The House Numbered 176

A Halloween Story by Duncan Wells

It was late in October, the very last day
the dishes from supper were all put away
as the clock ticked a second to set off it's chimes
the moon took it's place up above in the sky.

The lit Jack-O-Lantern knew what was in store
so he smiled at the moon while he guarded the door
of a house with the number one seventy six
that stood on a corner where nobody lived.

The chill of the evening was caught by a breeze
that swirled with a howl through the branches of trees
but it sounded like wolves, and it sounded like cats
meowing and screeching to the flapping of bats.

Oh the wind is a wild one, strange is it's sound
from a "whoosh" to a whistle, a moan to a growl
it can shutter the shutters and that's just what it did
on the house with the number one seventy six
that stood on a corner where nobody lived.

Now Arthur MacArthur and Marion White
were out trick or treating this Halloween night
walking and knocking on everyone's door
for candy and apples and raisins and gourds.

Their bags were as big as two small pick-up trucks
but they promised each other they'd fill those bags up
so off the two greedies ran clickity click
till they came to that house numbered 176
that stood on the corner where nobody lived.

The wind it blew colder, and louder it howled
with the creak of the steps and the hoot of an owl
that watched from a tree while the squeak of a hinge
opened the door for the kids to go in.

"Hello! Can you hear us? Is anyone home?"
but nobody answered, so they decided to go
but the door shut behind them a terrible "SLAM!!"
"I can't get it opened", said Arthur. "It's jammed".
"We'll crawl out the window", said Marion White.
But the shutters they heard her and shut themselves tight
as the lit Jack-O-Lantern blew out his light
it was darker than dark on that Halloween night
for Arthur MacArthur and Marion White

There were spooks in the basement banging on chairs
bats in the attic and steps on the stairs
then rain started pouring and lightning let flash
while thunder let thund'ring a deafening "CRASH!!"

The children were frightened, scared out of their wits
they let out a scream but it sounded like this...
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
in the dark of the house numbered 176
that stood on the corner where nobody lived.

Suddenly “peep" went a noise in the dark
then a "bump" and a "thump" like the beat of a heart
a crashing and bashing like ten drummers beating
then a voice, "Oh my, but you children are greedy!"

Then their bags floated off like two helium balloons
dumping their goodies all over the room
but the candies were spiders, the apples were eggs
the raisins were flies and they all flew away.

That's when the door opened, the shutters did too
while the lit Jack-O-Lantern, he winked at the moon
the wind took it's leave and the owl he took his
from the tree by the house numbered 176
that stood on the corner where nobody lived.

The children ran screaming as fast as their feet
could carry them out and along the dark streets
with their hearts pounding fear they ran all the way home
and promised each other they'd not tell a soul.

Now, it was the first of November, the very next day
there was frost on the grass and the sky it was grey
while Arthur and Marion walked toward school
they decided to check to make sure it was true
that it wasn't a dream, that they saw what they saw
but when they arrived the house it was gone.

There was just an old tree with a few rotting limbs
and a hole in it's trunk where a squirrel could crawl in
and there was an old Jack-O-Lantern, his candle in place
with a magical smile carved deep in his face.