Page 94 of All of You

Anderson scoots closer to me, eyes wide. “Did you hear that?”

I glance at him in his Spiderman costume. “What? The wind?”

A scream or maybe a sob echoes through the air making me jump in my seat.

“THAT,” Anderson yells.

I nod and push to my feet, craning my head in the direction of the woods. Suddenly the flood light on the house snaps on and lights up a lady in a gown with her neck broken. Anderson screams, leaping behind me and gripping the waist of my pants hard. I nearly piss myself as she rushes out of the tree line straight at us.

“What the—”

“She’s back,” she sobs. Now that she’s closer I realize it’s not dead lady.

“Delia?” I squawk.

She rushes into my arms just as I’m able to fully take her in. Despite the gruesome makeup, she looks stunning. She slams into me, arms wrapping around my waist, face buried in my chest. I hold her tightly. “What’s wrong?”

Anderson steps out from behind me and wrinkles his nose. “You scared the shit outta me.”

Delia pulls back a smidge and looks at him. She gives the most pathetic smile and then hands him a sack. Anderson inspects it and grins.

“Rad.”

I grab her by the shoulders and ask, “What’s wrong? Why’d you come through the woods? Who’s back?”

She sniffles and wipes at her red-rimmed eyes. “My mom’s back.” Her voice is flat and not at all like how she normally sounds.

“Cool!” Anderson says. “Now can we go? I want to get to Mrs. Kipp’s house before all the king-size candy is gone.”

Delia snorts as I smack Anderson in the head, annoyed. “Buddy, I think Mom’s going to have to take you. Delia’s upset. This is a big deal.”

“Why?” he looks to her. “You said your mom’s home, not everyone gets to come home.”

He kicks some gravel. An invisible fist gut punches me so hard I nearly double over.

Delia shakes her. “No, he’s right. She can ruin my night but not his,” she says nodding to Anderson.

I tug her hand leading her to the house. Anderson follows us. When I open the door a rush of warm air hits me and I shiver it feels so good.

“Stay here. Both of you.”

Mom’s in the kitchen, emptying bags of candy into the bowl for trick-or-treaters. “Mom.”

She looks up. “You’re still here?”

“Delia’s mom’s back. Delia’s here, but upset. Can you or Dad take Anderson? I’ll hand out candy.”

Mom’s eyes go wide and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth before nodding. “Where is she?”

I lift my chin to the entryway. She drops the candy bag on the counter and brushes past me. I stay put. Anderson saunters in and waits with me. Mom talks in whispers making it impossible to hear anything. Delia sniffles a lot but eventually, they both come into the kitchen. She tucks herself under my arm.

“Let’s watch a scary movie and have popcorn. We don’t get a ton of kids so it shouldn’t be so bad on candy duty.”

“Come on Anderson, the Kipp’s will be out of king size soon. Gotta get a move on it,” Mom’s voice is overly cheerful. Anderson frowns.

“Fine-ah.” He looks at Delia. “I’m taking yours too, though.”

Delia grins and hands her sack to him. “Ok, but I get all the peanut butter cups and peanut M&Ms.”

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