The End of Halloween
    
“Trick or treat!” Lisa, Abby, and I chorused. The owners of the house thrust the bowl of candy at us, and we stuffed more candy into our bags. “Thank you!” we chirped.
    
I checked my watch. 11:00. Since I’m older now, my parents agreed to let me stay out until twelve.
    
“Let’s hit this house,” Abby announced, pointing to the house across the street.
    
I squinted at the house. “I don’t think they’re home. Their lights are off.”
    
Lisa shook her head. “No, they have decorations. See the giant black cat? People don’t just put decorations out and not answer the door,” she pointed out.
    
“Fine,” I said reluctantly. “But I’m warning you, we’re wasting our time.”
    
We scurried across the cobblestone pathway. I watched the black cat. Its head moved, and then its eyes were set on me. It irked me the way it seemed to watch me. It was as though it were alive. I pushed myself forward, but I still felt its gaze, its menacing eyes fixed on me. Lisa rang the doorbell. No one answered. “I guess nobody’s home,” she said.
    
We went to house after house, collecting candy until all the houses’ lights turned off. On our way home, we passed the black cat again. I couldn’t help but stare at it. I knew it would freak me out more, but it somehow reeled me in. I got closer and closer, until I was face to face with it. I was hypnotized.
    
“Alicia, what are you doing?” Abby asked.
    
“Yeah, Alicia, come back. You’re scaring me,” Lisa said.
    
But I kept on staring at the cat. Before I knew what I was doing, I touched it. It howled. Its howl soared in the wind, until it was twirling around me, and it wouldn’t stop. The cat suddenly ran, chasing me. I picked up my feet, screaming, along with Abby and Lisa. We ran and ran. I glanced at my watch. 11:59. I could feel the claws about to scrape me. Then, 12:00. The cat froze.
    
“What happened?” gasped Lisa.
    
“It’s the end of Halloween,” I whispered.