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12+ Violence Mature Content

Alejandro’s aversion to all things Halloween

by vampricone6783


*This is the origin of a character from my “The cake curse” series. This will be underneath my folder titled “The cake curse”. Gacha Club character designs are on my wall. Enjoy!*

Introduction

THE FIRST OF OCTOBER-7:00 A.M.

Alejandro blinked his eyes. Even when his shades were down, the sun still managed to blind him. On the right wall of his room was the calendar, which he had flipped the night before to “October”.

He groaned, realizing what the first of October meant.

The whole town of Relson was going to go crazy for Halloween.

Chapter One

THE FRONT SCHOOL ENTRANCE

Alejandro walked up the Relson high school steps. Celina had been calling him over when she didn’t really need to. He already saw Celina waving her arms frantically, as if she were electrocuted.

He wasn’t in a talking mood at the moment.

Chapter Two

“Are you excited for Halloween?” Celina asked as they walked inside.

“Yeah, I guess.” Alejandro said, shrugging. Why did she have to care so much? It was just a holiday.

But of course, it wasn’t just a holiday to Celina. It was a whole event and if anyone thought differently, they were “crazy”. She actually stopped being friends with a few people because they didn’t like Halloween.

“You guess? You guess?” Celina asked with wide eyes as if he were a goblin covered in green guck. Alejandro didn’t expect anything less from her.

“Don’t you think that it’s a bit…much? I mean, Halloween isn’t even supposed to be a big holiday to begin with.” Alejandro said. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. Just an overhyped holiday in Relson, NY.

“So?” Celina asked.

She really wasn’t going to stop, was she? She was just going to keep on trying to change his mind, as if it were vital that he liked Halloween.

Alejandro stormed right past her. He wasn’t ready for a lecture on “The importance of All Hallows’ Eve”. He just wanted to get through his day peacefully.

Was that too much to ask for?

Chapter Three

IN MATH CLASS-9:00 A.M.

Alejandro could feel Celina staring into his soul from behind him. The only thing she did in Math class was think. Not about Math problems, but other stuff. He knew because after class, she’d tell him what she was thinking about.

Celina probably thought he was insane for not caring about Halloween. She was probably going over it in her mind, asking herself: “Why doesn’t Alejandro like Halloween?”

Alejandro rolled his eyes. He had to stay focused. Thinking about Celina wasn’t going to help things.

Chapter Four

AT THE LIBRARY-11:07 P.M.

“What’s wrong?” Celina asked. They were hanging out in the library together, sitting in front of the computer desks. She was referring to none other than his feelings on Halloween.

“It’s just that…is Halloween even a really big deal?” Alejandro asked. He just wanted to get it out there. He couldn’t hide it in any longer.

“No, it isn’t. When we’re adults we probably won’t even care about Halloween, but here and now, Halloween is a huge deal. So let’s enjoy it while we can.” Celina said.

Wow, so inspirational.

“Please? For me?” Celina asked, doing the foulsome puppy dog eyes.

But she really wanted him to be happy with Halloween, so he’d comply.

Alejandro sighed and then smiled.

“Okay. I’ll be excited about it for you.”

“Attaboy!” Celina said quite loudly for a library.

“Shhhh!” Everyone else hushed, which caused Celina to cringe.

Well, he’d try to enjoy Halloween. There were no guarantees that he would.

Chapter Five

WALKING HOME-3:15 P.M.

As Alejandro walked home, he thought of what he promised Celina. That he’d enjoy Halloween. That he wouldn’t complain.

He stopped and stared at the Campbell house. They were known for giving chocolate cake slices to trick-or-treaters. People never gave out cake on Halloween. It just didn’t feel right. The house had various decorations to make it the destination for those who wanted candy.

Big houses held big secrets.

No. This wasn’t a book that he was reading. This was real life. The Campbell house was just a house.

Alejandro resumed his walk home. His parents were waiting.

Chapter Six

AT HOME-4:52 P.M.

Alejandro had finished his homework and was reading a book on his chair, in his room. Outside, his Mom was nailing the Halloween decorations to the brick walls. His Dad was in the living room watching a movie…a horror movie.

Didn’t they care? Shouldn’t they know better than anyone that he absolutely despised Halloween? That…

No…it happened so long ago…

He was thinking about it again.

