Branch rode into the driveway, hopping off of his bike before it even came to a complete stop, beginning to stomp angrily towards his front door.

"Hey, Branch," his mom, Árbol, said as the young troll walked through the front door. "How was school today?" But Branch didn't respond, stomping past her and his father, who were unpacking boxes in the living room.

     "Young man..." his father, Thorn, said sternly, as he rose up to his feet. "When you're mother asks you something, you answer."
"Get off my back, old man," Branch snapped, beginning to stomp up the stairs. "I'm not in the mood..."

     "Branch... that is no way to talk to your father," Árbol scolded.
"Ugh! Just leave me alone! It was a sugar day, ok!?" Branch yelled angrily, storming into his room.

     "Hey, hey, hey. Watch your language!" Thorn demanded, offended by the young boy's choice of words. "I can't believe you made me move here!" Branch snapped, slamming his door loudly.

     "That's it, young man!" Thorn yelled  out at the top of his lungs, stomping over to the stairs. "Go to your room!"

     Branch opened his door back up, glaring down at his father.

     "I'm already in my room!" he screamed, slamming the door shut once more.

     The young troll stormed over to his bed, plopping down onto it face first, as he groaned in anger.

     "I hate it here!" he yelled, his voice muffled a bit, as he buried his face into his pillow.

     Slowly, he rolled over onto his back, looking up at his ceiling, as he sighed, thinking about Poppy. Any chance he had with her... he blew it in one day...

     "I'm sorry, Poppy..." he muttered softly, looking up at the ceiling sadly. "You deserve so much better than a loser like me..."

     'Creeeeeeek...'

     Branch flinched at the sudden sound, sitting up quick, as he looked over at his closet. Someone had pushed the door open...

     "Hello?" he called out, looking into the darkness of his empty closet, only seeing his cloths hanging neatly inside.

     No one was supposed to be in here... and his mom and dad were downstairs... so... who had opened the door?

     Slowly, he stood, walking cautiously over to his closet.

     "Who's there?" he demanded, his voice a bit shaky with fear, but there was no answer.

     There didn't seem to be anyone inside of the closet... maybe he just hadn't shut it all the way that morning, and the wind blew the door open.

     Looking into the the empty closet, Branch slowly closed the door, making sure he heard the small click of it being shut, before walking back towards his bed.

     As he walked back towards his bed, his ear twitched slightly, as he suddenly began to hear a rattling sound.

     Quickly, he spun around, his eyes widening in horror, as he saw the doorknob of his closet slowly twisting.

     He gulped, as the door flung open, a shadowed figure suddenly leaping out at him

     "Boo!" a young child yelled out, before beginning to laugh hysterically, delighted by her brother's fear.

     "Leaf!?" Branch yelled out, his fear immediately being replaced by anger. "What the heck were doing in my closet!?"
"I scared you, I scared you!" Leaf sang, laughing hysterically. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

     She plopped down onto his bed, gasping for air, as she couldn't stop laughing.

     "Mom and Dad told you to stay out of my room!" Branch yelled, yanking Leaf up to her feet.

     "Don't be such a crab!" Leaf sighed, rolling her eyes, as she climbed back onto Branch's bed, beginning to jump up and down on it. "Guess what. You're gonna take me trick-or-treating tonight," she said, smiling at her older brother, seeming excited about the fact she'd get to spend some time with him.

     "Not this year, Leaf," Branch said grumpily, lifting her off of his bed before placing her down on the floor.

     "What?" Leaf said, her smile fading as she looked at her big brother. "But we go together every year..."
"I'm 15 now, Leaf. I'm not going trick-or-treating," Branch said, walking over to his electric guitar. "It's for babies."

     "Well..." Leaf objected, trying to think of a way to convince him to go with her. "Mom said you have to, so... 👅" She stuck her tongue out at him, as if she had just won the debate.

     "She can take you," Branch said, plugging his guitar into the amp to give it power.

     "Mom and Dad are going to a party at Town Hall," Leaf objected, crossing her arms with a smirk. She had this victory in the bag...

     "Well..." Branch said trying to come up with an excuse to get him out of going out with his baby sister. He was already the laughing stock of his school. If the kids there saw him out trick-or-treating, his social life would be dead and completely un-reriveable. "You're eight!" he finally yelled. "Go by yourself."

     "No way!" she refused, seeming offended by the suggestion. "I don't know this neighborhood! I'll get lost!"

     Branch shrugged, beginning to play his guitar loudly, trying to drown out the sound of his little sister's complaints.

     "Plus, it's a full moon tonight!" she continued, yelling over the sound of Branch's guitar. "The weirdos will be out!"

     The blue troll sighed, rolling his eyes, as he turned up the volume on his amp to play his guitar louder, hoping Leaf would just go away.

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     "Come on, Branch," Leaf begged sweetly, grabbing her brother's hands, so he would stop playing his music. "Couldn't you forget about being a cool teenager just for one night?"

     He looked at her, seeming to contemplate her suggestion, as she gave him the puppy dog eyes.

     "Please? Come on," she said, hopping up and down slightly, as she pulled lightly on his arm. "We used to have so much fun together trick-or-treating. Remember? It'll be like old times."

     Branch sighed, placing his guitar back on the floor, as he looked away from his sister.

     "No..." he said softly, walking away from her. "The old days are dead."

     Leaf scowled at her brother, becoming angry with his stubbornness.

     "It doesn't matter what you say!" she yelled angrily. "You're taking me!"

     He looked back at her sternly, growling softly in anger. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone!?

     "Wanna bet?" he finally grumbled, plopping back down onto his bed, as he buried his face into his pillow once more.

     Leaf looked at him angrily, her hands in tight fists by her side, as she screamed out of the top of her lungs; "Moooooooooooom!"