Halloween Tragedy

It was two days before Halloween and Mandy still didn't have her costume yet. Her friends all had theirs and kept asking her what she was going to be going as. She wasn't sure how to tell her friends that she wasn't sure she wanted to go trick-or-treating this year, after what happened last Halloween.

She was sitting in her room listening to her new Lost Souls cd when the phone rang.

"Hey Mandy it's Valerie. Whatcha doin?"

"I'm just sitting here listening to my new Lost Souls cd. What's up?"

"I just called to see if you wanted to go look for your Halloween costume."

"Val, I'm not sure I really want to go this year."

"What? Not go trick-or-treating? Are you crazy? This is the best time the of year!"

"I know but I'm just not that in to it anymore. You know...after what happened last year and all."

"Girl you can't let that stop you from celebrating the most fun time of year. You know your grandma wouldn't want that."

"You're probably right but I just can't help feeling that I could have saved her."

"Look, it's not your fault you know. There's a lot of sicko's out there and you were only 15."

"Yeah, but I should have stayed home or something. I mean I was 15 and shouldn't have been trick-or-treating. I was too old to be doing that."

"You know 15 isn't all that old. You did what any 15 year old does on Halloween. Trick-or-Treat. Now, how about coming with me to pick out your costume?"

"I'll go but I'm not saying I'm getting a costume."

"Cool. I'll be there in 15 minutes. Bye."

"Ok. Bye."

Mandy hung the phone up and sat back down on her bed. She looked at a picture of her grandma that she kept sitting on her dresser. Her eyes began to water as she thought back to the last day she saw her grandma alive.

It was Halloween night and Mandy, Valerie and their friend Monica were all upstairs busy getting their Halloween costumes and makeup on. Mandy was going as a witch, Valerie as a ladybug and Monica was going as a cat. This was the girl's favorite time of the year. They got to dress up and be something totally fun and different. They all met in first grade and have been best of friends ever since.

Mandy's grandma lived with her and her parents in their cozy three bedroom house in the valley. She loved her grandma and enjoyed having her stay with them. She could talk to her grandma about anything and her grandma always had an answer. She was comfortable with her grandma. She wasn't like that with her parents. They were always busy with work and seemed to never have time for her.

The girls were all finished getting ready for their big night of trick-or-treating when her grandma came around the corner with a camera.

"Say cheese!!" said her grandma as the camera flashed.

"CHEESE!!" the girls said in unison.

"You girls look lovely. I just know you're going to get lots of candy this year."

"Thanks grandma. I hope we get lots."

"Don't stay out too late and don't talk to strangers."

"Ok grandma we won't. I love you grandma."

"I love you too Mandy."

"You want to come with us grandma?"

"Oh no. I don't want to intrude on your girl's night out."

"Grandma you wouldn't be intruding. It would totally be fun hanging out with you. Are you sure you don't want to go with us?"

"I'm sure dear besides who will pass out all the candy? I'll see you when you get back from trick-or-treating."

"Ok. Bye!!"

"Bye"

The girls walked out the door and Mandy heard her grandma lock the door behind them. They headed to the first house and yelled "TRICK-OR-TREAT!!" Before they knew it they were two blocks from home and had lots of candy in their bags. Just as they were reaching the last house on the block they saw a police car race past with its lights and sirens on.

"I wonder where they are going in a hurry?" Mandy asked.

"I don't know but someone's in trouble." said Valerie.

"Well, I hope they get who they are after. I think my grandma is going to be surprised at how much candy we got this year. You guys ready to start heading back to my house?"

"Ok. You're grandma was right about getting lots of candy this year. I can't wait to show her." said Monica.

"Me either!" exclaimed Mandy.

The girls slowly made their way back towards Mandy's house. They were a block and a half away when another police car went racing by them. A few moments later an ambulance passed them. All three looked at each other with puzzled looks on their faces.

"What was that all about?" asked Valerie.

"I don't know but whatever it is it must be bad." said Monica.

"I hope it's not too serious." said Mandy.

Mandy reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed her home phone number and pressed send. After seeing the police cars and ambulance pass she just wanted to make sure everything was ok at home. The phone rang but no one answered. She began to worry but didn't really think too much about it. She just figured her grandma was busy passing out candy and missed the call. She was sure her grandma would call her back when she was done passing out the candy.

The girls were now a block away from Mandy's house when the ambulance that passed them moments ago raced back the other way with lights and sirens on. Just then Mandy noticed that her grandma still had not called her back. She reached for her phone again and hit redial. The phone rang but still no answer. Now she was really worried.

"Hey guys, I've been trying to call my grandma to let her know we are on our way back but she isn't answering. Do you think that that ambulance was for her?"

"No. Maybe she is just busy passing candy out and she hasn't had time to call you back just yet." said Valerie.

"Yeah, or maybe she fell asleep and hasn't heard the phone ringing. I wouldn't worry to much." said Monica.

