Halloween Letters Novels & Stories

It was like opening presents on Christmas except this was just a letter, so there weren’t fun presents inside. Ripping it open, the fire envelope fell to the floor, turning to a light powder of ash before finally disappearing. “That’s amazing,” I whispered, my foot swishing the floor to feel for remanents of the ash. Reading its contents, there was a black stenciled drawing of a massive palace, with a three-headed dog on the letterhead. “From the Delighted Parents of Hades, God of the Underworld and Parisa Goddess of Empathy and Bonding.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Come on in..” i answered. It was one of the maids. “You have a letter.” She said. Handing over a finely designed envelop with a ribbon around it. I rolled my eyes as i tore open the package. “Well, mom and dad are inviting us over to celebrate thanksgiving.” I read out loud amused. “Over a written letter.” “How traditional.” I said,sinking into the couch. “Oh..” i smiled weakly. Derrick must have swapped our phones carelessly i thought as i picked up his phone tossed in the couch.

I picked it up and read: Dear Mr. Crawford, I hope you don’t mind the Halloween decorations. I wanted to create a fun and memorable experience for Liam. He was so excited about the holiday, and I couldn’t resist making it special for him. Please know that I haven’t forgotten about your preferences. This is a one-time exception for Halloween. I promise to return your home to its usual state after the holiday is over. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely, Amy. I couldn’t help but smile at the note. It was clear that Ms. Amy had put a lot of thought into making this Halloween special for Liam.

Then the voice returned, not loud, but sure: “You already belong.” She awoke with the taste of belonging lingering like morning dew. --- Bacolod’s Letters Begin Inspired by the dream, Jo began folding her own letters. The first was simple, penned during a quiet afternoon: “You deserve to be received softly.” She signed it with a small stalk of rice: 🌾 She left it between the pages of an abandoned book in a café, her pulse quickening with the thrill of anonymous giving. Her second letter found its place at the bus terminal:

Inside was an invitation printed with a looping gold script—an event for the kindergarten’s upcoming festival. The paper itself was too fine for something as simple as a school gathering, thick and smooth like it had been pressed for royalty instead of children. My thumb brushed the lettering, and for a moment the words blurred, as if they were trying to rearrange themselves. I had known festivals all my life, but never ones gilded with this kind of weight. Even before I read further, a part of me braced for the sting. “Greenhollow Kindergarten cordially invites you to our Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration”

We put out pumpkins and ghost decorations for Halloween, and cornucopias and turkeys for Thanksgiving, and in turn, they close their shops early and keep a quieter pace during the Somber Howl and stay up all night, telling stories of ancestors from long-ago during the Winter Solstice. “Then you can carry them to bed later.” I say with a chuckle as I put my head back down on my forearms that are still resting on my desk. Zella reaches over and begins running her fingers through my brown, curly, mess of hair. “So what happens next?” She asks. I know she’s both thinking about the safety of the pack and my own exhaustion level.

Gesturing at me to stay quiet and to step off to the side of the door, he grabbed the handle and flung it open. I was fully prepared to see someone standing in the hall, but when we looked, all that was there were our class schedules on the floor with a note that sent a chill of anticipation up my spine: HUMANS PACK UP AND LEAVE NOW, OR ELSE YOU WONT SURVIVE THE WEEK! WE DO BITE! XOXO No name was signed to it. Typical. Still grasping the letter in my hand, I look over at a concerned Rowan with a devilish grin on my face,

I tilted the cover just enough to give them a glimpse. “A witch!” “There’s a kitty!” “Is it about ghosts?” The children scrambled off the adults’ laps and crowded closer. “Halloween is almost here. So today, I’m going to read you a story called *The Wonders of Halloween*.” The children eagerly began telling me about the Halloween decorations they had made at school. Before I knew it, even more of them had gathered around me. “Rin was a girl who was afraid of ghosts and the dark. That was why she could not understand why everyone else wanted to turn into ghosts—”

*Grace* Every year fewer and fewer children come, I think, staring at the leftover Halloween treats I made—Juliet’s recipes for homemade caramel apples wrapped like Jack-o-lanterns and candy-eyed popcorn balls pressed around plastic vampire teeth to look like little toothy monsters. Barely half is gone, and I certainly don’t need it in the house. I pack everything in a bag and carry it to the foot of the stairs.

I replied with a friendly sneer before leaving Gar. After roughly a long day of lessons and some tests and some pop quizzes in between, Mr. Glyn was ready to give us the day’s send-off message. Halloween is coming up tomorrow and I guess the school authorities are thinking of going bigger than ever this year. Not like it really puts me up in a frenzy or anything but still, I’m tired of having the same old Halloween every year. “….so like I was saying class, as you all know, tomorrow is the thirty-first day of this month of October and you all know what that means…..” said Mr. Glyn with a face that made me think that he was expecting an answer from me.