Ten Pounds of Chocolate

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"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.