Trick or treating with the Moodys

Jane and Alexa, needing little excuse to go out trick or treating, had quickly volunteered to take their little cousins, Kate and Xander with them. They were going out for the kids, of course. So of course they had to wear their own costumes and have their own trick of treat bags. They had spent weeks scouting out the best neighborhoods for the event, and had even put the family dog in a lion costume. Alexa was going as Wednesday Addams, and had argued that she needed “kitty kat” to complete the look. Jane had made noises about people who bought animals from the shelter to use as costume props, and Alexa had pointed out that taking the well loved family dog for a walk in a costume was hardly the same thing as adopting a black cat to complete a witch outfit and then dumping it the next day.

Grandma Maude had rolled her eyes at this, but decided it wasn't a battle she wanted to pick.

Alexa had tried to convince her cousins to go as other members of The Addams Family, but Jane pointed out that neither one of them had the figure to be Morticia, and at any rate the littles didn't even get the reference. Jane firmly decided she was going as the statue of Liberty, and that was final.

“This is the best neighborhood,” Jane said as Alexa, Kate and Xander and stepped out of the car. Alexa set “Kitty Kat” down on the ground. The little dog immediately began trying to get out of her costume, but Alexa had put in enough safety pins to make that impossible.

“Hey look,” said Kate, “there's the first house, and their porch light is on. Let's go!”

“Oh wait Kate! Kate no! Kay come back--” but Kate and her brother were already racing up the walk. Alexa sighed.

“What?” Jane asked. “What's wrong with that house?”

“It's the Doodys' house, Jane.”

“Oh dear,” Jane said as she dropped her keys into her purse and picked up her torch.

“Yeah.... I'm not really sure this is a good idea...”

“Why not? We could give them a really good scare.” Jane turned on the torch. Paper flamed leapt out of the prop. She adjusted the state of liberty crown on her forehead. “Or at least, you could. You're dressed like a witch. Sort of.”

“And little Xander went as Satan.... we should be so proud.”

Speaking of the devil, he'd already rang the Doodys' doorbell. Jane and Alexa hurried to catch up, the dog trotting at their heals.

Mrs. Doody opened the door. “Hello?”

“Trick or Treat!” Shouted Kate and Xander, holding out their little plastic pumpkins.

Mrs. Doody blinked. “Er....” she glanced around at the group on her porch. “We don't really celebrate--”

“I'm sorry about that,” Jane said, attempting to be polite. “The porch light was on so the kids thought....”

“Oh, it's that night again, isn't it?” Asked Mrs. Doody, pressing her hands to her temples. She had a headache. Mr. Moody and Mollie came out and joined her. “Why don't you go inside, dear,” Mr. Moody told her. “I'll handle this.”

“Thank you dear,” said Mrs. Doody. “I need to lie down.”

“We left the porch light on for Aunt Grace, who is coming to visit later tonight. We do not celebrate Halloween, but if you wish, we are just starting to have our evening bible study. You could join us--”

Katie's smile was starting to falter. “You.... don't have candy?”

Mollie stared wide eyed at Katie, who was dressed as Queen Elsa (drink!). Her eyes also took in Xander's devil costume and Alexa's “witch” dress. Alexa suddenly wished she had known someone with a black cat who would let her borrow it. It would freak out Mollie Moody even more. She could tell Mr. Moody was a wee bit frightened of their appearance, because a vein in his temple was twitching.

Her whole body froze. She did not want to be on the receiving end of Mr. Moody's anger again.

“Hold on, daddy.” Mollie Moody spoke up. “I have something for them.” She darted into the house.

Jane had been trying to get them out of there quickly and efficiently. Now, however, the only thing to do was wait in the awkward silence. Finally, Mr. Moody said, “Celebrating the devil's birthday, are we?”

“No,” said Xander, thinking Mr. Moody was joking, “my birthday isn't till December.”

Alexa face palmed.

Katie, who was a little older and a little more familiar with religious people's objections to the holiday, spoke up. “We're not celebrating the devil,” she said. “We're just trick or treating.”

Mr. Doody, who had just stared open mouthed at Xander's comment, caught onto this quickly. “Yes, little girl,” he said, “but do you know why you go trick or treating every year?”

“To get candy,” replied Katie.

“Well,” said Jane, “nice seeing you this evening, but I really think we should--”

But just then, Mollie reappeared in the doorway with some home made cookies wrapped in plastic. “These are for you,” she said, dropping 2 cookies each into Xander and Katie's orange plastic pumpkins. “And here's a little reading material, too.” She gave them each a million dollar tract.

“Thank you,” Alexa said to Mollie. And she meant it. It wasn't the 9 year old's fault she was living in a crazy cult family. Her intentions were probably pure, but Mr. Doody was warming up for an anti Halloween sermon. “That was a very nice gesture. And now we really need to get going.”

“Yes,” Jane said, “lots of houses to hit. Thank you for the offer of bible study but, uh, our parents told us not to enter anyone's houses.”

“Yes,” said Alexa. “Even grown women must obey their parents, eh Mr. Doody?” She had already put an arm around Katie and was steering her toward the porch steps.

“Just a moment, girls. I have to ask you something.”

Jane grabbed Xander's arm. “Come on,” she told him firmly. She smiled at Mollie and thanked her for the cookies.

“Girls, do you see yourselves as good people?” Mr. Doody called after them.

Jane and Xander kept going, but Alexa turned around and said, “No, Mr. Moody. I'm a witch. I'm as evil as they come. And if you don't leave us alone, I'll put a spell on you.”

Mr. Doody's mouth dropped open. She and Jane hurried the children from the porch.

That night, Mr. Doody led the family in a 2 hour long bible study wherein he ranted against the evils of Halloween, and prayed for Alexa's soul to be freed from the spirit which had obviously possessed it. “I have seen her eyes,” he said. “There was evil in her eyes!”

Mollie Doody doubted this. She had seen nothing but compassion and gratefulness in Alexa's eyes, but she dismissed the doubts immediately. Her father had said Alexa had the devil in her, and her father was always right. Mollie decided to say a special prayer for Alexa in her room at night just before bed.

The next morning, the Moody family woke up early, as was their custom. At first they thought they were seeing snow, but then they realized their trees had been strewn with toilet paper.

Mitch smelled something weird outside, and discovered, to his horror, that their house had been egged. He ran to tell father, who shook his head and put an arm around his son. “Truly, the devil was out to get us tonight. We will have to pray a hedge of protection around the house.”

Mitch shuddered, glad he had his father there to protect him from the evils of the outside world.