by Martha Carr
"That would be priceless! And given you only have tomorrow to look for a costume, not a bad idea. We can run by Goodwill in the morning. See if we can find some overalls and a pair of sneakers. Maybe some kind of hat. His cowboy hat won't fit if he grows big enough to stand in front of a door."
"You are really on board with this whole idea. I'm surprised, impressed and suspicious."
"Add in youthful and sexy and you've described the Berens women!"
Leira felt her face warm. She felt for her gun still strapped to her side.
"Ha! You can stand over a dead body and not bat an eye. Mention the word sexy to your grandmother and you rest your hand on a gun." Mara smiled broadly. "You'll get there." She gave Leira a tight hug and whispered in her ear. "You're part Elven and more beautiful than you realize." She stood back, her hands still resting on Leira's shoulders. "Some day, you'll see it too. Go on, get some rest. Trick or treating takes it out of you. I remember chasing after you. You were fast on your feet even then. Imagine what it'll be like keeping up with a magical troll who loves candy!"
Leira felt a shiver go down her spine. "I'm trying not to." Mara let out another loud laugh.
CHAPTER THREE
The troll was standing on the edge of a blue plastic bucket in the kitchen, his arms clasped in front of him. The bucket was filled just under the brim with water and gala apples.
"Tell me the point of this again?" Correk scratched his head. "Why is it fun to put your head under water to try and get an apple?"
"It takes skill and determination! When you finally get one, you've really done something." Leira stood next to the bucket, her hands on her hips.
"A wet head and an apple."
"You're clearly missing the point. Look how excited the troll is... Proof!"
"He's drooling. I'm not sure that's excitement. It's going to be more like an obstacle course in the middle of a lake for him. See the troll try to escape being crushed by apples..."
"American Ninja Warriors." The troll let out a cackle.
"See? He agrees with me."
"He doesn't agree with you. He thinks it'll be a challenge."
"At least take them out and then he can swim around for a while before we stick him in his costume."
"A troll dressing up as a toddler. Whatever. Hang on, let me grab a towel." Leira ran out of the kitchen to the bedroom in the small guest house shaped like a square.
"Don't get a big one. He's tiny." Correk called after her but didn't get a response. He went to find her, yelling, "Did you hear what I said? A hand towel will do. Unless you're thinking of taking part? Does it make the apple taste better?"
The troll watched them go, waiting for his moment.
He hopped off the edge of the bucket and let out a trill, growing to just over three feet. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth wide, even rows of sharp teeth glistening in the light from the kitchen window. He put his head in and bit down, biting an apple in half and filling his cheeks, pulling his head out of the water. He could hear them coming and swallowed quickly, ducking his head under the water again and biting another apple in half. Water dripped down his back and he gave a hard shake, going back in for one last apple. He chomped down, chewing as fast as he could, making a satisfied humming noise. Yumfuck shrunk back to normal size as fast as he could as a pool of water surrounded him on the floor. He hopped back up to the edge of the bucket just as Correk headed back into the kitchen.
"At least let him..." Correk stopped at the table and looked at the bucket. Pieces of apple were floating on the surface. The troll was grinning up at him, once again grasping his hands in front of his belly, which was now rounder. The troll shook his head as small droplets flew off him, spraying Correk across the front of his pants. Correk looked at him, looked at the bucket and looked at the puddle of water on the floor.
"You cheated, didn't you?" Correk shook his head, arching an eyebrow and crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I think you enjoy food more when you're stealing it."
Leira came back into the kitchen carrying a green hand towel and looked down at the bucket. "You started without me!"
"He started without both of us... Confess."
"Yumfuck!" The troll scooped out a small piece of apple floating on the surface and bit down, trilling.
Leira went over and looked in the bucket. "How did you eat so many so fast? A doughnut I get but a hard apple..."
"You sound impressed. Don't be. They're the great scavengers of the forest. Fast and nimble and can steal a hairy limeola right out from under the beak of even a hungry harpy."
