By midnight, the street was alive again.

Not wild.

Not dangerous.

Alive.

Children wandered through the neighborhood wearing pajama pants beneath costumes.

A dinosaur wore slippers.

A pirate wore a winter coat.

A fairy carried her wings under one arm.

Noah held Rachel's hand.

At every house, adults smiled a little too brightly.

Because they knew they were returning something that had been taken.

Mrs. Bell handed Emma a caramel apple.

Emma whispered:

“Thank you.”

Mrs. Bell smiled.

“Halloween came back for you.”

That moment lasted forty minutes.

Forty minutes when Briar Hollow belonged to the children again.

Then Karen woke up.

Midnight

Her porch light snapped on at 12:38.

The front door opened.

Karen stepped outside wearing a long coat over pajamas.

Her hair was wrapped in a silk scarf.

Her face was pale with fury.

“What is this?”

Nobody answered.

A little vampire dropped a candy bar into his bucket and hid behind his father.

Karen marched into the street.

“This is a direct violation of the curfew order.”

Luis turned his camera toward her.

“Good evening, Karen.”

“Do not mock me.”

“I said good evening.”

She pointed toward the children.

“These minors are participating in unauthorized activity after curfew.”

Julie stepped forward.

“They are trick-or-treating.”

“They are violating community safety policy.”