Disclaimer: I don't own
Happy halloween.
:}
"Trick or treat." It was the phrase children in the United States had been taught, since youth, through various media. It was the sirens call to candy, and the sweet joy that evening of begging would bring. The darker secrets behind the words, lost to most in the modern world, even as neighborhoods sometimes struggles to be that safe place where children could go from door to door, begging for sugary treats. Only, today, it was a strangely hopeful sound to be heard at the door of an old man who's better days were long behind him.
"And what do we have here?" Beck asked as he opened the door, a bucket of candy in his hands. Of course, he had plenty, always did. He'd spent a good part of his week getting ready, and anything he didn't give away would easily be donated to a local children's shelter for their after Halloween party. "Oh, a ghost, and a creeper, and what are you supposed to be?"
"I'm a serial killer." The girl replied, a smile on her face. "They look just like everyone else. Gran tells me all the time, it's the normal looking one's you need to watch out for. I just…" Her smile stayed on, even as hope in her eyes lit up, praying this old man would understand.
"Hold on one moment." Beck paused, stepping back to retrieve something. "Look, it's a great costume, but people might not understand. That's why I have this for you. See, it's a mask, with the face of one of our presidents on it. I recommend the Trump, cause it's so easy to see him as a killer, and lets be honest, modern Hollywood, not a lot of fans. After his second attempt to take over the country, when the nation finally understood…. Yea, dark days, but we got through it, and now, we can feel safe as we get back to old traditions, and you don't care about that do you?"
The girl took the simple paper mask, and using the attached band, wrapped it wound her head, giving her the face of a man long dead. "I like it, cause I'm too cute to be a killer, or at least that's what dad tells me. He also says Gran is cray cray, but she's so…"
Beck had already looked beyond her, to see the old woman taking her granddaughter, among others, around for treats. 'She doesn't live anywhere near here. She made it. Practically the only one. I had me my career, full of moments, and regrets, cause I always chose fame over relationships. I love kids, always have, and I chose never to have any, even getting fixed, so no child could derail my career, until I realized I'd made the wrong choice, in women, in everything, over and over again.'
He smiled across at the old woman. "Excuse me, I see an old friend." Closing the door behind him, not worried as he'd already given out the candy, he walked towards said old woman. "Tori."
"Beck." The years hadn't diminished that spirit, the optimistic way she approached the world. Of course, making it so young, and finding hope, love, and family in the way she did, those things helped. She even reached back, tried to help the others. Only, Tori, not able to save everyone. Robbie was too far gone into his madness, while Cat blamed the industry they'd dreamed about for the madness. But it was Jade, dark, dangerous Jade, who surprised everyone by just vanishing, never to be heard from, at least publicaly. "Um, Dave, can you watch the kids for a few houses? I need to catch up with an old friend. We haven't spoken in forever, and…"
"Two years." Beck agreed. "Amazed we keep that much in touch. Andre, haven't seen him in over a decade."
"Then I shouldn't mention he's dead." Tori looked sad, just for that moment. "Never would have guessed he'd be the one to fall to drugs. It destroyed him, and almost took Trina with. I have no idea how she got out, saved herself from being pulled under when the man she married, the one she gave her heart to, chose the drugs over their young family. Took him years to fully die, but the man wandering the streets, doing anything for his next hit, that wasn't Andre, just some pathetic monster. Trina raised their child, with the help of Ryder Daniels of all people. Did you know he was born sterile?"
"No idea." Beck sighed. "He was good for Trina?"
"Same old con man, but he needed something to live for, and Andy, Andre Junior, was his reason. Conned his way into an executive spot in one of the studios, never gave Trina that shot she wanted, but he provided for them. I appreciate that."
"What about you?" Beck asked. "I know you got married, had several daughters, but you've never introduced me to your husband."
"I married Jade." Tori sighed. "Who had to take a new identity, to hide from her fathers criminal contacts, and for a short moment, I was so sure I'd never see her again. We'd only started dating. But the nice man with the Marshals told me that her new identity only had to be so many steps away. She could live in almost the same place, just as long as she changed a few key things, like her name, and what she wanted to do with her life. She writes children's books now, under the pen name of Sally Peaches."
"God, even I've seen her books." Beck laughed. "She make a good living?"
"Good enough." Tori nodded. "But I'm the bread winner, and she, she has had to stay in the background for the last forty plus years. I'm amazed she didn't turn into a serial killer."
"And why, exactly, would anyone want to kill cereal?" A girls wearing a paper Trump mask asked.
"Tawney Walker Black, what are you wearing?" Tori sounded more amused then hurt.
"Really?" Beck looked shocked.
"Her dad had no idea when Sally, er, Jade suggested it." Tori smiled. "His fault for being of the Black family. No way my girl could have ignored that call. And Beck, I know, you regret never having kids, but it's not too late. Find someone, start that family…"
"We're over sixty." Beck cut her off. "I can't have my kid grow up without a father…"
"Then don't die." Tori smiled. "Look, me and Sal, we have ourselves a lovely family, but we never stopped caring about the future. It's why my girl writes books for them, and why I make a point to stay involved in my grand-kids lives. Today, it's about so much. You know my Sal is a wiccan priestess, right? Well, tonight has significant for her, but at the same time, it's a day for family, and I intend to enjoy the magic of the season through the eyes of my descendants. Just not Jace, cause he's way too much like Jade, and when I say see it through his eyes, he starts looking for skinned grapes to prank me. Boys a charmer…"
:}
Thoughts? Trying a couple of ideas for the season.