AN: C'mon guys, help me get to the top 20. Here you go, over 3.3k words today. Back to back. No cliff.
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The streets were alive with Halloween noise, kids running past in mismatched costumes, distant music drifting from open houses, and the occasional burst of laughter. Most of the houses in the neighbourhood were decorated as usual... Carved pumpkins, fake cobwebs stretched across fences, and groups of kids in costumes moved from house to house with excited voices and plastic buckets knocking against their legs.
Haley and Jack walked side by side down the sidewalk, their fingers laced together, both dressed in matching pirate outfits that somehow felt more natural on them than expected.
Haley swung their joined hands lightly as they walked, glancing up at him with a smile that had been waiting all day to come back. "So yeah, that was the big emergency," she said, her voice still carrying a hint of excitement. "My uncles adopted a baby from Vietnam. Her name's Lily."
Jack looked over at her, his expression softening immediately. "That's… really great news," he said, squeezing her hand gently as they kept moving. "I mean it. That's a big deal."
Haley nodded quickly, her free hand coming up as she talked, like she needed both words and movement to explain it properly. "She's so tiny," she said. "I held her for a second and I was scared I was going to hurt her or something."
Jack let out a quiet laugh, looking ahead at a group of kids running past them in costumes. "You? Careful with something fragile?" he said, teasing lightly.
Haley nudged him with her shoulder, but she was smiling. "Excuse me, I can be responsible when I want to be," she said, lifting her chin slightly. "And she's really cute, okay? And Uncle Cam introduced her with The Lion King's theme song."
"Now, that's a grand entrance no one can beat," He replied with a little chuckle. "I would've paid to see that," he said. "Cam holding a baby like it's the opening scene of a movie."
Haley grinned, clearly reliving it. "Oh, it was dramatic. He had this whole speech prepared, and Uncle Mitch looked like he was one second away from passing out the entire time because he was so worried about my grandpa's reaction."
"Hey, Haley!"
Luke came running toward them from across the street, his plastic candy bucket swinging wildly with every step. He was dressed in a bright green alien costume with oversized black eyes on the hood, the fabric slightly crooked like he had put it on in a hurry. Right beside him, moving at a much more controlled pace, was Manny, dressed as Shakespeare with a small book tucked under his arm and a serious expression that did not match the chaos around him.
Haley lit up immediately. "Oh my God, Luke, slow down before you crash into something," she called out, though she made no move to stop him.
Luke skidded to a stop in front of them, breathing a little heavily but clearly proud of his candy haul. "Look how much I got already," he said, holding up the bucket like it was a trophy. "Some guy I never met gave me six full-size chocolate bars. I'm pretty sure he was drunk."
Jack nodded in approval, leaning slightly to look inside. "That's a solid win," he said. "You might want to protect that stash with your life."
Manny stepped forward, adjusting his collar with quiet dignity. "Quantity is impressive," he said, his tone measured, "but one must also consider quality and presentation. Some of these houses lack a certain theatrical commitment."
Haley stared at him for a second. "You're dressed like Shakespeare and still judging people's Halloween effort," she said. "That's actually kind of perfect."
Manny gave a small, satisfied nod. "Accuracy matters. It took me six hours to prepare, including makeup and hairstyle. Yet, except for you and my mother, no one recognized my costume tonight. Thank you, Haley."
'Oh, god, not again,' Haley thought. 'How can he be so dense?'
Behind them, Alex walked up at a slower pace, her expression flat and clearly over the entire situation. Her witch costume leaned heavily into dark tones, almost gothic, with smudged eyeliner and a look that suggested she had been dragged into this against her will.
'Haley and Jack. Great... And here I am without a date, babysitting two kids,' Alex thought as she saw her sister and her boyfriend, on whom she definitely didn't have a crush on. 'What does he see in her? I don't get it.'
Haley's eyes immediately moved to her. "Wow," she said, looking her up and down. "You look like you just came back from casting a curse on someone's GPA."
Alex did not look amused. "I'm babysitting," she said dryly, gesturing toward Luke and Manny like they were evidence. "This is not a costume. This is a cry for help."
Luke ignored that completely, already digging through his candy again.
Haley smirked, clearly entertained. "Relax, it's Halloween. Try to enjoy it for like five minutes."
Alex crossed her arms, shifting her weight slightly. "I would love to, but I've been walking in circles for the past hour, making sure he doesn't trade all his candy for something stupid like last year," she said, pointing at Luke.
