"Dhani, please change your mind and come along."

Sikudhani looked up from her desk at the girl standing in the doorway between their dorm room and the bathroom and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Eva, I can't. I have to study."

Eva rolled her eyes and sighed softly. "It's Halloween and it's a Friday, but you have to study. You're a grind, Dhan."

A small smile played on Siku's lips. "That's me. Sikudhani McCoy, college freshman, mutant, and a total bore when it comes to parties. Look, Evie, it's really not my thing, y'know? Dressing up like something else and going to some party."

Eva sighed. "But it will be fun! Do you have something against fun?"

Siku shook her head. "No, I have nothing against fun, I just want to study. I've got a test Monday and unlike my father, I'm not the whiz at chemistry I should be."

"Yeah, you just score in the mid 90's with chemistry, instead of the high 90's," Eva mumbled, giving up. "All right, I can't talk you into it, but will you at least help me with my make up?"

Siku rose from her desk and nodded. "Sure."

Within an hour, Eva was transformed from a beautiful young woman with honey blonde hair and a perfect peaches and cream complexion into a witch with green wrinkled skin and long snarled black hair. "Looks pretty good, Evie."

Eva looked in the mirror and made a face. "Ew... you're right. Seth is going to be grossed out."

Seth was Eva's current boyfriend. "What's Seth going as?" Sikudhani asked.

"An axe murderer. You should see his costume. He's got this... severed head that looks so real."

"Gee, I'm sorry I'll be missing that," Siku commented.

"You don't have to," Eva reminded her.

"Let's not start that again, okay?"

It seemed to take forever to get Eva completely ready and out of the room. But when she was finally gone, Sikudhani looked at the clock and noted it was only a few minutes before nine. I've got plenty of time, she thought as she gathered up her jacket and keys. She scribbled a note for Eve and tacked it to her roommate's bulletin board, telling her that she decided to go home for the weekend. Grabbing her books, she headed out of the room.

In her car, she drove slowly until she was out of the residential areas. Most of the younger trick-or-treaters had disappeared, gone home where it was safe, or maybe they were never out at all. It had been a few years since Siku had gone trick-or-treating and she had a feeling less and less parents were allowing their children out to gather treats from strangers.

When she got out of the residential areas and was driving down the practically deserted back roads, she popped an old Wallflowers CD into her CD player and let it play. You're nuts for doing this, she told herself. They aren't going to be there. Most of them are off in college like you are, with new lives. Some of them can't make it, they're too far away. The rest of them are probably all going to parties at school or other places. You're going to be there, all alone. If you had half the brains everyone says you do, you'd turn the car around, head back and make good on your excuse to Eva that you had to study.

"What good would that do?" someone asked.

Siku's foot slammed on the brake, almost stopping the car in the middle of the road. "What in the world?" She turned to the passenger's seat and gasped. "Sean?"

The figure sitting next to her grinned. "Yup."

"But...but you're dead!" Siku screamed. She forced herself to look away from him, to keep her eyes on the road.

"Right again!" Sean confirmed. "If I wasn't dead, I'd still be in California."

"This is a joke," Siku said, "It's some sort of joke, and not a very funny one at that."

"It's no joke, Siku. It's Halloween, the one night of the year where the walls between the worlds grow thin."

"That's kids stuff," Siku said, trying to get a grip on this situation. "No one really believes it, when they hit puberty."

"Lots of people believe it," Sean disagreed. "Even past puberty. And deep down inside you believe it, Siku. That's why I'm here."

"I'm hallucinating," Siku muttered. "Or else, I'm dreaming. That's it. After Eve left, I sat down on the couch and fell asleep. It would make sense, I have been studying a lot lately."

"Want me to pinch you?" Sean asked cheerfully.

"No!" Siku shook her head. She did not add that she was terrified if he did, she would not wake up. That would mean this was real and that was something she was not ready to accept.

"Okay. Look, Siku, if it makes it any easier, why don't you just think this is a dream? I mean, it won't hurt anything and then maybe you can stop being so frightened and just relax a bit."

"A-all right," Siku said her voice sound small. She could not resist sneaking looks at him, although she knew she was supposed to keep her eyes on the road. He looked exactly the same as he did when he got on the plane to go to California, the last time Sikudhani ever saw him. He was even wearing the same jeans and emerald green T-shirt that brought out the color of his eyes so well. She wanted to pull over and throw her arms around him, but she did not dare. "H-how are you d-doing?" she finally managed to ask.

"Pretty good," Sean said cheerfully. Then he frowned. "I miss you thought. I can watch you, sometimes, but it's not the same."

