Disclaimer: Blah

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains graphic descriptions of an injury. If that would bother you, feel free to skip this chapter.

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It was a spooky night in the Dead Sea. All of the Octonauts were gathered in the Games Pod, dressed in costumes. The Vegimals had prepared fish biscuits decorated with white icing in the shape of cobwebs and pumpkin spice-flavoured kelp cakes.

"Huddle closer," said Kwazii, standing on the ping pong table. "This be a night of scary events, the likes of which you've never seen." Once he had everyone's attention, he began his scary story. "This has always been my favourite story from me grandfather, Calico Jack..."

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"Long ago, when I was a wee kitten, Calico Jack went out on this very sea, on this very night, and found the biggest creature he had ever seen."

It was late in the evening, and dark clouds were brewing. Calico Jack was out on the water, letting the cool wind breeze through his fur, when suddenly, there came a giant sea monster from the watery depths.

"It had twenty eyes and forty tentacles, and he brought all of them down upon his ship."

The monster gave a mighty roar and attacked the ship. Calico Jack hopped out of the way and rushed to the steering wheel. He made a turn to try and shake off the creature. It was persistent, and clung tightly to the boat. Calico Jack growled, and made a sharp right, breaking free of the monster's grip.

"He didn't think he would get out in one piece. He called the beast…the finequin. And legend has it that it's still out there, roaming the sea, looking for its next victim."

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Kwazii hopped down from the table, satisfied by his story. "I'd like to see someone try to beat that story."

"Oh, I'm willing to take you up on that offer." Lekona got up from his seat and stepped up to the plate.

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"It was many years ago, back me and the wife were still dating."

It was a dark evening in Aberdeen. Lekona, his girlfriend Blythe, and their friends Kenneth and Keira were walking down a forest trail.

"This is freaky, love," said Blythe to Lekona.

"Aye," said Lekona.

"In the middle of the trail, we came across a bench."

"Hey, I dare you to sit on it," said Kenneth to Keira.

"Eww, why?" Keira made a face.

"It's a bench," said Lekona. "We've been down this trail before."

Keira pouted, but agreed to sit down on the bench. Kenneth waited for Keira while Lekona and Blythe continued ahead.

"We were absolutely not prepared for what happened next."

Lekona and Blythe heard a scream. They turned around and saw Keira running towards them screeching! They both shrieked and ran down the trail.

"We all thought she had possessed by a ghoul."

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Lekona stepped down from the table. "Anyone else want a go?"

"I've got one," said Elekai. He got up and took his place on the table.

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"This story made me never want to be anything like my father."

It was Friday after nursery school. Little Elekai had just gotten home and was colouring. His mother was watching out the window, and occasionally glancing out the door.

"Is papa coming home soon, mummy?" He asked.

"He should be, darling," said Mrs. Echidna, "but you know army work is very, very hard. He'll be along in a few minutes."

Elekai shrugged and went back to his colouring page.

"A few minutes turned into a few hours…"

It was now dinnertime. Elekai and his mother were quietly eating their greens and potatoes with an empty chair and steaming plate next to them.

"Papa should have been home by now," said Elekai.

"I know," said Mrs. Echidna. "I hope he's alright…"

"…and a few hours turned into a few days."

It was now Sunday evening. Elekai had just been tucked into bed when the door slammed shut. Mr. Echidna had come home.

"Where have you been?!" Mrs. Echidna had cried. "We were so worried about you!"

"It's none of your concern." Mr. Echidna pushed past his wife to come inside.

"You have nothing to say?! I thought you may have died!"

"Just leave it, Lisa!"

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"It was the scariest time of my life." Elekai furrowed his brow. "But it's why I pursued my own career path instead of following my father's footsteps." He got off the table. Things were quiet until Captain Barnacles cleared his throat and stepped up to tell his own story.

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"I was told this story back during my days in the lighthouse, on a night just like this one."

A younger Barnacles was in the library, listening to Captain Riviera tell him her favourite ghost story.

"There was once a young mouse who wandered the beach looking for the spirit of the ocean, believing it would grant her a wish." Her expression grew grim. "And one day, a ghoul rose from the water. It convinced her that it was the ocean spirit, and led her into the deep blue void. She never returned.

"What happened then?" Barnacles asked.

"The mouse's spirit continues to haunt the ocean. She calls for young travelers to drown them, just as the ghoul had done to her." Captain Riviera came uncomfortably close to him. "And if you're not careful, she just might take you."

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"I knew it wasn't real, but I still slept with a light on for almost a week." Captain Barnacles got off the table. "Does anyone else want to tell a story?"

"Uh… I do." Peso said softly, raising a flipper.

Everyone was surprised, but intrigued as the little penguin pulled himself onto the table.

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"This happened to me when I was doing first aid training."

A teenage Peso was gathered in a small room with a group of other little penguins, learning how to wrap bandages, when they heard a shriek outside. They rushed outside to find a macaroni penguin lying in the snow with her flipper fractured and covered in cuts and bruises.

"There was…blood. A lot of blood."

The little penguins gathered around the crying victim. Peso looked over her flipper.

"She needs bandages and a splint," he said. He took some bandages and covered the cuts to stop the bleeding. Two other little penguins brought him the practice splint from class, and he set it up to keep her flipper still while they waited for an adult to come.

"Am I gonna die?" The injured penguin asked.

"We'll do everything we can to help you," said Peso. "Medics help anyone who is hurt or sick, no matter what."

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Peso carefully lowered himself back onto the floor. "I don't know if that was actually scary, but it's stuck with me ever since."

"No, you hit the mark, matey," said Kwazii, shuddering at the thought of losing that much blood.

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I know that Halloween isn't for a few weeks, but screw it, you're getting the spooky chapter now.