A Spooky Night in Town

by ljlover

***

October 31^st had finally arrived and for the Cartwright family, this meant one day when they didn’t have to tussle with the youngest member of the family, in order to get him out of bed. Little Joe was still new to the routine of being up early enough, in order to make the ride into town, in time for the start of school. He was only six years old, and it was still not that long ago since he’d lost his mother in a tragic riding accident. Not only had this resulted in the little boy missing his mother, but it had made him even more clingy towards the rest of the family. At first, Joe had been very reluctant to attend school, but he was finding it easier, what with having his big brother Hoss, still there. And his two closest friends, Mitch and Sara, were also pupils, and so he was, slowly, adjusting to the idea. However, he still wasn’t good at waking up in the mornings and it usually took the combined efforts of all of the household to get him up, dressed, fed and ready to leave on time.

But today was different, as it was Halloween. Adam had promised to take them trick or treating after school, so this morning saw Little Joe sat at the table at the same time as his older brothers.

“This is a lovely surprise,” commented Ben. “All three of my boys eating breakfast together.”

Joe was stuffing scrambled eggs into his mouth, like his life depended on it, and looked up at this remark, saying, “Want the day to go fast,” although Ben wasn’t completely sure what he said, as the little boy had a mouthful of egg at the time.

“Slow down, Little Joe,” admonished Ben. “You cannot possibly be enjoying that food at the rate you are eating it. And please don’t speak with your mouth full.”

“No, please don’t,” added Adam, who was sitting opposite his baby brother, and had been liberally sprayed with partly chewed scrambled egg, when his little brother answered their father.

“Sorry, Adam,” said Joe, when he realised what he’d done. He wanted to keep his big brother on side, seeing as how their father said they could only go trick or treating if Adam was with them.

“Apology accepted,” replied Adam, smiling at Little Joe. There were times when Adam could get quite exasperated by his little brother’s antics, but mostly, the three boys got on very well, despite the large age gap between each of them, and the fact they all had different mothers. However, the one constant in all of their lives, their father, Ben, was raising them to be a close-knit family. He would often say there were enough enemies at the door, without fighting amongst themselves.

No sooner had Little Joe cleared his plate of food, he was down from the table and heading across the main room to the front door.

“Hold your horses, young man,” commanded Ben.

“I’s not on a horse, yet, Papa,” replied Joe, scratching his head.

Ben tried not to laugh at his son’s misunderstanding of his words, and struggled to keep a stern expression on his face.

“First of all, you haven’t finished your milk.”

“Aww, I don’t want no more,” whined Joe, interrupting his father.

“And secondly,” went on Ben, choosing to ignore the interruption, “You did not ask permission to leave the table. So, place your backside on your chair, before Papa has to give you a reminder as to what bad manners leads you to.”

Joe completed the journey back to his chair, with his two hands protecting his bottom, and swiftly sat down, again. He picked up his glass of milk and rather noisily drank the rest of it, and then looked up at his father, with the most angelic, but milky smile, lighting up his face.

“Please may I leave the table, Papa? I gots ta get to school so’s me and Sara and Mitch can plan our tricks for tonight.”

“You may leave the table, but please remember what I said. You only play a trick if you don’t get any candy, and Adam must agree with whatever you decide to do. I don’t want anybody knocking at my door with bills for damages to their homes. This is supposed to be a bit of fun; nothing more, okay?”

The little boy appeared to be taking in everything his father said to him, and nodded his head, in agreement. “Okay, Papa.”

“I will come and meet you at the sheriff’s office at 4 o’clock,” said Adam. “So, wait there for me.”

“We will,” affirmed Hoss. “And thanks for saying you’ll come with us, Adam.” Hoss knew that his older brother felt he was a bit too old for trick or treating, but Ben would not allow the younger boys to go wandering around, after dark, on their own, so he was grateful Adam had agreed.

Once the two younger boys had left the room, Ben looked over at Adam and said, “I know you don’t really want to go trick or treating with them, but I am glad you agreed to it.”

“Well, I didn’t really have a lot of choice, did I, Pa? You just used your ace card and reminded me how much the boys are going to miss me when I go to college and that by doing this, I am leaving them with happy memories of me. I could hardly refuse, then, could I?”

