Halloween Never After

I have this Idea for a novel or novella I am about to write about. I hope to get some good constructive criticism

Today is the day

Looking at my dark skeleton outfit on my closet door I prepare for my first ever Halloween with my little brother, he is not that old and not that young for me to constantly keep an eye on him.

Looking at the mirror one last time - “This time I will get two of my buckets filled”.

“Joram, It is time”, mom yelled,

“Be right down”

***Downstairs***

“Well look at you dear still wearing the same outfit, don’t you like the new one that I bought for you?

“The last ones that you bought me gave me bad luck for two years, this gave me the best results two years ago”

“Well if you insist on that”.

“How about you little Johnny are you ready?” mom gave her cute pampering face again.

“Mom we have to go” I protested

You are in a rush my boy, off you two go then, remember the rules mom raised her index finger

“Don’t stay pass Eleven”. She gave her good ol smile of

“Ok off you go then”.

Mom can be this supportive child like person, I find her weird but she does her best to support us.

We went on for three blocks before heading for out first house, this one has 4 kids already heading towards the door

“Come on! we have to get there first”, I commanded.

“Trick or Treat!”, They all said in Unison

No answer…

“Trick or Treat!” all much louder

No answer…

As everyone is about to give up, the door unlocked revealing a sack of candies.

“Sorry girls and boys, just had to bring this all the way from the kitchen.”

Mr. Roched is a kind hearted fellow, ever since his last wife died 6 years ago he has been using the last of his money to do good for the community. He even gave my mom a huge tip to pay for our water and electric bill for 2 years.

When he finally got to me. “Oh, just the boy I have been waiting for, got something reserved for you fella”, he got a a red drawstring sack that could fill in the both my buckets and my brother’s and still have enough for one more.

Oh wow this… I paused, Is too much.

Isn’t this what you wanted?

Yeah but…

Having no possible answer to this I accepted, but hold up, I remember bringing my brother.

Ahhh… “I have my brother here and it is his first Halloween trick or treat”

“I see

“So can we come back to this later?”

He scratched his cleanly shaved wrinkly old skin then nodded

“You are the best sir!”

How come we didn’t go for the candy then? my brother asked.

Well you see you wouldn’t understand… You don’t like that old man?

no that is not it matter a fact I like him a lot. do you remember your old lego toys?

yeah

well guess what

what?

He was the one that gave them to you

Really?

you wouldn’t remember you where way too young then

We went past every house that is in a 10 block radius and got a quarter of my bucket full. I gave Johnny some to the point of being half full of his bucket, He had to speak out too I reasoned. Then he started to take notice of something that I didn’t want to talk about that night.

Why do they say that to you?

Say what?

You know…

You know nothing.

He became silent for a while, and I feel sorry for making him that way, But it was for the best I guess.

They say you are too old for this…

I know…

Then why do you still do this?

For you of course.

Being the naïve boy Johnny is he accepted, but deep down that is not the true answer.

The last block for tonight, just 10 minutes before eleven, how the bucket going?

Johnny gave a thumbs up and I smiled in return.

Trick or Treat! we said in unison

Out came Mrs. Cuddles, another old fellow that syphilizes for the people of our little town.

Joram dear, It felt like ages since we met

That’s funny I thought we get met 2 days ago.

was it? I was thinking of the first time you were trick or treating, you have grown. Well a little to much I guess.

Joram took notice of her mockery, she may be a nice fellow but not as kind as Mr. Roched.

“I’m cool with it…

can’t you be the one that gives out candy?

I have my brother to watch, I excused.

She took a long sincere pause, How old are you already?

Doesn’t matter ok?

again she paused.

Look, I said frustratingly, we came here to have fun, not talk about our past!

I never asked about your past” she remarked

…

Joram, Johnny whispered, we promised Mr. Roched that we would pick up our candy.

I was starting to get teary eyed then stopped with his innocent and sincere remark.

I know, sorry Johnny… and sorry Mrs. Cuddles I didn’t mean to get up set.

I am sorry for poking you around, well here you go Lads, she gave hand for each of us.

We walked down the street back towards our place passing by Mr. Roched place before heading straight home, Johnny is quite usually but this is a little too quite. We got home a little pass eleven where mom was waiting for us.

Didn’t I tell you to come by eleven?

“Sorry mom got a little carried away, but look at we got”

Her eyes grew in amazement with such a loot.

Looks like you got what you have always been asking for.

Yeah pretty much…”

We had out short conversations about tooth decay and and what not; just the same old thing over and over again… when will this end?

Me and my brother went up, I got to his room to tuck him in.

“Why were you mad when she asked about your age?

I wasn’t

But you yelled at her.

I wasn’t… I… you wouldn’t understand.

Tell me please, I like stories

You would not like this one.

I would, promise”

…

“Goodnight Johnny…”

I reach for the door but got hesitant to truly go out, what was the point anyway? Like all the rest they-…

I sat down at the end of his bed where he scooted towards me in delight.

Once upon a time there was a man that loved a woman so much that he vowed his entire life for her, he would conquer lands and go to the extreme to get the best out of the lands, boars the size of elephant calf, crocodiles of the Nile boas of the forest gold of the new world was given. all to appease her, and in turn she responded to his advances. All should have been a happily ever after but on the day that is now currently named Halloween change all of this. On her day of her labor, she grew ill very ill, an oracle came to our aid, she mentioned about a certain plant in the new world that could cure her. But before he headed for the new world she gave him a potion and aske him to perform a ritual before departure. On the way the winds where treacherous his ships were destroyed only a handful of his crew lived. On the shores they where met by an old woman with a few tribal men. You have come a long way Chief of the East, she said. Immediately he asked of the herb giving her the details of the plant. “I know of no plant, Chief of the East”. The King persisted on knowing of the location of the plant,” You are troubled Chief and I sense a great evil within you”. The king grew impatient and threatened to take her head and hold captive all of his men, the wise woman being aware of the reality of the situation, “You and what army” she quipped. Not long after they came to an agreement, comprising of the wise woman putting the King in her ritual chamber for some cleaning of bad spirits that he may have picked up along the way.

The Ritual was long, very long. The old woman passed out several times but she persisted to know more of the King’s situation, she came to a conclusion that he was cursed , but how could this be he asked, the journey that you have taken should have killed you, but your will to succeed surpassed your cursed fate said the wise woman. The king did not believe what he was hearing why would he be cursed? Not long after this he demanded answers he made it clear that he would return to his home land for answers but he thought of the plant he continued forward in search of the plant. but with no luck soon after the wise old woman died and was succeed by a male Shaman, to which the king asked guidance not years passed and this shaman came of age and went to the next but the king persisted. Centuries passed but nothing no plant. His will to continue started to dwindle.

“That is it? Johnny said unsatisfied

"That is all for tonight.

Wait but what happed to him?”

"Legends says that he still wonders further west till this day.

“Wow! so he will never stop then huh?”

" He never will”

“I wish I was as strong willed as he is”

A warm smile started to creep on Joram’s face, “You will my son”.