Halloween's Past

Chapter 3
A Strange awakening

Chapter Description: Jason finds out what Mrs. Rudor meant when she said he needed to relearn the spirit of Halloween.

I didn’t know how long I was out. I didn’t know if it was 5 seconds or 5 minutes. But I got up to my feet still feeling dizzy with a headache. I couldn’t wait till your parents got home to tell them of what had happened. Then I noticed their voices coming from the kitchen. I began to wonder how long did you black out for. It must have been for a while considering the fact it looked like she had been there for a while.

“Jason I hope you are ready” said your mom

Ready for what? Bed? It was a Friday night and plus I was 18. I didn’t need to go to bed early. I was confused to what she meant.

That’s when my mom entered the room wearing a different costume then she wore when she left the house.

:Jason, why aren’t you wearing your costume. I told you to go get ready for trick or treating a hour ago. You know how your little brother and sister get impatient.”

I was now getting confused to what she was talking about. For one they just went trick or treating and second I was too old to do that. But I decided to just go to my room anyway since you would rather hang out in there. I then realized what was wrong right away. My room had changed. Posters I had 3 years ago when I was 15 were now hanging in my room. Plus there was the costume I wore when I went trick or treating for the last time was on my bed.

What on earth is going on here? Did my parents pull a prank on me or something I began to wonder

Then something caught me eye. In the corner where my desk was, my calendar was different. For one the year was wrong. It didn’t say it was 2008, it now said it was 2005. I began get confused to what on earth was going on. That’s when I spot myself in the hallway mirror. My 18 year old self wasn’t starring back at me but instead I looked 15 years old. I quickly took out my school ID and when it should have been a High School Senior ID it was instead one for a Freshman. I then remembered what Mrs. Rudor said.

She said I had lost the Halloween spirit and needed to be taught a lesson. Was this what she meant? Did she intend me to relive my last Halloween going trick or treating? If so, I guess it wasn’t too bad. I mean just earlier or back in the present, I had wished to be able to trick or treat and I guess this wouldn’t be so bad. So I put on the costume I wore back in 2005 which was a Pirate costume. After that I went downstairs and found my brother and sister. They were also 3 years younger wearing the same costume they wore 3 years ago.

“Jason, you are you so slow. I want to get a ton a candy said Peter who was now 11 who was wearing a spider-man costume.”

“Yeah, we want candy. We want candy said Jamie who was now her 7 year old self in a princess costume.”

“Now Jason, you understand, this is the last year you will be trick or treating” said my dad

“Yeah, I know you said knowing that this Halloween had already happened.”

A minute later we were out the door. Since this was when I was still trick or treating, my dad stayed behind to hand out the candy to the other kids a job which starting next year would be mine. Reliving the last year I ever went trick or treating wasn’t bad even though probably I wouldn’t get the chance to eat the candy since I might return to the present as soon as this night was over. We went from house to house and getting candy. I hated to admit it but I was having fun. For that one night, you were 15 again and going trick or treating. I figured this had to be the best Halloween I had ever had. I decided to when this was all over to go and thank Mrs. Rudor and apologize again for running out candy before her grandkids came over.

Then after 2 hours, we were finished. We had stopped at the last house. All of our bags were filled with candy. I had decided to eat some of the candy before we finished so I could at least enjoy some of the candy before things hopefully returned to normal.

“Did you guys get a whole bunch of candy asked my dad who was hanging by the door.”

“Yeah, it’s a shame this is the last time Ill ever do this” I responded.

“Don’t worry, Im sure starting next year you will be doing things are more fun then trick or treating with your younger brother and sister” said your mom

I wished that I could tell them the truth, that you had already did this Halloween 3 years ago but I knew that they would never believe me. I began to wonder to when this would wear off. But then the thought came to you, what if it doesn’t end. What if I wont go back to the present without reliving everything before that. Strange as it sounds but with the current situation anything was possible.

Peter and Jamie ran into the house and I slowly followed because of the long walking. My external body might have been younger but my internal felt the same. I know it sounds like I was out of shape, but I haven’t walked that long without making many stops in a while so my body wasn’t used to it.

I walked up to the door and as I was about to enter the door, I felt dizzy again. I thought this was it, I was going to return to the present. The dizziness continued and like the last time, I blacked out. I was expecting to find myself sitting on the couch like when this mess started. When I was able to see I found myself at the door again. This time however it wasn’t night time; no the sun was out for some reason.

