Jessica's Un-Halloween Party, by Joshua Balleza

Jessica was a little nine-year-old, freckle-faced, blue-eyed girl with blond hair and pigtails.  She didn’t like the month of October… until Halloween. All the other kids would make fun of Jessica for not dressing up or going trick-or-treating. Jessica would feel out of place and a little jealous as her friends were always talking about what costumes they were going to wear and what candies they were hoping to get. Jessica’s teacher would always try to reassure her that what Jessica had was special and she shouldn’t pay any attention to what the other kids were saying.  Jessica would come home every day crying to her mother. Her mother would give her a long, consoling embrace and tell her not to mind what the other kids were saying because they just didn’t understand. This would happen to Jessica every day until Halloween.

Finally, Halloween arrived. Jessica’s day at school was just like every other day in October, except today she had a real eagerness to get home. When the final school bell rang, Jessica made a mad dash for the door. Her mother, as usual, was waiting for her outside the school. During the car ride home, Jessica wouldn’t stop asking questions about their plans for the evening. When the car pulled into the driveway, Jessica hurriedly unfastened her seatbelt and was out of the car before her mom could even stop the car. Jessica darted around the parked cars in the driveway and excitedly entered the front door of the house.

The aroma of roasted garlic chicken filled the air. Jessica’s brother, Jeff, was home from college and greeted her with a big, loving hug. Jeff asked her if she wanted to bake some cookies with him and she happily said yes. Jessica held her brother’s hand as she walked toward the kitchen. She could hear her cousins playing video games in the other room. They saw her and asked her if she would play with them. Jessica let go of Jeff’s hand and gave both of her cousins a hug and told them that she would play with them for a little bit. Jeff turned around and started walking away, saying that he would make the cookies without her. Jessica said sorry to her cousins and she chased after Jeff. Jessica playfully jumped on her brother’s back and he carried her into the kitchen while laughing.

The kitchen was bustling with activity and with all kinds of delicious-looking foods and sweet-smelling aromas. Jessica could see that her parents, aunts and uncles were all engaged with preparing more food and gathering things for tonight’s event. Jessica let go of her brother and dashed to her cookie-making table. She noticed that some cookies were already started on a baking tray. She cheerfully started putting chocolate chips and M&M’s on the cookies.  Jessica was so lost in thought, singing, “These are a few of my favorite things” while making the cookies, that she didn’t notice that her grandpa, George, was sneaking up behind her.

George hugged Jessica from behind and started tickling her. Jessica started giggling and, after seeing that it was George who was tickling her, she grabbed some M&Ms and playfully tossed them at his face. George just tickled Jessica some more and they both tumbled to the ground laughing.

After all the food was prepared and packed into the cars, everyone got into the cars and they all drove away. They met with friends and other family members in a parking lot. Jessica saw that everyone was busy carrying things into the building. When everything was set up, Jessica saw Jeff open the front door of the building.

Jessica could see an endless line of dirty, smelly and starving people shambling through the door and toward her. There was only a counter to separate her from them. Jessica could only watch in horror as waves of these zombie-like people un-relentlessly approached her. Jessica regained her senses, turned around and grabbed the nearest tray.

She turned back around and put the first tray of food on the counter and cheerfully said, “Happy Halloween!” Upon seeing Jessica’s bright blue eyes, blonde hair with pigtails, freckles, and a really cute smile, the person could only brighten up and smile as he happily received the food and said, “thank you.” 

 

Jessica gazed at all the people happily eating. She looked at all her family and friends chatting and smiling while working together. Jessica remembered that even though she didn’t like October, she loved Halloween.