AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know I should have waited until October to post this, but I just couldn't. As I stated before, please read my story, "Monkee Magic" before reading this one. This also has a small reference to Jerry Blavat, who appeared in the episode "Some Like It Lukewarm" (I know he's not popular in the Monkees fandom, but I actually like the guy, so deal with it). The name of the junior high school mentioned in this story is my own, and it does *not* exist in real life. The character of Hazel the Witch is *not* the same as Warner Brothers' Witch Hazel. Also please forgive me if Peter seems to be out of character. In my original version it was Jerry Blavat in his role, before I decided to rewrite it.

October 31. Halloween. The time of year when all the ghosts come out to play. As well as monsters, goblins, skeletons, witches, and warlocks. One half-warlock was out driving the Monkee Mobile along the outskirts of LA. James Monroe Junior High School was holding a Halloween party, and the Monkees had been asked to play for it. Peter's thirteen-year-old nephew, Franky McAlister, had roped them into it, but unfortunately, the Monkees wound up double booking. A disc jockey they knew, Jerry Blavat, had asked them to play at a live broadcast he was doing at a station Halloween party at the same time. So Peter came up with the bright idea to split the group. Mike and Peter would play for Jerry's broadcast, and Davy and Micky would play for the school. Franky didn't like the situation, as he wanted his uncle to play at the school, but it was how the straws were drawn. At any rate, Peter had promised he and Mike would be at the school as soon as they could, anyway.

After the radio gig, Mike and Peter hopped into the Monkee Mobile, and headed for Monroe Junior High School, however, Mike was taking a very creepy shortcut. Peter was actually biting his nails as Mike drove down this path!

"Did you have to pick such a creepy shortcut?" he asked.

"I don't think it's that creepy," Mike said.

"You wouldn't. You're half warlock, after all! Can't we just take the regular highway or something?"

"You have no sense of adventure."

"Right. And I intend to keep it that way."

Mike shook his head and continued driving. Peter wished Mike could at least put the top of the car up. He didn't like the fact that a cold wind was blowing, and that only made the night seem creepier. If night time seemed creepy, it only seemed creepier on Halloween.

"What kind of shortcut is this anyway?" Peter asked.

"I don't know," Mike said. "I just read a road sign that said shortcut and took it."

"Let's just get back on the main highway, okay? I've had it with Halloween."

"Man, just because the broadcast didn't go so well tonight . . . ."

"Well, thanks to you, Jerry Blavat will never hire us again. You just had to use your magic."

"Can I help it if the party got dull?"

"Yeah, but dropping skulls from out of nowhere? Especially when someone demanded Jerry play the song 'Monster Mash' . . . . you know you scared everybody half to death! Me included!"

"So there were spiders in those skulls. So what? The party needed to be livened up a little anyway. And nobody was in the Halloween spirit."

"So nobody showed up in costume, so what? Listen, we promised Franky we'd be at his school for the Halloween dance tonight so let's go."

Mike nodded and continued driving along. Pretty soon, he got the car lost in the woods.

"I think I blew it," he said.

"You sure did," Peter replied. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Good question. What we need is a map."

Mike snapped his fingers and a map appeared in his hand. Then he handed it to Peter.

"I'll start drivin', you look for any landmarks on the map," he said.

"Got it," Peter replied. He unfolded the map and looked over it. Then Mike drove off. Fifteen minutes went by.

"Well, I've finally figured out where we are," Peter said.

"Good," Mike replied. "Where are we?"

"Hopelessly lost!"

"Yeah, I'm hip. Well, maybe I can find a way out of here and fast. We're almost out of gas."

Just then, the Monkee Mobile sputtered and then stopped dead in it's tracks.

"Yep, we're out of gas," Mike said. Peter slapped his hand to his forehead.

"Great," he said sarcastically. "Now what are we gonna do?"

"You're askin' me?!"

Peter groaned. Mike got out of the car and looked around. Apparently, they stopped in front of an old house. It looked like nobody had lived in it for decades.

"Maybe there's a workin' phone line in there," Mike said.

"I hope so," Peter said. "Or else we're not getting out of here."

The boys walked up the front porch. The wood floors creaked with every step they took. Peter began to bite his nails all over again. Mike looked at him and yanked the blond Monkee's hand out of his mouth.

"Don't do that," he said. "You're makin' me nervous."

"This whole place is making me nervous!" Peter commented. "Just ring the bell."

Mike pressed the doorbell. And it was the kookiest doorbell you have ever heard! It just didn't go "ding dong" or anything like that. It sounded like a large bell in a bell tower ringing to the tune of Chopin's "Funeral March."

"That doesn't sound so good to me," Peter said.

"Now wait a minute," Mike said. "That's just the door bell, man. Nothin' to be scared of. And it looks like nobody's home, so let's go inside."

Peter sort of whimpered. Mike opened the door, and it creaked loudly.

"I'm outta here!" Peter shouted, running for the car. Mike grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Hold it just a minute, buster!" he shouted. "You and I are in this thing together."

"I'd rather wait in the car."

"Come on!"