Don't Take It Off

General POV

Mary looked at herself in the mirror. It was Halloween, and she was dressed up as the Bride of Frankenstein. Her hair was piled high and streaked with white, her face painted pale with dark, dramatic makeup. She wore a long, flowing white gown with tattered edges and bandages wrapped around her arms.

"Perfect," she said to herself, turning to the bed where Alice played. Alice was wearing a costume of a mad scientist, complete with a tiny lab coat and goggles.

"Look at you, so cute," Mary said, picking up Alice and giving her a kiss.

She walked to the living room where Nathan was putting candy in a bowl. Nathan was dressed in a Frankenstein costume, complete with green makeup, neck bolts, and a tattered suit.

"Aha, there's my bride," he said with a grin.

"Where is Daniel?" Mary asked, looking around.

"Still in his room," Nathan replied, adjusting the candy bowl.

"What is he wearing again?" Mary asked.

"Well, not Igor like we wanted," Nathan said with a chuckle.

Mary began helping Nathan with the candy when they heard footsteps from the stairs. They turned to see Daniel descending. He was dressed in a red suit, yellow vest, and green hair. His face was painted with white makeup and lips painted red.

Daniel started to do an awkward dance down the stairs much to Mary's confusion.

"What are you doing, and what are you, some kind of dancing scary clown?" Mary asked, puzzled.

Daniel stopped midway looking a bit embarrassed . "You know, it went better in my head," he said, referring to the dancing.

"He's the Joker, honey," Nathan explained.

"So Haley is going to be Harley then?" Nathan asked Daniel.

"Yes, she is," Daniel confirmed.

"You know i never seen this costume for the joker" nathan asked.

"Ah, I made it myself. Haley's too very different from the comics and old movies "Daniel said.

"Looks good but it won't be complete without the laugh" Nathan said.

"Do the laugh," Nathan urged.

"Give me a second to prepare" daniel said 

He took a deep breath and then let out a chilling Joker laugh. "Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha!"

"How is it?" Daniel asked, still grinning.

Alice started to cry.

"Looks like it worked," Nathan said with a laugh.

"Well, I am off to the office. The editors are giving me hell for the new book," Daniel said, adjusting his suit and heading for the door.

He walked off laughing maniacally making Alice cry again.

"I don't think I will ever understand those comics you both love," Mary said, trying to calm Alice.

=================

"All right, so, everybody has to be here at 5:30 to rehearse our House of Horrors," Claire said as she made lunch for Luke. "You guys have your costumes ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, but it's a secret," Luke replied. "Me and Manny came up with something together."

"I love that!" Claire said, smiling.

"Can I have some candy?" Luke asked as Claire finished packing his lunch.

"No," Claire said firmly.

"How about you, Alex?" Claire asked, turning to her daughter.

"Well, I haven't really thought about it. I've got, like, three huge exams tomorrow," Alex answered, looking stressed.

"Honey, you can't just slap something together at the last minute," Claire said, disappointed. "You know, if you gave this costume half as much time and attention as you give your homework, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"Can I remind you, you have one child who's not mediocre?" Alex said as Haley walked into the room.

Claire turned and saw Haley wearing a colorful and eye-catching costume. Haley's outfit consisted of a tight red and blue jacket, a matching pair of shorts, and fishnet stockings. Her hair was dyed half red and half blue, tied into pigtails. She had a choker around her neck with Daniel's name on it.

"How do I look?" Haley said, showing off her costume.

"Are you a scary clown?" Claire asked, puzzled.

"I think so. Daniel and I are doing a couples costume. He had this ordered for me," Haley said, twirling to show off the outfit.

"Mmm, scary clowns. Yes, I can work with that," Claire muttered, thinking about how it would fit into their House of Horrors theme.

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Daniel POV

I leaned back in my car seat, my phone pressed to my ear as I listened to Scott Snyder tell me a plot point for the script we were writing.

"Look, Daniel," Scott said, his voice crackling slightly through the phone. "I think it's best if we establish a world where superheroes exist before Clark becomes Superman. It gives more weight to his journey and sets him apart."

I sighed "I get that, Scott. But if we introduce other superheroes who are already active, doesn't it take away from Clark's emergence as the first real superhero?"

" But what if these other superheroes aren't symbols of hope? What if they're more like government contractors, doing their jobs but not inspiring anyone? Clark's journey to becoming Superman would highlight the difference between being a hero and being a symbol. He becomes the ideal that others aspire to, not just another cape in the crowd."

"Think about it. We could have characters who are heroes in name but lack the moral compass that Clark has. It sets up a perfect foil for him. He becomes the beacon of hope in a world that desperately needs it. Plus, it creates interesting dynamics and conflicts for future stories."

I nodded, even though Scott couldn't see me. The idea was growing on me. "I see where you're coming from. It could work."

"Alright, Scott. Let's explore this." I added.

"Agreed," Scott said, his voice filled with excitement. "I'll start working on some drafts and character concepts."

I ended the call. It was a cool idea that Scott proposed though nothing was set in stone yet.

"Bye, Mom!" I heard haley say as i put my phone in my pocket 

"Be back before 5," Claire shouted.

