The Widow’s Treat

There were few children brave enough to darken the doorstep of Widow Byrne’s house. Fewer still who dared approach on Halloween night. Brother and sister act, Micky and Tessa O’Donnell, whose reputation as general ne’er-do-wells was well-earned, were two such rare souls.
         But they didn’t creep down the front pathway that night in hope of mere candy; they had much bigger game. Something their older brother Liam had seen a few days ago when delivering groceries to the doorstep.
         The bag.
         The widow’s ancient leather handbag. Stuffed with cash, Liam told them. And just sitting there on the hall table for the right person to grab.
         It was a little disconcerting to find the front door already ajar, but Micky, ever the opportunist, wasted no time. Hiding to one side, he eased the door open with a stick taken from the ground beneath a dead, twisted tree in the front yard.
         The door swung open silently onto a gloomy, but thankfully deserted, hallway. Another door on the far wall lay hidden in shadows so deep it was hard to tell if it was open or closed. To the right, the treads of a brittle-looking wooden staircase were gradually swallowed by darkness. It was as if the house was actively rejecting the moonlight that spilled in through the open doorway. The only thing that was clearly visible was the narrow table on the wall just inside the entrance.
         Mickey’s eyes grew wide, because right there on the table just as his brother had promised was the bag, not just stuffed but overflowing with bills.
         Quick as thought, he reached in and grabbed it.
         And froze in place.
         Just then, there was a noise from deeper in the house and a creaky old voice called out from the shadows, “Hello? Is someone there?”
         “Come on,” whispered Tessa, prodding Mickey in the back.
         For a second it seemed like he wasn’t going to move, but then, slowly, her brother turned to her, empty-handed. His face was slack, his eyes misty and blank.
         She dragged him back up the path and away.
         But only his body.
         For the bag had his soul now.
         A tasty Halloween treat for the Widow Byrne.


Author’s note: This was originally a contest entry with word count limitation. I plan to do a big rewrite in the near future to expand upon the concept and characters!