𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐈𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ━ 𝐉𝐢𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭

- 6 | a halloween surprise -

A Halloween Surprise

The morning of October 31st arrived with an autumn chill in the air. As Marceline stepped out of her hotel room, she pulled her coat tighter around herself, watching her breath puff out in little clouds. The sky was overcast, and the trees were losing their vibrant leaves, scattering them across the streets of Scranton. The day felt like any other, though there was an extra energy in the air, with Halloween decorations visible in shop windows and on front porches.

Marceline was focused on one thing as she made her way to work: her finances. The past few weeks at Dunder Mifflin had been a rollercoaster, and while she was starting to find her place in the office, her worries about money were ever-present. Staying at a hotel was far from sustainable, and the thought of draining her savings before finding a more permanent place to stay gnawed at her.

She arrived at the office with her mind heavy and her steps slower than usual. As she entered, she noticed the decorations that had taken over the space overnight—orange and black streamers, plastic pumpkins, and fake spider webs covered every surface. She smiled at the effort, momentarily distracted by the festive atmosphere.

Her costume for the day was simple yet fitting. Marceline had dressed as a gothic witch, a nod to her dark aesthetic that felt like a natural extension of herself rather than a costume. Her black dress, with its lace sleeves and silver accents, paired with a pointed hat, made her look like she had stepped out of a dark fairytale. She had even added a little extra makeup—dark lipstick and smudged eyeliner—to complete the look.

"Nice costume!" Pam greeted her as she walked in, already dressed in her own costume—a cute black cat, complete with ears and whiskers drawn on her face.

"Thanks, Pam," Marceline replied with a small smile. "You too. Very fitting."

Pam grinned and did a little cat-like stretch for effect. "Halloween is the best excuse to dress up. But you're really pulling off the witch vibe. Very... you."

Marceline chuckled, appreciating the compliment. "I figured I might as well lean into it."

As she made her way to her desk, she noticed that the usual office chatter had a more playful tone to it today. Even Dwight was in costume, though she couldn't quite tell what he was supposed to be—some sort of scarecrow-warrior hybrid, maybe? It was hard to say.

Jim, as always, was subtly in character. He had gone with something understated—a three-hole-punch version of himself. Just black circles taped to his shirt, but it worked in its own Jim way. He caught her eye and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Hey, Three-Hole-Punch Jim," Marceline greeted him, her tone light.

"Hey, Witch Marceline," Jim replied with a grin. "Looking very... authentic today."

Marceline rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm just trying to keep up with the Halloween spirit."

"Well, you're definitely winning," Jim said with a smirk before heading back to his desk.

Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, Marceline's thoughts kept drifting back to her situation. She had managed to push it aside for the past few weeks, but the reality was sinking in: she needed to find a place to stay soon. The hotel was comfortable, but it wasn't home, and every night spent there was another dent in her dwindling savings. The stress was building, and she could feel it weighing on her more and more each day.

———

[Interview with Marceline]

The camera captures Marceline sitting in the break room, her witch hat off and resting on the table beside her.