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    When the sun dropped below the city scape, eager 

children began to beg their parents to let them leave, the words 

salivating off their lips. This night, unlike any other night, gives 

permission   to children to approach strangers at the door to their homes 

and ask for a trick or a treat. 

    On one particular street, in your typical suburban 

town, lived a husband and a wife. The husband and wife had 

anxiously awaited their first Halloween in their new home. 

Though the couple did not yet have children of their own, they 

adored youngsters and looked forward to a night of answering the door, 

analyzing costumes covering enthusiastic faces, and passing out the sought 

after treats. 

    Their house was decorated with ghosts hanging 

from the ceiling, ghouls lining the driveway, orange and 

purple lights dancing together on the roof - a silent invitation 

to all children that this was a welcoming, treat-giving, home. 

The two both wore a pair of cheap, plastic fangs and smiled their 

toothy smile as each child greeted them at the door. The husband and 

wife happily gave the children a treat and commented on the various 

costumes. 

   The night grew darker and the children dwindled, until finally, the couple 

turned off their porch light.   The husband and wife savored their time together 

for both knew that soon the husband would be off to work, as he did every 

night - the graveyard shift. The wife was used to being left alone, in their big 

house, with only her dog for company, though she did not like it.  

     The wife made her husband a cup of coffee to keep him awake for his late 

night shift.

     “Thanks,” the husband said graciously.

     “Your welcome,” answered the wife. “Drive safely. Lock the doors when you 

leave. Love you!”

     The wife went back to cleaning the dishes, heard her husband say, “Love 

you. See you in the morning!” and close the heavy door behind him. She heard 

a soft click and let out a sigh of gratitude, as she knew her husband had 

remembered to lock the door. 

    After finishing the dishes, the wife decided to take her dog out before she 

retired to bed. Her dog sniffed around, looking for the best piece of grass in 

which to take care of his business, when suddenly, something caught the 

dog's attention. His head perked up, his ears rose, and then he darted to 

the side yard.

    At first, this occurrence seemed like nothing, as the dog often barked at 

the silliest of noises – a car starting, a child playing – but this was 

somehow different, the dog's growl coming from a different place entirely, 

dark, and low in his chest, as if he were signaling a real and present 

danger. 

    The wife went back into the house and grabbed a heavy flashlight, a tool 

she could use for its light but also as a weapon if necessary. As she ran 

back to the side yard, she saw - absolutely nothing. No disturbance 

whatsoever. The gate was still locked, the planters undistributed, and her 

dog looking at her quizzically with his head cocked to one side.

     The wife shook off the uneasy feeling, chuckled to herself, and led the 

dog back in doors. She started getting ready to go to bed when suddenly 

she realized she had forgotten to check the mail that afternoon. She was 

awaiting a very special package; a birthday present for her husband. She 

did not want her husband to discover the box the next morning for fear 

that this would ruin her gift's surprise. So she concluded that the best thing 

to do would be to head out to the mail box that was just right across the 

street. 

      The wife went downstairs, opened the door, and walked quickly to the 

mail box, her dog tagging along beside her. As her back was turned, a tall 

man covered in shadows crept silently into the home unbeknownst to 

anyone. The wife, knowing she lived in a safe neighborhood, did not even 

consider being worried despite the night's previous disturbance, and 

walked back to her house, delighted that the package had arrived. She 

locked the door, hid the present in the hall closet, and finally got into bed.

      She whispered, “Good night” to her dog who promptly made his way 

under the bed and lay down for the night.

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