"I would never do that," Luke said quickly, then paused. "Unless it's a really good trade. Last year's bear costume was worth the candies."
Alex closed her eyes for a second like she regretted every life decision that led to this moment.
Jack watched the exchange quietly, then looked at Haley as she tugged gently on his hand.
"Anyway," Haley said, already stepping backward and pulling him along with her, "good luck with that whole situation." She gave Alex a small wave that was just on the edge of teasing. "We're going to a party on Jackson Street."
Alex opened her eyes, unimpressed. "Of course you are."
Luke perked up immediately. "Wait, party? Can I come?"
"No," Alex and Haley said at the same time.
Haley grinned, squeezing Jack's hand as she turned away. "Have fun babysitting," she called over her shoulder. "And try not to get lonely."
Alex watched them go, then looked down at Luke and Manny with a tired expression. "If either of you runs into traffic again, I'm not chasing you," she muttered.
Luke gasped. "You have to, it's your job."
Manny nodded thoughtfully. "There is a moral obligation attached to guardianship."
Alex sighed, already walking again as they followed the sidewalk. "I hate all of you."
...
[Meanwhile... Dunphy House]
Pumpkins lined the walkway, their carved faces glowing softly as the sun dipped lower. Fake cobwebs stretched across the porch railings, and a plastic skeleton hung near the front door. It was festive, familiar, and exactly what anyone in the neighborhood would expect.
Inside, Claire moved through the living room, adjusting decorations with quick, practiced motions. She straightened a crooked candle, stepped back to check the symmetry, then moved again before she could fully relax. Her version of Halloween was controlled chaos, every scare placed with intention. She had already scared enough kids and adults so far, yet she wants more.
Phil stood near the window, watching her with the kind of expression that meant he was hiding something. "Everything looks great," he said, nodding as if he were a neutral observer and not someone with a secret operation underway.
Claire barely glanced at him. "The fog machine better not clog this year," she said, adjusting a strand of lights. "And the motion sensor in the hallway is too sensitive. It went off three times when I walked past earlier."
Phil nodded again, filing that away like valuable intelligence. "Good to know," he said casually.
Claire turned toward him now, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Why are you being so agreeable?"
Phil froze for half a second, then smiled a little too brightly. "Can't a husband appreciate his wife's terrifying dedication to seasonal excellence?"
Claire held his gaze, unconvinced, then turned back to her decorations. "You're up to something," she said, more certain now.
Phil placed a hand over his chest like he had been accused of something deeply unfair. "Me? On Halloween? Never." He then walked over to Claire, placed her hands on her shoulders, and looked into her eyes. "Tonight is all about you, honey."
The doorbell rang...
Phil smiled. "Now, go out there and give them a scare of their life."
Claire smiled before kissing him. Then she pulled back and put a fake blood tablet in her mouth and walked toward the door.
//Phil's confession//
Phil leaned forward, his hands clasped together, eyes gleaming with barely contained excitement.
"Okay," he said, lowering his voice just a little, "so Claire thinks tonight is her night." He nodded slowly, clearly impressed. "And to be fair, she's amazing. The fog machines, the jump scares, the psychological manipulation of small children… it's art."
Phil leaned in closer, like he was about to share something classified.
"But every artist eventually needs a critic."
A slow, mischievous smile spread across his face.
"And tonight?" he added, pointing slightly off to the side, "the plan is on."
He leaned back, clearly enjoying himself.
"Earlier today, very casual, very subtle, Jack may or may not have stopped by."
Phil shrugged innocently.
"And by 'stopped by,' I mean he snuck into the backyard with me like we were planning a suburban heist."
He started counting on his fingers.
"Makeup kit? Check. Props? Check. Backup scare positions? Oh, double check."
Phil leaned forward again, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"And Jack? Turns out the kid is really good at this stuff. Like… disturbingly good. At one point, I got scared and I knew what was happening."
He let out a quiet, impressed breath.
"So right now, Claire thinks she's about to give the neighborhood the scare of their lives."
Phil leaned back, that same mischievous smile returning, slower this time.
"But what she doesn't know is that she's walking straight into a counter-attack."
There was a brief pause.
His smile shifted, just slightly more sinister.
"Tonight, Claire Dunphy gets a taste of her own medicine."
//Phil's confession End//
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