by Ann Hinds

Created on: September 20, 2010

He had the cyanide. He had saved it for a year. No one would be able to track it and no one would suspect him. He whistled a tuneless song as he refilled the pixie stick.

Ethan woke up that morning completely cheerful. It was Halloween. Only 8-yr-olds can appreciate the subtle nuances of the much anticipated candy quest.

“Mom, where is my costume? Where did you put it? I can't find it”, came the holler down the hall.  

“Honestly Ethan, its right where you left it when you tried it on last night” With that, she turned and headed towards the kitchen muttering something under her breath. Her husband sitting at the table in the kitchen looked up.  

“What's that all about?”

“Ethan is just excited. This is his first time trick r’ treating with his friends”, she said.

“I'll be with him” replied his father. “We still can't let him go alone”.

“It's not the same”, Samantha laughed. “You and the other dads can just hang back and let them have a little freedom. They've been planning their route all week”.   

The pixie stick was stashed carefully behind some paint cans. He could hardly contain his excitement. He hated that kid. He hated the way that he smiled. He hated it when he walked on his grass. When the kid was around, things got broken. He couldn't wait for tonight.  

Ethan headed off to school. The teachers knew that it was a lost day. Ethan, Jimmy and Bryan could not settle down. They spent 1st recess sneaking up behind the other 3rd grade girls, trying to scare them with frightening noises and gory masks. Mostly the girls just hit them. They could not wait for school to be over. When the final bell rang, they hollered to each other, “See ya later”.  

It was starting to get dark. “Come on Dad, let's go”, Ethan demanded.

Glancing at his son, he smiled. “The kids aren't even here yet”.

“OK, I'll watch for them”, and he scampered off to the living room window to wait.

“You’re awfully cheerful”, Samantha said to her husband.  

“Well, it's not everyday that you get to trick r’ treat with your friends”, he said. “We'll all have a great evening”

“They're here. Come on dad”

Together they left the house to join Jimmy and Bryan. The three dads hung back as promised. They followed the boys as they went from house to house. When they

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