“Have a good time and call me when you’re ready to be picked up.”
“I will, Mom.” Ricky dodged his mother’s attempt to kiss him in front of his friend Jimmy. Jeesh. It was bad enough that he had to go to the school carnival instead of trick-or-treating like the rest of his friends; did she have to embarrass him too?
“There’s just baby stuff here,” Jimmy said.
Ricky was inclined to agree as he looked around. Their mothers had decided that this was safer than going around the neighborhood knocking on doors. He was willing to bet that they were the only two ten-year-olds dressed in costume. Everyone else was much younger. Come Monday, they’d be the laughing stock at school.
“We’re doomed.”
Some kid in a bed sheet kept following them around as they made their way down the line of booths passing out candy. Ricky nudged Jimmy and whispered in his ear. Jimmy grinned as they walked over to a quiet spot between the buildings. The bed sheet ghost followed them.
“Okay. Why are you following us?” Ricky said.
The ghost didn’t answer, just stood there fidgeting as he looked up at them out of the two eyeholes. Jimmy tugged the sheet off, revealing a small, grimy boy.
There was something weird about this kid, Ricky thought.
“Say something, creep.”
The kid smiled, a rather ghastly-looking occurrence, as he spoke.
“Braiiiinnsss…”
©2009 Laura Eno
