An Enchanted Friendship

Chapter 9 - Halloween

It was nearing the end of October and the days were starting to get colder. A thin layer of frost laid on the leaf-covered ground and around the edges of each window. People had started decorating with spiders, lights and other scary decor, making everything ready for Halloween.

Mom was standing behind me, fixing up my dress as I was standing in front of the mirror. I wanted to be a witch, and now I only had the hat and makeup left.
-Aw, you look so cute! Mom said in a high-pitched voice.
-No mom, I'm scary! I said and acted like I was attacking Mom with my claws.
-I just don't want you to be trick-or-treating all alone! Mom said worriedly.
-I told you, I'll be walking with Zarah!
-But I haven't even met her before... How will I know you'll be safe?
Then the doorbell rang.
It was too early for kids to be trick-or-treating already, so I figured it had to be Zi.
-Well you'll met her now. I said before we both walked downstairs to open the door for her.
-Hey!!
Zi was standing in front of us with her purple and golden-lined dress and hat, holding a little purple pumpkin basket.
-Wow Zarah, your costume is so cute and pretty! And so detailed! Mom was impressed over Zi's outfit, it's not normal to find such good quality costumes. Though in this case, it wasn't really a costume either.
-Thank you Mrs... Eliza's mom!... Zi replied.
Mom chuckled.
-Okay then! I'd probably like to have Eliza home after around two and a half hours. If you spend some time at Zarah's for like half an hour you can spend the rest of your time trick-or-treating.
-Mom, you don't have to plan things FOR us! We can decide what we'd like to do ourselves! I rolled my eyes at mom.
-Oh I don't know, I think it sounds like a good idea! Zi said.
I turned to look back at her, cause now I was too humiliated to look at mom.
-Anyway, shall we go? Zi reached out her hand to me. I took it and we left together as mom was waving at us from the window. It was getting pretty dark already and the air was moist. The trees almost looked dead, now as the leaves were almost all fallen off.
-Wait, you said we were gonna stay at your place... Though you don't even live here? I was confused over where we were even going now, since we literally had no place to go.
-Heh... Zi finally noticed her mistake.
-I actually didn't think about that as we were standing there with your mom. Let's just go trick-or-treating already!

We started exploring the neighborhoods outside of town. I was only wearing a thin pair of tights, so I tried covering up my legs with my long black cape. I noticed Zi wasn't wearing much either, in fact, she was a lot more thinly dressed than me, but she didn't seem to care about the cold.
-Out of the way!! An unknown voice shouted from behind.
I was suddenly pushed aside by a couple of kids on a skateboard as they rushed down the slope. They looked back and laughed at me before they turned to the next house. What in the world was that for!? I don't even know them! I thought.
Zi quickly gave me a hand and helped me get back on my feet. All of my candy had fallen out of my basket and was now laying spread out on the sidewalk.
-Just ignore them Eliza. Some people just really have the audacity I guess.

We arrived at the next house and the door was completely covered in spiderweb with little spiders in it. -Come on. Zi expected me to ring the doorbell.
-No, I don't wanna ring it, you can. I rang it on the last house!
She still denied, lifted my hand up and pulled it towards the doorbell.
-No! I chuckled and pulled her in front of me by her arm. While we were fighting over who was going to ring the doorbell, the door suddenly opened.
-Everything alright here?
Both of us froze and looked at the young girl in the Draculaura costume.
-Trick or treat! I said and noticed that Zi didn't say it with me. I looked over at her and saw her still staring at the Draculaura girl as she found a bowl of candy for us.
-Here! Please take max three though, there are many children here that wants candy too! She smiled at us.
I grabbed two caramels and a lollipop, and waited for Zi to take some too, so I looked at her again and catched her STILL staring! I bumped my arm onto hers.
-Oh, yeah thanks! She said as she completely broke eyecontact with the girl, to pick out some candy. Zi looked embarrassed over that the girl had noticed her staring.
Me and the Draculaura girl said goodbye, but Zi didn't dare to say a word and continued looking down at her feet. As we continued walking through the neighborhood I asked her what was going on.
-Nothing. Sorry about that. Zi said and awkwardly chuckled. She sighed and it seemed like she got her head cleared now, cause she had suddenly remembered something.
-Follow me! She said before she pulled me with her as we ran towards the forest.
-Where are we going, aren't we going to continue trick-or-treating!?
Zi didn't answer and continued focusing on where she ran.