The Girl

The doorbell rang and Julie was greeted by a little girl holding a doll. She had big dark eyes and wore a white dress. She clutched the doll to her chest. Julie smiled at the girl.

“Did you want some candy?” Julie asked. She did not blink or even move. She stared not at Julie but through her. Julie’s eyes darted back and forth. When she opened her mouth a haunting and melodic tune came out of the young girl’s lips. It almost sounded like a record was being played internally rather than being sang.

“Where’s your bag or pumpkin pail,” Julie asked. The girl gestured to her doll. He was dressed as a hobo clown and he held a little pumpkin pail of his own. Julie dropped a piece of candy into his little pail. The clown winked as he tipped his hat to her. The little girl walked off.

Julie shut her door and placed the candy bowl on the coffee table. She sat down and turned on the television.

“The doll must have been some kind of animatronic, Julie thought. She put on a horror film and noticed the clown heavily resembled the clown that the little girl was holding. He had the same sad expression, tattered clothes, and a big floppy hat. In walked a little girl who was eerily similar to the one at the door. She asked for a match to light he way. The clown handed the girl a match and they found themselves surrounded by bats.

“It doesn’t look like we’re going to survive this Benji,” the little girl said.

“I guess not,” Benji said taking a bite of his candy.

“What are you doing Benji?” the girl asked.

“I’m eating the candy the lady gave me,” Benji said.

“What’s the lady’s name?” she asked. Benji scratched his head and thought really hard. Julie reached into the candy dish and grabbed a piece of candy. She unwrapped the treat and hovered it over her lips.

“I think her name was Julie,” Benji said. She chuckled as she popped the chocolate into her mouth.

“What a coincidence,” Julie thought. Benji turns to the camera.

“Julie Westmore,” Benji said. Julie choked on her candy. “She lives at 425 W Sycamore Lane.” She coughed and pounded her chest. She ran to the kitchen, grabbed a glass, and filled it with water. She drank some in a desperate attempt to dislodge the candy. The water worked it’s magic and she poured the rest of the glass out in the sink.

She heard something tapping at her kitchen window. She tried to see out her window but all she could see was darkness. Her doorbell rang and she answered it. She found a small child dressed as a bat. He kept tugging at a wedgie.

“Trick or Treat,” the boy said. Julie gave the boy some candy.

“Happy Halloween,” she said waving. The boy waved and left.

“The costume keeps going up my butt,” he said to his mom. She closed the door and cupped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Next, she set down the candy dish.

Suddenly she heard a screeching noise. She heard the high-pitched screech of a bat; she froze. She was stricken with fear.

“Was that a bat?” Julie thought. She wanted nothing to do with a bat. She heard it get louder and louder until her ears were bleeding. She felt a burning sensation in her stomach. Next it moved up to her chest and then up to her throat which started bulging. A bat emerged from her throat. Finally, she fell over dead! The front door opened and in walked the little girl. She was holding the clown doll.

“She’s dead Benji,” the little girl said.

“It appears that way,” the clown said unwrapping his candy.