"Blech, harpy!" The troll screwed up his face and spit into the bucket.
"Well done." Correk grimaced and looked at the slime floating on the top. He looked back at Leira. "You still tempted to do this? Troll saliva and apple remains mixed in cold water."
"Part of the fun. Imagine ten kids all trying to get an apple in their mouth. Lots of warm saliva swimming around and bite marks in all the apples."
"Humans are weird."
"In wonderful ways. It'll build your immune system. Come on, let me show you how it's done." Leira got on her knees and put her hands behind her back. The troll hopped up onto her shoulder as she bent over, her mouth open as she sucked in air.
"Wueeeeee!" yelled the troll as Leira bent over and ducked her head in, swiping at an apple that ducked away from her face. She moved her head around, biting at apple after apple as they rolled away from her. She started laughing as water went up her nose, forcing her to pull her head out of the bucket, water dripping down her shoulders. She grabbed the hand towel and wiped her face, taking in another deep breath.
"Oh, okay, we're going to do this again." Correk leaned over to get a better look.
Leira let out a laugh as her head went underwater, bubbles floating up to the surface. She pushed an apple to the side of the bucket with her cheek and rolled her face around, her mouth wide open and bit down catching just enough of the apple. She lifted her head out of the bucket, triumphant, raising her arms straight overhead, blinking water out of her eyes. Her short dark hair was sticking up on the front of her head.
Leira took a bite out of the apple, letting it drop into her hand as she got off her knees, standing up straight. She grabbed the towel off the floor, wiping her face as the troll clapped and jumped up and down on her shoulder.
"Your turn! Come on, you know you want to. You wouldn't want to be the only one who didn't try..."
"Peer pressure and from a federal agent. Very nice." Correk got closer to the bucket and looked down. The apples were still bobbing in the water.
"Ooooh, he's thinking about it. Getting closer..."
"Do it! Do it!" The troll chanted, jumping up and down. "Yea motherfuckers!"
Correk licked his lips and clenched his fists, unclenching them and shaking his hands just as there was a knock at the door. He looked up, relief washing over him.
"I think you were less scared facing down the dark mist. Hang on, you're not off the hook yet." Leira put the troll on the kitchen table and rubbed her head with the damp towel as she went to the door. There was another knock as she opened the door. "Nana! You're early. We weren't going to send out the troll till the sun starts to set. Harder to tell he's not actually wearing a mask."
"Nice to see you too, only grandchild. I wanted to spend some time with you." Mara hugged Leira and felt the damp hair against her skin. "Bobbing for apples, isn't it? We used to do that together when you were younger!" Mara set off for the kitchen, Leira trailing behind her.
"Correk was just about to bob for an apple."
"That's just an ugly rumor. Hi Mara, you're early."
"What's with the backhanded greeting around this place? I have four years of memories to catch up on and this is one of my favorite holidays! The magical community will be out with their kiddos in full force tonight. Some of those tiny Jasmines and Spider Men will be little elves or wizards."
"Where's Mom? Isn't she coming?"
&
nbsp; "Eireka stayed out a little late last night with Donald whooping it up at the Paramount. She's staying behind to hand out some candy at the apartments, anyway. The neighbors said there's a few kids that'll come by. You all ready for your big night, Yumfuck?"
The troll threw open his arms, letting out a loud trill.
"He's been too excited to even watch Golden Girls," said Correk
"He does love Sophia. Surprised he didn't want to dress up like her." Correk pulled his hair off his shoulders.
The troll's face lit up. "Don't start, we already have your costume and you're heading out in just about an hour. Free candy. Keep your eye on the prize." Leira rubbed the top of his head. "We should probably get changed. Correk's going as an Elf." Leira rolled her eyes.
"There was nothing else left at Goodwill." Correk released the glamour on his ears, returning them to their natural state of pointed. "Okay, one try at an apple..." He got down on his knees and tucked his hair into the back of his shirt.
