M.A. Kleen

When four daring friends defy neighborhood legend by trick-or-treating at mysterious Mrs. Crabapple’s house, they must confront a spooky curse and discover a Halloween night full of eerie surprises, hilarious escapades, and one unforgettable flying candy.

Please enjoy this horror short, part of a series experimenting with artificial intelligence. I fed the location, characters, scenario, and mood into ChatGPT and asked it to craft a story, then used Stable Diffusion XL to create illustrations. How did it turn out? Well, you be the judge.

In the sleepy little town of Willowbrook, trick-or-treating was the most awaited event of the year, especially for the tweens. This Halloween, Charlie, Sophie, Lucas, and Mia, all 12, had been given the most precious gift they could imagine: the permission to go trick-or-treating unsupervised for the first time. It was a sign, a rite of passage, that they were becoming gasp teenagers.

Charlie was dressed as a wobbly jelly, his wiggly arms often knocking things over, causing the gang to chuckle. Sophie wore a flowing witch robe with a hat so pointy it could have poked a hole in the sky. Lucas, obsessed with robots, had cobbled together an outfit from aluminum foils and blinking Christmas lights. Mia, always the dramatic one, went as a ghost with flowing white drapes and dark, exaggerated eye makeup.

Willowbrook was a peaceful neighborhood, the kind where all houses had white picket fences, manicured lawns, and neighbors knew more about each other than they’d like to admit. There was only one house that all children whispered about and dared each other to approach: the abode of old Mrs. Crabapple.

Mrs. Crabapple was the neighborhood’s cryptic resident. With her cat-eye glasses, wiry gray hair, and penchant for cackling rather than laughing, she was every child’s “witch next door.” As they roamed the streets, their bags grew heavier with candies, chocolates, and the occasional toothbrush (because there’s always that one house).

It was when they reached Maple Street that things took an eerie turn. Maple Street, lined with towering oak trees, their gnarled branches looking like twisted hands reaching out, was the very street Mrs. Crabapple lived on. Mia, with a mischievous glint in her eye, dared the group, “Let’s get some candy from Mrs. Crabapple’s. It’s a rite of passage, you know?”

Lucas, blinking rapidly behind his foil-mask, hesitated, “I heard she gives out cursed candy.”

Sophie snorted, her witch hat almost toppling, “That’s just a silly legend.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out!” Charlie chimed, jiggling in anticipation.

Before anyone could protest, Mia was already at Mrs. Crabapple’s doorstep, the rest quickly following suit, not wanting to be branded as ‘chickens.’

The old wooden door creaked open even before they could knock, revealing the silhouette of Mrs. Crabapple, bathed in an eerie green light emanating from her living room. Behind her, dozens of black cats stared, their eyes glowing. “Trick-or-treat?” the group murmured, a mix of excitement and fear in their voices.

Mrs. Crabapple cackled, “Ah! Brave souls! Here, take this.” She handed each a shiny red candy. It looked delicious, but something about it felt off.

The group hurriedly thanked her and moved on. Sophie, always the curious one, said, “I don’t believe in the curse. I’m eating it!” Before anyone could protest, she popped the candy into her mouth.

Instantly, Sophie started floating, her witch hat spinning like a top, her robe flapping as if caught in an invisible breeze. “Help!” she cried, her voice echoing weirdly.

The group panicked. Lucas, his lights flickering faster, exclaimed, “It’s the curse!”

Mia, regret evident on her ghostly face, said, “We need to fix this!”

Charlie, ever the problem-solver, declared, “Let’s return the candy. Maybe that’ll break the spell.”

But how could they return something Sophie had already eaten? Just then, Lucas, his robotic mind working rapidly, said, “I’ve got an idea!” He quickly fashioned a makeshift vacuum from his costume and a plastic bag.

Holding Sophie by her ankle (which was hilarious in itself), Charlie positioned the vacuum to her mouth. With a loud, cartoonish “POP!” the candy flew out and into the bag.

Sophie descended slowly, her feet touching the ground, her voice back to normal. “Well, that was a wild ride,” she chuckled, adjusting her hat.

Without a second thought, they raced back to Mrs. Crabapple’s house. This time they knocked, the candy held out like a dangerous weapon. The door opened, Mrs. Crabapple’s eyes twinkling with mischief.

“We’d like to return this,” Lucas said, holding up the candy.

She chuckled, that same creepy cackle. “Did you enjoy the flight?” she asked, looking at Sophie.

Sophie, with a faux haughty expression, replied, “A tad bit breezy for my taste.”

Mrs. Crabapple laughed, a genuine, hearty laugh this time. “Every year, one brave soul tries my flying candy. Just a little magic I like to add to the festivities.” She winked, taking back the candy. “Next time, just come in for some cookies instead.”

The group left, feeling a mix of relief and exhilaration. They had faced the ‘curse’ and survived! The night was still young, and there were more houses to explore, but nothing could top the adventure at Mrs. Crabapple’s.

Back on the well-lit streets of Willowbrook, the group made a pact to stick together, come what may. For in unity, they had learned, lies strength. And as for Mrs. Crabapple? Well, she went back to her army of black cats and her green-lit living room, already planning her trick (or treat) for next Halloween.