Twas the night before Halloween and all through the night children frolicked and played with joyous, anticipating greed for the sugar treats given out annually on the following date. Talented mothers stressed to finish their hand-made costumes while others sped to the nearest WalMart in search of the perfect costume for their child.
The unlucky ones didn't have a parent who cared and watched longingly as their friends accompanied their parent's shopping trips with a smile, knowing they would be returning with a costume or some other trinket. No, those unlucky children whose parents did not believe in going door to door asking for candy – whether religious or out of plain lack of interest – stayed at home. Some occupied themselves with watching the Halloween specials on television while others peered outside from their windows at the orange autumn leaves, falling gracefully from their withering branches in anticipation for the holiday to come.
From inside one cracked window, a blonde boy sighed in yearning. "I wish we could go out." From the bed they shared, the boy's twin glanced from his stuffed, white bear to give his sibling a pitiful, yet knowing look. "I know Alfred. I do too." Alfred groaned and stepped down from the dresser allowing his small stature to reach the window. He landed expertly on both tiny feet, his fluffy yellow hair fluttering as that rebellious one that never went down bobbed with every exasperated movement. "It's just not fair! We're the only kids who don't get to celebrate Halloween. I mean really, what's the harm in free candy? We know everyone on this street. No one's going to poison us." He huffed, crossing his arms while pouting and plopping down on the bed. The twins bounced for a moment before continuing their conversation.
"You know how Daddy is about Halloween. It's just to protect us," Matthew tried to defend their overprotective, fairy-believing dolt of a British father.
The other twin lolled his head. "Yeah, yeah, just like he says every year. He's the only one who believes in the superstitions, though. Nothing has happened so far, so he shouldn't be so paranoid." Appearing to have thought up an idea, Alfred grinned. "Why don't we go by ourselves?" He suggested.
Matthew just stared in shock at his brother. He brushed the one odd curled hair from his face, only to have it flip back. "W-what?"
Alfred bounced once on his hands and knees. "C'mon Matthew. This could be our only chance to enjoy Halloween like the other kids. All we need is a costume and a bag for the candy. We'll pretend to sleep and sneak out, come back before Dad even notices, then hide the candy so he won't even know we'd gone trick or treating!" Alfred grabbed his brother's hands, clasping them together and staring expectantly with wide, shining blue eyes. He wanted Matthew to agree. His excursions were always risky, but they were usually mindless little adventures. Short walks down the wrong street, a short cut through the forest – no harm done. Those had been in the moment and meaningless, but this would be for a good cause in his opinion. The biggest adventure of their young lives!
Matthew anxiously thought about the tempting proposition. Unlike most of Alfred's detours in normal playing, Matthew actually wanted to do this. He always envied the children who brought bags of candy for days after Halloween, too shy to ask for a piece for fear of being needy. Everyone knew they didn't get to trick or treat like them and were kind enough to share a couple of pieces, but it wasn't so much the candy that Matthew craved. He wanted the experience of the hunt, so to speak - to earn the candy for himself rather than take pity offerings from sympathetic classmates. Just once he wanted to chant "Trick or Treat!" get praise for his costume, his presence, and return with a reward. Candy is hard to come by when you have a Dad like Arthur Kirkland, whose 'gentlemanly' attitude did not allow much sugary treats in their house. With Matthew's craving for maple syrup and Alfred's bottomless sweet tooth, the twins were starved for the calories offered from chocolate and other candy. Alfred practically drooled the day after Halloween when he saw how much of the stuff each child brought with them in their trick or treat totes, or simply shoved into their bags. Matthew wanted this as much as Alfred.
Giving a diffident nod, Matthew squeezed against his brother's grip and smiled. His violet eyes glimmered with meek determination. "O-Okay, let's do it."
Alfred beamed and engulfed his brother in a spine-crushing bear hug. "Alright Mattie!"
"Spine, Alfred! Spine!" Matthew grunted.
