As I got older Halloween became less and less inviting, but more captivating. Let me explain, you see I grew up in a neighborhood where you could trick or treat for blocks and most of the houses participated. They did it right! Big candy bars, m&m’s, homemade treats (from people we knew), even dollar bills.

My friends and I had established an usual route that we ventured off to every Halloween just before dusk. It started at my friend George’s house, because he was the most centrally located. We circled each of the ten blocks as fast as we could, then go back to the houses that offered the best candy, switching up our costumes a little. Yes, we were sneakily little candy hounds.

 

However, there was one house which we never ventured past the driveway and this is the story of that house…

 

Two houses up from mine, was a cabin, with a long porch on the second floor overhang. Lights from countless jack o lanterns, and sparks from fires beneath cauldrons were visible. A costumed horde milled around around on the balcony. We never got past the driveway. The driveway was a half circle and there was always a big bowl of great candy at the apex of the curve. It was highlighted by four jack o lanterns, in the shape of a star with the candy bowl at its tip.

 

We would approach to take the treasure, a woman voice would kindly propose to us, “Take three, or four, but no more… my little boys…” then she would laugh hauntingly. Now each of us was tempted to take more, but we never did out of obedience, fear or respect for that ruby haired lady.  Even when we were in junior high and more brazen, we were afraid of this house because of the rumors that surrounded it.

 

A man had died there, or been killed by something unimaginable the police said. The lady who lived there, lived only with her daughter. They were both tall beautiful blondes, but stayed to themselves. The girl, Krystal, whom we called Kay, didn’t attend school, but was brilliant.You noticed this each time you chatted with her. They carried the mystery on by dressing in dark colors, dancing at odd hours of the night to fires, both on their deck and in the woods. We dubbed them “witches” but not evil ones. They were really nice to us and very friendly.

 

There also had been rumors of them kidnapping people making them live in a dungeon and do their bidding, whatever that meant. Our parents told us to stay away from them and not to trespass on their property. That just spurred us on to spy on that family. We never saw anything unusual, but somehow we knew that She, the mother, was watching us the whole time. It was a wonderful childhood mystery that wasn’t solved, but was never forgotten. My family moved away, when I was in high school, but kept our cozy cabin in the woods, my childhood home.

 

After graduation from college I moved into that cabin in October to research and write. It was great. Small town, a bar where everybody hangs out after work. Two churches where people gathered to hear the Good news and gossip about what has gone on that week in the community. A small country store, where they sold everything you could possibly need. Well not ink cartridges or computer parts. That is the price you pay for living where you could hear yourself think.

 

One evening, I wandered down to the bar to have an oatmeal stout and listen to the locals share their day. I walked past the “Haunted House” of my childhood as always, but this time there was a fire on the deck and an enchanting silhouette standing at the rail. I waved and she waved back and said, “It has been a long time since you have come to the house for treats. Halloween is coming soon! Maybe this year you can make it up to the deck and have a drink with me, my little boy.” She laughed seductively. Then she turned around and went inside, still laughing.

I arrived at the bar, not knowing how I got there. I was totally transfixed by that lovely lilting voice and her statuesque silhouette. My mind was in a total fog, not realizing how that conversation had consumed my soul. I hadn’t even seen her face, but I knew I wanted to see her. No had to, needed to see and speak with that mystical muse.

 

As the weeks past, she was on my mind more and more frequently. I couldn’t shake that image or the golden hair back lit by the sun’s rays, that seductively soft voice, her seductive silhouette burned itself into my soul. I walked by, around, and past her property everyday. I even went to the hiding places we used as a little boy to spy on her.

 

Finally, it was Halloween night. I put a large bowl of Candy on my porch with a sign. “Take three or Four, but no more…” Then I put the battery powered candles in the two jack o lanterns and headed off to the party at the bar. As I walked up the hill, by Her house, I flashed backed to Halloween’s of my youth. I looked up to see, darkness, nothing on the deck. I was shattered, no cauldrons, no mysterious fire, no jack o lanterns… I felt sad, as if someone had stolen my childhood. Now I needed a scotch. All those fantasies I had dwelt upon over the past couple weeks were empty hollow dreams. I was a bit crushed and was going to drown my sorrows.

