The Least You Can Do

The original character in this story is meant to be Bob's illegitimate daughter. She never knew about his existence until months after the events of "Tender Treats". Initially, she was made for more comedic/light-hearted purposes to fit the tone of Spooky Month, but (as always) I thought of ways to make her role more serious and grim.
More Margot content: https://www.deviantart.com/prominaj/gallery/86047133/spooky-month

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When Kevin proposed the idea, the majority of Margot's mind believed it to be another sarcastic joke. Even she felt it to be a bit grim, but different people grieve in different ways. Sometimes humor was a manifestation of denial.

However, more seconds passed. Kevin was still staring at her, his eyes begging for a response. That's when it hit her that he was serious.

"You were joking, right?" asked Margot, hoping she was just misreading the situation.

"No, no, I mean it. You were able to bring your cat back to life, so why not him?"

For a moment, Margot's mouth stayed ajar, frozen as her shocked mind raced to piece together a rational reply to the irrational conversation.

"Because she was a cat, Kevin. What you're talking about...with Streber...is bringing back a human..."

Kevin winced slightly, like a child being scolded.

"I know it's a big stretch, but wouldn't you do the same if it was someone close to you like your mom?"

Margot's unflinching, "No," caught him by surprise.

"A human soul is so much more complex than an animal's. If it's tampered with, you could risk putting them through some kind of torture, corrupting them, or bringing back something that's not even them."

"But that didn't happen with your cat, right? All those things you just mentioned only happened in movies like Pet Sematary or whatever."

Margot sighed through her nose.

She understood that most people wouldn't know much about the occult, and were used to telling themselves that such horrors didn't exist in order to sleep peacefully at night.

She didn't have that privilege, anymore, and if she had to pop Kevin's bubble of naivety to talk him out of playing with fire, then so be it.

"She came back a little different, but yes, as far as I could tell, she was fine."

Kevin prepared to speak, but Margot cut in, "That doesn't mean we should do it, though. I was a dumb kid just trying to fit in with all of the other goths back then, and didn't realize how dangerous or disrespectful it was to do that. The dead aren't toys."

Kevin had tried to maintain his best "customer service" face for this discussion. It worked well with convincing customers to purchase more, and hide his frustration with the more unreasonable ones. Unfortunately, the displeasure was starting to tug on his features before Margot could be persuaded.

"I'm not asking you to do this because I see Streber as a toy," he said, "I'm asking because he died unfairly at a young age."

"I...I know," said Margot, looking down at nothing in particular, "The whole situation is just shitty, I know. I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling this way, but...the dangers are just too much. I get scared even thinking about it."

""Scared"?" Kevin tilted his head so that he was eye to eye with Margot.

""Scared"?" he repeated, "The kid who told other kids on the playground that Ring Around the Rosie was about a plague is, all of a sudden, "scared"?"