Written for the Writers Anonymous Halloween Challenge.
Tonight is the night. Pass it on.
At the house on the hill. Pass it on.
Treats for everybody. Pass it on.
Enough to last for a few months. Pass it on.
Be there or regret it. Pass it on.
The night was cold and cloudy, but it didn't deter the kids and teens in town from dressing up in scary costumes and go trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood. Hundreds of people had gathered on the streets, either on the hunt for treats, waiting to have a good time with friends, or merely watching the children.
A group of kids was walking down the longest street in the neighbourhood. All of them were dressed up in ghost pokémon costumes; two Gengar, a Dusclops, a Banette and a Mismagius, and they all had a Gourgeist-shaped Halloween bucket held by the handle, half filled at best. No adult was with them, as most of them had turned twelve in the previous months and had been deemed responsible enough to go on their own.
The dark-skinned girl in the Mismagius costume chomped on the caramel apple that she had just received from the elderly couple that owned the yellow house right before the crossing, and her gaze, along with her partners', became fixed in the huge, rainbow coloured mansion that sat on the top of a hill. The gay house, as it was commonly called around the neighbourhood, was the absolute highpoint of the Halloween night; since its sole inhabitant, a jolly old wmoan and the widow of a businessman who liked to wear green and adored children, always made sure not to leave any visitors she received empty handed. Legend had it that she once gave a toddler a pile of candy that weighed more than them.
What they didn't know, however, was that the beloved lady had passed away the week before, and that her house was now empty and silent; gone forever the love for children and the free candy.
But, unaware of the news, they continued their way to the gay house, chatting animatedly as they walked down the street. In a few minutes, they found themselves at the iron bars that opened in the brick wall that encircled the mansion. They were wide open, welcoming any visitors that wished to enter the state. An uphill way was born there, leading to the doors of the mansion, which sat atop the hill with all lights turned off, and what looked like a black chandelier hanging over the main door.
The five kids looked at each other, and smiled. They could barely wait to receive their candy from their beloved lady. One by one, they squeezed the handle of their Halloween bucket and entered the mansion.
As soon as they were inside the walls, two ghostly blue flames lit on two candles one on each side of the way. More and more lights did the same as they walked, creating two twin rivers of fire that moved towards the mansion at the same pace the costumed children walked.
Amazement written all over their faces, the kids neared the candles. They knew the old lady was rolling in money, and that she always spent a good deal of pokémon dollars in the Halloween decorations, but this easily surpassed all their expectations. With the lights out and the blue fire, the whole state looked like a mansion straight out of a horror film. They neared the candles, and they met another surprise, even bigger than the first. The blue flames didn't burn. No matter how long their hands were in contact with the flames, they felt no heat from them, nor were they burned.
If only they had had a close look at the candles, they'd have discovered the oval yellow eyes and the malevolent smiles that hid below what looked like a veil of molten wax.
Trick and treat.
A minute or two went by while the children contemplated the candles, after which they continued their way uphill, their hearts filled with anticipation. If the decorations at the entrance were so amazing, what else could possibly have the old lady prepared? Their minds ran wild with ideas. Turning the entrance into a cementery? A group of Misdreavus who played mischief with visitors? A Dusknoir who pretended to banish little kids to the Spirit World? Their hearts were pounding in their chests, and their breath sounded tired and panting, as if they had just ran a race.
But they paid no mind to their sudden tiredness, and continued towards the gay house.
It was the blonde girl in a Gengar costume who first suspected something was amiss when she noticed how heavy her legs felt. By that point, almost three quarters of the way had been traversed, and as many candles were lit. A quick glance at her friends revealed her that they all were in the same situation.
They had not run at any time during the night. They had not made any great effort. It was Sunday, and they had been able to sleep in. How was it possible that they were so exhausted?
She did not know. All she knew was that her energies had begun being drained after entering the state.
So the culprit had to be somebody, or something, inside the state.
Suddenly, the girl stopped and turned on her heels, icy fear in her chest and stomach. When her friends asked her where was she going, she answered, her blond hair standing on end, her thoughts on being drained from their energy.
Incredulity crept to their faces when she shared her thoughts with them, and panicked expressions appeared in them when they realised.
They all turned to leave, but before they could move a foot, a horrible, piercing scream immovilised them. Right after it was over, all the candles lit up, painting the way and the children with their bright supernatural blue.
Horrified gasps escaped from their throats when they felt their energy being drained from their bodies. Adrenaline raced through their bodies, prompting them to run away to save their lives. But the instant they tried to run away, their bodies failed them, and they collapsed on the ground. Terrified tears flowed from their eyes, and their lips whispered desperate pleas for their lives.
Cruel laughs and and candle flames burning brighter were their only answer.
The dark-skinned girl's body was the first to give up. She expired with her open moth, her right arm stretched, trying to reach her brother. Fortunately for him, he didn't see her sister die. Even if he was the last one to succumb, his head pointed upwards. The last thing his eyes saw were the clouds in the night sky.
Amidst the silence that coverered the state, the ghostly flames went out, hiding the five dead children in the darkness. The huge Chandelure that hung over the mansion door turned itself, revealing its empty yellow eyes and its straight mouth. It bent its body forward to look at the corpses, and its eyes glowed in a clear blue tone. So much energy still in those bodies. So many cells still alive, desperately and vainly trying to stay alive...
A flame, the same type that had burned on top of its fellow Litwick, started to burn in his insides, fueled by the life energy its comrades weren't able to absorb. Its gaze went forward, and the clear blue aura tinged its eyes once more.
A window opened on the first floor, slightly to the right of where the Chandelure hung. Envolved by the clear blue aura, the bodies of the five children levitated towards it, and were laid on the wooden floor of the room, effectively putting them out of the sight of any future visitors. A round of acute, malevolent laughter from the Litwick accompanied the act.
A piercing creak reached the pokémon, and their yellow eyes turned towards the source. A large group of costumed children, accompanied by two adults, had entered the state, completely unaware of the death of the old lady and the terrible fate that awaited them. Knowing smiles were exchanged between the Litwick while they awaited for them to fall right into their deadly trap.
Tonight is the night. Pass it on.
At the house on the hill. Pass it on.
Treats for everybody. Pass it on.
Enough to last for a few months. Pass it on.
Be there or regret it. Pass it on.
I admit I did tweak Chandelure's pokédex description a bit, with it burning with energy instead of spirits. Even for a pokémon, burning spirits seems too incredible for me...
Anyway, hope you liked it.