Unfiltered Story #246441

(It’s Halloween, and I am home giving out candy. I LOVE Halloween, and as a result have decorated accordingly, putting freaky-looking jack-o-lanterns outside and hanging eldritch designs all over my front porch, before turning off all but one of the lights on my house. For my costume, I decorate my already-pale face with fake stitches before putting on a black robe and turn up jeans, so that I may appear suitably spooky. It’s also important to note that I am a naturally quiet and reserved person, and that I don’t like to raise my voice. Trick-or-treaters come and go, but one encounter stands out to me in particular. A young boy comes to the door, so I bring the candy bowl over.)

Boy: (not really paying attention to anything else but the bowl) “Trick-or-treat!”

Me: (in my naturally quiet voice) “Trick or treat.”

(The boy pauses before looking up at my face. His eyes widen)

Boy: (somewhat timidly) “Thank you.”

(He then dashes off to his mother in fear. It was another thirty seconds before I realized that I had frightened him with my “spooky” appearance. I feel a little bad, but I guess it is Halloween, so you’ve got to get scared at least once!)