Elevator encounter

Jasmine, dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West, looked down at the small boy as he entered the elevator. Giving a wide grin, showing her rotting teeth, and holding onto her broomstick she scooted into the corner to make room. Making a loud cackling noise, Jasmine screeched, ‘come in, come in, my little sweetie!”

Gawking at her like she was crazy the little boy jerked back out of the elevator, but his mother pulled him in anyway. The boy was dressed as the blue teenage mutant ninja turtle and held onto his mother’s hand as he stood there with his head down. Every once in a while he would give a side-eye glance in her direction and inch closer to his mother at the same time.

Jasmine bobbed and weaved behind him and tried to catch his eye again, but he wouldn’t look at her. As the elevator stopped again a group of kids boarded who were dressed up and ready to enjoy this trick-or-treat night. There was a Frankenstein, a ghost face, and a painter with red paint-covered overalls.

The little boy’s eyes darted around and looked at all the characters and sidled closer to his mother, almost behind her. When he looked down and saw the blood-covered machete the ghost face character was holding he all but gasped, dropped his head back down, and closed his eyes.

Once the elevator door slid open and everyone started exiting, Jasmine heard the boy whisper to his mother, “This place is scary!”

“Oh come on, we’re going trick-or-treating, it’ll be fun.” His mother said as she pulled him along.

270WC