 

I got to the bar and mingled with all the costumed crazies till I pushed my way up to the bar. I clamored,  “Bartender, Scotch, Glenmorange and make it a double!”  He complied rather quickly, considering the two deep crowd. I took a sip, and was about to drain my glass when a rather wispy looking feminine form floated across the room. She was dressed in all black, leggings, a top, a cowl that slightly covered her honeyed hair. She smiled, winked and flitted across the bar towards the balcony.

 

I cried out, “Wait! Can I buy you a drink?”  She laughed, in her haunting way and moved quicker towards the door.

 

When I finally shoved my way through the crowd out onto the balcony, there was no one there. I peered through the barely lit portico, but still nothing. “Arrrrghhhed!” I stammered, to the surprise of a couple who had found a dark corner in which to be alone. I had failed! Maybe it was my imagination. She wasn’t even real I told my self and headed back to the bar for another double.

 

I knew this evening wasn’t going as I hoped, but I thought that the scotch could wash away this misery. I was wrong and after an attempt at scotchification, I headed home. It wasn’t late, about Eleven. I wandered down the path of my adolescent adventures, staring mournfully at the ground as I walked. Totally unaware of a light glimmering from the shadowy mezzanine. It was slightly green as it peeked out from beneath a large pot with red and yellow flashes. As it flashed, I stopped, puzzled, confused, and stared up at this eerie light.

 

I found myself mesmerized and started walking up the driveways arch. Reaching the pinnacle I noticed the bowl of candy, with the four pumpkins and smiled. I continued on toward that forbidden frightful haunting place from my youth. I heard a humorous  taunting as I paused at the porch. It was irresistible I could do nothing but follow and comply.

I stumbled zombie like towards that siren’s song. I rounded the corner of the house, moving towards the bubbling pot. A voice rang out shattering my stupor. “It is about time you arrived, my little boy!” Kay cooed. “I have been here for quite awhile waiting for you to arrive. You see I have had you in my mind for the past few weeks and I wanted to spend some quality time with you,” She giggled.

My mind betrayed me, either too much scotch or I was completely unprepared for the beauty my eyes encountered in the firelight. Stuttering I babbled something incoherent and unimaginative… “Uhhh Hi!”

 

She smiled a little too knowingly, as if I was a pawn sent out on a sacrificial errand for the Queen. Her lips parted, softly, seductively she cooed… “Come closer, stand by the fire. You look chilled and we wouldn’t want you to catch a cold out here in the deep, dark, dank woods. Now would we?”

 

“No,”  was all I could come up with and inched closer to the cauldrons that had me petrified in my youth. I stared into the green flames for what seemed like forever, till i bleatingly asked, “What makes it green?”

 

“Cobwebs, bat wings, cat’s scat, and other creepy things…. hehehe” she cackled loudly as she looked up into the stars.

 

My eyes must of betrayed the fear, (awe?) in my heart as Kay quickly elaborated… “It is from the Halloween Shop. A powder anyone can buy. I just wanted to take you back to your childhood Halloween and how all of you boys were so afraid of this little homeschooled girl and her mother.”

 

Relief spread across my face, my faculties were coming back. “So how is your mother? Is she here, because this is an awesome Halloween set up. It would totally scare the local kids…”

 

“My mom, well she was here for a while, for the Trick or Treater’s but she went home for the evening. This is my realm now, so you’d better be careful, or I’ll cast a spell on you and put you in chains…Hahahaha,” Krystal howled.

 

Krystal was quite the actress, so I thought. She was playing the part of an enchantress, sorceress, witch, or goddess. I couldn’t tell which, to be honest, I didn’t really care. Just sitting there chatting and looking at her was quite breath taking.

 

As she lit a candle and bent down to light her cigarette, a strange thing happened. The smoke was all wrong. It wasn’t grey or white, but brilliantly emerald green! It was almost as if the smoke had captured the color of Her eyes. No doubt some more Halloween trickery to stupefy her guests. This smoke also moved and began hovering around her. Smoky tentacles reached out and wooed me into its mystical mayhem.

 

I felt light headed. My vision blurred. Words were hard to express, yet I kept stammering away to keep up the one-sided conversation about nothing. Krystal just smiled and nodded towards her bewitched visitor. She yawned, as if bored. Stood up and walked past the now smoldering fire beneath the cauldron, down the steps to the blue door and waited. I got up shortly after she began her journey and followed, zombie like. I didn’t know what else to do. This gorgeous Halloween Hostess was leaving and I desperately needed to follow her.