Ben just smiled at his boy, knowing that even though Adam didn’t want to admit it, he was looking forward to the evening with his younger brothers.

Hoss and Little Joe were soon on their way to school, riding on Shadow, Hoss’s pony.

Little Joe was so excited, it was a wonder that he managed to stay out of trouble all day, at school. All he could think about was the fun he was going to have, trick or treating with his two best friends from school, Mitch and Sara, and his big brothers.

Several times, throughout the day, Miss Jones, the children’s teacher, had to call for quiet, as Joe and his friends weren’t the only ones excited about Halloween.  Eventually, Miss Jones had to concede defeat, and she began telling the children a bit more about the origins of the Halloween traditions. This kept their attention more than when she had been trying to explain fractions to the older ones and getting the younger ones to read to themselves.

“Halloween, or Samhain, as it was originally called, was a festival to celebrate the end of summer and the safe gathering in of the harvest,” explained Miss Jones. “People dressed up in scary costumes to chase the ghosts away. They were worried that mischievous spirits would come out on this night and spoil their crops so they dressed up to chase the spirits away. Then later on people started asking for treats or else they would act like naughty spirits and play tricks on those who refused to give them any treats.”

“And they would say it was the spirits who did the tricks, so no one would know who it really was,” piped up Hoss, who although he was prepared to go along with the tricking part of the evening, if necessary, was not too happy about the possible consequences, if they got caught.

“Yes, Erik, you are correct,” said Miss Jones, and Hoss breathed a sigh of relief, having heard a teacher telling him that this part of the legend was, indeed, true. “It is one night of the year when mischief is almost expected. But that doesn’t mean that any of you should do anything too nasty. And I am sure your parents have already told you the same thing,” and several children nodded. “Halloween is supposed to be a fun evening for everyone. Now then, pack up your books and get your coats on. It is time for lunch, but please wrap up well before you go outside.”

At lunch time, the children were encouraged to go out into the yard and although it was now fall, it was still warm enough for the children to play outside for a while.  Hoss, Little Joe, Mitch and Sara stood together, under a tree, and enjoyed thinking up tricks to play on unwilling treat givers.

“Now, remember what Pa said, Little Joe,” cautioned Hoss, as his little brother’s ideas became more and more outrageous.

“Aww, we’re only joshing,” replied Joe, but he kept his hands behind his back, so that Hoss couldn’t see he had his fingers crossed, when he suggested dropping snakes down a person’s chimney.

Mitch and Sara also tried to reassure Hoss, although they both thought the snake idea was a good one. However, none of them had thought as to how they were going to catch a snake, nor how they would be able to get up on the roof of a house, in order to drop the poor creature down the chimney, if they were ever successful in catching one.

It began to feel a lot colder, especially as the children had been standing still for nearly all of recess. Most of the leaves had fallen off the trees, near to the school, and the children loved running through them, where they had piled up against the schoolyard fence, during recess time. The four youngsters did this for a few more minutes and then it was time to go back indoors.

After lunch, Miss Jones had the younger children making Fall pictures out of twigs and leaves, while she had each of the older ones go up, in turn, and read to her. Hoss was not fond of reading aloud and wished he could be with his little brother making a picture, but he took his turn and Miss Jones was pleased with his progress. ‘I’ll havta thank Adam fer his help with how ta say some of them long words,’ thought Hoss, after he had returned to his seat.

Finally, the hands of the clock made their way round to Joe’s favourite time of the day, home time.

However, he was even more excited about not going home, as he knew they would be trick or treating first.

The children all had costumes made by Sara’s mother, waiting for them to change into, over at Sheriff Coffee’s office. After school, the three six-year-olds and Hoss, who at twelve, was just as excited as the little ones, but was pretending otherwise, made their way over to the office. They were to get ready and then wait for Adam to arrive. Then they were going to call on all the stores and houses, within walking distance of the sheriff’s office.

It was a clear evening, but because it was the end of October, and summer was long gone, it meant there was likely to be a frost.

As the four youngsters made their way over to Sheriff Coffee’s office, they were laughing about the tricks they could play on the people who didn’t give them any candy treats.

“We could ‘tend to be Indians, and make lots of whooping noises,” said Mitch, making the noise to illustrate what he meant.