"That's what we like to hear! Go Correk! Go Correk!" Leira cheered him on as he took in a deep breath and pushed his face into the water just as her phone buzzed.
CHAPTER FOUR
"Hello, General Anderson?"
"That's not going to be good." Mara pulled her mouth into a thin line, pressing her lips together.
Correk sat back on his heels, listening, water dripping off his chin.
"Of course, I understand. We're on our way. Yes, I'll bring him too." Leira hung up the phone.
"Him too? Do you mean me or the troll? What about Hagan?"
“I told him I’d take the watch tonight if something came up. One of his favorite holidays. Let’s check it out before we pull him away from handing out candy.”
The troll gasped looking between Leira and Correk as he stood up and grabbed the dish towel, drying off his face.
“Not you, don’t worry.” Leira patted the troll’s head. She looked up at Correk. “The General wants you along on this one and I agree.”
"What is it? What's happened?" The smile faded from Mara's face.
Leira hesitated, looking at Correk.
"Say it, child! You're making it worse." A realization grew across Mara's face and she gasped. "It's the world in between, isn't it? That's why you don't want to say anything." She put her hand on the kitchen table to steady herself. Leira reached out but Mara held up her hand, giving a hard shake to her head. "Doesn’t matter how long I’m back. Place can still make a shudder go straight through me. No, no, I'm alright."
Leira looked at Correk. "There's some kind of disturbance at Longview Park just west of here. Some teenagers playing on the basketball court are swearing they see dead people."
"On a basketball court..." Correk was skeptical.
"It's apparently right up against an old cemetery. Come on, we better go before someone gets the bright idea of calling the news stations."
"A cemetery, classic haunting," said Mara.
Correk pulled his hair back, drying his neck. "How did a group of scared teenagers manage to get the attention of General Anderson?"
"They're all young wizards and one of them has a father in the Silver Griffins."
"Now I see how it all connects. Lois' cousin tipped her off. Woman is her own social media." Correk went to get his jacket.
"You can take the troll out for trick or treating, right? Drive him over by South Manchaca. That's still where all the houses really decorate like crazy..."
"And some of the houses give out full-sized candy bars. I remember, go..." Mara shooed Leira toward the front door. "We'll be fine. Take a jacket with you." She took Leira's face in her hands. "Be careful, just in case. You're a very powerful, magical being but this is the world in between."
Leira grasped her grandmother's hand. "I seem to remember you telling me a ghost story when I was younger that the dead really do rise on Halloween and cause all sorts of problems. Was that something you made up or..."
"All true. The veil is particularly thin on this night every year. Why do you think there's a holiday? The treats were just to distract all the little magical children. Hardly anything ever goes wrong."
"Hardly ever. You have a way of door-knobbing me with the small asides. Okay, I promise. I'll be careful. And you..." Leira scooped the troll off the kitchen table and brought him up to eye level. "Remember what we talked about. All you say is trick or treat. Not one motherfucker. Not even an aloha. Got it? You take one piece of candy per house and move on. We still agree?" The troll solemnly shook his head and crossed over his heart with his paw.
"Leave him to me, we'll have a good time. I'm an old pro at this. Kind of looking forward to getting out there after all this time. All I could do for years was watch everyone from the other side of the veil." Mara tried to smile but it was strained.
"I'm sorry I reminded you of all that."
"It's not your doing, at all. I got myself into that mess."
Leira drew back, her eyes widening. "We'll have to talk more about what that means later."
"Go, the sky is just starting to darken and the veil will get thinner still before the night is out. Just remember everything Turner Underwood has taught you. We'll be fine trick or treating."
"Trick or treat!" chirped the troll, excited.
Leira gave her grandmother one last hug and joined Correk at the door. He had put the glamour back on his ears, rounding them out. "You sure you don't want to change your shirt?"
"It's already drying. Let's get going. I don't like the idea of the world in between messing with this world."
