Grandpa

Halloweird

"So even when the village shaman would try to call down the vengeance of the moon upon his enemies, he was still a snappy dresser," Mr. G explained, holding up a cloth. "Now, I hope that some of these native artifacts are going to inspire some culturally diverse costume choices this Halloween."

"All it's inspiring for me is a nap," Benny said quietly to us.

"I miss naps. The dreaming, the snoring, the drooling..." Rory listed.

"Since when did you give up drooling?" Ethan asked as I stifled a laugh.

"Ah, naps," Rory laid his head down on his desk.

Mr. G shouted, holding up a mask and startling us. That definitely startled me awake from my midnight study session. I was almost half-asleep until now.

"Here's a sight for scary eyes. According to native legend, an ancient warlord would use this mask to bring to life the fighting spirits of his army. And the warlord's warriors would don the furs of wolves and bears and then, do you know what would happen?" Mr. G asked.

"Animal rights groups would protest?" Ethan asked.

"They smelled like old carcasses?" Benny guessed, looking at me for help.

"And then real wolves and bears would come and attack them?" I added, Benny and I high-fiving with a smile.

"No. The natives believed the warriors would turn into actual wolves and bears! Scary stuff, eh kids?" Mr. G smiled.

The bell rang and I started to calmly pack my stuff up. I yawned as we walked out, Rory looking at me in concern.

"Are you yawning because you were up till three or because of the class?" Rory asked.

"Both," I sneakily grabbed his hand, intertwining our fingers.

~~~

"Why not?" Ethan asked as I walked up to the two.

"Because it'll just be the three of us, that's why," Benny replied.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that we don't have a dozen friends with ready-to-wear costumes and no Halloween plans? We invite the mathletes, and we're halfway there," Ethan explained.

"Count me in, because I don't want to go to a vampire party filled with five-hundred-year-old vampires. Erica explaining it just sounded lame. I'd rather dress human, not like I'm from the seventeenth century," I explained.

"We could at least invite Rory," Ethan added.

"What?" Benny's smile fell. "Do you remember what happened last time? And that wasn't even a costume party."

"Look, I'm sure he'll be better this time," Ethan assured him.

I heard a grunt and I saw Rory wearing a mask, trying to scare people. "I still think that's better."

~~~

I walked into the house, the boys talking in the kitchen. There were already a bunch of people here. Where was Rory? The boys jumped when they saw me.

"Is that real blood, and is that a real knife?" Ethan pointed at the knife.

I made it bend with a push of my pointer finger. "No, and no. Don't want anyone thinking I actually killed someone. Just water, flour, and red dye," I explained.

"What are you anyways?" Benny asked.

"Bride of Chucky. Rory's Chucky," I smiled.

"Yeah, he's not here yet," Ethan nodded.