"Oh, right," Alfred chuckled. He released his hold but kept his brother within whispering distance. "Now, all we need are some costumes..."
"Good night boys."
They heard the door close as Dad left to read in the living room, completely convinced his sons were sound asleep in their bed like the angels he believed them to be. Five minutes passed, then ten until finally Alfred rose from his spot with Matthew following his lead. They shared a nod of understanding and clumsily scrambled off the bed, Alfred reaching under the springs for their bags and costumes while Matthew hurried to stuff pillows under the wrinkled covers as a disguise in case their father decided to check in on them. Hopefully the lumps would be enough to deter him so he wouldn't walk further and see an absence of blonde hair jutting from under the duvet.
Costumes in hand, Alfred hoisted himself onto the worn dresser, shoving an old wooden lamp out of his way before making a leap onto the thin window sill. After successfully prying it open, he wiped his hands to rid of the dust and dead bugs accumulating there, then helped Matthew atop the dresser. Alfred slowly climbed out, landing with a soft thump on the other side. Matthew waited patiently until he heard a soft whistle, barely audible over the sound of his rapidly beating heartbeat. With one final look behind him, almost expecting Dad to come in and catch him in the act of climbing out, he followed Alfred's movements, successfully jumping out of his room and into the cool air outside. Alfred managed to catch him half-way, saving his bottom from a hard impact with the ground. "Thanks," he mumbled, to which Alfred nodded and grabbed their gear. "Ready?" He asked, grinning like always.
The two eight year olds hastily fitted into the makeshift costumes. Matthew decided to be simple and acquired two rolls of toilet paper, some bandages, and red food coloring. His mummy outfit was more comical than scary, but that did not matter. The white paper covered his facial features perfectly, allowing him to hide his identity without the need of a gross-smelling plastic mask. Alfred, on the other hand, had ransacked Arthur's old clothing. His child hands had managed to find a worn orange coat. He'd ripped it up and splashed green ink from his markers on the bottom. In addition, the clever boy crafted a hockey mask and fake chainsaw out of some old cardboard found in the attic. Red dye adorned his face, making Alfred look like an odd mixture of Jason and the chainsaw killer from the infamous horror flick.
Matthew snorted at the sight. "What are you even supposed to be?"
"A serial killer, of course!" Alfred posed, pretending to butcher his victim with the paper chainsaw. In response his opposite let out a soft, amiable laugh. Alfred huffed. "Let's just go before we get caught." He pulled Matthew towards the street. "C'mon!"
Halloween has come. Each boy joyously skipped from house to house, thoroughly enjoying each instance of "Trick or Treat!" and the candy that followed. Semblances of their life as the spoiled cherry Kirklands disappeared. Tonight, the boys enjoyed portraying themselves as the mummy and serial killer duo; monsters on the prowl for the gifts of Halloween denied to them previous years.
During their precariously exhilarating outing they had to sneak around other children to hide their identity. If any of the other children or adults recognized them, Arthur would have a fit once he found out. Each boy kept their head low, pretending to morph deeper into the roles their costumes represented, moaning and limping when appropriate to better convince the candy-givers. They were a hit at each door and enjoyed the praise on their last-minute creations. When asked about the location of their parents as the moon began to show itself, they fibbed right in the kind person's face without so much as skipping a beat to think of a plausible alibi.
"They're around."
No one bothered to inquire further.
In only an hour both boys happily swung their bag – really a pillow case – almost completely full of treats, down the swiftly emptying street. Kids were still out, but the bigger groups quickly dwindled and only strays with parents or the occasional teen remained. The twins figured they would head back, but Alfred spotted something interesting and gestured to Matthew towards it. Upon seeing it, the curly blonde stood in awe.
One house rose high above others. Decorations galore decorated each crevice and rack, from cobwebs to Jack-O-Lanterns and those fake paper towel ghosts people tried to make believable by hanging them on fishing wire. Tomb stones and small lights illuminated the large yard. A sign out front threatened their safety, but anyone could tell it was meant in jest for celebration of the holiday. All in all, the house was a jackpot that surely had a great reward for those who took the plunge. Whatever person lived here must love Halloween and the prospect of giving away candy.
