The Tales Of The Banished Prince and The CoffeeMonger.

“ Mama, do we have to go to that spooky town because of your new job? ” I raised a question with a frown.

Come on darling, do we need to go over this again? Besides, it's not a creepy town sweetheart ... mom replied softly.

Hun, since your ...

I interrupt abruptly, “ Since your dad left me for another lady, I want to make you the happiest girl in the world. ” I know that already mom, please don't say that again anymore.

Hey, sweetie look!

Welcome To Irlo!

We would be staying in Aunt Kathy's house, I already made arrangements for your studies. Tomorrow we would go for your enrollment and get some groceries for you... Mom's conversation faded as I was engrossed in the creative Halloween arts planted in the lawns of the neighborhood.

“ Woah! ” my eyes widened at the magnificent scenes as we drove into the town.

Mom! It's almost Halloween! Can I get an outlandish costume? ... I questioned gaily.

Mom and I shared an enthusiastic look

A few hours later ...,

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Aunt Kathy took me around the house and we went to the basement to catch sight of the building from another angle. We sat on the aged creaky chair chit-chatting and laughing at old memories.

“Do you want to hear a creeping story?” ... she implied.

Sure thing, Auntie!

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Once upon a time, a coffee monger distributed his most wanted coffee “ Chock full o'Nuts ” to every doorstep, serving a cup of coffee and a slice of sandwich for only ten cents. His popularity for this tasty yet unsatisfying coffee, a rare coffee sprouted all over the town.

Candyman was known for his spirited personality and generosity toward the little youngsters gifting them wrapped candy treats. All of a sudden, he went awol and children wept their hearts out.

One very night, it was almost a few days away from the Halloween festival in the town of Irlo. He showed up out of the blue, pushing his four-wheeler cart filled with candy treats, coffee, and sandwiches.

But this time, he didn't stop at doorsteps; he drove it like someone stricken with paralysis, his eyes foggy, and his mouth dripping with slimy discharge like spittle. There was this strange eerie atmosphere that very night, folks in the neighborhood had to peep from the window while some stood at their lawns shivering at the perturbed scene.

Unbeknownst to some kiddies, four of them ran as fast as their legs could take them to the four-wheel cart and came to a halt when it was obvious it wasn't the same Candyman they knew.

“Are you alright candyman?” ... he asked with a trembling voice.

This is absurd! ... he retorted!

“Is this a prank?” ... she asked nervously.

Guys! I think we should go now, watch out!!

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Mom's car drove into the garage in acceleration and the tires made a screeching sound, " she's back " I respectfully told Aunt Kathy who was hellbent on finishing the story.

“Some other time darling” ... Aunt Kathy replied, looking down from the basement and waving to her sister carrying bags of groceries.

Go help your mom, child!

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The following day...,

The next day after school I revealed to Aunt Kathy the leaflet of the Halloween Festival Party. She was going with me, a company I prefer to my busy mom. We walked into the Halloween hall and got some tickets.

She held my hands as we passed through the curtains of the creepy hallway filled with a fake evil statue of horror characters, a big fat clown holding a machete tilting its head towards their direction. Its movement caused the long machete to make an ominous sound. Aunt Kathy and I fled the scene and went into another room, we felt like this whole place was hypnotized.

We slammed the door behind us and I turned around, we shouldn't be here Aunt, look! The banner reads “ The Foyers of horridness ”. We should head back... she spoke in a husky tone.

There was a loud thump on the door we ought to have exited from so we went further into the maze house, a sudden outburst from the door caused a separation as we scampered for safety. I heard Aunt Kathy's voice calling out to me and then it faded.

I hide and tremble in fear of being caught, I don't know how to do the karate thing for self-defense, just as thoughts roamed my unsettled mind associated with cacophony from the evil clowns and others. The cinema lights began to flicker and went off, I listened carefully to the creaking sound like that of a trolley and the frightening cackles of the clowns then the lights came on, such a relief!

I couldn't believe my eyes as I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw the four-wheeled cart of the coffee monger driven by an unknown force.

Aunt Kathy ... I whispered inaudibly.

I was caught when the fat clown smashed his machete through the maze wall, I fled calling out on Aunt Kathy. I screamed out of fear when she dragged me inside. I narrated my encounter in a raspy tone, of course, no one would believe that. I hoped we saw it and just as I wished the lights flickered until it went high-pitched dark, the creaky sound of the four-wheeled cart was heard.

Aunt Kathy was agape with incredulity as she saw The CoffeeMonger with his cart of candy treats, coffee, and sandwiches just like it happened decades ago. She briefed the complete story to me and said we should lay a plan to lure the clowns to him. I wondered if it was The CoffeeMonger or The Banished Evil Prince that was pushing the cart.

After luring the clown, her story became a bewildering reality, his body was possessed by the spirit of the banished evil prince who haunted the town of Irlo decades ago. Luckily she had a chain necklace with a crucifix pendant which she pierced into his back. Both The CoffeeMonger and The Banished Evil Prince turn to ashes of fire and the remains are blown away by the wind.

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_{|| Photo by Olena Bohovyk || Photo by Christoph || Photo by Theocrazzolara}