Evil Jester Digest Volume One Page 18
“Your story is about living life to the fullest, right?”
“Yes.”
“So, let’s go!”
“But I don't have a costume. And I don’t walk too well these days.” He motioned to his cane.
“He could be one of my minions,” Mitch said with a grin. “Imps kind of hobble like that.” He fingered his pitchfork and thought of the possibilities.
“How about a zombie?” Sarah asked. “They don’t walk too well, either.”
But Chris already had Mr. Ridgecomb’s costume figured out. He held up a roll of toilet paper with a mischievous grin, and then began wrapping it around Mr. Ridgecomb’s waist. “There,” he said when he was done. “The Mummy has awakened!”
Sarah laughed and pulled out her own toilet paper roll, hidden inside her bag. She wrapped up Mr. Ridgecomb legs. “You better not smoke your pipe,” she said. “You’ll go up in fire like a chimney!”
Finally, Mitch added his roll to the costume, wrapping it around each arm and his forehead. He handed Mr. Ridgecomb his cane and pointed to a mirror.
“That’s how old I feel,” Mr. Ridgecomb said and then laughed. “But not tonight. Let’s go, while we still have time left!”
*****
The moon was high in the sky by the time they arrived at the last house. Since it was so late, most of the adults wanted to get rid of the extra candy, so they unloaded on them. Mitch pocketed handfuls and left trails like Hansel and Gretel. Sarah ended up using her hat because her bag was so full. And Chris used his black cape. Of course, it didn’t help that Mr. Ridgecomb gave them all the candy he received, too. Most of the parents recognized him. The cane gave him away instantly. And his costume didn’t hold up to much abuse, either. Half of it dragged on the street behind him.
Right before midnight, they found themselves back at Old McMurphy’s clock.
“Did you have fun tonight Mr. Ridgecomb?” Chris asked.
“I did!” he exclaimed. “I wouldn’t change it for the world!” He sat down on a bench, out of breath. “I forgot how much fun it is to walk outside at this hour. The air is so crisp. I can feel it in my lungs like icicles.”
A few other trick-or-treaters sprinted by.
The park grew quiet.
Mr. Ridgecomb listened to the kids talk about school, about science reports and what they were going to be for Halloween next year. Soon the minute and hour hands kissed and the soft echo-chime drifted through the streets.
Midnight had come.
Mr. Ridgecomb felt the chime ring in his chest, listened to it echo, farther and farther.
As if in answer, a ticking rose in its place, causing his heart to skip. He thought he was hearing things, but it came again. It was a sound he had never heard in all the years he sat in the park.
For a split second, he thought he saw something descend from the clock above, something silhouetted against the night sky. He shook his head in disbelief and then nudged Mitch, who nudged him back, albeit more gently. Mr. Ridgecomb pointed to where he saw movement, but Mitch didn’t see.
Mr. Ridgecomb listened to them talk for some time. He stifled a yawn. It was getting late. Greta would have seen the note he left her, but still, it was after midnight, and she would no doubt worry.
He stood with the help of his cane and told his new friends to stop by for another story and hot chocolate the following weekend.
They all accepted, graciously.
*****
And one by one, the kids hugged Mr. Ridgecomb.
And he hugged them back, lovingly.
And as Mr. Ridgecomb made his way back home, he realized how much he wanted to spend the rest of the night with his wife, reading a book in the warmth of his bed next to the woman he loved for fifty years.
Tonight was his last night. And he wanted his ending to be perfect.
*****
Aric Sundquist is a graduate of Northern Michigan University and holds an MA in Creative Writing. His first published story appeared in Dark Moon Digest in 2011, and he has numerous other stories forthcoming in various anthologies, including Twit Publishing Presents: PULP! Winter/Spring 2012, Knightwatch Press: New Tales of the Old Ones Anthology, and Evil Jester Press: Attic Toys Anthology. He loves ’80s horror movies and playing the guitar. He currently lives in Marquette, Michigan.
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