A Squirely Halloween

A shadow stood behind me.

I gasped and turned around.

“You scared me, jerk!” I slugged Marzipan.

“Sorry, are you ready to go?”

“I dunno. I have no freakin' idea what I’m looking for.”

"That’s why we’re going.”

“But it’s been five years since I dressed up.”

“Well, it’ll be fun shopping.”

“Yeah .” I ran the brush through my long, blond hair.

“’Ooh! Check this out, Gloria.”

I turned my head. “Uh, no way!”

“You don’t wanna be a sexy pirate?" Marzipan smiled holding the costume.

“No.”

He put it back. “How about a dinosaur? Or… Whatever the Hell this is?” He grabbed a creepy blue mask with large pointy ears.

“Hell no!”

”Well… can you give me a clue what you’re looking for?”

“I said I don’t know.” I wandered through the aisle. Werewolf… Witch… A demon... No. I sighed. "Ooh!" I walked to a vampire costume. It looked pretty cool. But, do I want to be a vampire? Nah… I moved on.

Vivi turned the corner. “Hey! You’re shopping for a costume?” She tossed her brown hair back.

”Yeah,” I sighed. “I dunno what I should be.”

“Maybe a big, juicy steak!”

“Maybe for you!”

She laughed. “Then, I would eat myself.”

“Yeah. I can’t wait for Halloween!”

“I know. Me too! This year’s gonna rock!”

“Yeah, especially our secret plan,” I whispered.

Vivi flashed an evil grin. “Yeah, I’m so ready.”

“Well, gotta continue looking.”

“Good luck, seeya!” She passed me.

I continued wandering around.

“Wonder what she will be?” Marzipan said.

“With that girl, who knows.” I shrugged.

 Marzipan turned around. “Wanna be a sailor girl?”

I rolled my eyes and browsed through another aisle. I wanted something different…Not scary… Hmm?

Then, I saw it! I grabbed it and laughed. This is perfect!

“Marzipan, I found it!” I ran to him and held it up.

“You wanna be a squirrel?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “It looks cute!”

“OK, weirdo.”

“What about you?”’

Marzipan held a Freddy Krueger mask up.

We walked to the cashier and l sat my purchase down.

“Oh yeah!” The grey-haired man laughed. “I remember this costume! It has been here ever since we opened five years ago!”

”I can see why,” Marzipan muttered in my ear. 

“How do I look?” I asked in my room.

“Special,” Marzipan replied.

“Thanks.” I twirled around in my new squirrel costume.

“So, where are you gonna store your nuts?”

“Silly boy, I don’t have nuts. I’m a girl squirrel!”

“That you are.”

I danced. “Oh, yeah, I’m a squirrel! “ I beatboxed. ”I’m a squirrel! Yo, check out my fluffy tail!”

“You’re nuts,” Marzipan said.

“Ha, nuts!”

Marzipan pulled his phone out and snapped a picture.

”Don’t post that pic.”

“Why not?”

“I want it to be a surprise.”

“That you’re nuts? Gotcha!” He put his phone away.

"I can't wait til—”

A sense of confusion overcame Gloria. Where was this strange place? How do I get outside? She scurried around.

“Uhh, what are you doing?” the strange human asked.

Who was he? Did he want to hurt me? Gloria continued scampering around the room. She saw the blue sky straight ahead. FREEDOM! She jumped on the strange thing and hit an invisible forcefield.

“Whoa!” I said, realizing I was on my bed.

“Gloria?” Marzipan asked. ”Are you OK?”

I took the squirrel head off. “Yeah. What happened?”

“You ran across the room, jumped on the bed, and hit your head on the window.”

“I did?”

“Yeah, don’t you remember?”

"No.”

“Weird."

“Well, better take this off…”

“Yeah, I bet you wanna save it for Sunday night.” He walked out. 

I unzipped the costume and removed it. I put it on my bed and put a sweatshirt and sweatpants on. I looked at the costume. What did happen to me?

“’So, Gloria, are you dressing up?” Kayla asked the next day.

“Yeah, but it’s a surprise.” I watched birds walk on the pavement.

“Tell me anyway.”

“Well, it's furry..”

“A werewolf?

“No.”

“Chupacabra? Wait, are chupacabras furry?”

“No, I’m not gonna be a chupacabra.”

“Then what?”’

“You’ll just have to wait.”

“Well, I tried.” Kayla shrugged.

“I can’t wait til Friday!" I said and nibbled on my tuna sandwich.

“Yeah, are we getting a little old for this?"

“What are you saying? College students have Halloween parties."

“Just sayin’." Kayla stuck her fork in her salad.

“Halloween is awesome! dressing up as whatever you want, throwing awesome parties, scaring the shit out of children."

“That’s mean! You shouldn't scare kids!”

“It’s fun! I don’t scare them too bad." I stuck something in my mouth.

“Are you eating… an acorn?” Kayla asked.

“No,.” I heaved it into the grass as other students watched.

"Hey, nice costume," I said at the Halloween fair.

“You’re a squirrel?” Kayla blurted out dressed as Captain Marvel.

“Uh-huh.” I shook my large furry head.

“Why?

“I thought the costume looked cute." I spun around.

”OK, well, good for you," Kayla said and looked at Vivi. "You didn't dress up?"

"Uh, let's just say I will later." She smiled.

"What are you up to?"

"Nut-in..."

"Uh, OK?" Kayla said.

“So, what do you guys wanna do first?” Marzipan asked.

“Um…” I looked around. “Let's find some games.”

“OK," Kayla said and we started walking.

Little children were getting their faces painted. A witch sang and danced for a small crowd. Hunky guys bobbed for apples.

“This is great, huh? I just love Halloween!" Vivi said.

