Serial

11. Trick-Or-Treat

      Tuesday greeted Bonbury with a crisp air and the smell of falling leaves. Children woke up early and eagerly, fully prepared for the day's festivities and excitement. Adults joined in their merriment, with many going to work wearing bizarre ties or colourful wigs to celebrate the day. The day wore on, school and work began and ended, and soon children lined the streets in costumes, running from door - to - door requesting candy.

      Millie Baker was getting ready when her doorbell first rang. She rushed to answer it, with a big bowl of candy in her hands. She opened it quickly with a big, welcoming smile on her face, to a pair of boys yelling Halloween greetings, and a tired looking mother beside them.

      "My don't you boys look scary!" Millie exclaimed as she put a small handful of candy in each of the boys bags. The elder was dressed as a pirate, and the younger a dinosaur.

      "Thank you Mrs. Baker!" They ran off quickly, bee lining it to the next house and leaving their mother on the doorstep.

      "Stay together!" She called it into thin air, then sighed quietly to herself before turning to Millie. "I need chocolate. And wine."

      Millie laughed, welcomed Mitchell Airendez in and poured her a large glass of red wine.

      Mitchell emptied her glass, filled it once more, then turned to her friend. "Please tell me you've changed your mind. You'll come to the bonfire won't you?"

      "I told you. I have a party I'm going to."

      "Whose? The whole town will be at the lake!"

     "Not the whole town."

      "Unless you're going to some college dorm party then I'm pretty sure any one relevant will be at the lake."

      "I don't know..."

      "Please Millie? You know I have to live vicariously through you!"

      "You came out with us on Friday."

      "For the first time in months! Come on... I know keeping the secret is killing you. Whose party is it?"

      "You really want to know?"

      "Yes! God yes!"

      "You know the rule. You can't tell the other girls. Especially not Rose. I don't want her crashing it and going on and on about that dead guy again."

      "I cross my heart and swear on my wine."

      "Fine. Me and hubby dearest have been invited to the house of Loretta Swann."

      "Loretta Swann? That old theatre star?"

      "The one and only. The invitation was handwritten on beautiful stationary. It sounds like a classy event."

      "Are you sure it's a party at Loretta Swann's? Rose is her neighbour and she's said she hasn't seen Loretta leave her house for years."

      "Positive. Why do you think I don't want Rose to know? She'd probably push her nose in and ruin the whole affair."

      "Give her a break! She did just find a dead person..."

      "I know but she won't shut up about it! She's milking it! Oh woe is her she saw a dead man's p***s! Some of us have real problems!"

      "And what problems does the great Mrs. Millie Baker have?"

      Millie held up two dresses to her friend. "Which costume should I wear?"

      Mitchell laughed and then pointed at one at random, then looked at her watch. "Oh s**t, I should probably go find the boys. They'll be done the block by now. Please come to the lake if the party is a bust. Kisses!"

      With that Mitchell ran out the door, leaving Millie to finish getting ready. Arthur came home shortly after, and only took minutes to change into his own costume. Finally, when the two were ready to leave, they grabbed their invitationn for the address, left the remaining bowl of candy on the doorstep, and drove off.

     The drive from Bonbury to Loretta Swann's property would normally take 27 minutes under opportune traffic and weather. On Halloween of 2017, however, the Baker's drove amidst a sea of other families and vehicles all driving to Eastworrow lake for that night's bonfire. From the Baker house to the Swann wound up being a 45 minute drive, causing the couple to be slightly late, much to the dismay of Millie Baker.

     Loretta Swann's acreage was located just outside of Bonbury, and was surrounded by small farms and fields. The Swann property itself had a dense stretch of trees on the North, East, and South sides of the property, acting as a wall of sorts between her land and her neighbour's. The West side of the property had a large iron fence, tall and ominous. The Gate was also made of iron, and decorated ornamentally with metal carvings of birds and vines.

     When the Bakers arrived the drove slowly towards the gate. A small light on the lock of the gate flashed from red to green, and slowly the gate began to open mechanically. They waited patiently for it to have opened completely before they drove in slowly, creeping down the long cobblestone style driveway up to the great house that sat in the middle of the property.

     The house was impossible to miss. Modeled after traditional European style mansions, it sat large and square in the middle of the well manicured lawn of the property. The lights were on and the curtains drawn. The light being cast out the many windows shone brightly in contrast with the darkening sky.

     The Baker's looked in awe at the great house. Arthur Baker admired the great architecture and design of the building, while Millie imagined herself being the mistress of such a large estate. When the long drive up to the house was finished, they found a parking space next to two other vehicles, then took a moment to compose themselves before walking up to the great double doors at the front of the house. They could see no doorbell, but instead a heavy metal knocker that pounded loudly against the door.

     Arthur knocked thrice, each time could loudly be heard echoing inside the large building. They then waited, Arthur patiently, and Millie anxiously. She was about to reach for the knocker again hen the door swung open, revealing a great hall with a large hanging crystal chandelier, behind that a large staircase that twisted to the left and right. Paintings and large prints of photographs lined the walls of the room, hanging perfectly between doors and windows. In front of it all, with perfect posture and wearing a perfectly pressed black suit, an older gentleman stood.

     The butler bowed deeply to the Bakers, giving them greetings then turning and walking briskly, politely requesting they follow. He led them down the Great Hall and to the right, down a smaller, but still grand, hallway and eventually through a solid white door. On the other side of the door was a large library. Almost every wall was covered from the ground to ceiling in immense bookcases, with each bookcase being filled with an assortment of different books and novels. Parts of the wall not covered in books were instead filled with historical paintings and sculptures. The entire northern wall was lined with different outfits and suits of armour, some of them having antique pieces attached, while others were theatre quality costumes.

     The middle of the room were large sofas and lounging chairs, with a large coffee table in front of them, and a vase of beautiful and delicate smelling flowers sat on the top of the table. Beside the vase were a couple small photo frames. Millie picked one up as she wondered into the room, looking at an old photo of a young and beautiful Loretta Swann. The back of the photo was inscribed with “Lady Macbeth, 1972.” Arthur walked to the suits of armour, taking a particular interest in the one modeled after a Roman Centurion.

     The Bakers admired the room for a long while, getting lost in the art, architecture, and literature. It took another loud knock to be banged against the door for them to snap out of their stupor, to realize the butler was no longer their, and the door to the hall was now locked.