The Adventures of Marcus & Nelson: The Halloween Party

Marcus Harris could hardly sit still. Tonight was the school’s big Halloween party, and he had been looking forward to it for weeks. He had chosen the perfect costume: a pirate captain. His stripy red-and-white shirt, tricorn hat with a skull and crossbones, and toy cutlass made him look ready to command a ship on the high seas. He even wore a black eye patch over his empty socket, since his glass eye—Nelson—wasn’t always the most reliable crewmate.

Nelson, however, was already wriggling restlessly, desperate for mischief. Marcus could feel the cheeky glass eye twitching.
“Behave yourself tonight,” Marcus muttered in the mirror. “It’s just a party. No tricks.”
But Nelson only gave a sly sparkle.

When Marcus arrived at the school hall, the decorations took his breath away. Bats dangled from the ceiling, fake cobwebs stretched across the walls, and glowing pumpkins lit every corner. A giant cauldron of green punch bubbled mysteriously at the center of the room, surrounded by bowls of sweets and plates stacked high with cupcakes. Children ran past in costumes—witches, vampires, superheroes, ghosts, and even a giant pumpkin. The DJ played spooky songs while kids danced and laughed.

Marcus grinned, ready to enjoy himself. But before he could even grab a cupcake, Nelson popped straight out of his socket—plop!—and rolled down Marcus’s cheek.
“Oh no, not again,” Marcus groaned, lunging after him.

Nelson bounced across the wooden floor, dodging between children’s feet. He zoomed past a vampire’s cloak, leapt over a pumpkin-shaped bucket full of sweets, and finally sprang into the glowing green cauldron.
Splash!

The entire room gasped. The punch began fizzing and bubbling wildly, glowing brighter than ever. Nelson bobbed to the surface, his blue-green gleam sparkling like a lantern. He swirled around in circles, pulling silly faces and making the liquid slosh dangerously close to the rim.

“Look! The cauldron’s alive!” Lucy, dressed as a vampire, squealed with delight.
Children crowded around, pointing and clapping. “It’s magic!” shouted one boy in a wizard hat.

Marcus pushed his way to the front, his cheeks burning red. “Nelson! You’re not supposed to be part of the entertainment!” he hissed.

But Nelson was having the time of his life, spinning and bouncing in the punch as though he really were a spooky Halloween spirit. Every time Marcus reached in with the ladle, Nelson bobbed just out of reach, grinning cheekily at the cheering crowd. The hall rang with laughter, and even some of the teachers couldn’t help but chuckle.

Finally, with a quick swoop, Marcus caught him in the ladle. He lifted Nelson out, dripping with glowing green punch. The children erupted into applause. Marcus, though embarrassed, couldn’t help smiling a little at their joy.

Wiping Nelson clean on his sleeve, Marcus muttered, “Alright, Captain Nelson, you’ve had your fun. But next time, we’re sticking to costumes, not cauldrons!”

Nelson gave a mischievous sparkle, promising silently that he was already planning his next trick.

For the rest of the night, Marcus kept a firm hand on his pirate hat and an even firmer eye—well, almost—on Nelson.

By Mark “Hawkeye” Harris