Chapter Seven

HALLOWEEN-2008-SEVEN YEARS OLD

Alejandro rang the doorbell. He and Celina were waiting for the person to ring the doorbell, to give them candy…

A man in a mask jumped from the staircase. His mask had two large black holes for eyes and a gaping hole for a mouth. He held a bloody chainsaw in his hand.

“Maybe it’s fake.” Celina said.

The man made the chainsaw whirr, like a lawnmower and Alejandro knew right then and there that it wasn’t fake. It was real.

Heart racing, he ran out the door. That man had a real chainsaw. He was going to murder them. He was going to leave their guts all over the front porch, just like that movie his Daddy watched.

“Wait! Alejandro, come back!” Celina called out. He hadn’t run that far. He could still hear her.

Why wasn’t she running?

All around him, there were ghosts and ghouls out to kill. To eat his flesh. To tear him apart, just like in Daddy’s movies.

Alejandro snapped out of it. That happened a long time ago and the man wasn’t even chasing them. He had a fake chainsaw which Alejandro had so stupidly mistaken for a real one.

He could do this. He could do Halloween. He was fifteen. He was old enough.

He could do it.

Chapter Eight

3:20 P.M.-NEXT DAY- HALLOWEEN STORE

“Let’s go.” Alejandro said, lightly tapping Celina on the shoulder. He wanted to get out of the Halloween store as quickly as he could.

Celina gasped when she saw Alejandro holding a packaged costume in his arms. She didn’t expect that.

“Is that your Halloween costume?”

“Yes.” He said, showing her the vampire costume.

“What? Vampires are cool. What did you pick out?”

Celina gave him her familiar devious grin and showed him what she picked out.

“A clown? You could have been a clown without the costume.” Alejandro said. He wasn’t surprised.

“Very funny, Alejandro. Very funny.” Celina said, rolling her eyes.

She was there when it happened. She saw him get scared.

So why couldn’t she understand?

No matter. That was in the past. He had to focus on the present.

The present would be better.

Chapter Nine

OCTOBER FOURTH-AT THE LIBRARY-11:02 A.M.

Alejandro was researching for his history essay in the library-what all of the kids were supposed to do-but he was certain that Celina was doing anything but.

She never did what she was supposed to do.

Chapter Ten

“Alejandro! Look.” Celina said, turning the computer towards him.

“What?” Alejandro asked.

“After we go trick or treating, I’m doing this.”

On the screen were headlines talking about last year’s clown sightings.

By the look on Celina’s face, she wanted to stalk the woods as a clown.

“That’s going to cause problems.” Alejandro said.

“Why? I’m just wearing a costume.”

“People don’t like clowns.”

Clowns frightened people. Clowns disturbed people.

Why would Celina want to risk getting in trouble like that?

“Whatever. I’m still doing it.”

“Your funeral then.”

She didn’t even remember what happened on Halloween. How would she have the common sense to know not to go to the woods?

It wasn’t his responsibility to watch over her.

Chapter Eleven

THE MORNING OF HALLOWEEN-7:00 A.M.

Alejandro opened his eyes to the burning sun.

It was the inevitable, horrid day.

Halloween.

Chapter Twelve

AFTER SCHOOL-4:30 P.M.

Alejandro stared at the vampire costume on his bed. He told Celina that they’d have Halloween together. That he wouldn’t let the past control him. That he would be brave.

Alejandro sighed. He had to put it on. The world was waiting.

Chapter Thirteen

6:15 P.M.

Alejandro watched Celina compliment the boy in the witch costume before opening the door.

It was time. Time for “fun”.

Chapter Fourteen

7:15 P.M.-WITCH COMPETITION

Celina and the rest of the town were furiously scribbling votes for “best witch” on notepads for the witch competition, but Alejandro just watched.

The only witch in his life was the witch of his past, still hanging over him like a thick, dark cloud.

Chapter Fifteen

THE CAMPBELL FRONT DOOR STEPS-7:17 P.M.

Alejandro stared at the chocolate cake slice in his hand. The Campbell family really did give out chocolate cake slices on Halloween.

But they were the only two that received it. The other kids got candy.

Maybe it meant nothing, but still…

It was weird.

Chapter Sixteen

WALKING DOWN THE STREET-7:19 P.M.

“Are you sure we should eat these? No one hands out cake to trick-or-treaters.” Alejandro said.

Celina was already snarfing down the cake, not a single thought in her eyes.

