A Bump in the Night

Nathan wished he'd brought a heavier coat. His mom had told him to bring his sweatshirt, one she had bought specifically so the fur on the inside could keep him warm, but he had waved off her worry with a, "It won't be that cold, Mom. I'll just bring my vest.".

It turns out a vest provides very little warmth on a night like this, where the temperature is decreasing as the weather nears winter. Thankfully, if he did end up needing help, he had a load of people nearby. People who were smiling at him, patting his arm with a friendly hello as they gently moved him to go by, and people dropping pieces of candy into his pumpkin when he knocked on their doors.

Nathan huffed as he left a house that had given him a toothbrush for a treat, and watched as his breath swirled in the air, disappearing out of sight. He rubbed his hands together, blowing hot air into the cavern he'd made.

He hadn't paid enough attention, it seemed, as his face impacted with a warm chest, and he backed up quickly, surprised by the sudden force. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, but when he glanced up to the other person's face, their expression reflected confusion.

"Um...jeez, I must really be losing it. What the heck did I bump into?" the man whispered, his head whipping back and forth as he searched for the 'blockage'. Nathan watched him with as much confusion.

"Hello, sir. I'm right here!" Nathan announced, a little miffed at the obvious dismissal. The man wasn't serious, was he? While the man still looked around, befuddled, Nathan's impatience was rising, and finally, he huffed, kicking the man in the leg. "I'm right here, sir!" he said, demanding attention from the man in front of him.

The man recoiled, his eyes wide. "Ow!" he shouted, his hands rubbing his shin where Nathan had kicked. "Damn, who's there!?" he shouted, and Nathan could hear the worry in his voice, the fear. Nathan backed off, worried now. He honestly can't see me? What if I...

Nathan moved to the nearest pumpkin, and picked it up, hearing the man's breath hitch behind him as he moved to stand in front of the man again, the pumpkin in his cupped hands. The man began stepping backward, whimpering. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" was being muttered quietly, as far as Nathan could hear.

Sighing, he set the pumpkin back down on the porch, and grabbed a piece of candy from the bowl out front, running back to the man excitedly, taking the man's hand and setting the piece on his palm, closing his fingers around it.

"Happy Halloween!" Nathan shouted as he left, laughing. His laughter abruptly stopped when he heard a small reply.

"Happy Halloween...ghost?"

His laugh rang out in the dark streets, light and joyful.