"Yeah, you guy's are probably right."

The girls continued walking when they saw the flashers of the police cars. It almost looked like they were in front of Mandy's house. As they got closer the flashers got brighter and brighter. Just as they were about five houses away from Mandy's house a neighbor came running towards the girls.

"Mandy, it's your grandma!!" the neighbor said.

"What about my grandma?" asked Mandy as she dropped her bag of candy to the ground.

"You're grandma was attacked!!"

"WHAT? ATTACKED BY WHO?" yelled Mandy as her eyes welled up with tears.

"We don't know but she was hurt pretty bad. They just took her to the hospital and the cops are busy questioning people."

"WHY? I MEAN SHE'S NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO ANYONE!!" tears were streaming down her face now.

"We just don't know right now. I'm sure the cops will find out soon enough. Now I can take you to the hospital if you want."

"Yes! Please take me to my grandma. Val, Monica can you come with me? I don't want to be alone if something bad happens to her."

"YES" the girls said together.

They headed to the hospital all the while not know how Mandy's grandma was doing. Mandy's mind raced "What if I lose her? She is my best friend. I can't lose her. Why would someone want to hurt her? I knew I should have stayed home with her. Why? Why? Why?" Tears were coming down uncontrollably as her neighbor continued to drive to the hospital. It seemed to be taking forever when they finally reached the emergency entrance of the hospital. Her neighbor parked the car and Mandy jumped out of the car and ran to the emergency room door.

"My grandma...my grandma...they just brought my grandma here. I need to see my grandma!" Mandy managed to get out as the tears rolled down her face.

"I need to know your grandma's name dear." said the lady at the triage desk.

"Um her name is Virginia Davis and they just...brought..her...here. She was..attacked..at..home." Mandy cried.

"Ok. Here's a tissue sweetie. Have a seat and I will see what I can find out about your grandma."

The lady disappeared behind a door that said Emergency Staff Only. Mandy's eyes stayed focused on that door until it opened up and the lady from the triage desk came walking out accompanied by a doctor. The doctor didn't make eye contact with her and she just knew that it was bad news at that point. The doctor asked her to come to a special waiting room where he began to tell her about her grandma.

"Miss I understand that you were trick-or-treating during the time of your grandma's attack and that might have saved your life. 911 received a call from your grandma that a man had broken in the back door of your home. She was in your bedroom hiding in the closet when she got through to the 911 operator. The man was in the home looking through all the rooms when he noticed a telephone cord going into your closet. He opened the door and found your grandma on the phone. It appears he yanked the phone from your grandma, pulled her out of the closet and they began to fight each other. We know this because your grandma has defensive wounds on her. The 911 dispatcher sent the police along with an ambulance right away but when they got there the man had already left the scene. They made entry into your home where they found your grandma in the living room unconscious. The officers felt for a pulse and they could not find one. When the paramedics came they worked on your grandma and were able to obtain a pulse. However, when they reached the hospital they had lost her pulse again. We tried everything we could to get her pulse and heart beat back but we were unable to do so. I am so sorry but as of ten minutes ago your grandma has passed away."

"PASSED AWAY!! NO!! YOU'RE WRONG!! YOU'RE WRONG!! SHE'S NOT DEAD!! SHE'S NOT DEAD!! GRANDMA......NO" cried Mandy.

Her friends hugged her so tight but she didn't feel that all she felt was the complete and utter sadness and helplessness. How could this be happening? How could this have turned into one of the worst days of her entire life? Why would someone do this to her grandma? Why?

Two weeks after her grandma's funeral service the police came to her home. They told her parents that they had arrested a man in connection with her grandma's death and that he was only 17 years old. He told police that he didn't mean to kill the old lady and that he was only there to take money and jewelry when he found the old lady in the closet. He told them that the old lady put up a fight and that out of instinct he picked up a statue that was sitting on the coffee table in the living room and began to hit her with it. When he realized what he had done he took off running.

Just then Mandy heard the doorbell ring. It seemed like she was sitting there forever. She got up off her bed to let Valerie in. Valerie was right her grandma would want her to go trick-or-treating and it wasn't her fault what had happened that night. That boy may have taken her grandma, her best friend but he wasn't going to take away the memories and the traditions she held so dear.

"Are you ok? You look like you were crying." Valerie asked.

"Yeah I'm ok. I was just thinking about my grandma and you are right. She would want me to go trick-or-treating."

"Are you sure you're ok? We don't have to go you know?"

"I'm sure. Now let's go find me a costume."

Mandy wiped the tears from her eyes, grabbed her coat, took one last look at her grandma's picture sitting on her dresser and turned off her bedroom light. She knew as she headed out the door that this is what her grandma would want. When they got to the mall she found the perfect Angel costume.

She was glad that she decided to go trick-or-treating after all because it turned out to be her best Halloween ever!!!

The End