The twins shared a smile and ran towards the house, each boy trying to win an unspoken race to the doorbell. Alfred won, being the faster of the two, and rang the door bell after calling his win. Slightly out of breath, Matthew walked to his twin's side and they waited patiently for the owner to appear. They waited mere seconds before footsteps could be heard from inside as someone approached. Alfred and Matthew lifted their heavy bag, already prepared to shout the infamous line.
"Trick or Treat!" they called as a man in black formal attire appeared in the middle of wiping his hands on a rag. He looked nice enough, the twins figured. His glasses shined in the moonlight, as did his jet black hair. Both of these features strongly contrasted his stunning blue eyes.
Matthew scrunched his nose a bit when he did not recognize the man. The neighborhood was tight-knit, and yet Matthew could not recall a time when this man had been around. When did he move in?
"Well well, someone actually came to my house," the man chuckled. He reached for something near the door. Alfred and Matthew beamed at the sight of a large plastic bowl filled with mixed brands of sweets, their eyes roaming each colorful wrapper when the man tipped it forward. "You guys can have all of it. No one else has come to claim it." Alfred was practically glowing with happiness at this point. Matthew joined his twin's enthusiasm as he watched the man's large, glove cloaked hand drip every single piece of candy into their pillow case. It's so much! They could last an entire year on this much sugar and never have to beg Dad for a lollipop again.
"Thanks so much Mister!"
"Y-yes, thank you."
The man grinned, showing a set of pearl white teeth. "No problem kiddos. Have a happy Halloween!" He moved to close the door, but Matthew stepped forward. "Wait!" Although his voice was usual too soft to be audible even as a shout, this man seemed to have heard the child's plea and stopped to give Matthew a curious look. "Yes?"
Matthew licked his lips, slightly unsure if he should pry or not. "Um, it's just we've lived on this street all our life, but I've never seen you before. I just wanted to say welcome to the neighborhood if you did just move in or something..." From his side, Alfred's eyes widened upon the realization. He hadn't really noticed because of the candy's hypnotic ability, but Matthew was right in his assumption. Alfred did not remember ever seeing a moving truck to this house. Frankly, he didn't recall this house ever being here. He found it weird considering Dad always made sure to introduce them to new neighbors, yet this part of the street had been out of sight, almost camouflaged to protect its inhabitants. The man before them had managed to move in without so much as one neighbor spreading gossip!
Well, weird or not their situation called for a proper welcome. Everyone deserved a good hello. Introductions were important, and as an aspiring hero, Alfred found it necessary to let everyone know of him.
"Oh, yeah! I don't remember you moving in either, which is totally weird since our dad is really uptight about that," he laughed and held his tiny hand outward. "I'm Alfred and this is my twin brother Matthew. Welcome to the neighborhood!"
The man stared at the duo, expressionless save for the small smile gracing pale lips. "Why thank you lads," he said, taking Alfred's hand into his larger one and shaking it. "I moved in very recently and haven't had the chance to get to know all of my neighbors. Glad to see the children are so nicely mannered. My twin brother will be thrilled."
Matthew perked up. "You have a twin too?" It would be great to have another set of twins around. He and Alfred were the only ones as far as they knew.
"Yes. He's a little under the weather but he's a great guy. I'd love for you guys to meet him. We could have a twin day!"
"That would be so cool!" cheered Alfred. "Me and Mattie are tight like this," the boy twisted two fingers for emphasis, "which kinda throws off some of the other kids. It would be awesome to relate to someone as close as we are! Twin power!"
