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The Dysfunctional Family
Story #6
Chocolate
Summary: It's the day after Halloween, but the horrors aren't over yet. Now begins the rise of the chocolate thieves...
Disclaimer: CHOCOLATE!
The ringing of the phone interrupted Maryland's train of thought, and he looked up from his book and over at the phone with moderate disgust. Then he reached over and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hi Mark, It's Delaware." She said. "So how was your Halloween?"
"The usual. Passed out candy to the hoodlums again. Why?"
"Is your candy dish empty?"
"No, as a matter of fact I had candy already and I didn't have one hoodlum come by my house last night. You know I'm out of candy. What kind of stupid question is that?" Maryland asked.
"Well..."
Pennsylvania quietly pushed open the door to his house and quietly pushed the front door shut. In one hand, he held two plastic grocery bags, each of them full. He twisted around, putting his back up against the wall and peering cautiously around the corner.
The coast was clear.
He tiptoed around the corner and hurried down the hall, looking around all the time to make sure that no one was coming.
But the house was quiet and seemingly empty.
Even Delaware must have gone.
With a small grin, he reached for the door that led to the kitchen. Then he paused, grin vanished and eyes narrowed as he listened for any sound from beyond the closed door. The house was still quiet, so he reached over and opened the door.
He groped around for the light switch; the room was dark with all the curtains over the windows drawn - when had he closed the curtains? Delaware must have closed them. He flicked the lights on, and then gaped at the room.
"Delaware? Why is half of New England in my kitchen?"
"We all gave away our candy last night." New Jersey said.
"And how is that my problem?"
"It's the day after Halloween." Maryland said. "So we know where you've been."
Pennsylvania glared at his sister. "Delaware, what did you do?"
Delaware looked away, not answering.
"Come on." Connecticut said. "Share with us."
With an exasperated sigh, Pennsylvania pulled a bag of Hershey's kisses out of one of the grocery bags and tossed it over to them. "That's all you get. The rest are mine."
"How many bags did you get this time?" Enrico asked.
"That's none of your business." Pennsylvania growled as he pulled open the freezer door. "Why don't you all go buy your own chocolate?"
"Because it's so much more fun to mooch off you." Maryland replied, escaping from the hoard gathered around the bag with several chocolate kisses. "Happy first of November, Penn."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
T.A.R.N.S.: This story popped into my head today while I was at work, so I wrote it up and sent it to myself via email. I went shopping for some chocolate today. Shopping after the holiday is enjoyable; everything is ridiculously marked down. ^^ But I picked up some extra chocolate so I could keep the rest of my family out of my chocolate kisses, and that's how this ficlet was born.
Anyway, this one was done on the fly, so I'll let you all decide how good or bad it is.
Please review!