"I miss you too," she confessed, feeling the tears that always seemed to linger under her eyes beginning to prickle. "God, Sean, why did you have to die?"

"I was at the wrong place at the wrong time," Sean said. "It happens. By the way, thanks for going with Kimber and the band to scatter my remains. It was nice, seeing all the people who loved me the most gathered. I was touched. I'm glad you broke down too. I was worried about you. You were just being too... stoic about the whole thing."

"I was afraid," Siku confessed.

"Of what?" He twisted in the seat so he could look at her, his head tipped to one side.

"That if I started crying, I wouldn't be able to stop," she admitted. "You're the only man I'm ever going to love like that. I mean, I know I'm young and I might meet someone else, but they can never replace you. It will never be the same."

"I know, love, I know." Sean sighed wistfully. "If I could come back again, I would. But that just can't happen."

"Too bad." She reached out and turned on the heater. Warm air started flowing through the vents. "Uhm... what is it like, I mean, where you are?" she asked timidly.

"I can't tell you, that's part of the rules."

"There are rules when you die?" Siku asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Sure," Sean said with a shrug. "There are always rules. But the biggest one is that when you visit someone, you can't tell them anything about it. So, let's drop that subject right now."

"Okay," Siku said, although she was dying of curiosity. Great, your dead boyfriend has come back and you want to ask him what heaven is like.

"Don't knock yourself, Angel. Everyone wants to know what it's like."

"You can read my mind?" Siku asked.

"Yup."

"Do-do you visit people often?" Siku asked. "I mean, how do you know that everyone wants to know?"

"No, you're the first person I've visited. But I've talked to others who've visited and they've told me everyone asks that."

"Why are you visiting me? And why tonight?"

"Why you? Because I love you," Sean said simply. "Why tonight? Because tonight is Halloween. It's the one night of the year that deep inside, you're still a child. A child who believes anything can happen, even this."

"I'm not a child," Siku whispered. "Not anymore."

"I know, Angel, but there is still that child inside you."

"I think that child died the day you did," she said, wiping her eyes.

"Really?" Sean asked. "Then why didn't you go to the party with Eva? Or stay and study? Why are you out driving?"

"Because...because..." She stopped. He had her there. "But I'll bet no one is going to be there," she mumbled.

"But you're still willing to take the risk," Sean said. "Because deep down there is a kid inside you that believes anything can happen and will happen."

"I'm going to look like a fool," she commented. "Standing there all alone."

"Aw, have a little more faith, my blue angel."

She drew in a deep breath and changed the subject. "This-this is so sad."

"Why?" Sean asked.

"Because-because it can't last," Siku said, sniffling. "You're here now, but I know this won't last. It can't."

"I know it can't. And I know it isn't the same," Sean said, "In fact, I can't stick around much longer. But I did want to see you again... to talk to you."

"Why?

 "Because, I wanted to tell you to stop mourning and get on with life."

"Sean, it's not that easy! I thought I would eventually spend the rest of my life with you, and now you're dead. I-it's not something I can just drop easily."

"I know, Angel, I know."

The tears that were just a threat were now starting to gather at the corners of her eyes, making them shine. She knew in a few moments, her vision would be blurry. "I-I gotta pull over." She moved the car into the breakdown lane, pulling off the road as far as she could. Putting on the emergency brake, she looked at him. "Tell me how I just forget about you? Tell me how to just put you and all the feelings I had for you aside and go on."

"I'm not asking you to put it aside," Sean said, sighing. "I know you can't. But Siku, you feel guilty whenever you think about going on. You felt guilty about deciding to live on campus instead of commuting, even though your father and all your uncles and aunts agreed it was a good idea. Why did you feel guilty?"

"B-because I was doing it to get away," Siku admitted, the tears spilling down her face, glittering like small diamonds in her blue fur. "I wanted to get away from the mansion, from Aunt Kimber dropping in, because all those things reminded me of you!"

"There's nothing wrong with that!" Sean said. "It's natural to want to get away from things that would always remind you of me."

"But I don't want to forget you!" Siku wailed.

"You won't." Sean tipped his head, smiling at her, his eyes sad. "You can't forget about me, Siku."

"But... there are times... when I don't think of you..."

"And soon there will be days when you don't," Sean said. "No, you'll never forget me, but eventually the sadness that comes when you think of me will subside. You'll have the memories instead, the good times. Enjoy life, Siku. Enjoy college, enjoy your friends, and have all the good times you can, Angel. I didn't want your life to end when mine did."

"But it's... so hard sometimes... knowing you're not here."