The man laughed a soft yet booming combination that both warmed and chilled the air around them; a combination of comfort and forbidding enormity. "We would love that. Right now I have to go tend to him, but I look forward to our next meeting." The twins nodded in understanding. The full moon ascended the clouds, making them realize they'd disturbed the poor man right when he was most likely going to bed. He turned to enter the house, once again placing a gloved hand on the door handle. "Well, run along now. Enjoy the candy!" His body blended into the darkness of the house and disappeared. At the door's closing, Alfred and Matthew jumped down the porch, slowly making their way from the house and back to the familiar street towards their house.
"He was awesome!" Alfred decided to mention. Matthew agreed, but stopped when his brother grabbed his shoulder and looked at him, looking displeased about something.
"I just realized we didn't get his name!"
Matthew shrugged. "We can get it tomorrow. Dad could be checking in on us any moment. It's best we head home already. We have enough candy after all." Upon remembering their stash of sugar, both boys grinned at the weight of their bag. It would take some work to sneak it inside the house, but completely worth it. They'd put forth the effort and would ensure their reward would not go to waste.
Satisfied of the night's events, the Kirkland boys walked as briskly as they could while carrying a five pound bag of sweets to their home. Alfred may have abnormal strength, but all the excitement, walking and sneaking around, plus the general fact that the twins were running around hours passed their usual bed time had taken its toll. Almost at a snail's pace in their heads, Alfred and Matthew trekked carefully pass each black house. They remained cautious should neighbors notice them, but overall the streets were cleared out and they relaxed a bit. Lights from porches and windows turned dark abruptly and soon the streetlights were all that remained of any life on the streets.
Alfred's paranoia of night-crawlers soon became apparent. He began to shake and peer around nervously at each shadow that came into his vision. "This is kinda creepy, huh?" He tried to laugh it off but the shaking of his voice easily betrayed any bravery the blonde tried to force out of himself. Matthew let the bag fall to pat his brother softly on his shivering back. "We're almost home Alfred. You know it's just your imagination so just hold out until we get there." He returned the bag to his grip and motioned for Alfred to do the same. "We have candy to eat, remember?"
With some effort, Alfred managed to gulp down his fear. "Y-yeah. Let's go!"
Moments passed as the twins walked in silence. Their street came into view so they hurried along. The moon conquered the night completely now. Thick clouds didn't allow for stars to show, so all the boys had to light their way were the flickering poles attached to the sidewalks and the radiance of the moon, which disappeared occasionally by the speeding clouds as the wind grew stronger, noisier. Really, they were slightly frightened of the eerie scene. Sure, other kids ventured out like they did, but they had their parents to accompany them and were now safe in the comfort of their homes, eating the treats gathered during the early evening and night. Matthew and Alfred were alone and handicapped because of the candy bag. What if some creeper came out of nowhere? How could they defend themselves?
As if a warning by nature itself, flapping sounds rattled the trees and the wind whistled pass them. Alfred shrieked, making his brother scream as well. The boys hugged each other close, heads whipping in each direction for the cause of such a ghastly noise. When the street remained empty and no creepy guy stepped from the shadows, they exhaled a breath of relief.
"M-maybe it was a bird?" Alfred suggested. His his voice and body quivered, making him stumble on his words. Matthew nodded, although he didn't really believe birds would be awake at this time of night. Then again, nature is unexpected that way. The idea wasn't so far-fetched. "We s-should hurry," he stammered, adjusting some of the toilet paper that had fallen onto his face. With no one around they didn't need a disguise so he tore them off his field of vision. "Let's go," he urged. The twins gripped their candy bag tighter and ran. The adrenaline must have gotten to Alfred because the bag didn't seem as heavy as before and he was carrying majority of the weight. Matthew noticed the chainsaw gone and figured he must have abandoned it for the preference of getting home as fast as possible. Their hearts beat a mile a minute and their feet ached from the effort. Soon a familiar house came into view, dark like the rest but standing out all the same. The twins released a shaky laugh, glad that home sweet home is only a short run away.
