The Many Aspects of Us

Sugar Skulls and Blood Punch

**This is a story I wrote for Halloween this year (2017) I hope you enjoy it! ~ E.Tuttle Author

Walking down a dimly lit hallway, Leon continues to search for his brother. Looking around, he pushes the door to a dark room open.

"Caiden, you in here?"

There's no reply, he sighs closing the door and continuing down the hallway. As he makes his way down the hall he sees a small skeleton dressed as one of those Day of the Dead style sugar skulls, it's gently propped against the wall. Huh, weird I don't remember that being there. He looks up and sees more lining the hallway. He finally realizes there's a faint sound of music.

"Caiden?"

Leon walks down the hallway towards the music. More sugar skull decorations rear their ugly little heads, and soon the whole hallway is decorated with the Day of the Dead theme. He walks by a door that has a giant skeleton painted onto it. Seething, he continues. Entering the room, he sees Caiden in the kitchen listening to the Monster Mash and singing along. Their little imp servant, Paul, is helping him paint cookies in the shape of sugar skulls. He continues to walk into the room and looks around. He discovers piles of other decorations.

"Caiden, what are you doing?"

His younger brother jumps, almost dropping the cookie he currently had in his hand. Caiden nervously smiles as Leon looks around, obviously not too thrilled at the sight of the decorations.

"Hey...Leon, I need you to try these for me," he says, tentatively.

Shaking his head, and slightly annoyed, Leon says, "Caiden those things are pure sugar. You're gonna get diabetes."

Caiden gasps at this comment, and hands the cookie to the imp, "Paul try this and tell me if it gives you diabetes."

Leon watches the two fools interact and takes a moment to question his brother's sanity.

"Caiden, that's not how it works..."

He's interrupted by Caiden throwing a skull at him. The sugar cookie skull whizzes past his head, nearly hitting him in the process. Leon grits his teeth at Caiden's childish outburst but chooses to keep his head level for now. He's still not sure what Caiden is up to yet.

"Watch it." Leon says slowly.

"Don't insult my food." Caiden glares at him and grabs another cookie.

Paul looks at both of them as he takes a bite of the cookie.

"Master Leon, these aren't that bad. I do not believe the cookie can cause the diabetes you mentioned. It would require more sugar than what this cookie currently has."

Leon rolls his eyes, "Paul, don't tell me you agree with him."

"Of course, he does. He knows good food when he tastes it. You're just too judgmental."

Leon once again, rolls his eyes.

"Caiden clean this mess up, and don't you dare paint my doors again."

Before he realizes what's happening, he gets another skull thrown at him. The cookie lands in Leon's hand, perfect and tempting.

"It's a beautiful masterpiece. It's not my fault you're just a stuck-up weirdo who doesn't like Halloween." Caiden yells at his brother.

Leon throws the skull back at Caiden.

"Don't throw food. We're gonna get ants. I don't want to deal with that crap."