Kathy's Halloween Trick

Word count: 298



         Kathy’s costume was perfect.  The hat really made it.  She picked up her plastic pumpkin and broom and bounded out the front door.  She met her friend Marcie at the corner, and off they went.

         They’d been to about six houses, when she first noticed the kitten.  It was a pitiful looking thing—thin as a skeleton with scraggly gray fur.  And it was following them.

         Kathy thought it must belong at their next stop, for it trotted onto the porch and let out a loud meow.  But the people gave out candy, without paying any attention to it’s yowling.

         Marcie started to shoo it away, but Kathy stopped her.  It was only a little cat.  It just needed a bit of love and lots of food.  She had always wanted a kitten.  But Mom was very firm—no pets.  Kathy wasn’t responsible enough to care for a pet.

         They continued their way ‘round the neighborhood, with, as Kathy was already thinking of him as, Smudge, sailing behind them.  She was pretty sure that once she had Smudge settled in the house, her mom would give in.

         They were nearly home, when Marcie spilled her candy.  Kathy swept the candy up and was helping her pick it up, when she had the idea.

         She took off her hat, and dumped her candy into it.  Then she tucked Smudge into the now empty pumpkin and replaced the top.  She stuffed the candy filled hat and broom under her arm, and brazenly paraded right under her mom’s nose and straight into her room.

         Later, she would find something for him to eat.  She’d have him cleaned and brushed by the time her mom found him. But by then she was sure Mom would let her keep him.