𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 | stranger things

ten

"Do you have any plans for Halloween, little spark?"

Wren was in the library with Robin and Eddie. They were at a table, the two girls on one side and Eddie on the other. Robin didn't like the idea of Wren being alone with an older boy, so she insisted on always being near or with her when she was with the Hellfire leader.

Wren liked Eddie. He was like the cool older brother that she never had. They were both misfits in a way. She was the youngest kid in high school, and he was the oldest. They complemented each other.

"I'm not participating in Halloween this year," Wren replied as she worked on her algebra homework. She adjusted her new horn-rimmed glasses on her nose and circled the answer to the math problem she just finished solving.

Robin frowned. "What do you mean you're not participating? Wren, it's Halloween. The streets are filled with free sugar."

"And no one thinks there's anything wrong with that." Wren put her pencil down and folded her arms on the table, looking between Robin and Eddie. "Think about it. We don't know what's happened to that candy behind closed doors. Bad people could have tampered with it with the intention to hurt children. I would rather use my allowance to buy my own instead of risking a premature death by taking candy from a total stranger."

"I mean . . . " Eddie exchanged a glance with Robin. "She's got a point. Last year, a mom in my neighborhood found a razor blade in her kid's candy bar."

"Yeah, okay, but," Robin sighed, "what are the odds of that actually happening?"

"Very low, but never zero," Wren stated matter-of-factly as the bell rang, signaling the end of their free period. She gathered up her belongings and left the library, saying goodbye to Eddie as she and Robin walked in the opposite direction for their physics class.

So what if Wren had some anxieties now that she was older? Wasn't that a good thing? She needed to be aware of the dangerous things that could happen to her, especially after she and her brother's friends were stalked and almost killed by bad guys last year.

"Wrenlee, look," Robin said as they sat down at their shared desk. Wren looked up at her, forcing herself to meet Robin's blue eyes. "You're only a kid once. And I know you're really mature and smart for your age, but you're still a child. You should have a night of fun where you get to dress up and stay up late . . . What if I went with you? Make sure you don't get kidnapped."

"Will you also help me search through my candy to make sure none of it has been tampered with?" Wren asked, fidgeting with the friendship bracelet on her wrist. She and Robin had made matching threaded bracelets at a sleepover the other weekend. Both were made with purple, blue, and white string.

"If it'll make you feel safer, then yes."

Wren thought for a moment. "Okay."

"Okay?" Robin smiled a little.

Wren nodded. "Okay."

****

Halloween night, Wren left her house dressed up as her favorite Addams Family character, Wednesday. Her dark hair was styled in two twin braids, and she wore a black dress with a white collar, black tights, and black ballet flats. She even painted her once-orange pumpkin trick-or-treat bucket black to match her costume.

She stayed close to Robin as they walked through the neighborhood of kids running around without parental supervision. She nervously scanned the faces of everyone that was out and of the adults answering the doors. If she were to run into one of the bad men from last year, she was prepared to run.