Everyone in town is talking about Halloween night, decorating their homes and business premises, to me it's a money drain that can be avoided. That night as always I will lock myself in my house and not open the door to those pesky kids in their costumes saying over and over again...Trick or Treat.
As I begin this new stage of my life in town I have been reserved with my personal affairs, I don't receive visitors or visit anyone, I have no friends nearby, I only deal with the old lady next door. She is a lady who knows everyone, she inspires respect and authority. Due to a broken pipe in my house that affected hers, I felt the need to start a conversation, from that moment on Mrs. Bertha invited herself to have coffee in my garden, I had no choice but to receive her.
The long awaited night of October arrived, at 5:00 pm I concluded my workday that I perform from home, then I did half an hour of cardiovascular exercises and took a cold shower. I got ready to rest for a while and Mrs. Bertha knocked on my door. "Open up, I know you're in there. Stop hiding" She shouted. "I brought coffee and cookies for a snack" She said.
Not wanting to talk to anyone, but drinking coffee and cookies I let her in. "Hey young man we are celebrating Halloween today, why didn't you decorate the house? It won't be long before the kids come by asking for candy, what do you have for them? Bertha asked while I was looking for the cups to serve coffee.
"I really don't see what we have to celebrate. The dead are dead. I don't believe in witches or ghosts, I believe in myself". I explained
"Don't be so incredulous, you never know what fate has in store for us. We must give a privileged place to those who are no longer here. Tomorrow we will be the ones living three meters under the ground". Bertha commented.
To change the subject, I commented how delicious the coffee was with a touch of cinnamon and the cookies, in fact they are the best in town, she makes them herself and does not even share the recipe with her family. A while later Bertha left, I accompanied her to the door and said goodbye to go to my room. Later the children of the urbanization began to knock on the door asking for candy, I turned off the lights and ignored them.
Sleep took hold of me earlier than usual, I dropped into bed and immediately fell asleep. An unfamiliar noise woke me up, I didn't know what it was about. I heard conversations, but did not locate where the voices were coming from. I went to the kitchen for a glass of water, I felt so thirsty as if I was dehydrated. I turned on the light and as I poured the water I dropped the glass, my hands were like those of old Bertha. I ran to the mirror and my appearance was that of an 80 year old woman, actually it was worse, like that of a witch.
I panicked and started screaming, out of nowhere a group of people were in the living room looking creepy with candles in their hands. A woman came up and said that I was the one chosen for not respecting traditions or the dead. Every moment I grew weaker and weaker until I collapsed on the floor. Bertha was the leader of the group, she spoke. "I warned you, don't be so incredulous."
I saw how a shadow rested on me and the pain I felt throughout my body was heartbreaking, as if I were being cut open with a scalpel in the flesh. With the little breath I had left, I asked what was going to happen to me, what they would do to me. A voice answered that from that day on I would be part of the troop. "Witch, you will be a witch like us hahahahaha" Bertha shouted. "No, I don't want to be a witch, leave me alone." I pleaded.
"There is no turning back dear. Welcome to our universe." Said Bertha.
"From this instant on, every October 31st you will become a witch for 24 hours. You will have to honor the elders and be submissive to their whims. You will also be in charge of recruiting new victims. I must leave the responsibility in other hands. If you do not accept the conditions, death will appear. You decide," Bertha declared.
Five years have passed since that night. I learned to deal with my inner witch and to make my relationship with Bertha bearable.
Thus I conclude my participation in this chilling initiative.
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