“Me too." Kayla petted Vivi's head.

“Hey, wanna duck the zombie?” a woman dressed up as a ghoul asked.

“Sure.” I  walked to the dunking booth.

The zombie sat on the platform under a tank of water, grinning.

"I hope that tank has a heater, otherwise that dude will freeze!" Marzipan said.

“Who wants to go first?” the witch asked.

“.Me.” I stepped up.

“Alright, Squirrel Girl, dunk him good!” She handed me five tennis balls.

I moved my arm back. Here I go. I tossed it. The ball hit the wall above the target.

“Missed!” the ghoul sang offkey.

I winced. Her voice sounded like tires screeching. I hurdled the second.

“Mussed… AGAIN!” she shrieked.

“OK, stop!” Marzipan looked at the ghoul.

“Sorry, I’ll quit.”

I looked at the target. You can do this. My pitching arm may be rusty since I quit baseball, but still... I took a deep breath and threw it. BAM! It hit the target and the platform dropped, plunking the poor guy in zombie makeup into the water.

“Good job, Squirrel Girl!” the ghoul said and patted my back

“Thanks.”

"Would you like to play?’” The ghoul looked at Marzipan.

“No, thanks.”

“Alrighty! Have a scary evening!” The ghoul cackled.

We walked away.

“She was kinda... annoying," Viki said.

“Yeah.” I wandered past more games. A couple played Whack a Zombie. They laughed like little kids, enjoying it too much for their age. A boy about ten years old shot a water pistol at moving plastic monsters.

“Are those shrunken heads?” Marzipan asked. A man played skee ball with green balls. I couldn’t see the balls very well, but he shot the one hiding at the very back. A bell chimed three times.

”Great shot!” I said.

“Thanks.” He turned around. “Squirrel Girl.” He laughed.

“Well, gonna play more games, see ya guys in class, Monday!” Kayla walked away. 

"OK?" Marzipan said.

"I guess it's the three of us, now," Vivi said.

“So, what do you wanna do next, guys?” Marzipan asked.

A ghost played guitar on stage.

“He’s pretty good.” Marzipan said.

“Yeah,” Vivi replied.

Confusion overcame Gloria.

What are these humans doing? Gloria darted around and sniffed the air. Yummy smells entered my nostrils. My tummy growled. She had to find food.

“EEP, EEP EEP!” She ran all over. What were they doing? Where was food? She sniffed.

“Gloria, stop messing around!” a male voice called. She continued scurrying, looking for food. EEP, EEP EEP! Strange humans everywhere. They stared at me. She spotted a man munching a hotdog. She scampered to him and sat down. “EEP EEP EEP EEP EEP!”

“What the hell?”

Gloria jumped on him, knocking him down. She looked at the hotdog on the ground. FOOD! She held it up in her paw and started gnawing it. It was yummy!

A powerful energy swept over Gloria. She laughed.

“Gloria? “Vivi said.

She stared into her eyes. “You will be my pet!” she said out loud.

“Yes, mistress.”

“Strip."

“Yes, mistress.” Vivi took her clothes off.

“Good, now terrorize the night.”

Vivi scurried knocking a table down.

Gloria scurried after her.

“What the—“

Humans blurted out as Gloria and Vivi dashed past them.

The two swiveled thru the aisle 

A man danced to scary music on the stage. He wore a black cape.

Ooh! Let's knock him over! Gloria thought as she and Vivi ran.

Surprised yelps erupted as the two swiveled through the crowd, Vivi almost knocked a girl wearing a bright orange sweater over.

The two girls jumped on stage. 

“Hey!” the man stopped.

Vivi chattered and sniffed him.

“Uh… What the Hell?”

Putting her hands to her waist, Vivi chattered and tilted her head

Men in blue suits scurried to the stage.

“Alright, show's over. Get off!"

Gloria chattered and jumped on the skinny one. He went down and she helped Viki trip the man, The two chattered and jumped down. They scurried to the drinks and jumped over the soda vendor. Vivi chattered and looked around. Gloria pressed the button on the soda fountain. Orange liquid ran down the platform and onto the ground. Vivi knelt down under the stream and drank.

Everyone kept running.

 Vivi continued guzzling and rubbed her bare tummy.

Gloria smiled. “Good girl."

Vivi moved her head and Gloria let go of the button.

Vivi stood up. She leaped on the counter and shook her bare butt. Gloria hopped on and sniffed her.

EEP! Vivi nuzzled Gloria’s face.

The two friends jumped down and scampered past the food vendors.

We raced out into the parking lot. My heart pounded in my chest as Vivi ran ahead.

She chattered as her hair blew in the wind.  

We raced out of the parking lot and turned into a street.

We swerved in the corner and stopped

“Well, that was fun!” Vivi panted.

“Heck yeah!” I petted her smooth rear.

She chattered.

Monster Mash played. I pulled my phone out of my purse.

“Hey, awesome prank, you guys!” Marzipan said on the other end.

“Thanks." I laughed.

“I almost cracked up when you ran off with bare-ass naked Vivi."

“Haha, well, you know, I love a good prank!" I said.

“Running like a squirrel bare-ass naked was such a blast!” Vivi laughed

 “You’re a crazy bitch!“ Marzipan exclaimed.

“Thanks, I try my hardest.”  She brushed her hair back.

"Well, I gotta take my brother trick-or-treating, now," Marzipan said.

“OK, have fun!” I replied.

“After that stunt, nothing will ruin this night!” He hung up.

“I think I’m gonna burn this costume. It has evil powers or something.”

“Wait, were you when you did all this?”

“Run amuck at the festival?”

“Yeah,

I laughed. “Come on, let's go home.”

Vivi shrugged. “Ooh, can I have a belly rub and a cookie?”