“Or we could nail up their door, so they couldn’t git out,” said Hoss.

“Or we could push over their outhouse,” said Little Joe, giggling at the thought.

They arrived at the sheriff’s office and, with a little help from Roy, the children were soon dressed up, ready to go out and knock-on doors. Hoss was dressed as a mummy, covered from head to toe in bandages. Roy insisted the boy used the outhouse, before he began wrapping the bandages around him. Hoss was rather embarrassed, especially in front of a little girl when Roy suggested such a thing, but he quickly saw the sense of doing so and nipped out the back.  Sara was a witch, Mitch was a devil, dressed all in red, with horns on his head, and Joe was a wizard. Both he and Sara were dressed in black, with long cloaks and pointed hats.

Neither Hoss nor Joe knew what Adam was coming as, but on the stroke of 4, someone knocked at the door of the office, and in walked a ghostly figure, entirely covered up with a large white sheet.

“Is that you, Adam?” asked Hoss, and the figure nodded.

The children followed Adam out into the street and they began knocking on doors. As they waited for the owners to come, Joe laughed and said to Hoss, “It looks like I’m smoking like Papa does, wiv his pipe, cos smoke’s coming outta my mouth.”

Hoss blew some air out of his mouth, too, and said, “So am I, little brother. It’s doin’ that ‘cos it’s so cold, ain’t that right, big brother,” and he looked over at Adam, who just nodded, again.

The children went round to a lot of houses and stores. They mostly received a favourable response, but at a couple of houses the door was slammed in their faces. Joe looked over at Adam, the first time this happened, and said “They deserve a trick, don’t they?” and Adam nodded, producing some eggs from under his sheet. He handed one to each of the children and kept one for himself. He then turned to face the house and threw the egg, which broke against the door, and ran down it, leaving the wood stained with the yellow, gloopy liquid.  The four children also threw their eggs. Hoss’s hit a window, but the three smaller ones only managed to hit the porch, but they were still satisfied with the mess they left behind them. They all ran away, laughing, especially when they heard someone come out on the porch and exclaim about the ‘slimy stuff’ everywhere.

The children took refuge by the side of a building and stopped to catch their breath.

“That was real funny, sure enough,” said Hoss. “And ‘specially as Miss Jones says the evil spirits git blamed, so no one will be after us. That’s right, ain’t it, Adam,” and, once again, their big brother just nodded. Hoss did think it was a bit odd that Adam hadn’t said anything to them, but he rather suspected his brother was annoyed at having to take part in a kid’s activity, and so was sulking. Big brother could do that, better than any of them. Neither he or Joe could keep up a good, silent sulk, for long, but they had known Adam to do it for days.

At the next couple of houses, the children were offered plenty of candy and they shared it out into their bags, so that everyone got the same amount. They had offered a bag to Adam, but he refused one.  However, Hoss was planning on sharing his candy with his older brother, once they got home.

The next house they called on was just on the outskirts of town, and the owner refused to even open the door, although it was obvious someone was in.

“Shucks, that ain’t being very friendly, and I helped ole man Peters home with his supplies, only the other day,” said Hoss, grumpily.

“Then he deserves a scare, too, don’t he?” said Mitch, and the younger children all started making whooping noises and banging on the walls of the cabin.

Adam fumbled under his sheet, again, and this time held up some firecrackers. He threw them up in the air and shot at them, causing them to ignite and start to make some very loud bangs. It did sound like the place was under attack, and Adam hurried the children away to a small grove of trees, in case the occupier began firing back. As they waited to see what Mr Peters was going to do, Hoss noticed that Adam had picked up a lantern off the porch and lit it. He started making his way back to the cabin, keeping to the shadows, and Hoss realised Adam was going to throw the lantern through a window. Hoss caught up with his big brother and grabbed the lantern off him, before he could do so.

“That’s too dangerous, Adam. You could burn the whole place down. Let’s git back to the others.”

Adam let out a low moan, but said nothing and returned with Hoss. The children enjoyed the spectacle of old man Peters, running out of his cabin, wearing only his winter long johns and brandishing a shotgun.

