Halloween and Clyde

“Trick or treat!”  My kid brother Joey held up his bag, anticipating the treats.  I held mine out too, but not so much that it would look like I was begging. 

“Hi Mrs. Johnson.  Got lotsa candy for us?”  Joey grinned ear to ear, as if it would have any affect on how much candy he was predestined to get.

“Hey Joey, hi Mandy.  You two look great.  You get many treats yet?”  Mrs. Johnson addressed us both as she heaped Hershey Bars into our bags.

“Yeah, we got lots!  Good stuff too, like Recess and Skittles.  Well, 'cept for Mr. McCraney gave us an icky apple.  It doesn't even have caramel on it.”  Joey stuck his tongue out, and I rolled my eyes.  What a drama king.  “Well, we gotta go to more houses now Mrs. Johnson.  See ya tomorrow!”  Joey turned away and started running down the drive. 

“Wait up Joey.  Mom said I'm in charge, now you gotta stick with me.”  I caught up to him and gripped his shoulders, even as he tried to pull away.

“Let go.  We have to hurry if we want to get all the houses.”  Joey managed to weasel out of my grip and started running again.  “Haha, catch me if you c-OMPH!”  He had run right into Clyde, the neighborhood bully.

“Watch where you're going, weasel.”  How fitting that Clyde had dressed up as a King this Halloween.  A fat, ugly King. 

“Hey, you leave him alone.”  I hurried up to where they stood and pulled Joey back by the hood of his kangaroo suit.

“What you gonna do, cry to your Mommy?”  Clyde laughed as he made fake crying gestures. 

That's it.  I punched him in the stomach as hard as my thirteen year old body would allow, which all things considered is pretty hard.  He stumbled back and his foot caught on his cape, resulting in his tumble to the ground.  He scrambled to his feet, fuming.

“Why I outta-!”  Clyde pulled back his arm, getting ready for a punch.  Uh oh.  Lord, if you're gonna come, please come soon.  Clyde's arm shot forward, and I ducked in the nick of time to miss a shot in the head.  Face red, he started to punch madly, all sense of control gone.

“Run Joey!”  I spun around on my Bo-Peep heals and ran like a racehorse to the closest house, which ironically happened to be Mr. McCraney's.  “Mr. McCraney!  Let us in, quick!”  I pounded on the door, and in a split second it shot open.  I ran inside, Joey right behind me. “Shut it, shut it!”

Mr. McCraney shut the door again and turned to us.  I can only imagine what he thought.  “What are you kids doing?”

“Clyde... Mandy... chasing us...”  Joey huffed.  I nodded, agreeing.

Mr. McCraney gave us a funny look then turned to the kitchen.  “I think I'll call your mother...” 

There went that perfectly good Halloween night.