In a couple of minutes, the girls caught up to Rosco and the boys. Mandy asked if she could hold Rosco's leash for the rest of the night.
"Sure," said James.
"Thanks." Mandy reached down to pet Rosco's soft head. "You stay with me now, boy." Rosco would keep away the monsters—if there were any—just like he'd kept away the black cat.
Rosco looked up at her and gave her his best doggie grin, and Mandy relaxed.
They rang a few more doorbells and collected a few more candy bars, then reached the far end of the neighborhood, where lots of trick-or-treaters were still out and about.
James stopped to read the street sign. "All right, guys, we should turn back soon. This is about how far Mom and Dad said we should go."
"Hey, wait," said Ian. "Look over there. It's a haunted house. It's probably the one they were talking about at school. You wanna try it?"
Naomi looked confused. "What do you mean, a haunted house?"
"Sometimes, people decorate part of their house or a shed or something to make their own haunted house," said Ian. "Then they let everyone walk through it. It's really cool. I went through one last year."
"Yeah, and they scare you!" said Leo. "Let's do it!"
James nodded eagerly but Mandy had gone pale.
"Let's go!" said Naomi. She turned to Trisha and Mandy.
"Okay," said Trisha. "Can't be worse than that spider."
Mandy stood, frozen in place.
Trisha waited for her. "You coming, Mandy?"
Mandy chewed on her lip. "Uh, we should probably go home now." She held up her orange jack-o-lantern bucket, which had become heavy. "I've got plenty of candy."
Trisha looked at her friend. "But a haunted house isn't for candy—it's to get scared and have fun."
"But I don't want to get scared," said Mandy. She'd been scared enough times already tonight.
Leo and Ian turned on the sidewalk and waited to cross the street. "We'll meet you guys over there," said Ian. James nodded.
"Don't worry, Mandy," Trisha tried again. "Everything inside if it will be fake! There's nothing to worry about. It's just for fun."
Mandy looked stricken. "But..."
James walked over to his little sister. "What's the matter, Mandy?"
"I don't know." She stared at the ground and adjusted her plastic glasses. "I don't want to do something scary like that."
James had taken his werewolf mask off earlier when he became too hot. He only put it on when they were heading up to ring a doorbell. He looked her in the eyes. "Come on. It won't be that scary."
"But I don't want to go." It was really too much.
"Yeah, but everyone else does," said James. "And we can't leave you here all alone."
"Mom wouldn't make me," Mandy set down her bucket and crossed her hands in front of her chest.
"Mom's not here, though. And she definitely wouldn't want you to stay out here on your own." James frowned.
"Wouldn't she say we shouldn't go?" asked Mandy.
"No, she wouldn't mind. Mom and Dad know the people that live there, anyway. Honest. It'll be fun."
Mandy chewed on her nail, trying to decide.
Naomi spoke up again. "Mandy, it'll only take a few minutes to walk through, I bet."
James looked down at Rosco and back at his sister. "Plus, you'll have Rosco with you. He'll protect you."
Mandy considered this, staring at the dog. Rosco returned her gaze, unblinking. He certainly looked like he'd protect her.
James looked back to see where his friends were now. "Come on. Trisha's right. It's totally fake. You'll be all right." Ian and Leo had already reached the driveway where the haunted house was.
Mandy forced half a smile. "Well, okay, I'll go—since Rosco's here." She glanced at Naomi, getting serious again. "And nobody better scare me on purpose."
Naomi put up her little finger. "I won't play any tricks. I promise."
All photos and artwork courtesy of Pixabay