"I've been in contact with several of the employees atVanity Ragwho have digital journalism experience," Penny said. "They're going to do photography, make videos, and write fun content. It's going to be so awesome!"
She went back to smearing theatrical makeup on my face.
"But tonight is all about spooky stuff. And I need you to look amazing. We're finally going to be Jack and Sally!"
Penny was carefully completing my Jack Skellington look.
"I really don't want that on my face," I said, shifting in my seat.
"Hold still," Penny ordered, applying more black paint around my eyes. "Everyone else in the squad is dressing up. Andy is Dr. Finklestein, Billy is Oogie Boogie, Oscar is the Cyclops, and Nate wants to be the mayor of Halloween Town. I'm Sally, obviously. I even had my hair blown out." She spun around, her red hair flowing behind her in a long curtain.
"I like it," I said. "But I think curly and crazy suits you better."
"You're so sweet! I'm too lazy to get it blown out every day anyway." She beamed and went back to caking white makeup on my face.
"While I'm working…" She stuffed a tablet in my face. "You need to learn these lyrics. We need to win the contest."
"What contest?" I asked, trying not to sneeze from the smell of the face paint.
"Apparently your family is ultracompetitive, and Weston thinks we need a squad contest. Obviously we're going to win. Hazel is doing Cinderella and the whole set of transformed animals. We're going to sing ‘This is Halloween.’"
"I feel like we should practice," I said, memorizing the lyrics. I'd heard the song enough times while driving to work with Penny that I probably already knew it by heart.
After putting the finishing touches on our costumes, Penny and I took our squad downstairs and assembled in the foyer. I surveyed my brothers. Josh and Carl had a Wild West theme, while Mace and Josie were corralling some sort of menagerie of animals.
Remy pulled the bus out in front, and we all crammed in.
"Holy smokes, Archer," Weston said, shoving our brother up the steps of the bus. "Being engaged to a restaurant owner has wreaked havoc on your waistline."
"I like him fat!" Hazel called out.
"Harsh, Hazel," Archer said, adjusting his Prince Charming costume. "Garrett, you're truthful—do I look like I've gained any weight other than even more muscle?"
"Maybe it's all the carbs," I said. "It makes you puffy."
"This family is going to hell in a handbasket," Archer complained.
"A hundred dollars, Archer," Hunter said. "You know the rules."
"Meg is handing out candy at her house," Remy said over the roar of the engine. "We will drop your squad off there first, Hunter."
"Please stay on your designated routes," I told my brothers as the bus rumbled down the street. "We will not have all the Svensson kids moving through the town in one big pack like locusts or zombies."
"Oh!" Archer said, raising his hand. "Group Halloween costume next year—all of us dressed as zombies likeWorld War Z. We'll roam around as one big horde."
"No."
"It would be so cool!"
"We're at your stop, Archer," I said as we parked in front of the Grey Dove Bistro. The teens were already there; Remy had dropped them off earlier with huge boxes of candy to hand out.
"Man," Archer said, "I can't decide if I look sexy with dark hair or incredibly sexy." He blew his reflection a kiss as Remy opened the doors.
There were already crowds of people on the street when Remy let us off near the town square.
"Harrogate is known for Halloween!" Penny gushed as we stepped out. "People come from all over to go trick-or-treating!" She snapped several selfies of us until my brothers started protesting.
"Oh, I hope Hazel and Morticia have enough candy," Penny said, adjusting my bat bow tie. "It's a crime to run out of candy on Halloween."
