Chapter 2
The Morning of Halloween
I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing, trying so hard to ignore it but it keeped ringing and ringing. It finally stopped shortly before i heard my reminder tone. I sat myself up in bed and stretched before slowly picking it up to see that Keesha had been trying to get hold of me. I then noticed the time! My phone was saying 9:45AM! I was mean't to meet Keesha and Jyoti at the castle at 10AM. "Shoot!" i said as i realized that i had overslepted. As i began to call Keesha back to apologize and tell her that i will be there soon, she calls again. I answered "Hey Keesha!" then i hear Keesha's grumpy sounding voice "RALPHIE! Did you just wake up?". She knew that she had woken me up and before i could even say a word she went on to explain that tonights party had been cancelled as a lot of people including the host was sick. "Oh that's...that's great!" i answered to her "Great? What do you mean?" i hear her say. I don't know if i was still half alseep or whether i just had a bright idea but i just came up with a brillant plan for inspiriation for my comic! "Keesh, I know that i was meant to meet you guys right now at the castle but why don't we go to the castle tonight as it will be dark and scary and its Halloween, the perfect inspiration for my comic!" i announced to Keesha over the phone. Oh did i mention that today is Halloween? That was the reminder i got on my phone reminding me about the Halloween party tonight which is now cancelled. Gosh even the host getting sick, poor Carlos! My mom is going to be busy today attending to all those who are sick!
"Ok Ralphie, let me get this straight! You tell me that you are willing to go to that creepy castle tonight?" Keesha asks, i confidently say "Yes" back to her as i also hear in the background Jyoti cheering for me. "Jyoti sounds like she agreeing with me!" i told Keesha until Jyoti came on the phone "Yes! Ralphie lets do it, it will be so exciting and mysterious!" she shouts. "Just tell me you will not be scared!" i hear Keesha's voice say "Promise! It will be like exploring a real vampire castle! Even though we know that only harmess bats inhabit the castle!" i proudly and excitedly told her. Then there was slience on the other end of the phone for a few seconds "We can pretend that the bats are vampire bats for your comic!" i hear Jyoti say. I was pleased that Jyoti was willing to come but i felt that Keesha wasn't too pleased with my suggestion. "Are you scared Keesha?" i asked her "Nononoooooo! Just thought we would be able to see better in the castle while we have daylight that's all!" she answered in a shakey voice, i was only teasing her like she did with me that last time we were at the castle for that parents night. We know those bats are harmless. I then hear Keesha's voice pipe up confidently after another few seconds slience "Alright Ralphie because its for your comic and we did offer to help you!", "Yes!" i shouted to her through the phone. Jyoti's voice then was heard "What do we tell our parents?" she asks, "Just tell them that the party has been cancelled which is true and that us 3 have gone out trick or treating instead!" i answered her. Both girls on the line agreed however Keesha didn't sound confident that this might work. I know she doesn't like to lie especially to her parents.
Suddenly, i hear a knock on my door and it was Mom "Ralphie, honey are you awake?", "Guys i will call you back if i don't, meet at the castle at 7pm tonight!" i say quietly through the phone to Keesha and Jyoti as i end the call. Mom enters my bedroom "Who were you talking to honey?" she asks as she enters my room, "Oh Keesha and Jyoti! Carlos's party got cancelled tonight because half of the guests including Carlos are sick!" i quickly answered her. "Seems like almost the whole town is sick, i just came to tell you that i am going to be at the surgery for most of the day and possibly going to be working late tonight as half of my staff have called in sick today plus your father is on that business trip, are you going to be alright without me today Ralphie?" Mom asks me, i looked at her and in my head i was pleased that she will be working late tonight but also feeling sorry for those who are sick "Oh oh of course Mom, i'll be fine Keesha, Jyoti and i have decided to go Trick or Treating tonight as the party is now cancelled" i answered back to her. She walks towards my desk as i begin to get out of bed "Have you completed your homework yet Ralphie?" she asks me in a concerned voice, i simply answered her a confident "Yes" as it was the truth and i managed to finish that math homework last night. I walked towards my desk where Mom was standing and gave her my math homework for her to check "Ok Ralphie, from what i can see its complete!" she says to me "YEEAAAAHHH!" i scream "Does this mean i can go out tonight?", her eyes look up at me after examining my paper "Yes honey, you may go but i wish to check it tomorrow as today i'll be busy seeing clients!". I thanked her shortly before i gave her a hug "Also weren't you meeting up with Keesha and Jyoti this morning too to check out that castle on the lake for your comic?" she asks, i glupped right before i simply told her that we were no longer going there and that we decided to use something else for inspiration for the comic. I lied as you can tell, hopefully she will not suspect a thing! "Ok Ralphie, i'll see you when i see you Grandpa will be over soon!" Mom says to me as she gives me a kiss on my head "Grandpa? Surely Mom i am old enough to take care of myself?" i told her as she was leaving the room. "Your 16 honey not 18 plus Grandpa offered to keep you company, don't worry i knows not to accompany you on your trick or treating!" Mom tells me closing the bedroom door behind her. I wished her goodbye and immediately get back on the phone to Keesha and Jyoti "Guys, meet me at my place at 6:30 this evening! Then we will cycle to the castle!". Keesha and Jyoti agreed although i did tell them that Mom and Dad were not going to be around and that my Grandpa will be. Jyoti then asks "Should we come to your place in our halloween costumes? So he doesn't suspect anything?" she asks, "Yeah, how are we going to get past your Grandpa Ralphie?" Keesha asks in concern. I then explain to them that he is getting a little deaf in his old age and he now has hearing aids. "He is likely to have the TV on so loud that he will not hear us live the house ethier that or he might fall asleep" i explain to the girls, then Keesha begins to tell me off "Taking advantage of your Grandpa Ralphie thats awful! I wouldn't dream of doing that to my Grandma!". "Have you thought about what to do if we get caught Ralphie?" asks Jyoti "Just follow my lead when you get here, bring your costumes with you as if you are going to change at my place in case we get seen by Grandpa and i will tell him that if he finds us gone from the house it means that we have left to go trick or treating, i'll leave a note that we will be back by 9pm at the latest!" i explain to Jyoti and Keesha. They both went slient on the other end of the phone "Trust me! We are going to that castle tonight!" i tell them.
End of Chapter