"I'm with you, Siku. I'm with you all the time. As long as you remember me, as long as the memories are alive in your heart, I'll be with you. Don't let what we had make you unhappy. Please?" He looked at her, his own eyes glistening. Slowly, he extended his hand, reaching for her face. Her eyes widened as his hand drew closer then seemed to pass right through her face. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"You-you can't touch me, can you?"

He shook his head sadly. "No, I can't." His hand passed over her face again, seeming to go into her cheek. She could not feel anything, except for maybe a faint tingling feelings.

"I love you so much," she cried.

"I love you too, Angel. And I always will." He reached out one last time, closing his eyes and concentrating as his fingers moved towards her face.

Siku watched them, thinking for a moment, just for one brief moment that he would be able to touch her. Then, they seemed to pass right through her. "Damn it," she muttered, closing her eyes.

"Siku, look, please?"

She opened her eyes, looking at him. His hand was raised, something glistening from one of the fingertips. "What?"

"It's a tear," Sean said. "One of yours." He rubbed his fingers and it seemed to disappear into him. "Bye, Angel. Take care of yourself, okay?"

"No!" Not even thinking about it, Siku tried to reach out and grab him. Her hands passed right through him. "No, Sean, don't go!"

It was too late. He seemed to vanish into nothingness.

She sat there, parked at the side of the road for several minutes. The Wallflower's singing in the background, her hands shaking. A mixture of happiness and sadness mingled inside of her. She wanted him back, there was so much she wanted to tell him, and so much she could not tell him. "All right, Sean," she finally whispered. "I'll try it your way. I'll try not to feel guilty every time I try to go on without you. I won't hide as much. But tonight, I'm going there. Even if I'm the only one who shows up, I'm going."

Taking a deep breath, she eased her car back on the road.

She got there after midnight. She parked her car in the small lot by the chapel and climbed out of her car. Going over to the wall, she climbed up and looked.

In the distance, past the many graves, more in the woods that surrounded one side of the graveyard was the faint orange light of a fire. At least one person is there, she thought. Jumping down from the wall, she headed towards the fire. When she was younger, this was the most frightening part, cutting through the graveyard to the woods, but tonight, the fear was gone. The walls may grow thin between the worlds on Halloween, but that doesn't mean I have to be scared!

When she got closer, she could see there were several people gathered. She paused, feeling the tears she thought she had spent earlier, gathering in her eyes. They didn't forget. We've gone on, but they didn't forget.

One of the figures turned, looked at her, and grinned. "You made it! We were starting to worry. Look, everyone, Siku's here."

Everyone turned to look at her. The first one to speak to her and someone else came forward. They both put their arms around her, hugging them. She hugged them back. "Cammy, Cierra," she said, suddenly wanting to cry and laugh at the same time. "Of course I made it. I didn't want to miss this."

The three of them walked towards the fire. "Well, Cam and I thought now that you were in college and living away, you might not want to do this anymore." Cierra said.

"Nah," Siku shook her head. "This year, I wanted to come."

They sat down around the fire. She looked around at the faces of her friends, people she had known since high school. Some of them even from grammar school, like Cierra and Cameron. A few were missing, she knew they would be, but a lot of them were there.

Sometimes it's hard to let go of the past, she thought. The good and the bad. This is the good.

This was their Halloween tradition. When they all became too old for trick-or-treating, but the energy of Halloween was still upon them, they had started this. Not quite ready for all night parties, when school dances seemed to end too soon, they had started this. It was a chance to enjoy the holiday, to feel some of the excitement with each other.

Who knows what next year holds? she thought. We are all growing older; we're growing apart. A few of us aren't here this time, next year there will be even less. If any at all. Some of these people I'll always know, Cameron, Cierra. But some will drift out of my life as I make other friends. She found the thought did not make her sad as it might have. It was all part of growing up, knowing when to say hello and when to say good bye.

"Okay," Cameron said, standing up and walking near the fire. "I think we're all here. You know the drill. Every Halloween we gather here for the express purpose of telling each other what is the scariest thing we've heard of or have had happen to us all year. Who wants to go first?"

Siku smiled. Her first thought was to tell what had happened earlier tonight, but she would not. It was not a scary thing. Sad and a bit spooky yes, but not scary. How could seeing Sean, dead or alive ever be scary?

"I'll go first," Cierra said.

They all moved closer together, all waiting to hear Cierra's story, then one by one they would all take their turn. It might be silly, now that they were all adults, but it was fun too.

"This didn't happen to me," Cierra was saying in a low, still voice, trying to build up the suspense. "This happened to someone I know..."

Siku drew her jacket around her tighter, getting ready to feel the shivers up her spine. Another Halloween had truly begun.