Halloween Were Style:

Tiffany Dansen smiled as two more children approached her.

Ricardo, Monica Stansen’s youngest weretiger cub, smiled showing his small fangs. His Jonas Brothers partial facemask covered his two-tone stripes and cat like nose sprouting his first whiskers. A slogan t-shirt and jeans made up the rest of his costume. His feet couldn’t fit any shoes at this stage of his transformation. Thank goodness, the southwest wasn’t experiencing one of its deep cold spells yet.

Stephanie, Mayor Johnson’s adopted daughter, followed Ricardo. Her ballerina outfit barely fit her sleek panther body. In a few more months, she’d fill out with good food and proper care. Too bad her parents ended up as some poacher’s trophies. Silver and sparkles adorned her chin length hair, taking an ethereal glow each time light hit them. She smiled despite her two missing front teeth. Who’d thought pulling them would make any difference?

Tiffany waved to their mothers as the children reached her steps.

“Trick or treat, Mrs. Dansen,” Stephanie yelled up racing up the stairs, trying to beat Ricardo to the top.

“Give me some good treats and I’ll sing you a song,” Ricardo sang out in his off key young voice.

“Well let me see, what do I have for two of my favorite students?” Tiffany reached into the bowl of treats she held.

Most children asked for candy again and again. Not the children she taught. They asked to be accepted for themselves and treated like any other child. Except tonight her were students dressed and mimicked their human counter parts. No one told them they were different or had no right to their youthful glee. Tonight was for them.

“I think I have some purple flowering catnip ready to tuck into a ballerina’s hair.” Tiffany twirled her fingers in her bowl and whispered a few magic words before raising her hand.

“Oh, thank you Mrs. Dansen,” Stephanie squealed, grasping the small delicate flowers. “Momma, look what I got.”

“What about me?” Ricardo bounced up and down on the pads of his paws. “I can sing you a song.”

Tiffany smiled. “That would be great. What’s the name of this tune?”
“I wanna hold your hand.” Ricardo took her empty hand and began making up lyrics as he went along.

Tiffany twitched her nose as best she could, wishing for a bit of music to accompany Ricardo. A car drove by with the old Beatles tune blaring out the window. Ricardo sang the last few words correctly and dropped her hand.

“Now do I get a good treat?” His young exuberance and toothy grin gave her an idea.

“I think I have one more thing inside just for you Ricardo. Wait right here, ok?’

His eager response told her what she had in store would be the highlight of his evening.
She stepped inside snapping her fingers and murmuring the words needed to grant Ricardo’s desire. Holding her hand palm up, she watched as light swirled and glowed taking shape and form.

“All right Ricardo, here you go.” Tiffany turned and leaned toward his bag.

“Thank you Mrs. Dansen!” Ricardo wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing hard. “Mommy you won’t guess what I got.”

Tiffany watched as each child showed their parent their treasured gift. Who’d thought a pair of plain tennis shoes bearing the words bite me on the toes would bring a huge smile and so much joy? Or a plain purple flower, considered a weed by many, the same thing?

Halloween, a night ripe with magic and charm, was for children. The child in everyone needed a bit of magic to open their eyes to joy the world beheld.