Chapter 40

October 31st – Halloween

Afternoon

Charles and his friends were walking around inside a shop that sold costumes for Halloween. There were witches' masks and werewolf masks hanging on hanger railings. Clothes hangers were displaying Dracula outfits, ragged clothes (for witches), artificial policemen uniforms and many other costumes.

Brady picked out what looked like a sailorman's outfit.

"Hey guys what do you think?" Brady asked.

"I think you'd make a great sailorman!" commented Charles.

"He'd maker a great sailorman but don't you guys think I'd make a great goblin!" Alex putting on a Green Goblin mask (from the first Spiderman film).

"Definitely suits you Alex. It shows the real you!" Pete was being sarcastic.

Thomas laughed.

Charles was eyeing a furry costume hanging by the wall, beneath a head mask that resembled that of a reindeer's.

"Hey guys what kind of costume is this supposed to be??" Charles was curious.

"Oh. I think that is meant to be Cernunos!!" answered Thomas.

"Cer ... who??" Charles asked.

Charles was confused. He liked the costume as there was something about it that touched him. There was something magical about it. Mysterious. Powerful even.

"Cernunos!! He was a Celtic god worshipped throughout Britain in ancient times. He looked like a man but wore a head-mask made out of a deer's head. He was a nature god who had power over animals. It was even believed that Robin Hood worshipped him!!" Thomas said.

"Cool. I think I am going to get this one," Charles smiled.

Charles took the furry costume and the reindeer-like head mask off the wall. Everyone picked out the costume they wanted and went to pay for them at the cashier. Charles was definitely going to go out dressed up as Cernunos. Brady as a sailorman. Alex as the Green Goblin (unfortunately for him the shop does not sell the flying gliders that the character had in the actual film), Pete as a werewolf (resembling the same fake werewolf type costumes found in kids' shows like Goosebumps), and Thomas as a bobby (a British police officer with the long cap and the small black club).

The boys went out of the shop.

"So you guys remember the plan. I am going to pick you all up from your working place," Brady reminding the other four.

Charles, Pete, Thomas and Alex nodded in unison.

"So Thomas where will you be?" Brady asked Thomas.

"Hmm. I think I am going to wait with Charles by his shop" Thomas looked to Charles, then responded.

"Ok. Since you don't have any job to go back to, we give you our money and you go buy the drinks and the desserts. Think you can handle that mate," Brady said.

"I sure can," Thomas nodded.

The four boys gave Thomas some of their money. Brady then looked at Charles.

"Hey Charles you are still spending the night at my p[lace tonight, aren't you??" confirmed Brady.

"Yes I still am!" replied Charles.

Brady then looked back to Thomas.

"So be at Charles' shop before seven. Don't be late!!" Brady said.

"I won't," Thomas replied.

"And one more thing guys. Please dress up half-an-hour before I pick you all up. I know you all like to take your sweet little time and time is of the essence here. You need at least fifteen minutes to put your costumes on. Now I don't want to see anymore of you ladies until seven o clock!" Brady joked.

All 5 boys laughed, then went their separate ways. As Charles went aboard his bike and cycled away, he thought about Ivy. He lied to her last night that he was going to go somewhere tonight with his mom. Tonight he was going to be hanging out with the other teens at Connor's Hill, telling ghost stories.