Rowan and I talked as we walked, long enough to forget all the creepy stuff for a bit. We laughed about a squirrel we saw trying to wedge itself in a mailbox, face first, tail flailing in the air like a broken antennae. I’m glad he’d warmed up to me. Maybe he was just a bad liar and didn’t know how to tell me about those monsters. We finally turned onto the side path to my front door and there was Lukas, sprawled across my porch steps like he was posing for a car commercial– save the car, his hair caught the sun shining blonde in a messy way that required effort. My best friend sat up when he saw us, curiosity flickered in his eyes before a wide grin spread itself on his sun-kissed face. 

“There she is!” he patted the large box beside him, “I’ve got our halloween costumes ready to go, we could snatch up like, a metric tonne of candy this year,” 

“Lukas, I don’t think I can talk about trick or treating right now,” I bit my lip, as I watched his smile shrink. “I know we’ve been talking about it since August but, some things have come up and…”

“And she shouldn’t be out on Halloween,” Rowan finished, matching everyone’s gaze, albeit with half the confidence. Lukas’s smile faltered, sloped down a little further with his brow, but only for a second. Then his usual impish grin boomeranged back,

“Oh no, did you already ditch me for the new guy?” Lukas threw his arms wide, gesturing between us dramatically, “Aves, he hasn’t even been to school yet!” False betrayal’s expression wove itself in his face this time. I sigh sarcastically,

“Jeez, Luks, it’s not like that.” I bump him on the shoulder, “You know I’d never pick anyone else to go trick or treating with,” I say to placate him. Rowan shifted awkwardly beside me, I didn’t blame him. Lukas was an acquired taste, to say the least.

“Obviously,” Lukas said, “you’re my ride or die. I can back off of whatever it is you two have going on–” He waved vaguely at Rowan, “But c’mon Aves! This year we have to be Mario and Luigi.” 

“You aren’t allowed to say no,” His words were light but I caught the tiny dip in his voice. He smiled tight and ragefully at the costume box as if it had just insulted his entire bloodline. 

“I–” I paused, cold from the forest seemed to be seeping through the trees damp, heavy, malicious. “I think we should head inside, My dad made some cake last night, we could eat some of the leftovers.” and both of my friends perked up slightly,

Inside I made sure to check the locks on the doors. Twice. After my birthday this Wednesday, the spirits would back off a little. Mum’s spell wouldn’t be as strong, but it would still be something.  I pulled Lukas aside once we were in the living room, guilt gnawed at me. Even if I just learnt myself this morning, I know there were more pending problems involving evil spirits, puppeteering forest critters and a death beacon above my head at least until Wednesday, but even so, it wouldn’t sit right with me by leaving my best friend feeling left out in the cold.

“Luks, I’m sorry, it’s been a weird day.” I say, even though it's barely ten o'clock.

“Weird enough to cancel Halloween?” He asked, “You love halloween, you even made us dress as traffic cones last year!” I smiled faintly until I processed what he actually said,

“Hey, we were dropped ice cream cones! And it was a brilliant idea.” Rowan chuckled from somewhere behind me and I caught Lukas giving his a look like, you’re laughing, but I’m still watching you, new kid, and Rowan cleared his throat, “...Uhh, I don’t know if you remember, but I think I was promised some cake,” 

“Oh yeah, I’ll fetch it from the fridge, my bad.” I amended, thankful for something new to do. 

“No worries, I can find my way around a fridge,” Rowan grinned, “I just don’t know how you organize your cupboards, you grab the plates and I grab the cake?” Seeming like a solid idea to me, I hung back to grab three forks and three plates from the other end of the kitchen island. Lukas lingered nearby until he was certain Rowan was busy in my fridge.

“But seriously, Aven,” He said, tone softer, “if something's wrong, you can tell me. I’ve known you since you tried to eat a ladybug and then cried about it for twenty minutes.”

“It flew into my mouth,” I said, but my cheeks flushed from embarrassment. “And that was seven years ago!” He pouted for a second then nudged my shoulder. “I’m just saying, whatever this is.. You don’t have to handle any of it alone.” He then lowered his tone significantly to a whisper, “Even if Hippie McBrood is your new sidekick.” Rowan could still hear Lukas, definitely, I saw him glance back at us quickly from his search in the fridge with a confused expression, but he wisely chose to not say anything.

I looked back at Lukas, sunburnt nose despite it being mid-autumn, the smudge of dirt or who-knows-what on his cheek, and the hopeful way he tried to meet my eyes without letting me know he was worried. I’m glad we were friends.

“Thanks,” I said quietly, “I don’t know what’s going to happen this week but if anything feels off to you, anything weird at all, you run, okay? Don’t go in the woods, and don't go trick or treating without someone you know properly.” His joking smile fell dead, replaced with concern. His eyes searched my face for a chance I'm joking.

“Aves… are you in some kind of danger?” He took my shoulders in his hands and I hesitated. Rowan answered before I could, “She might be,” Rowan’s tone was firm, “which is why she’s gonna be hanging out with me on halloween.” Lukas frantically looked between the two of us, debating internally whether or not to tease us or take this seriously. My chest released something I didn’t know was knotted when he chose the latter.

“Okay… I’ll do my best not to make stupid decisions. But, if you happen to change your mind, you know where to find me.” He was headed to the door but hesitated. “Y'know what? I’ll have some cake first.”