Steps behind them the sound increased, sending a jolt of fear through each boy's system. Body shaking furiously now, Alfred and Matthew practically sprinted across the street as another flap cut through the wind. Trees rattled angrily and the sky darkened as clouds covered the moon. Alfred could feel himself sweat with pure fear while Matthew shook like his old dancing polar bear toy. Each twin heaved, struggling for breath while their body tried to obey their urgent commands to run faster.
"What is that?!" Matthew screamed.
"I d-don't know...just keep running!"
Whatever was chasing them indeed sounded like a bird, but too large to be anything they were used to. No pigeon, parrot, or crow could make such a deadly sound. Every flap of wings reverberated through the children's tiny ears like a thunderbolt echoing in a vast sea. Already their ears throbbed form the impact of sound and they wanted it to stop, but it grew louder, closer. Neither Alfred nor Matthew wanted to know what would happen if it reached them.
They ran, ran, and ran as fast as they could. When the awful noise didn't stop to their feet stepping onto their yard, the boys jolted to the back. Even under the suffocating influence of terror neither boy wanted to face the wrath of their father and knew they had to come in the way they'd left. When a screech, oddly low and truly petrifying, followed them past the bushes and wooden gate Matthew felt himself emit a painful scream,l but Alfred continued on, trying to comfort his brother despite being completely afraid and wanting to just fall and curl himself up in hopes that closing his eyes would make everything go away. No matter how much he blinked or pinched himself, the monster behind them remained on their tail. This was not a dream.
Alfred scrambled to the window upon reaching it. They'd left it unlocked thankfully so he pushed himself upwards and managed to open it enough for him to grab hold and lift his winded body up. Below, Matthew begged him to hurry. Alfred reached down while keeping his hold on the window's edge and one foot on the dresser inside. "Come on Mattie!" Matthew grabbed his hand in a tight grip. Alfred pulled, surprised when his brother weighed more than he last remembered. Once Matthew's entire body safely landed in the darkness of their room, Alfred slammed the window shut. Immediately, there was silence.
They waited for a crack, a slam, a whistle or flap – anything to know the monster still threatened them. Their breaths came in huffs and sweat dripped down their faces, trailed below their necks to soak the ragged costumes they wore. After minutes of waiting, Alfred eased himself off the furniture and made his way towards his brother, who lay frozen where he landed on the floor during their haste inside. "I-I think it's gone."
Matthew clenched his hands, slowly pushing himself onto wobbly feet."Y-yeah. Haha…it almost got us."
Alfred chortled. He ran his hand through his hair, recoiling when it touched the wet tresses soaked in sweat. "Yeah..not bad for two third graders, huh?" They chuckled nervously, suppressing how hysterical their mind desperately wanted them to act. They'd just escaped a monster. Some kind of deathly creature had stalked them down the street all the way to their house. Who did they call? The police? National Geographic? Could they even do that knowing Dad would find out about their disobedience? Probably not. Tonight would be something both boys kept secret for the rest of their lives; at least until Arthur's likely disappointment wouldn't affect them as much.
Matthew finally noticed the candy bag still gripped by his shaking fingers. If anything, the terror outside prevented him from losing it during their run. He held it up happily and both boys squealed in delight, quickly shushing each other for fear of waking their father. Almost immediately the fright from earlier dissipated at the prospect of sugar. As quietly as they could, they indulged in multiple pieces of candy, humming or moaning as each time their taste buds blossomed with delight. Their bed became covered in a blanket of colorful, branded wrappers with eat new bite of chocolate, sugar powder, or taffy. The gum they saved for later times, seeing as they couldn't really eat it right away.
