Ten Pounds of Chocolate

"No way, Abbey said. "That can't be true."

"I swear," Wendy said. "She gives out huge chocolate bars. My brother told me."

Abbey looked down the hill. The house had to be a half mile away. But at least it was downhill. "You sure about this?"

Wendy nodded.

"Okay. If it's true, it'll be worth the trip." Abbey headed down the hill, pulling up the waist of her skirt. The witch costume was great, but it was just a bit too long.

There weren't any other homes to stop at along the way -- just empty lots filled with tall weeds. Abbey hoped she wasn't wasting her time.

"My turn to ring," Wendy said when they reached the house. She rushed to the porch.

Abbey followed her up the creaking steps and waited for the door to open. The place was little more than a cabin. It wasn't very big, and it didn't seem to be in very good condition. Abbey wondered how anyone who lived here could afford to give away big bars of chocolate to every kid who came by.

"Well, aren't you two just lovely," the woman said when she opened the door. She was old and small, just like the house. Behind her, a black cat peered at the girls, it's tail forming question marks in the air.

"Trick or --" Abbey started to say. But the words caught in her throat as she spotted what lay on the table next in the hallway. Two huge candy bars -- the biggest she'd ever seen. Maybe Wendy was right. The bars looked like they weighed at least ten pounds each.

"Here you go, dearie," the woman said. She stooped and lifted a candy bar with two hands, then dropped it into Abbey's bag.

Abbey felt her arm jolt as the weight hit. "Thank you," she said. She could already taste the chocolate. It would last for weeks.

"And here you go, young lady" the woman said, giving the other bar to Wendy.

Lucky us, Abbey thought, realizing she and her friend had gotten the last two candy bars.

"That's very generous," Wendy said.

The woman nodded. "An old person like me needs to be extra friendly. I'm all alone here except for Jackson," she said, pointing to the cat. "I want people to think well of me. That way, they won't play tricks on me or make up nasty rumors."

Abbey nodded. That made sense. The woman was alone in this tiny house at the end of a long road. If she didn't give out candy on Halloween, some of the kids might do bad things to her property. But if she gave out great candy, she'd never have a problem.

"Thanks again," Abbey said as the girls left the house.

"Come back next year," the woman called.

"Wow, that was worth the trip." Abbey started the long climb up the hill.

"And even worth the trip back," Wendy added.

"Ten pounds at least," Abbey said. She lifted the candy bar from her bag.

"Yeah." Wendy hefted hers. "It must cost her a fortune to buy these. But I guess she really wants kids to like her. I know I'm going to tell everyone how nice she is."

"Me, too." Abbey was about to put the candy bar back when she heard the roar. She froze for an instant. "What was that?"

"Just some kids fooling around," Wendy said, though she didn't sound very sure.

Abbey hitched up her skirt and walked faster up the steep slope. Another roar ripped the air, closer this time. Abbey looked back and screamed as the dark beast leaped from the tall weeds, sprinting toward them on four legs and growling, it's sharp white teeth glistening like ivory daggers.

"Run!" she shouted.

Abbey dashed up the hill. The chocolate bar felt heavier and heavier. She dropped the bar and ran harder. By her side, she saw Wendy toss her own bar to the ground.

At the top of the hill, Abbey paused and looked back. "We made it," she gasped, trying to catch her breath. "What was that? A wolf? A lion?"

Wendy shook her head. "I don't know. But I lost my candy bar."

Abbey nodded. "Me, too. But we got away, at least. And we still have our bags." She was beginning to wonder if it had been her imagination. There couldn't really have been a creature chasing them. But she knew one thing for certain. "She sure is a nice old lady."

"Yeah," Wendy said. "She's really nice."

Abbey saw two boys walk past, heading down the hill. She opened her mouth to warn them about the beast, but then decided not say anything. They wouldn't believe her. And, to tell the truth, she'd begun to doubt the experience herself. There couldn't really have been a creature chasing them.

"Come on," Wendy said. "Let's go to some more houses." She walked away from the hill.

"Good idea." Abbey followed her.

At that same moment, down at the bottom of the hill, the sleek, black panther opened his jaws and gently placed the two huge chocolate bars on the porch. Then he clawed at the door of the small house while his waving tail made question marks in the air.

"Well done, Jackson. We've made so many friends tonight," the nice old woman said. She picked up the chocolate bars, one by one, and placed them back on the table, then petted the panther as it again took the form of a cat. "And just in time," she added, peering up the hill. "I think there are a couple more youngsters heading our way."

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