Halloween at the Brick School

It’s known as the Brick School.  At one time, all the children in Franklin attended that school.  It was remembered quite fondly by the residents.  But time goes on and change is inevitable.  The town grew and needed more schools—bigger and better schools.  Inevitably, the town closed the school.  And there it sat—unused. 

That was the state of the building until this one particular Halloween night.  Neighbors noticed that there were lights in the windows.  When people approached the school, children’s voices were heard.  The children were singing:

One little, two little, three little pumpkins,
Four little, five little, six little pumpkins,
Seven little, eight little, Nine little pumpkins,
All for Halloween night.

People tried the door, but it was locked.  The windows were locked, also.  What was going on? What mischief was this on Halloween night?  

Word spread quickly and soon the entire neighborhood surrounded the Brick School.  The mood was curiously anticipatory.  Everyone wondered what to make of it.

Since the neighborhood was gathered around the school and in the schoolyard, no one noticed that all the trick or treat candy was disappearing from the neighborhood’s houses.  Silently and stealthily, little ghosts and goblins, princesses and pirates, werewolves and witches, entered the neighborhood’s homes and took all the Halloween treats. 

The people at the Brick School were oblivious.  Eventually, the children’s singing inside the school faded out.  All was silent.  The lights went out--rather suddenly! 

The crowd gasped.  There seemed to be a collective blink.  But then everyone laughed nervously and walked home talking about the strange event.  No one knew what to make of it. 

And no one knew what to make of their stolen candy, either.  But I will tell you one thing; everyone kept a closer eye on the Brick School from then on.  And the town council and school committee didn’t dare demolish the old building.  In fact, from that night on, it became a Halloween tradition for the neighborhood to gather around the Brick School to party and sing:

One little, two little, three little pumpkins,
Four little, five little, six little pumpkins,
Seven little, eight little, Nine little pumpkins,
All for Halloween night.