The Trick
Copyright© 2025 by Heel
Chapter 3: The Fallen Witch
Halloween morning arrived crisp and bright. Tina sat at her kitchen table, her casted leg propped on a pillow, staring at the black-and-purple witch costume she’d pulled from the back of her closet. She had been looking forward to dressing up — not for the candy, but to feel part of the holiday instead of running from it.
The costume, however, posed a challenge. The flowing skirt tangled around her cast, and the pointy hat barely stayed on her head. Tina huffed, frustration bubbling.
“I feel ridiculous,” she muttered. She tried to stand, leaning heavily on her crutches. The skirt caught on the cast again, and she nearly toppled sideways.
A small knock at the door interrupted her. She opened it to find three kids from down the street — all in costumes, grinning at her.
“Hi! You look awesome!” one said. A little girl dressed as a pumpkin pointed at her hat. “Can we help?”
Tina blinked. “Help ... with what?”
“Your costume! You’re like ... a witch who fell off her broom!” the boy added, pointing to her cast.
Tina couldn’t help a laugh. “That’s ... kind of accurate.”
Before she knew it, they were inside, gently tugging at the hem of her skirt, adjusting the hat, and giggling as they maneuvered around her crutches.
“Hold still!” the pumpkin girl commanded, tying a little ribbon around her sleeve to keep the fabric out of the way. “There! Now you can walk without tripping over your skirt.”
Tina wobbled slightly on her crutches, testing the adjustments. “Okay ... that actually helps.”
“Do you want us to help with makeup?” the boy asked. He held a small kit of face paint and glitter.
Tina raised an eyebrow. “You’ll do my makeup?”
“Yes! Everyone needs witch makeup!”
The kids set to work, smearing green and black across her cheeks and nose, and adding a touch of glitter to her eyelids. Tina squirmed, trying not to laugh as one of the kids tickled her chin with a brush.