Once upon a time, in a little town lived a young boy named Jim. Jim was slender and pale, with a pair of crutches leaning against his chair. His foot, bandaged and elevated on another chair, was the result of an unfortunate accident involving a speeding car.
On this particular evening, it was Halloween, a festival loved by all children. But for Jim, it was not going to be the same this year. He couldn’t join the other children running about, playing games, and collecting candies. Even his mother wasn’t home, she was working at a grand party hosted by a rich family in their neighborhood.
Jim was all alone at his table, with some books and a game beside him. He picked up a book but soon set it aside. He couldn’t concentrate. His mind kept wandering off, imagining the great party full of costumed children, or the schoolroom, where his friends would be having their own Halloween party.
Next, Jim tried playing a game, but that too didn’t catch his interest. Even though his friends and neighbors had not forgotten him, and had brought him many exciting games and wrote him many letters, tonight everything seemed dull. The games and letters just couldn’t replace the joy of real jack-o’-lanterns and pretend ghosts.
Feeling the loneliness creeping in, Jim leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and wished he could sleep. If he could, Halloween would pass sooner, and he wouldn’t feel so lonely. But try as he might, he couldn’t fall asleep. Every tick of the clock echoed in his ears, and the ticks seemed to be getting farther apart.
Suddenly, the sound of many footsteps outside broke the silence. Jim sat up with a start. Who could it be? No one ever visited in the evening, and his mother wouldn’t be home yet. His heart pounded as he looked towards the door, feeling half scared, half curious.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and in came a rush of children from his school. Some wore funny masks, some held jack-o’-lanterns, and others carried baskets of apples and large paper sacks.
“You couldn’t come to the party, Jim,” they said, their voices full of excitement. “So, we’re bringing the party to you! Now, we’ll all have a better time together.”
The room filled with laughter and chatter as the children unpacked their goodies. That Halloween turned out to be a lot more exciting and fun than Jim had thought it could be. Despite his situation, he realized that he was never really alone. His friends were there to bring joy and a sense of togetherness, even on the scariest night of the year.
And that’s how that Halloween passed so quickly and so happily for our brave little Jim.
