Beth wore her favorite pink smock. It had bottomless pockets perfect for carrying important things like handfuls of rubber bands, marbles the color of oceans, a red shoelace, a spoon, and two troops of plastic soldiers- one blue and one green.

People told tales of long, long ago, when they used to enjoy Halloween, dressing up, knocking on doors showing off their fine costumes, playing something called Trick or Treat and, it used to be fun, but not anymore.

Peter was tired. After 10 years of holding together the paperwork for “Johnson, A.P. – SSN 555-66-33xx,” his tensile strength was fading; he could feel his molecules beginning to degrade.