15 minute challenge "Halloween"

19 minutes

429 words

2 brothers

Twelve year old Donnie Eppes straightened his Indiana Jones hat and picked up his bullwhip. Looking at his watch, he pounded on his brother's bedroom door. "Charlie! Come on! It's eight minutes after seven already! All the other kids have been trick or treating for eight whole minutes!"

"Go on without me," Charlie's voice was barely audible. "I can't get this stupid Einstein wig right."

Donnie rattled the doorknob. "Aw, come on, Buddy! You locked me out?! Come on, let me in and I'll help you."

The lock clicked and Donnie pushed the door open, nearly knocking over a miniature Einstein with unruly brown curls sticking out from under his white wig. Charlie yanked off the wig and threw it onto the floor. "It's a stupid costume. Everybody else is gonna be superheroes, or Indiana Jones, or cool stuff. Why'd I pick..."

Donnie bent to pick up the wig. "Shaddup, Squirt and stand still." He took a handful of Charlie's curls in his left hand and pressed the wig down with his right. "Hold still, I almost got it." He slipped his left hand out from under the wig and began tucking the stray curls in. "We gotta get Mom to let you get your hair cut, Buddy. This is out of control."

Charlie giggled. "Benny says Mommy wanted a girl. That's why she keeps my hair so long."

"Benny's a dweeb. Mommy and Daddy were hippies back when they were young. They like long hair."

"So why's your hair so short, Donnie?"

Donnie shrugged. "I do sports. It's hard to do sports with long hair."

Charlie giggled again. "Yeah, you'd have to put it in a pony tail under your baseball cap."

Donnie gave Charlie a playful punch on the shoulder. "Come on. You want candy or not?"

"Candy!!!!!" Charlie yelled, running out of the room.

Don shook his head and picked up Charlie's slide rule. "Don't forget this ... whatever this thing is, Einstein!"

Charlie stopped. "It's a slide rule, Donnie. Want me to show you how to use it?"

"I'd rather use a calculator, Buddy." Don checked his watch again, "Crap, it's quarter after already. Let's get a move on."

"Oooh, I'm gonna tell Mommy you said, 'crap.'"

Don grinned, "What did I say?"

"Crap!"

"I dunno, Buddy. I only said it once. You said it twice. Who's gonna get in more trouble?"

Charlie's eyes widened and he clapped his hand over his mouth.

"Don't worry. I won't tell," Donnie put his arm around Charlie's shoulders. "Get your bag and let's get going before all the candy's gone."