off frequently during the day.
The big green bins were intact, but one of the
garbage cans had blown over, spilling half its contents.
From inside the house, she could hear more screams
emanating from the TV. The terrified cries set her teeth
on edge. She was beginning to wonder if the events of
the past two days and her fears for the future were triggering an emotional collapse.
As Judith set the can upright, a loud banging noise
behind her made her jump. Peering through the eddies
of mist, she saw nothing. Gingerly, she began putting
the garbage back into the can.
She was about to replace the lid when something
brushed against her leg. Judith let out a small squeal,
then looked down to see Sweetums depositing bare
chicken bones on her shoe.
“Nasty!” she exclaimed under her breath. “If my
nerves weren’t going to pieces, I’d pull your tail.”
Sweetums responded with a growl, then trotted off
down the driveway. Judith started back to the porch,
but decided to make a quick visit to her mother. She
felt guilty for hardly seeing Gertrude all day. As she
headed down the walk to the toolshed, the wind rattled
her nerves along with the Rankerses’ wind chimes. The
usual gentle tinkling sounded more like an out-of-tune
brass band.
But the fog was definitely dissipating. She could see
the toolshed clearly, though the lights had now gone
out. Judith stopped, debating whether or not to bother
her mother. She decided against it. Gertrude would
only berate her for being neglectful. Judith didn’t need
any more problems on this particular All Hallows’ Eve.
She’d started up the back-porch steps when she
heard another clatter nearby. It sounded like another
garbage-can lid. More annoyed than nervous, she
trudged around to the side of the house.
Within a foot of the cans, Judith stopped dead in her
tracks. There, down the driveway in a maelstrom of
fog, an unearthly creature seemed to levitate before her
eyes. She suppressed a scream as her legs wobbled and
her eyes grew huge. The pointy hat, the stiff shaggy
hair, the windblown garments, and the shoes with the
turned-up toes almost convinced her that witches did
indeed fly the skies on Halloween.
The image was enhanced when a cat with its fur
standing on end suddenly appeared out of the mists.
The animal hurtled straight for Judith. In fright, she
flung herself against the wall of the house, and only
recognized Sweetums when he hid himself between