By now it was starting to get really cold and as they all had a sack full of treats, each, it was decided it was time to end their Halloween fun. They began their walk back to the sheriff’s office, in order to change into their ordinary clothes. As they got closer, they heard an angry voice calling out to them; a voice that was very familiar.

“Where on earth have you been? I came to the sheriff’s office, to collect you, and Roy said you’d already gone. You were supposed to wait for me. Pa will have all our hides when he finds out you have been knocking on doors without me.”

Adam was bearing down upon the children, and he was dressed in a bright orange pumpkin costume.

“But, but you were wiv us, Adam,” said Joe, looking up at his brother, whose face was almost the colour of Mitch’s costume; he was that mad.

“No, I wasn’t; don’t lie, Joe,” snarled Adam.

“You were with us, Adam,” insisted Hoss. “Quit your joshin’. You were dressed as a ghost, before. And we got loads of candy,” and Hoss held up the bulging sack.

“I was not with you, but I am now and I think it’s time we got dressed and went home,” replied Adam.

Joe turned around and looked for the ghost, who had accompanied them on their trick or treating trip, but he was nowhere to be seen. But all of them heard an unearthly scream, and Joe swore that he caught a glimpse of something white running straight through Sheriff Coffee’s jailhouse wall.

All the while, as they were getting changed, Joe continued to insist he saw the ghost running through the wall of the jailhouse. Adam, who was still mad that the children had gone off without him, was very angry that Joe wouldn’t let up on his story.

“Joe, that’s enough. You know Pa doesn’t like you telling lies. You know you are in the wrong for going off without me, and now you are trying to make something up in order to distract me from being angry with you. But it isn’t going to work.”

Roy hadn’t said much, up to this point, but seeing how upset the youngsters were, he felt he had to speak up.

“To be fair, Adam, I also thought it was you who’d come to collect the young’uns. When Hoss asked if it was you, the person just nodded and so they all happily left with him. I had no cause ta worry about ‘em, as I was sure it was you, as well. But after hearing what young Joe hadta say, ‘bout the ghost running through the wall, I reckon I do know who it was.”

Adam was about to respond to this comment, but Roy held up his hand.

“Now jest hear me out, afore ya say anything more, son,” and so Adam sat down, and Joe climbed into his lap.

The children were very intrigued as to what the sheriff was about to tell them and they all settled down to listen. Sara’s mother had come by, and she made the children some hot cocoa to warm them up for their journey back home. She also allowed them to eat a few pieces of the candies they’d collected.

“Many years ago, afore I came here to be sheriff, there had been a jailhouse on this site,” began Roy. “One particular Halloween night, the sheriff was holding a murderer in the jail. He was a drifter and he’d tried to rob the general store. The owner fought back and the drifter shot and killed him. They were waiting on the circuit judge to arrive, but it was a pretty cut and dried case and the man was destined to hang. Anyway, this particular night, like I said it was Halloween, and there were lots of people out on the streets taking part in trick or treating. The sheriff was off duty that night, and the deputy should have been at the jailhouse guarding the prisoner, but he wanted to take his little girl out trick or treating, so he’d left the building unattended. Some youngsters came by and banged on the door. They were expecting the deputy to be there, and when he didn’t answer, they decided to play a trick on him. Unfortunately, their trick was to throw a lighted lantern through the window. Now, if the deputy had been there, he would’ve put out the fire, immediately, but as he wasn’t, it took hold of the whole building and burned it to the ground. They managed to drag the prisoner out and he was still alive, but only just. He said he was gonna make sure other people suffered on Halloween night, like he had. He died, but it must have been a very painful death. Since then, people have said he’s come back and played some pretty nasty tricks, but tonight is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone say they actually saw him run back into the jailhouse.”

The others looked over at Little Joe, expecting him to reiterate on what he’d seen, but the little boy had fallen asleep.

“Well, maybe it was the murderin’ drifter, or just some guy having a bit of fun,” said Adam. “But I think it’s time we started for home, or else someone else will be after our hides, and it most definitely won’t be a ghost.”

“No,” chuckled Hoss. “Not a ghost, jest one Papa Bear worried ‘bout his cubs.”

“You got that right,” replied Adam, and they said goodnight to Roy and headed off to the Ponderosa, with the sound of that blood curdling scream still ringing in their ears.

THE END

Little Joe forever

October 2022