A Magical Halloween

Oaks lined the oldest street of one of Mississippi’s oldest towns.  The homes along it dated from well before the Civil War.  It was one of the few towns in the South that General Sherman hadn’t burned. Rumor was that it was because the Devil himself lived in the old mansion on Main Street — and not burning it was professional courtesy on Sherman’s part.  The truth was that he had stayed in the house and it reminded him of his childhood home.  In exchange for the family’s traitorous hospitality, the town was spared.

One-hundred-fifty years later, most of the houses (or money pits as they were known to the people who lived in them) had been restored to their pre-war glory.  All except the old mansion. Tall grasses and overgrown trees blocked it from prying eyes of people walking past it. No one dared to go past its iron gates. Local children told the legend of the witch who lived in the house and the little boy who disappeared after climbing its iron fence.  That was 1974.  He hadn’t been seen since.  The story claimed the witch ate him.

The little boy wasn’t eaten by a witch and was no longer a little boy. He was now the grown man who had lived in the mansion since he climbed over the fence on that fateful Halloween day.  He had run away from an abusive home to live with his eccentric old aunt. And when she died, he inherited the house.  He now lived in it alone (except for five cats who really weren’t much conversation.)  and watched as the neighbors walked by/ Rumors said the Devil himself lived there.  Brantley J. Winchester wasn’t the Devil. But he was magic. And he was lonely.

The Winchesters had fled Salem around the turn of the 18th century. After bouncing around Georgia for one hundred years,  they moved west to Choctaw territory. The Choctaws, amazed at the Winchester’s magical ability, gave them blessed land to build on.  The mansion sat on that parcel.  And Brantley J. Winchester was their last living descendant.

Halloween night in the town was an explosion of bright colors, scary costume and candy. It’s history and the old mansions made Main Street a natural setting for a spooky Halloween.  Every year, all the houses were strung with strings of orange lights and invited all the children for candy.  All except one. The Winchester Mansion was normally black as a witch’s soul.  But not this year.  Lights on the front porch were like a siren’s song for the curious.

It was the year Brantley J. Winchester decided to give back to the town.

Sugar-powered ghosts, ghouls and goblins bounced from door to door like caffeinated water bugs.  People gave away Reeses’ Cups, Butterfingers, Snickers, Candy Corn and Smarties.  Except for resident of the Winchester Mansion.  The brave souls who knocked on the door got something more than just candy from him. They all received personalized miracles.

Jenny McWilliams, who was dressed as Minnie Mouse, got Jolly Ranchers. Her unemployed dad got a job offer.

David Smith, who was Iron Man, got Hersey Kisses. His mother’s Multiple Sclerosis disappeared.

Candy Adams, who was a princess, got Reeses’ Pieces. Her parents’ mortgage company decided not to foreclose on their home.

Jimmy Reeves, who was in a Darth Vader costume, got Pixie Sticks and suddenly could read. His dyslexia disappeared.

Little Stephanie Baines, who was dressed as Cindy Lou Who, went into remission. Her leukemia was totally gone.

Miracle after miracle took place that night.  And every miracle brought new life to the old mansion.  Grasses faded away.  Windows repaired themselves.  Trees parted like the Red Sea, revealing bright, cheery paint.

The town’s Halloween fest downtown was going full tilt when a stranger walked up.  The music stopped and everyone turned to stare at him.  Bradley J. Winchester said the only thing he could at that moment. “Hello. My name is Bradley and I’m your neighbor. It’s nice to meet you.”

People just stared.  And then a little girl and said, “Hi Mr. Bradley. What’s your costume?”

“I’m a magician.,” he smiled.

The crowd laughed and the party started up again.  Little did the town know that thanks to Bradley J. Winchester, it would be the most magical Halloween ever.