It was about time for the Pumpkin Festival in Cherry's hometown. She had to sit through the final lesson of the day in her class though and it was really hard. She loved attending the Pumpkin Festival more than anything, eating pumpkin pies, running through the Corn Maze, snacking on candy apples, going on hay rides, making a scarecrow and winning Halloween prizes. It was great fun for young and old. Finally, the final bell rang and Cherry and her class were dismissed, but the teacher held them.

"Hold on, students," Mrs. Dress interrupted them. "There's one more thing we need to discuss.

The class groaned.

"Don't worry, it's not a homework or reading assignment." Mrs. Dress laughed.

The class let out a sigh of relief.

"An old college friend of mine is coming in town and I want one of you to volunteer with your family to show him around and make him feel welcome," Mrs. Dress smiled. "His name is Ben Ravencroft."

"I'll do it." Cherry shrugged.

"Thank you, Cherry. I'll call him and give him your address." Mrs. Dress smiled.

While leaving, Cherry's friend Lauren was by her side as they walked to ride home from school to get ready for the Pumpkin Festival.

"Why did you volunteer?" Lauren asked.

"I thought it'd be nice," Cherry shrugged. "Why not?"

"But this guy's a friend of Mrs. Dress! He's probably a vampire or werewolf or something weird!"

"Lauren, Mrs. Dress isn't what those fourth graders before us said she'd be," Cherry looked at her. "She's nice, a little strict and pretty helpful. I'm sure Mr. Ravencroft can be the same."

"Okay, but if you get baked into a pumpkin pie for tonight's contest, don't say I didn't warn you."

"See ya in a little while, Lauren." Cherry walked off to get on her bus while Lauren went in her mother's car.

Cherry got in the bus and rode happily as everyone else was speaking about the festival they would be going to in no less than an hour. Cherry was the most excited and was curious of Mr. Ravencroft. She wondered if he would be nice to her, or educate her or be like what Lauren thinks, a vampire or werewolf. Cherry was one of the few students who actually liked Mrs. Dress and was curious of her friend. The bus stopped at her house and Cherry walked in, zipping up her jacket zipper as the cool autumn wind blew across her. She walked in.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Cherry called as she walked in.

"Hi honey!" Michelle greeted her as she worked on her home computer. "How was school?"

"Everybody's excited about the pumpkin festival, we can go this year right?" Cherry asked hopefully.

"Of course we can!" Michelle chuckled. "Why wouldn't we? It's an important tradition."

"What time are we going?" Cherry put her hands in her pockets.

"Your teacher called saying a friend of hers is new in town and wants to meet us, so as soon as he gets here." Michelle replied.

"Yeah, I volunteered for it."

"That was nice of you."

"Thanks, are you making pie this year?" Cherry licked her lips.

"I already made it." Michelle walked over to the stove, opened and took out a pie with her oven mitts. "Surprised you couldn't smell it."

"Must be allergies." Cherry sniffled.

"Well, it is about the right time for flu or colds, think you can handle the festival tonight?" Michelle asked.

"I feel fine, Mom." Cherry smiled.

Mike came in with Bud. They sat together and shared a quick drink.

"You got the leaves together?" Michelle asked.

"Yep." Mike replied.

"Aww I missed the leaves!" Cherry swiftly kicked the air in front of her.

"You can jump in them at the festival, sweetie." Michelle laughed.

"Okay..." Cherry sighed.

There was then a knock at the door. Bud got up from the table and went toward it. "Don't get up, I got it." Bud opened the door and there was an unfamiliar man at the door.

He appeared to be slightly taller than Bud and had slightly pale complexion. He had long raven hair tied into a ponytail and had a scruffy beard with glasses. He had hazel eyes behind those glasses. He wore a brown jacket with a red sweater underneath with brown pants and black shoes. Cherry looked at him and her eyes were full of wonder and curiosity.

"I'm Ben Ravencroft, horror novelist and colleague of Gabriella Dress," Ben introduced himself. "You must be Cherry's family."

"That's us, I'm her father, that's her mother at the stove and there's Cherry with her brother Mike." Bud introduced.

"Hello sir, I've heard about you in my English period." Mike greeted.

"Pleasure to meet you all." Ben walked over to Cherry and looked down at her. "I'm sure you'll be a very beautiful woman when you grow up, Cherry."

"Thanks?" Cherry shrugged. "Can we please go to the pumpkin festival now?"

"Okay, you want to ride with us, Mr. Ravencroft?" Michelle asked as she got on her jacket.

"If you don't mind, I'll ride behind you." Ben replied. "Cherry, would you like to ride in my car with me?"

Cherry looked up at him and shuffled her shoulders. "Okay..."

Scooby Doo and the Witch's Ghost was on earlier today and it made me think of the Pumpkin Festivals we'd have back home in Pennsylvania. Read & Review, I only own my OCs, I don't know if I'll continue but enjoy this for now