𝐑𝐄𝐃 • Max Dennison

III: OH, ALLISON

When Lilah walked into her house, the smell of pumpkin filled her nose. Not the gross smell like when you're carving one, but the more homely smell, like when you're baking or cooking something.

Mrs Hart would always try and bake something new with pumpkins each year, but Lilah was sure she was running out of ideas. The house was decorated head to toe, and her dad was still busy adding more.

Lilah didn't understand why her parents were so insistent on decorating when they wouldn't even be there Halloween night, but she found it cute how much they were filled with the Halloween spirit.

"Hey, pumpkin," her dad said. Lilah wouldn't usually let someone give her such a cheesy nickname, but her dad had been calling her it for as long as she could remember. Even in the summer, he found a way for Halloween to be with them through his daughter.

"What took you so long, honey?" Her mom asked.

"I walked through the graveyard. Little encounter with Jay and Ice," Lilah said as she took off her shoes.

"Oh, dear, were they bothering you?" Her dad asked, dropping the black and orange bunting on the table.

"No, dad. Someone else. This new kid, he moved from LA, he's called-"

"Max!" Her mom said, "Well, we already met the Dennisons. He didn't seem to like Salem very much, but he seems a nice boy."

"He is," Lilah smiled, "He's a little like me, no Halloween spirit. Maybe him and I could be good friends."

"Well, he's a good looking young man," her dad winked.

"Ew, dad."

Lilah's parents laughed as she went up to her room, also slightly smiling. She flopped on her bed, contemplating whether or not she should wear her costume to the Halloween party. It looked stupid, stupider than she'd like to loo, so she decided on not wearing it, instead changing into more casual clothes.

Max didn't arrive home as happy as Lilah had. He stormed into his room, throwing his cap and jacket on the floor. "Hey guys," he said to his fish, luring food into their tank. He flopped onto his bed, turning over and hugging one of his pillows. "Oh, Allison. You're so soft. I just wanna-"

Suddenly, someone jumped out of Max's closet. "Boo!" She said. It was Max's eight-year-old sister, Dani.

"Dani!" He yelled, turning around.

Dani jumped into the bed, laughing. "I scared you, I scared you! Ha-ha! Ha-ha! I'm Allison. Allison. Kiss me, I'm Allison!" She teased.

Max rolled his eyes, getting up off the bed. "Mom and dad told you to stay outta my room."

"Don't be such a crab. Guess what? You're gonna take me trick-or-treating," Dani jumped on the bed.

"Not this year Dani."

"Mom said you have to," Dani jumped off the bed to face Max.

"Well, she can take you."

"She and dad are going to the party at Town Hall."

"You're eight. Go by yourself." Max sat down at his drum set and began playing.

Dani followed and protested. "No way. This is my first time. I'll get lost. Besides, it's a full moon outside. The weirdos are out." Max ignored her and continued playing, until she came around and hugged his shoulders, pouting. "Come on, Max. Couldn't you forget about being a cool teenager just for one night? Please? Come on. We used to have so much fun together trick-or-treating. Remember? It'll be like old times."

Max pushed her off. "Yeah, we'll the old days are dead." He continued to play, which only made Dani should over the music.

"It's doesn't matter what you say. You're taking me."

"Wanna bet?" Max asked, running up the stairs in his bedroom and sitting on the top one.

Dani suddenly screamed the entire house down. "Mom!"

It was safe to say that she got her way, and her and Max were in for one hell of a night.