took out a princess brush and a pink scrunchie, after a bit of yelping in pain her mother told her to look in the mirror. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw a pretty little girl in a Cinderella costume and perfect bun. She gasped, “Mommy I'm pretty!” she leaped into her mother's arms “Thank you, thank you, thank you, mommy!” Her mom laughed a soft quiet laugh and set her daughter down. She crossed her arms and said, “Who is ready to go trick or treating?” 

“Me, me, me,” she said in excitement while jumping up and down. 

She chased her mother into the garage as she watched her mother grab and give her Cinderella trick or treat bag to her. She swung the blue Cinderella bag back and forth in joy and accidentally hit her mother in the leg with her bag. Her mother crossed her arms and gave her a soft stern look “now watch where you are swinging that bag, young lady, or I will have to take it.” 

“Yes, I'm sorry mommy.”

Her mother gave her a sweet smile “Race you outside,” she challenged and ran off. Lily raced after her, and took the lead, being the first one to get to the driveway she jumped up and said “I win, ha I beat you!” she bragged to her mother. Her mother just patted her head softly and nodded with an adoring smile. “Are you ready for the best night ever?” her mother asked her daughter Lily “of course, of course, I'm ready mommy!”

“If you say so, into the car,” her mother said with a hint of mystery. 

As they both got into the car and buckled up, She started pulling out of the driveway, and after a couple minutes of driving, she parked in a parking lot with not many cars. Lily got out of the car and looked around at the big, kinda fancy, beige building in front of them. “Mommy are we going inside of there?”She pointed at the building. She nodded  “Yeah we are”

Lily tilted her head observing the outside of the building, and asked her mother “What place is this mommy? Where are there Halloween decorations?” 

She announced with proud confidence “This is the Columbia ridge senior living.” She watched as her daughter's jaw slowly dropped to the floor, “t-t-the senior living? Like old people? Mommy you can't be serious!” she whined and stomped her foot on the road. “Now Lily I need you to quit the whining and just be good and respectful tonight,” she said softly.

Lily looked at her in disbelief “b-but I thought we were going trick or treating?” She cried out to her mother. Her mother took her hands into hers “Lily, we are going to have fun trust me.” she said in a sincere tone. “Fine” she muttered to her mother, still disappointed for thinking that her mother would ever let her have a normal Halloween night. 

They walked into the building hand in hand, while with the other hand she held her trick or treat bag. Wondering why she still had it, it wasn't like she was gonna need it anymore. When they entered the building at the main entrance. There was a big circle of about ten elders sitting in chairs and holding bowls filled with candy. My mother whispered into my ear “nobody really comes here, and it would make them very happy if you went and trick or treated here” I nodded understanding what she meant, I don't know any people who would rather go to an elderly home over trick or treating the neighborhood. I slowly walked over to the first elderly in the partial circle. He was a thin old man with gray hair and blue eyes. I quietly said “Trick or treat.”

Ḧe gave me a genuine smile that seemed to light up his whole face. “Take how many you like,” he said. I took a fun size kit kat and reeses, and moved on to the next, and next until I went through all of them. Each one gave me a kind smile. I walked back to where my mom was smiling, not having to force the big smile on my face. “Sweetheart, you made their day.”She said proudly, “I'm proud of you.”

I wrapped my arms around her “Thanks mom” Then she led me to a room full of elders playing games like bingo and tossing balls in cups full of fruit punch, and the winners earning candy bars. 

“Ready to play some games?” her mother asked.

Lily smiled and shook her head ”I'm ready to beat you.” she teased her mother.