October

Read:

•  Principles of Web Design, Joel Sklar
• Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage, Albert Glinsky
• Downriver, Iain Sinclair

Submitted:

• TT280 CMA 1 (100%)

One mask between eight

Wandering through the nearby estate last night, I saw one band of teenagers, eight in all, disguised cunningly as a band of teenagers (it must have been a disguise: skirts that short on a chilly evening can't be everyday wear), and in possession of a single mask.

The mask wearer, male and by far the shortest of the bunch, wandered across the road to me and uttered the magic words. Since I only hand out treats from home, I apologised and carried on walking. He followed and repeated his request.

"Trick," I said. "I've no treats on me."

I swear I could see the jaw drop behind the mask.

He thought for a while and the held his hand out and waggled his thumb. I may have been meant to have been one of those "look my thumb's fallen off" tricks, but it didn't convince.

"Thank you," I said.

"Give us some money, then."

I laughed. The trick was pathetic and there's no way I hand out money on Hallowe'en. Show me a really handsome guy and I'll pay up on the spot. But Hallowe'en's sweeties only.

To his credit, or maybe he was too stunned by my lack of co-operation, the untreated trickster wandered back to his friends.

Maybe I should have explained that even  lacking a costume I'm the wickedest witch ever. Looby Loo will confirm this. After all I refused to let her trick or treat because it was a weeknight and anyway Hallowe'en is for turnip lanterns, bobbing for apples and spooky stories. We don't live on a good stretch of road for it, too. And I don't do imported customs: I have enough of a time of it keeping up with the native ones.

1

Salome: shimmies
(scarves pixilate, evanesce);
rages for reward.