Hollow...teen

                      The fat moon was sparkling up there in the pitch dark sky and not a single creature was ready to share a squeak or a hiss...

I was gazing over the old factory, passing the yellowish trees, the sandy playground -empty now -, running down the road towards the river, floating through the smoke-our neighbours were ready to burn the leaves-far away from here...An icy breeze touched my ear and hit the window. Silence again. 

I looked back, tried to remember if I had locked the entrance door, but then I heard Aky pawing the outer handle so I knew I was safely locked from the inside.I was just too afraid to move.

"What was that?" I couldn't help wondering again."I have only heard it once, but it was powerful, still not clear enough, like a scream immediately leashed into the void."Why did I even try to come here?This stupid nostalgia of mine for the childhood places trapped me ! My fear trapped me here!" I couldn't even light the stove to boil some water, drink a hot tea and let it flow through my veins;I was gripping the metal window sill waiting for the orgy replica, but I could only hear my dog scratching the door. 

                    Twenty minutes into the night and I was dozzing in the kitchen chair when it finally happened: the screamy wind had a slight shape of a voice, or two, or ten...there were voices, maybe whispers, words I couldn't make anything of. I stood up, opened the window, let the cold autumn air fill the room and tried to catch those distant mumblings. For a moment I thought I could hear something like "tea" but why would they have asked for tea, who would  do that on a deserted street and why ask for that aloud?

                  I ran into the corridor and pressed my chest to  the front door, I could hear my heart knocking and as a reply I heard Aky again trying to hit the handle and open the door. "Why didn't I let him come inside? I could have had an ally, now I need to take the fight alone" 

So there I was, statued to my feet listening to the mumbling voices aproaching, rewinding my life and cursing this swishing of the world, the tremble of my still voice.

They were close to the gate, now I could hear them "teeing" or something, pushing the gate, Aky running around, barking, "teee" and "teet" louder and louder, Aky was restless enough to hit the door, scratch and howl for me, the voices were too loud so I froze there palms on my ears hoping for a miracle. Then I could see a hudge shadow just through the door glass and the next second my heart stopped...The door opened: more than five smiling faces jumped on me, hugged me and yelled:

                                       "Trick or treat!"

When I felt Aky licking my palm I could actually cope with the terror and come to my senses.Then I saw my father smiling and handing the children a few candies.

" I imagined you might be here", my father said, " Long time no see, but still don't you know we are also part of this world?Small as it might be,this town has been lit with pumpkins, children started running around town dressed in vampires, we are catching up, my dear"

It was true, everything was changed, but celebrating Halloween was not something on my hometown to do list. 

                So I took my father 's hand and I walked down the road, gazing over the old factory, above the yellowish trees, not looking back...