Floating clouds giggled as they slipped by the sparkling silver moon who danced in the sky.. Breeze tiptoed through the wood carrying a large sack. “Last year was dreadful,” he muttered.
Spike, (Breeze’s pet frog) sat on his right shoulder wearing a golden wig and orange crown. “Riggggbyyyyt…” He said.
“They messed up my cave. Stuff exploded or cackled. This year it’s my turn.”
“How?” Tulip asked him. A thick layers of cobwebs were dangling from the brim of her purple hat. She sat on Breezes left shoulder scanning the wood for tricks.
“By undoing their tricks and scaring them.”
“Nice idea, but impossible.”
Breeze scowled. “No I’ve been planning.”
She tugged his ear. “Stop. There’s another fire crackling stepping stone.”
“Thanks.” Breeze scooped it up.
They walked on again. “Five paces left there is a bend over backwards fire work.”
“Don’t like them. Last year I was carried away to the Elven forest. Rubbish party they were having with twinkling lights and polite voices saying…excuse me but would you like a trick or treat.” He shuddered at the memory.
“So what is your goal tonight?”
“Survive..” he said. “Let’s climb out of the way.”
They sat high in the tree tops watching the stars play a duck and dive game. “Where’s your pet poodle, Tulip?”
“Maisie is tucked up nice and safe at my mum’s house. Mum doesn’t like Halloween anymore. Not since she got caught by Matt and his friends. They scared her and her hair became stiff.”
Breeze looked at her. “I thought her hair always stood up straight on her head.”
“Nope it used to be smooth and shiny. Like my fairy cake icing.”
Breeze tilted his head to one side. “Did you….?”
“Bring some? Yes they are on the branches above you.”
They sat eating cakes watching the show in the sky and waiting for the fun in the wood to begin.
Ten minutes before midnight Lovisma arrived. “Breeze said he’d set up the apple dunking stall in the clearing.”
Elegant said, “He did. It’s over there.”
Matt watched spiders spinning a rope from a branch that held a large parcel. “Ooh there must be loads of sweets and marshmallows in there.”
Right in the centre of the clearing a group of elves were dancing around a fountain. They chanted, “we love the strawberry sherbert fountain.”
Mrs. Groundsel, Hamish, Breeze’s mum, and other parents arrived.
Tulip looked at Breeze, “hope your mum enjoys a joke.”
Taking a deep breath, he roared, “Go.”
“How smart are they?” Tulip asked as she watched Lovisma lower her head over the barrel. However it moved away from her, sliding across the grass. Lovisma chased it. Steam bellowed from her slime covered hat.
“It shouldn’t take too long for the truth to sink in.” Breeze said.
The children who dug their hands into the fountain discovered, (a) it was green smelly slime and (b) it pulled them into the fountain.
The boys beating the parcel with the stick found it was growing instead of breaking.
Breeze’s mum laughed so hard she fell off her chair.
Breeze winked at Tulip. “It’s going to get better. Watch.”
Taking a deep breath he roared, “Trick or Treat?”
“Treat,” they shouted. Instantly the trees surrounding the clearing began to melt forming a dark pool. Matt dipped his hand into it and shouted, “mud.”
Everyone screamed with delight. Children rolled and played. The witches were building a castle. Suddenly the ground began to shake and rumble.
Elegant hopped on her broomstick. She flew high into the sky.
Her shrieking voice filled every space in the wood, “Grace and her friends, hide.”
Breeze was laughing so hard he pushed Tulip out of the tree. She raised her wand saying, “enough is enough, they will get squished by the hippos.”
“Relax, its not them its only Grace and she is bringing the surprise a Halloween barbecue complete with sparklers and flaming cauldrons. What more could a surprise Halloween party need?”
“Us,” Tulip said and flew down to join them.
For a picture/image of Breeze and Tulip visit : miartedoris.wordpress.com see the illustration under, The Trouble with Trees .
decidinglybob 