The door shut behind them and Mara looked down at Yumfuck. "One hand of poker before we go?" The troll nodded and let out a cackle.
CHAPTER FIVE
"It's amazing how easily the whole driving thing comes back to you." Mara sped around a corner, onto Manchaca as the troll hung onto the seatbelt. He had a mixture of fear and delight on his face as Mara narrowly missed a large green plastic trashcan on the side of the road. "That was nice of Eireka to lend me her car for the night. Remind me to fill it up before we get back home."
"Eeeeep!" The troll closed one eye and winced as they narrowly missed a side mirror of a parked truck as a squirrel darted toward the street and thought better of it, running back the way it came. "Whew!" The troll breathed a sigh of relief.
"Once we get there I'll park on a corner and you can grow big enough for this outfit and we'll get you dressed and ready to go. This really means a lot to me to get to take out a kid for Halloween again, even if it's a strange hairy one." She whipped around another corner, turning onto Lansing Drive and hit the brakes as they got to Enchanted Drive. "Woooooo," said the troll, as he sailed out, holding onto the shoulder strap as he floated over the middle of the seat and back again.
"Oh, here we are. Thing kind of sprung up on me." Mara threw the car into neutral and took her foot off the brake as the car slowly rolled backward a few feet. "Well, that's not good." She looked down and saw her mistake, laughing, jamming her foot back on the brake, sending the troll back out again, hanging onto the strap. "You look like a tiny Tarzan! That would make a good costume too." Mara rummaged around in the shopping bag, pulling out the plaid shirt and overalls. "Okay, get to growing. There's candy to collect!"
"Yippee ki yay!" squeaked the troll. He easily grew to just over three feet, sitting back in the seat. Two kids, one dressed like a bumblebee and the other as a vampire started as Yumfuck's face suddenly appeared at the window, his eyes wide. He gave a small wave as they smiled and slowly waved back.
"Cool costume," said the little bumblebee.
Mara grabbed an arm and struggled to stuff him into the shirt, throwing it around his back and stuffing in the other arm. She quickly snapped the pearl buttons in place down the front.
"You're more of a seven-year-old if you ask me. Here give me one of those feet." Mara pulled a red hightop sneaker out of the bag and wiggled it around till it slid completely over the troll's paw. She picked up the overalls and looked at t
he half-dressed troll. "Oh geez, I should have put these on you before we put on the shoes. Well, hell with it. Let's see if we can jam you in them."
Already there were more children trick or treating up and down the street and the troll kept leaning away from Mara, trying to get a better look.
"You're not making this any easier! The faster I can get you in your costume, the sooner you get to go out there. Come on, over here, that's right."
The troll reluctantly leaned toward Mara, putting his hand on her shoulder to steady himself as he stepped into the overalls, pushing his shoe through the tight opening.
"Okay, one more and we head out! Point your toe. No, more like this..." Mara bent the toe down and guided the troll's shoe into the other side of the overalls as the troll grunted and pushed. Finally, his foot went through and he jumped up and down as Mara tried to throw the straps over his shoulders and buckle them. "Well, that was actually a lot like getting a toddler dressed."
She wiped sweat off her forehead and took a deep breath, taking the troll's hand as he looked anxiously out the window.
"Now, I know and you know that you're not really some young thing. Hell, there's a good chance you're older than Correk." The troll shrugged. "I've seen your little villages close up and they aren't some mishmash thrown together. There's real order going on in them. I'm trusting you to keep all that in mind as you trick or treat. Do you remember what you say at the door?"
"Yum..."
"Don't try my patience fur ball."
"Trick or treat."
"And if they ask you what you're supposed to be? Come on, we rehearsed this. You're something new in a Star Wars movie. The one coming out in December. There's always something new and furry in those things. You can make up a name for it."
"Yum..."
"Still not flyin with it."
"Wueeeee!"
"Sure, whatever, that'll do. Just don't stand under any lights too much. Are you ready?"
