Gary's red cheeks glowed like over-ripe tomatoes as he poked his pudgy finger at me and sneered. "Betcha won't do it. Girls are cowards." 

"W-will too," I stuttered, ignoring the lump forming in my throat. Gary, Drew and Tony, the three trouble-makers in my class, had dared me to walk through the Effigy Cemetery on Halloween Night. 

Tony hooted. "You'll never make it out of there alive! They say it's haunted."

I shook my head. "B-b-brilliant, Sh-sherlock. It is a c-cemetery." 

The other two boys pointed at Tony, shrieking with laughter.

I glared at them. "You p-promise you'll be there on the other side, waiting, right? And I g-get your candy if I do it and you'll l-leave me alone from now on at school." 

Gary slapped one hand over his heart. "Cross my heart and hope to die." His remark brought fresh howls of laughter from the other boys. 

I shook my head. "C-careful what you wish for."  

"The things g-girls will do to get candy. See you at seven thirty sharp!"

I ignored his lame attempt to imitate my stutter. "S-stupid b-bullies," I muttered under my breath, and turning my back on my tormentors, I hurried home.



I stood in our kitchen, hands twisted together pleading. "M-mom, p-please let me go. Abigail is c-coming too." 

"Young lady, you know how I feel about candy. So unhealthy." 

I groaned. Mom would launch into a full-blown lecture if I didn't head her off. I crossed my fingers. "I p-promise I'll hand over every piece of c-candy I c-collect." 

She hesitated. I hugged her. "T-thanks, M-mom."  

"You should invite your new friend Abigail over sometime," she mused.

"S-sure, Mom."

It was dark when I reached the cemetery gates. I checked my watch; seven-thirty. Heart pounding, I walked to the center of the graveyard and looked down; a moss-covered stone, tilted wildly to the left, left the impression that the soil was unearthed beneath it. 

I looked over at the gate to see the boys walking up, hauling plastic sacks bursting with their spoils, pointing fingers and laughing as I stood there. No doubt they'd stolen candy from some of the other younger kids trick-or-treating that night.

Suddenly the ground beneath my feet trembled, shuddered, and cleaved apart. 

As I watched wide-eyed, a slender ribbon of white squeezed from the soil and floated above my head. Long silver strands of hair cascaded down around its pale, cloudy form. I turned to stare at the boys. They stood frozen in place, their stupid bully mouths open wide with shock, silent for once.

The ghost floated above her grave, and twirled around twice. "Do you like my Halloween costume?" 

I grinned, took a deep breath and spoke, my clear words forming patterns on the frosty air. "I love it, Abigail. Let's go get some candy."