"A Perfect Halloween Night" (1986) by Rose Rinaldi
Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine, December 1986
Readers unfamiliar with "A Perfect Halloween Night" may prefer to read these notes only after reading the story.
"A Perfect Halloween" is a brief gem. Its melancholy tone and harrowing milieu are rendered with great skill.
Tom and Helen Dagget are enjoying a walk on a blustery Halloween night. They reminisce about the fun they had collaborating with their kids on costumes and pumpkins. Now the kids are grown, though.
“Some of the schools are sponsoring parties,” she said. “Mrs. Johnson next door is chaperoning one of them.”
He shook his head. “It’s not the same. A party is pretty tame stuff to kids used to trick-or-treating. Nothing compares to being out late, after dark, without your parents around. Walking up and down the streets in a pack, imagining what might be behind the next corner . . . what might answer your next knock.”
Helen gave an involuntary shudder at that. “Do you realize we haven’t seen one child this evening?”
“They’ve probably all gone to the party at the elementary school,” he said.
“All of them? Not very likely. You’d think we’d see one or two children around.”
“What’s the matter, Helen? Letting your imagination run away with you? Scared you’re going to see a spook? Think maybe the goblins don’t know they’ve been voted out of existence by the city fathers?”
“Don’t, Tom.”
“Don’t what?”
“Make jokes . . . about goblins and things.”
“Now, Helen, just calm—” his voice stopped.
“What is it?” she said, taking his arm.
“Probably nothing.” He was staring into the inky darkness.
What do you think you see?” When he didn’t answer, she said again, “What do you see . . .? I didn’t bring my glasses.” She had an edge of hysteria in her voice.
He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. Even she could see them now....
It's a chilling moment, and brings the unstated into sharp focus for the reader. Is this setting in the future? Have children started a revolt against local government bans on trick-or-treat? Or are what the Daggets take to be children something entirely supernatural?
Jay
