Goodnight, Bunny. A Cautionary Halloween Tale For Kids.

Written by M.J.C
I’m going to be Alice in Wonderland this year, Leah, proclaimed.

Leah typically dressed up as classic characters – Minnie Mouse, 1950’s poodle skirt girl, and when she was very young, the classics like an Egg or a Pumpkin. She was excited and as always she looked forward to the big night.
Dunya was going to be a zombie of some type. Though she said it wasn’t a zombie. But it was a zombie. Beanie decided to be Harley Quinn and Zoey settled on Supergirl.
The friends had worked out a sleepover at Leah’s house – a slight miracle because, for the second year in a row, Halloween was on a school night.
“Why does that ALWAYS happen,” Leah said exhaustingly.

The friends all agreed. Halloween was always on a weekday. How did that happen and why didn’t the adults do something about it?!
“Well, no matter,”  Zoey said, “because this year, we will all be together and we will get to trick or treat together. ”

“It’s going to be the best Halloween ever! EVER!” Leah emphasized.

The friends agreed, tonight would be epic!
It was finally Halloween and the friends had started to arrive at Leah’s home.

It was still light outside but they had already started working on their costumes and makeup while also listening to music, texting other friends (and ignoring their parent’s texts), and talking about candy they wanted and liked, vs. what candy they did not like and thus would give to… each other.
There was also the standard talk of which homes gave full size candy bars, which homes were scary, and which homes gave out tricks, like frozen peas, ice-cubes, or broccoli spears.
Everyone was present except Beanie.

They texted her but Beanie did not answer.

“Zoey, text her again,” Dunya said.
“I already texted her fifty times!” Zoey said while braiding her long curly hair.
“Fifty? Fifty, Zoey?”  Leah challenged.
“Okay, not fifty but.. Look!” Zoey showed her phone and she had in fact texted Beanie five times.
“So, it was close to fifty,” Dunya said.
“Hellllooo!” Beanie screamed from the front of the house. “Where is everyone?”
“Beanie! We’re in the back bathroom getting dressed,” Leah shouted back. “Come to the back!”

Beanie kissed her parents goodbye and promised not eat too much candy or have too much sugar. Then she walked to the bathroom and on her way, passed the candy bowl and grabbed a sugar straw, bit the top off, and poured the flavored sugar straight into her mouth.

She did all this without breaking her stride and by the time she reached the bathroom, all the flavored sugar was gone.
“What took you so long, Beanie?” Dunya asked, as she started opening Beanie’s backpack that had her costume in it.
“Oh, I was chasing my sister, who was chasing my dog, who was chasing our rabbit, and I fell just as I grabbed my rabbit and she was so scared she bit me! See?”

Beanie held out her finger, which was wrapped in a Hello Kitty bandaid.
“Does it hurt, Beanie,” Leah asked? They were now in Leah’s bedroom with the door closed, fussing over their costumes.
“No, it doesn’t hurt, but it was bleeding so much! That’s why my mom put a bandaid on it. Look!”
Beanie started unwrapping her bandaid.
The friends gathered closely to see Beanie’s finger.
“Hurry Beanie, so we can go out; it’s getting dark already,” Dunya declared.
“Okay,” Beanie said, as she finished unwrapping the bandage and then tossing it towards Leah’s bed where it landed on top of Bunny, Leah’s favorite stuffed animal (which was really a small blanket.)
The friends looked at the bloody finger, said a bunch of gross things, laughed loudly and said more gross things.
While they were laughing, the bloody bandaid which had landed on Bunny dripped a little blood on Bunny.

Bunny was a small baby blanket that Leah had cared for her entire life.

Bunny was originally pink and white, with a tiny bunny head with floppy ears, and tiny rounded hands. Her body was just a little blanket with a heart over on one side. Bunny went everywhere Leah went and because of that, Bunny’s pink and white coloring has faded over the years.

The friends put the finishing touches on their costumes, reviewed their trick or treat plans and their candy plans, and headed out.
As Leah turned off her bedroom light she took a look at all her stuffed animals, like she normally did, and she thought she noticed Bunny’s little head move.

“That’s silly,” Leah said to herself, as she turned the light off and went trick or treating with friends.

To be continued…

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