The Curse of the Bat Rat

One dark and quiet All Hallow's Eve, the children went out to pretend play. "I'm a pirate!" said one. "I'm a ghost!" said another. The children played, unaware of any threat, until the great red wings of the creature blotted out the moon. The creature swooped down upon them with a screech most like a loud squeaking. The long, thin tail, the short legs, the rounded ears, and the two elongated front teeth; There was no doubt it was the Bat Rat.
"Please, don't harm us!" Cried the children. "We'll give you anything!"
"Anything?" Replied the Bat Rat with a devious smile. "Then go to each of your homes and bring me all of the sweets you can find, unless you want to face my hungry stomach!"

The children nodded hastily and ran off, each to their respective homes. They scoured them high and low, searching out each bit of sweetness they could, before putting it all in sacks. Once each had grabbed what they had, the children returned to the place where the Bat Rat had been. As soon as they arrived, it screeched from a tree and leaped down to them.
"What have you brought for me, children?" The rat asked with a sinister smile.
"We brought you these bags of sweets! Please don't hurt us!" One of the children replied to the Bat Rat.
The Bat Rat swiped the bags from the children and quickly peered inside each with a scrutinizing glare.

"This will do... For this year." The Bat Rat chuckled and added, "You must bring me sweets from now on, every year on this night! Or else I will devour you instead!"
Fearfully the children agreed and ran home again, dreading what the next year might bring for their sweets collection.
The Bat Rat returned to its home, and counted off the days until the sweets would run dry, and it would need to get more. From then on, the Bat Rat went to a select few children each year, threatening them for sweets.

Story inspired by my rat's voracious appetite for anything sweet. She got a little costume made for her this year, and for sitting still for me, she got a piece of candy.