Happy Birthday!

      Little Billy hated Halloween. He was born on Halloween, and the kids never wanted to celebrate, because they’d rather Trick or Treat. And his mother thought it was okay to take him Trick or Treating, instead of buying him a cake! And this Halloween was no better… She bought him some lame Skeleton costume, with a boring, plastic skull mask that pulled over the face with a rubber band, and a black leotard. All the other 5th graders were going as Star-Lord from “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Halloween sucks!
        “Billy! Put your costume on and meet me at the front door!” shouted Mom from the other room.
        “Whatever!” he shouted back.
       Billy turned to grab the Skeleton costume off his bed, but it wasn’t there. He knew he had left it there. Where could it be? He checked under the bed… three times, then his closet, and even the bathroom. He called out for Mom, but she didn’t answer. Suddenly, all the lights in the house went dead. He called again for Mom, and still nothing. Billy hated the dark, so he held his breathe and ran to Mom’s room to investigate. Mom was gone, but the Skeleton mask was there. Sitting on her bed pillow, staring at him. Billy wanted to cry, but he was too scared. Then he heard footsteps behind him. It was the rest of the costume coming to get him! He lunged toward Mom’s bedroom window, and tried desperately to open it, but the child-proof lock was on. The footsteps got closer, and Billy squealed, trying with all his might to open the lock. He couldn’t breath. He just wanted Mommy!
       “Sweetie. Stop it, its’ me!” Mom said softly.
       “Mommy,” sighed Billy. He was so happy to hear her voice.
       Before he could turn around, and leap into his mother’s arms, he saw a boney hand grab his shoulder.
       THE END

~~Story and Photo by Ian Russell