• Halloween Costumes

    What if every day you had to wear Halloween costumes? Well in Palebelch everyone was required to wear a Halloween costume. However, you didn’t get to choose your own costume until you turned 18 then that was the costume you had to wear your entire life. Most of Elliot’s life he had to wear hideous costumes. When he was born, his dreadful parents chose a fairy costume that he had to wear until he was eight. Then when he was twelve parents got him a carrot suit. The costume that they’d chosen for him recently wasn’t any better. He was a giant pumpkin. He always wondered why they hadn’t chose something more masculine for him like a super hero costume, Godzilla outfit, or perhaps a skeleton suit. But no he was a giant, orange, lumpy pumpkin. He never fit into many groups at school because of his costumes. He only had one friend named Petey who wore a camel costume. But now that Elliot’s 18th birthday was less then a week away he decided he was going to fit in. He had been thinking about what to choose and what costume theme he wanted to fit into. He hadn’t decided if he wanted to be a spook, super hero, or a mythical creature, but what he did know was he didn’t want to be a food group. It was Monday, and Elliot was getting ready for school. His bedroom made it impossible to find his shoes and backpack. He searched through the messy clutter of his room. Elliot’s mom came stomping to his room in her 50's house wife costume. She shrieked in her raspy voice, “Hurry up you’re going to miss the bus!” He found his stuff and ran out the door. The bus pulled up to his house. As he got on, he saw Petey in the front seat where they usually sat. They sat in the front because in the back is where the spooks sat. In the middle heros and mythical creatures sat. So they got the front seats the only ones whose costumes didn’t fit in. The bus crept up to the school, a broken down rusty old building slowly sinking into the swampy ground. As they walked to first period math olympiad, Elliot saw a costume magazine in the garbage. He picked it up and on the front was a costume so scary shivers ran down his spine. He decided that this was the costume he was going to get. At lunch Petey and Elliot discussed the costume. They decided to pick it up today after school. The day went on and Elliot was getting anxious to go get his costume. Finally the bell rang to leave. Elliot and Petey ran to the costume shop. The bells on the door rang as they walked in. A gypsy lady growled, “Hello, can I help you find anything?” Elliot answered nervously pointing to the magazine, “Yes, I’d like this costume.” She laughed a crazed laugh. Then replied, “Why, yes I have just one of those costumes.” She pranced to the back of the store. Petey gave Elliot a not-so-sure about this look. Then the gypsy lady was back and holding the repulsive costume he wanted. Elliot thanked her then he and Petey ran out the door. “Put it on,” Petey gasped. “Not now, I’m not 18 yet,” said Elliot. They ran to Elliot’s house and up to his room. “When are you going to tell your parents you’ve chosen this costume for the rest of your life?” asked Petey. Elliot said, “I’m not quite sure to tell you the truth.” It was only two days until Elliot’s birthday and his parents were excited for him to choose another food costume like his father. His father always said, “I can’t wait until you choose your favorite food costume like me and your relatives before us.” Elliot knew he was letting his dad down but he couldn’t live being a giant food any longer. Petey once again asked, “Please, Elliot try on the costume?!” “Fine,” Elliot sighed. He went into the bathroom and got into the costume, it was unbelievably real looking. He walked out and showed Petey the horrendous costume. Petey was at lost for words when he saw it. “ You look absolutely chilling!” shuddered Petey. Elliot replied, “Thanks I guess.”
    * * *
    It was the day of Elliot’s birthday his mom made him smiley face pancakes, his favorite. She asked, “Have you chosen your food group costume?” Elliot stopped eating, “Well, to be honest mom I want to be a spooky costume instead.” “ Well if that’s what you want, but you know your father is going to be disappointed.” Elliot knew this but decided he didn’t care because he was the one who was going to get made fun of the rest of his life if he didn’t get a better costume. It was almost time for school, and he went upstairs and put on his new spook costume. Then the bus came. When he stepped on the bus, everyone including the spooks in the back gasped. A ghoul in the back scooted over for Elliot to sit. The costume felt like it had gotten tighter suddenly like it was part of him now. He asked the ghoul if the costumes were supposed to get tighter when you turn 18. “Yea, that’s the worst part of turning 18 your costumes mold into your skin so you can never change them.” Replied the ghoul. The bus pulled up to the school and everyone gawked at him as he walked to first period. He finally was getting noticed and was fitting into costume groups.

    * * *
    A week later Elliot hadn’t talked to Petey since he became a spook. Elliot was invited to all of the spook parties but he felt guilty for not inviting Petey. Not only was he betraying his best friend but Elliot’s dad was also very depressed because of Elliot not carrying on the family tradition of food group costumes. Elliot knew Petey would get over it because soon he was turning 18 himself. Elliot’s dad though was a different story. Elliot tried explaining to his dad that food groups just weren’t “in” this year. That made his dad feel worse. Elliot thought that he could incorporate something food like into his spook costume. He went into the costume shop once again meeting the gypsy lady. He asked the gypsy lady if she had any thing that had food on it that he could wear with his costume. The gypsy rasped, “Why, yes I can help.” She galloped into the backroom. Elliot heard her as she rustled around. Finally she returned with a cheese head hat. Ugh, he thought how hideous. He put the hat on and it fit perfect. He sprinted home and found his dad reading a book. Elliot said, “Dad I got a new costume piece.” His dad looked up his eyes glimmered and he smiled, “I guess that will do.”