In the delightful town of Redwood, a century-old mansion stood at the end of Maple Street. It was Halloween night and a bright full moon illuminated the mansion, casting long and spooky shadows.
Every Halloween, brave children would dare each other to ring the mansion’s antique doorbell. Legend had it that the mansion was haunted by an old man named Jebediah, who, on Halloween nights, would open the door and hand out candy to any child brave enough to approach.
This year, a lanky boy named Tom plucked up his courage. He sneaked up the path and pressed the cold brass bell. With a ‘clang,’ the door creaked open to reveal an empty hallway. There was no sign of Jebediah. Disappointed, Tom returned to his friends, proclaiming the mansion abandoned.
The following day, as they passed by the mansion, the door creaked open. An old note fluttered out, landing at Tom’s feet. It read, ‘Had to step out. Sorry I missed you – Jebediah.’ Stunned, Tom looked up to see a giant candy hanging from the door handle. Dropping from the sky, another note read, ‘Better luck next year, kids!’