Word Count: 999

The grandfather clock in the sitting room rang loudly announcing six o'clock. I moaned from the noise, covering my ears. Another year, another Halloween.

"Tin-Tina!" shouted the goblin twins as they rushed into my self-proclaimed female cave.

I raised an eye at their outburst. "My dears?"

Both Munchi and Grouch looked up at me with their yellow slit eyes.

"Can we go?" they whined in unison. They pushed their ghost designed, plastic buckets towards me.

"I'm not sure that'd be a good idea..."

My gaze flickered to Lennon as he entered the room. The little ones had attached pink bows to his horns.

"Grragggh," Lennon whined behind them. Being a Minotaur, never gave his vocal cords justice.

"You too?" I smirked, finding their pleading eyes intoxicatingly cute.

"Can we, can we goez," they cried while jumping up and down.

I groaned and threw my hands up. "Fine! Let's go trick-or-treating, but be warned, if we get chased out this year, I'm never going back," I declared. "Go wait for me by the gateway."

"Okay!" Munchi said enthusiastically before prancing after the others. Her polka dotted bandana flapping up and down as she moved.

Grabbing a shrink potion from my spell cabinet, I downed the vial. My body convulsed, and I toppled over withering in pain. Sweat steamed off me like a just opened baked potato.

I laid there panting, my vision a blur. Gradually, the colors and outlines reformed as one. I eyed the jug of ice-cold water sitting on my desk, if only!

Reaching an arm out towards the cool refreshment, I saw my normal blotchy skin become smooth. My shrunken hand waved back at me. Just kidding.

The potion shaved off several decades, now I looked and felt like a teenager. Only problem: the after-effects. Worst hangover of my life! I can mix types, no problem! I drink one potion that alters my age, and I'm crippled for weeks. This better be worth it.

After recovering from my instant dehydration, I donned my witch's hat and cloak. It hugged my body and widened at the bottom. Large open sleeves allowed me to feel the breeze.

Finally ready, I moved to the gateway. "Let's go children," I waved while grabbing my traveling broom.

"I want the front zeat!" Grouch squeaked as he clung to my leg, causing his oversized blue sports hat to fall off.

Lennon used two claws to delicately place the cap back in place. "Arrrruuuuuu."

"Thankz Lenny!"

We settled onto the broom, feet dangling for the shorties. I hit the start button and pulled back, lifting us into the air. Though the stick vibrated from recent repairs, lift-off was smooth. The damp cave walls passed by, light flickering like a Human elevator ride.

We reached the top as a soft gust of wind swept around us. The landscape unfolded with the dark rolling land melding into the twilight sky.

Within minutes, we were flying through the air, the children giggling and spreading their arms wide. The stars shined above, twinkling brightly next to the iridescent moon.

The town came into view, forcing me to veer to the left and descend. I set the navigation to cyclone, sending our flight into a spiral with our hair wiping.

Still, with near perfect, I landed softly. A puff of dust rose then dropped with our feet.

"Do it again, do it again!" the twin goblins said in harmony.

"Later," I responded my head still pounding from the brain ricochet.

Turning off the broom, I handed it to Lenny to carry. "Shall we, my darlings?"

"Yez!" the little one's hands flailed above their heads.

We hurried around the corner, right onto the prime street for Trick-or-Treating.

Both children raced ahead, running to the first available house. They bypassed the Humans walking up to the door.

"Look at that," one of them pointed at the twins, "so weird."

I suppressed the urge to smack the kid. At least they weren't scared this time.

The door opened to an elderly woman. "Oh my, look at you little....goblins?" her voice hitched with repulsion at the twins.

"Trick-or-Treat!" They cried with excitement, ignoring the woman's piercing gaze.

Still, she dropped the candy into their buckets, waving them on.

"Next one!" Munchi declared while moving ahead without paying attention. She ran headlong into a pair of teenagers.

"Watch it brat," a girl with long blonde hair scoffed.

She wore a witch's hat, but her outfit far betrayed a witch's cloak: too short and exposed to the world. A piece of black lacy fabric showed at the top. Was her bra showing? My mouth hung open at the sight.

Her brunette friend, wore a red cape and the letter 'S' on her chest. "Hey Marie, look at her costume," she giggled while hiding her smirk behind her hand.

I looked down at my long robe. What's wrong with my authentic witch's outfit?

"She probably got it from her mother's wardrobe. Who'd wear something so out of style?" the first girl laughed.

"Hey girls, be nice," grinned the boy next to them, he put his arm around blondie. "Not everyone can afford real costumes."

Real costumes! My cheeks heated from their comment.

"At least she isn't wearing that ugly bull head, with spandex? What's wrong with this old guy?" the brunette added as she pointed at Lennon.

"Leave Lenny alone," cried Grouch.

Lennon stepped forward and knelt beside him. "Arrrugh."

The teenagers died of laugher, smacking their legs in hysteria. All the while they made freakish faces at us.

"Dude, are you serious? Playing the role of whatever man beast you are to that extent?" sneered the boy. His dirty blond hair tousled from excessive movement.

"Let's go, this is too much for me to handle," blondie added, before turning to leave.

They sent glances over their shoulders giggling each time as they strode away.

"Humanz are scary," the twins said while hugging my leg.

"Humans, they're the real monsters," I cringed and shook my head.