I began to wonder had time gone without him during the little time trip and I was coming home from something? My answers were answered right when I was about to open the door. At first I didn’t notice but when I paid attention to my reflection on the doorknob. A 18 year old wasn’t starring back, heck not even a 15 year old. I looked like I had to be no older then 10. That’s when I heard Peter run up behind from me. I knew right then I was right. I had to be 10 because when Peter was 6 he broke his arm around 2 weeks before Halloween and sure enough when he came running he was wearing has cast.

“Jason mom told you to always walk with me to the door” said Peter who was worn out from the running.

I sighed and we walked into the house. The first thing I noticed was Jamie was in a playpen and seemed excited that we were home.

“Ason pway with me” squealed Jamie

I had forgotten how much she adored me when she was 2 years. I remembered she would follow me around the house all day. In fact someone she would cry if I left the room for even a second. I was not in the mood to play with her seeing how there was a crisis in my life. I had thought Mrs. Rudor had wanted me to relive one trick or treating experience but it seems it wasn’t the case.

“Not right now Jamie. Im tired.”

“Jason honey, go and play with your baby sister said your mom who was in the kitchen getting dinner ready.”

I knew I had to tell them what was going on. Even if they don’t believe me but I had to try.

“Jason stop making up stories. People don’t grow younger, they get older you know that.”

“I know it sounds weird but it’s the truth.”

“This is why Mrs. Rudor is always cranky. You and the other kids on the block always start spreading these silly little rumors.”

“But this time it’s the truth.”

“I don’t want to hear another word. Now go and play with your sister like I had asked.”

I knew I couldn’t convince her that I was reliving past Halloweens. I began to try other ways to convince her but she told me to stop or I wouldn’t go trick or treating. I played with Jamie like I was asked and soon after dinner was ready. It was kind of stupid seeing Jamie and Peter act immaturely but what could they do. They didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t eat much because the thought of what was going on was going through my head. I had some scary thoughts like when or if this nightmare would end. Another that went to my mind, if it did stop would I return to the present or relive my life. That would be horrible almost as horrible as possibly reliving a Halloween when I was a baby.

After dinner, my parents told me to go and get my costume. When I went into my room I was shocked to see what costume I had wore that year. I had totally forgot that when I was 10, I went as Superman. I know it doesn’t sound as bad but trust me it was. That year while I was trick or treating the back part of the pants split right in front of almost all my schoolmates. I became the looser of my class for the rest of the year. I knew I had to make that didn’t happen so I wouldn’t re experience the embarrassment. I put on the costume making sure I got it on right so it wouldn’t split, then we were out the door to trick or treat.

Again my dad stayed behind for the other trick or treaters. My mom held little Jamie who was going as a duck while Peter went as a cowboy which I forgot how much of a dork he looked in it. He just smiled. A little while later we came up to Mrs. Rudor’s house which gave me an idea. What if she remembered what she did. Perhaps she could undo what she did. So I asked my mom if we could go to her house.

“I don’t know, Mrs. Rudor never liked kids.”

“Please mom, I bet we will get lots of candy if she does have any and we are the only kids who show up.” I said trying to convince her to let you go.

“Fine but if she doesn’t, don’t bug her”

I took Peter along with me as Jamie was very tired and practically sleeping. I ran the door bell and Mrs. Rudor came to the door.

“SCRAM you kids. You know I hate trick or treaters. Shoo!”

Peter being the little kid he was ran away screaming but me I stayed.

“Uh Mrs. Rudor I don’t know if you remember you....”

“Oh I remember you Jason. So how do you like relearning the Halloween Spirit”

“I hate it. Please undo it. Im sorry. I...”

“Sorry but if you want to learn anything you must go through with it until I see pleased.”

“Please, I hate being kid. Im afraid what will happen.”

“Jason come on, we should start heading back home.” called my mom

When I turned back towards Mrs. Rudor she had left and locked the door. I sighed and headed back towards my mom, Peter and Jamie. The rest wasnt so bad until it happened. Like when I first did this Halloween I dropped some candy. Without thinking I started to pick them up and sure enough my pants split like they did. I dont believe I forgot about this. Again I was embarrassed and students I knew back then started laughing. My mom took her coat and covered it up and we started back home.

When we got home, I didn’t have another blackout, not even a bit of dizziness. Perhaps Mrs. Rudor was kind enough to end this lesson. But if so when would it wear off? Not long after we got home, my parents told me and Peter to go to bed. I figured this is when it would wear off, so I would wake on the next in the present. I got ready for bed and fell asleep. When I woke up the next day, it wasn’t what I had hoped.