Eventually, the adrenaline wore off and they found their eyelids slowly drooping. The events of the night really was too energy consuming for two third graders. Matthew took the wrappers and stuffed them to the very bottom of their trash bin. Hopefully Dad wouldn't dig through it when throwing it out. Meanwhile, Alfred hid the candy bag in their closet under sheets and other garments. He tacked some toys on top to make sure no one would know of the treasure hidden inside. He removed his costume and hid it inside as well. Matthew managed to rid himself of every toilet paper piece and red dye on his face. What to do with the torn costume he had no idea, so he just threw it in the trash as well to be explained later. Free of the evidence, both boys changed into their pajamas and snuggled under the covers. The scare they'd experienced warranted brotherly affection, so they felt no shame while embracing. They consoled each other with the warmth of their bodies.
"Do we tell Dad in the morning?" Matthew whispered. Alfred shook his head and scooted closer to his brother. "Nah. We're alive. Nothing happened. I think we're cool so long as we never try this again. You just have to knock some sense into me next time I suggest going outside at night." Matthew chuckled lightly.
"Alright. Goodnight Alfred."
"G'night Matthew."
Red lights blinked 3:45 AM when the window opened once more. A soft gust of air blew past the child's blonde hair, but he paid no mind and continued pulling the bordered glass upwards. Once opened enough, the boy crawled through to climb out, landing softly on the cool grass below. His brother followed behind him.
A man emerged from the shadows. He smirked, approaching the boys leisurely. "Nice to see you again boys. Enjoy the candy?" The children said nothing, only stared ahead impassively even as another black figure appeared next to the first. This one looked almost identical, but with longer hair and a pair of rounder glasses. His eyes were a dark violet as well, unlike the other's striking cobalt. If not for those small differences and the purple shine to his hair, one could say they were completely identical. Twins.
The newcomer bent low to observe one of the boys - the longer haired one with the loose curl he possessed as well. "Well, you weren't kidding when you said they were cute. Surely there is another reason you picked them though?" He eyed the other teasingly. Really, his brother was so easy to read.
The man let out a small tsk, then crouched to observe the other boy with an identical flick of hair similar to his own. "So you did notice. Can't say it's not true when it is. Didn't you say you wanted a family? This is the perfect chance Matt."
Matt sighed. "I don't know Al... it all seems a little cynical."
"That's the best part."
"Hmm...true. What about the dad?" Al scoffed. "Hell no. He reminds me of a certain someone. We can come back for him later if we want to. For now," Al took the transfixed boy into his arms, "I want these little guys! You want to come with me, right Alfred?" The boy in question nodded, staring at the other with blank, shineless blue eyes. He hid his face and wrapped his arms around the other's neck. Al grinned, showing off his pair of blindingly white teeth. This time a pair of fangs revealed themselves from under pink gums just as twisting horns did from each side of his scalp and a spiked tail flipped back and forth behind him. "Awww! See? He already likes me. I'll be a great dad." He began to rock the other in a slow rhythm, humming some unrecognizable tune while doing so.
Matt couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight. His brother looked like a natural with children. Taking the children as their underlings did not seem so bad all of a sudden. Shrugging, the man took the other boy into his arms as well. "What's this one's name?"
"Matthew. He's a little quiet, but I think it's endearing. He'll be a great trickster; maybe an info broker."
"I'm sure he will. Won't you Matthew?" Matt smiled at the other's stiff nod. Even if they were under the candy's spell, after some training it wouldn't matter. As of that moment the twins were theirs to raise together as a happy family for years to come.
"We should be heading back. We can do the ceremony later."
Matt agreed. He held the boy in his arms closer, moving his head away from similar black horns as they began to grow from his head. Tail wagging at a calmer pace, he crouched just as his brother did. With one strong jump, the duo of black-clad men shot briskly into the sky, a raucous flap and sharp gust of wind being the only sign of their presence save for the large silhouette of bat wings protruding from their back as they flew against a full, blindingly white moon.
A/N:Late Halloween special. Enjoy Hetaween 2013 guys! Himaruya's going all out.
This isn't necessarily AmeCan, but I suppose you can see it that way if you choose to. Apologies for mistakes. I wrote this within a time span of two to three hours last night and this morning with not much editing. I'd appreciate feedback.
This may or may not have part two. Depends.