 

I looked down as I counted off the never-ending steps, to see that ever knowing smile of Krystal’s. That smile that said you were her world at that moment, or that she knew every thought you possessed or ever would, and how to use it against you. She turned her back to me flirtatiously and I caught a glimpse of a creamy white, thigh? calf? i don’t know, but it lured me deeper into the dense dark demise She had planned for me. i didn’t care, i just wanted to follow and be with Krystal. Nothing else, just be with Her. Okay something else, but that would come after we had established a relationship. i didn’t want to mess up this fantastic opportunity.

 

i finally got to the door, where this ethereal Imp posed. Just when i was about to speak, Her right hand lifted, extended towards my face. Her index finger rose and tickled my lips. “Shhhhh… it is alright. Everything is fine! Time for you to go home and rest. Good Night. Oh and just to make sure no little boys come sneaking around at night I lock the doors, especially this one under the porch.”
i turned, a little heart broken, confused, befuddled and bewitched… not the way i had hoped the evening would go. i started to schlepp towards my stupa. When a giggle rose from Kay. “Silly little boy. You didn’t even say the magic words? What kind of Trick or Treater are you anyway?”

 

Turning, i murmured “Magic words, what?”

 

“Of course silly, what do all little boys and girls say when they come to a house looking for sweets on this eerie evening.”  She incanted.

 

“Trick or Treat??” i stuttered back to Her, hoping beyond hope this was the correct response.

She smiled, Her eyes glittered, Her face shone brightly under that moonlight. “Yes, yes, my little trickster, yes. And here is your reward, but close your eyes first. Keep them closed and right hand open, palm up. Don’t move or I may play a trick on you.” She taunted.

 

“Now you wouldn’t want that would you my little puppy, would you.” She mocked.

 

“No, of course not.” i replied trying to sound more sure of myself then i was.

 

i could feel Her breath as She circled me, like a shark coming in for the kill. Her essence filled my being. It was intoxicating! i tried to imagine what She was doing, but nothing came to me. It was as if i was a chalkboard and had been erased, and desperately wanting Her to compose Her Will upon this blank slate.

 

This whole process seemed to take forever, but at last She grabbed my right hand. Put a small treat bag into it, closed my hand around it. She then leaned over close to my ear and whispered as She, pecked my ear with Her luscious red lips. “If you want the treat, open it when you get home! Don’t open it before, because I will know and then the trick will be on you. Obey My words or else…” She let Her index finger slide down my lips, across my cheek and then drew a circle around my neck… “I’m watching” She laughed as She closed that Blue door.

 

i hurried home, tripping and stumbling up the three steps in my hopeful anticipation. i knocked over the candy bowl i had left out, M & M’s, Snickers and Milky Way scattered across the deck. i didn’t even notice. i opened my door and then looked at the bag in my right hand. It was orange, black and white. A Halloween scene emerged out of the of the colors, a tall triangular hat with a wide brim, long orange hair flowing out of it, a beautiful female profile, with a small black cat at Her side… a perfect Halloween Treat bag.

 

Inside was some candy, Endangered Species dark chocolate bars, some candy corn pumpkins and a few funnily wrapped items… they looked homemade. There were cookies, long, about six inches, but one had something shiny half buried inside it. There was also a little note inside which read…

 

“Little boys love their cookies and candy. However, cookies go better with milk. Do you have any milk? A nice tall glass of ice cold milk?…. If not, there is one My fridge little boy.”

 

i had to read the note multiple times before the reality of the message sank in… must have been the scotch. As soon as i realized the invitation set before me i grabbed the bag, the “special cookie” and leapt out of the house, down the stairs and sprinted to the Blue door. my heart was aflutter, my pulse raced, yet i knew it was from the perspective “glass of milk” and not from my brief sprint.

 

As i stood in front of the Blue Door, i knocked… no answer. i opened my treat bag took the key out of the cookie. i inserted the key and twisted. i heard the distinctive click of a lock allowing entrance. i twisted the handle, and slightly pushed. The door creaked and let the darkness leak out into the wilderness.

 

i warily entered the darkness, the only light i could see was that of an open refrigerator… A tall glass of milk sitting on the top shelf. The light distracted me from the piercing darkness all around me. i moved determined to obtain that glass and savor the joy i had associated with it.

