Halloween All Year Long, (YTeen), 1/1, 10/24/07

[Doublestuf]

Halloween All Year Long
Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell. Nope.
Category: CC drabble
Rating: YTeen
Summary: A stroll on Halloween night sparks interesting thoughts
Author's Note: Just something rolling around in my head.



She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up over her head, not wanting to be bothered by those with whom she shared the road. She didn’t know why she was here anyway; she hadn’t planned on turning down this street. On her nightly wanderings, she tried to stay away from humans, from those frail creatures who could never be trusted or counted on for anything other than harm.

She had to deal with them enough during the day. Had to pretend she was one of them. Yet when this small hick town shut down at night, she could roam the quiet streets and pretend that she was somewhere else. Someone else. Pretend she wasn’t the girl who had been rejected by the only people who were supposed to understand her. By him.

But tonight the streets weren’t so quiet. She could have walked further out of town, further away from the houses and the families they held. Instead she found herself drawn down this street teeming with children ringing doorbells and parents holding bags filled with candy, filled laughter and youthful wonder.

A ghost and a cowboy ran past her, almost running her over as they shouted to each other “what’d you get, what’d you get?”

Her eyes narrowed watching their small figures blend into the crowd. The wonder and excitement that every child should know was foreign to her. Everything about this world was.

A family walked by, nodding to her as they passed. A mother and father holding the pumpkin buckets for their children, a little boy dressed as a ninja, a girl as a princess with a poofy dress and crown.

She didn’t understand many human holiday customs. Most seemed to center around family, something she never really had. But this holiday she did understand. This night was about being what you weren’t, about being what you wanted to be.

Watching the family pass by, she wondered if she shouldn’t dress up too. Straighten her hair and darken its color. Borrow a crown from one of these children. Be tonight what she never could be. What he would never let her be.

But these children only dressed up for one night. They got to be whatever their hearts desired tonight but in the morning they would be back to their normal, boring, candy-stuffed selves.

Walking away from the giggles and shouts of excitement coming from princesses and pirates, beasts and superheroes, she found purpose in her stride. If the world were like this every night, maybe it would be a lot more interesting. And maybe there really was something to pretending to be what you’re not. Children got candy out of the deal; maybe she could get something more.

Perhaps if she did dress up, not with brown hair or a crown, but with sweetness and patience, understanding and loyalty, perhaps he would finally look at her as he looked at that human. Finally acknowledge her place by his side.

“Trick or treat,” the children called out at each door as she passed.

Why not both? A trick on him to get a treat for her?

“Happy Halloween, Tess,” she whispered to herself.

Time to get started on her costume.