“I know. That’s what makes this better. Come on, Alejandro. Just try it.” She said, mouth full of cake.

Alejandro wanted to cringe, but that would be considered rude. He wanted to run, but that would also be rude. He wanted to throw the cake slice out (how healthy could it be?) but again, that would be rude.

He shrugged, biting into the cake.

Maybe it wasn’t that bad.

Chapter Seventeen

7:45 P.M.

Alejandro sank to the ground. Celina was doing it too. He..he felt like he was going to vomit his innards…sink into the Earth…

His teeth felt like they would rot and decay into…into nothingness.

Chapter Eighteen

Alejandro stared at his long, pale hands. He had claws.

He bit into his lip, causing blood to spill. His teeth felt sharper than normal. His blood tasted like the sugar of childhood candy.

Could it be that he was a…a…a real vampire?

Chapter Nineteen

There was no question about it. He and Celina were monsters. They would hide and kill, never able to see their families again.

It was the cake. The cake changed them.

The cake made them monsters.

Chapter Twenty

Alejandro just stared at his pale, clawed hands. For so long, he had feared the dreaded day, the day of All Hallows’ Eve. He had become the very thing that sickened him to his core.

Alejandro became a monster.

“I…I have to go.” Alejandro said. He turned around, about to run away, vomit bubbling in his throat, but then-

Celina grabbed his arm.

“No. We’re going to make everyone pay.” She said.

Alejandro swallowed back the vomit.

Something inside told him that nothing would be the same again.

Epilogue

They existed in the forest, coming out only to hunt.

They didn’t speak of their lives lost, for they didn’t want to cry.

There wasn’t a moment to cry.


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84 Reviews

Points: 25
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Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:25 pm
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keeperofgaming wrote a review...



The story is quite well made, but I feel like it speeds along a bit too quickly.

I haven't read the main story yet, I probably will, but it still kind of misses details.

The characters are good, but there isn't much explaining relations past the main two.

I feel like if their place in the town was elaborated more it would be improved.

In addition, Celina's sudden, 'destroy them all' mentality seems out of place. Once again, if it is explained in the main story, I'm sorry, but as this is an introduction, I just think a little more elaboration would work.

Thank you for your time, it was quite enjoyable.




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113 Reviews

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Reviews: 113

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Thu Feb 22, 2024 4:43 am
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goodolnoah wrote a review...



Hello there! I stumbled across this on the homepage and the title hooked me from the start. When I looked at the formatting of this, it looked really fun!

🗲Writing Commentary🗲

The writing here had me laughing out loud at some places! I feel like this goes for a “less is more” approach. What really comes out to me is the way everything is spaced. Like snapshots taken from Alejandro’s life and shown to the reader as just a fraction of the full time he spent averting/embracing Halloween. It has this nice homely vibe to me. My first comparison is the summerween episode from Gravity Falls.

There are very few faults in this writing style! Love it!

If I had one nitpick it would be that it seems you meant to put A.M. on chapter 4’s AT THE LIBRARY-11:07 P.M. I assume if it is following in chronological order it would be 11:07 A.M.

🗲Story Commentary🗲

The story, as mentioned above, had me laughing out loud at parts. Especially when the backstory behind Alejandro’s fear of Halloween was a highlight just because of how absurd it was. The pacing of the scene is great!

The ending is another highlight. While this is an origin story, about “The cake curse”, it makes me feel like maybe Alejandro actually was cursed by the cake. Reading it as just the story itself, it makes me feel like this is an abstract representation of him finally coming to acceptance of Halloween, and thus getting over his fears.

🗲Characters🗲

Alejandro - A funny main character, mainly for his straight man-like attitude. He’s simple enough while also being a little unhinged deep down. I love the progression of his aversion to Halloween. I think the continual reminders of his hatred of Halloween really help to bolster the absurdity of his character.

Celina - She’s a great foil to Alejandro! Celina is kind of the main driving force behind the entire plot, since she is the one who gets Alejandro to show a little more interest in Halloween. Their bond as longtime friends is very charming as well!


Overall, really fun piece to read! Like a tasty cake that makes you feel a little weird later on. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight…





There are those who say that life is like a book, with chapters for each event in your life and a limited number of pages on which you can spend your time. But I prefer to think that a book is like a life, particularly a good one, which is well to worth staying up all night to finish.
— Lemony Snicket