Today we have a break in the regularly scheduled programming. I’m sharing a piece I wrote for the Instagram challenge #SaffronSaysWrite (go check it out for more fun stories from other authors!). The prompt today was “send your characters to a Halloween party” . . .
Market Square was awash with chattering children, jack-o-lanterns, and cheesecloth ghosts swaying in the evening breeze. The scent of caramel apples vied with woodsmoke to dominate the chilly air. The blaze from bonfires and candles mixed with the twilight, illuminating costumes that ranged from amusing to downright scary.
Through the crowd, a fluffy black dog deftly cut a path.
“Don’t tell me,” said a weary Gloria, as the dog stopped in front of her salon. “You’re here for pumpkin cookies, too. I can’t believe I let Red talk me into helping run a booth for this hokey party. Fine, take your cookie. Just one! Didn’t you eat enough of them when Red made them?”
A swarm of children approached and Gloria’s attention shifted. She didn’t notice that the dog never spoke, or that it quietly took two cookies when her back was turned.
The dog trotted to the next booth, nestled between two big oak trees in the Square. A small grill smoked merrily as the local police officer–perhaps the only person responsible enough to run a grill, or perhaps eager to act as quality control for the resulting food–stood watch.
“Have you seen Trent?” Officer Thorn asked the dog by way of hello. “I can’t find that dratted Witch anywhere, and he’s supposed to be enchanting these bags of candied almonds for me. I wanted them to scream, you know, like ‘ahhhhhlmonds’? Okay, okay, maybe it’s not my best idea. What, you want a bag too? Fine. But remember, just one per customer!”
She never noticed that the dog seemed startled, even frightened, by the mention of the town Witch.
The dog continued around the square, coming to a booth draped in old curtains to make it look like a haunted manor. From the shadowy depths, a scholar peered out.
“Oh, hello,” Luca said to the dog. “Where’s Red? I was hoping she might have more of that super sticky glue. And glow powder. Oh, that bowl of chocolate is supposed to be for the kids–oh, well, okay. See you later, then.”
The dog disappeared.
Sometime later, when the lights glowed against the night and the party was in full swing, Red and her companion found Luca still mired in the depths of his “haunted” booth.
“Hi, Red!” he said enthusiastically.
“Hi, William,” William muttered to himself, feeling left out.
Luca looked down at the dog-shaped familiar and grinned. “Hi, William,” he said dutifully. “But I just saw you earlier, remember? Speaking of, you ate all my chocolate. I don’t suppose you know where I could get more?”
“I did no such thing!” said William, outraged, as Red chuckled behind her hand.
“If you say so,” Luca said doubtfully. “But I doubt there are *two* arcane familiars running around Belville. Although . . . now that I think of it . . . when you came by earlier, you never spoke. Or did any magic.”
“I’ve been framed!” William declared. “Someone’s impersonating me!”
“And stealing candy,” Luca added, unhelpfully.
“This is ridiculous,” William continued, glowing. “Whoever it is needs to be found. We have to hunt them down. We have to–“
“Hold up, there,” Red interrupted, laughing. “Calm down. It was probably just someone in costume.”
“But they ate candy that was meant for me!” William protested.
“Come on–we’ll go and explain what happened to our friends. I’m sure there’s more candy to be had,” Red assured him. “This is Halloween, after all.” She linked arms with Luca, and the three set off in search of treats.
Red and Luca didn’t notice that as they went, William quietly kicked aside a stray candy wrapper.
