Lucinda Cromwell-Emrys

In Town

In the mortal world Gwen had realized her children weren't home. In Halloweentown, a hunt was on.

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"Is there gonna be a Halloween party today, Grandma? Everybody's all dressed up." Sophie asked as they walked the streets of Halloweentown. Goblins, Ogres, Pumpkin and Witches roamed the streets on the busy afternoon.

"Well, this is the way we always dress, dear." Her mother explained.

Indy continued the explanation. "The people who started your Halloween just imitated our traditions." "Mortals see, mortals do." Came the teasing voice of her husband as they reached Town Square. She laughed taking the arm he offered.

"That's the way your mother ran into your father - by crashing a Halloween party!" Her mother finished reminiscing.

"He loved her witch's costume." Indy threw in with a smile. She remembered when they met and never would have guessed the change it would bring her life.

"Hello, Aggie. Hello Emrys'." Came the happy voice of a friendly resident.

"Hello, Sadie." Her mother called back as they waved.

Indy realized Dylan was happily humming the same time Marnie did.

"What are you so happy about?" She asked suspiciously. "I thought you didn't want to come." He simply smiled happily. "I decided this really is a dream, so why worry?" He said freely. The adults smiled, he would soon learn. At least he wasn't worried anymore.

"I like Halloweentown, But why do you have to live so far away, Grandma?" Sophie asked sadly.

"Well, there was a time when humans and monsters and witches and vampires and all the rest of us could be together." Her mother remembered. "It was the Dark Times,That was a bad mix, because humans feared us and tried to destroy us." She said sadly. Indy wasn't around for those times but all Halloweentown children knew the history.

"So we did our best to make them miserable in return, But it was turning us evil, which we are not!"

"So, they decided to create this world, our own world." Avan added.

"Oh, kind of like when Marnie and I got separate rooms." Dylan said not inaccurately. She pretended to not see Marnie smack Dylan's shoulder.

"Precisely, From that day on, we were able to settle down and have homes and children and jobs." Their group parted to make way for the Halloweentown Bowling team. "And an excellent bowling league." Her mother laughter.

"We get really good movies, like It's a Wonderful Death." Indy said as they turned the corner for the movie theater. "Oh, it's closed!" She said sadly seeing the signs and decrepit state. "They went out of business, mom?" She asked surprised. That never really happened in Halloweentown.

Just then her mother accidentally bumped into a friend of hers. The woman's outraged screech and dark face a shock to Indy. That woman had run charities in Halloweentown her entire life. Something was terribly wrong. She looked worriedly to Avan. He nodded knowing Harriet as well as she did.

Her mother's terrified face confirmed her worse thought. This is what had taken over Halloween. "Kids, here's some coins. Go get yourself some ice cream. The abominable snowman makes a mean sundae." She said with a playful wink. The kids happily took the money and ran in the parlor they stood in front of.

"It's just like all the others." Her mother explained once the kids were inside. "She was like a wild animal. She was fine not a few hours ago." Her mother was near panic. "If she's like the others by tomorrow she'll have disappeared completely. I've told Calabar but he.."