 

i reached hopping to secure my prize and all that went with it, when my hand was grasped and a bracelet snapped around my right wrist. Confused, dazed and a bit flustered i reached to try to take it off, only to hear a giggle and the distinctive clap of a locking handcuff on my left wrist. The frig’s door closed and a shadowy figure who giggled, sang and danced in the darkness as She lit several Jack O’ Laterns.

 

Suddenly both my arms were jerked violently upward toward the ceiling. I was chained to a beam and could barely balance on my tiptoes. The giggling turned into the most seductively wicked laughter i had ever heard. i didn’t know you could fear for your life, and be extremely turned on all in the same moment.

 

A voice called out, “Welcome to the realm of Goddess Marquesa… “Were you trespassing, or have You accepted My invitation and all that goes that it implies?” She demanded.

 

Stunned i said, “i believe i accepted an invitation for a ice cold glass of milk to go with my cookies.”

 

“So you read what the cookies spelled out?” She cunningly suggested.

 

“What do You mean, spelled out?” i stammered.

 

“Ahhhh, so you came hoping for a late night tryst with Kay and have encountered Me, in all of My Glory… how quaint. How cute. How wonderful that this little brainchild of Kay’s worked even better than she suggested.” As She placed the cookies on the table, arranging them to spell out a single word, slave…

 

i saw the word and screamed “Kay! Kay!” i cried… but only the Goddess Marquesa heard my plea.

 

“Allow me to explain,” teased Goddess Marquesa as She lit several more candles till i could see that She and Kay were one in the same.

 

“Kay and I have a deal. Kay is the sweet, more innocent One of Us. Not that She is naive, She understands a man’s place completely. She is just more acceptable in the realm beyond the Blue Door.”

 

“I, on there other hand Rule here! There is no one who can hear you! No one who knows where you are! Especially no one who can save you here…. except Me! Goddess Marquesa!”

 

i shuddered, probably whimpered a bit. Yet, part of me really was longing and excited at this change of circumstance. my voice betrayed me when i started to utter something…

 

CRACK! She slapped me across the face. SLAP again, She bitch slapped me into silence. “you did not ask for permission to speak! And no, I don’t give it to you yet.” She giggled and strutted into the darkness. She then turned and Her smile gleamed from the pumpkins candle light.

 

“It is time…” She withdrew a knife from beneath Her robe. It was a seven inch blade, shiny, sharp and it sliced right through my shirt buttons! She placed it against my wrist and then began to cut me out of my shirt one arm at a time. She then placed it down my collar and slashed outward, the rags that once was my shirt fell to the floor.

 

i almost passed out from trying to hold back the orgasm i was having. Why was i affected this way by a knife wielding woman? i couldn’t understand, comprehend, the sexual magic, spell or enthrallment that She held over me. This Woman was violating my essence and i loved it! It sang to my soul! She laughed the whole time as She was cutting me out of that shirt…

She knew how turned on i was! She knew instinctively what to do to make my manhood a burden to my spirit. A toy for Her enjoyment. A puppet on Her string! A puppy on Her leash. She knew She could make me into whatever She wanted….

 

WHAP!  The flogger woke me from my sexual stupor. “Trick!” She howled… “you are now mine! The Trick is you have willingly given yourself to Me. Trick!” She snickered… She smirked as She flogged me endlessly…

 

After what seemed like forever, the flogging stopped. Some of the Jack O Laterns candles flickered out… my senses on edge from their teasing and torture, i felt the knife too late. Flick, rip, its sharp point engaging each nerve as She slowly cut me out of my pants. Then She placed it on the inside of my right thigh, at the underwear line. She flipped the edge around so my skin could feel its tingle, its bite its blissful teasing line as She drew on me like i was a living canvas. i begged, pleaded, screamed, in ecstasy! She went about Her work as only a Goddess could. indifferent to the plight of man, knowing that Her ways were higher, better and most desirable.

 

As my underwear fell to the floor, i knew i had changed. i had become something i had only dreamt about… i had become Kay’s or Goddess Marquesa’s possession. There was nothing i could do, actually there was nothing i wanted to do. i had found my place, a place to call home. A place of love, lust, adoration, devotion, conversation, servitude, honoring and worship… to a Woman i knew i loved from childhood.

 

i am not sure to this day what i received from Kay/Marquesa that night. Was it a Halloween Trick?  If so, how come i feel that it is most tasty Treat i could ever want or desire…

 

puppy pete 10/2/14