"Yes, I know!" Haley shouted back entering the car.

"Bye, Mrs. Dunphy," I said.

"Don't forget, Daniel," Claire reminded me.

"Yes, yes, 5 o'clock," I said before accelerating the car forward.

"She's been unbearable all day," Haley sighed.

"Well, she does really love Halloween," I said.

"Yeah, a little too much," Haley replied.

"So, where are we going after the party at your office?" she asked.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked.

"I just want to spend time alone with you. We haven't been able to since your mom came back," Haley said.

"Well, I have some good news for you," I said, grinning.

"What?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Mom is going back to work with Lucy, and I will be home for most of the time writing," I said, drawing out the words for effect. "Soooo," I trailed off, letting the implication sink in.

Haley's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really," I confirmed.

"Is't your office like away from everyone else?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"Yes why do you…..Mmm, I like the way you think," I said in a low voice.

"So, what are we going to be doing there?" I asked, keeping it going.

Haley leaned closer, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper as she began to describe what she would let me do to her in the office. When she got to the part where she mentioned taking her clothes off, I quickly interrupted.

"No, no, keep it on," I said.

"Really? The costume" Haley asked, confused.

"Yeah, that's the appeal, you know, the fantasy," I explained.

"A clown," Haley asked bewildered.

"No no harley is not a clown she…umm….dresses like one" I said there was not way to really explain it to her 

"Hey I'm not judging you know people have different…. " haley began to say 

"No no i am not you just have to see the batman animated ..series…uh she's hot you know very hot" I began trying to find the words.

 "Ok costume on, guess there's a first time for everything," Haley said with a playful grin.

We finally arrived at the offices of Infinite World Publishing. It was festooned with a delightful array of Halloween decorations. Cobwebs stretched across doorways, and paper ghosts floated from the ceiling. Jack-o'-lanterns, carved with intricate designs, glowed warmly on desks and tables. Employees moved around in a variety of costumes: a vampire with a flowing cape, a witch with a pointy hat and broomstick, a mummy wrapped meticulously in white bandages, and a pirate with an eye patch and a plastic parrot perched on his shoulder.

As we walked through the office, Haley pointed out Mitchell, who was dressed in a classic Spider-Man costume. "Oh, there's Uncle Mitchell!" she exclaimed.

We walked over to him, and Mitchell's eyes widened in surprise when he saw us. "Wow, you look so good!" he said, admiring our costumes.

"Thanks," Haley replied with a smile.

"So, are you some kind of killer clown couple?" Mitchell asked, tilting his head as he inspected us more closely.

"No, I'm the Joker, you know, from Batman," I explained.

"Oh yeah, wow! But it's a whole different costume," Mitchell said looking me over.

"Are you wearing this to Claire's haunted house?" I asked, eyeing his Spider-Man costume.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting about that," Mitchell said, looking down at his outfit as if seeing it for the first time.

"I'm sure she has something for you," I said.

We then began mingling with everyone, Haley glanced at the drinks table and asked, "Which one is alcoholic?"

"None," I replied, shaking my head.

"This party sucks," Haley said, pouting slightly.

As I was getting something to drink, Michael, one of the editors, approached me dressed in an Elvis costume, complete with a white jumpsuit and oversized sunglasses. "Daniel, why are you not answering our emails?" he asked, frustration evident in his voice.

I sighed, knowing where this conversation was headed. "Because I asked my assistant to ignore them," I said flatly.

"We sent you some good ideas," Michael began, but I cut him off.

Those 'good ideas' he was referring to included making A Song of Ice and Fire more fantastical by adding elves, dwarves, and more magic. They clearly didn't understand that the story was rooted in political intrigue and semi-realism.

"Michael," I said, my voice rising slightly. "We…. are ....not …..doing…. that," I emphasized each word. "We already agreed. Just do your job with what I have given you. I am the author here; we are doing this my way." I said firmly.

Michael nodded, looking a bit unnerved, and quickly left.

I relaxed and turned back to Haley. "Look, sorry you had to see—" I was abruptly cut off by her assaulting my lips with a kiss.

"Whoa, what was that for?" I asked, breathless.

"That was so hot," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"What was so hot?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"That you got all 'I am the boss, you do what I say' on him and he just ran off," Haley said, clearly worked up.

"I don't know what came over me," I said, still a bit surprised at my own behavior.

"No, no, no, I like it," Haley said, grabbing my hands and dragging me away from the party.

She led me into my office and pushed me onto the couch. 

'Wow, she is kind of acting like Harley now,'I thought as she approached me with a wide grin and straddled me. 

'Definitely not taking it off,' I thought as she leaned in to capture my lips.

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General POV

"Where is Haley?" Claire asked, dressed as the Corpse Bride.

"She's not here yet," Alex said.

Claire took out her phone to call Haley, but it went straight to voicemail. Just then, Luke came into the room dressed as Doctor Frankenstein, complete with a lab coat and goggles. "Monster, you will do my bidding!" he commanded as Manny entered, dressed as Frankenstein's monster. "Yes, master," Manny droned, playing along.

Claire smiled proudly at their costumes before turning her attention to Mitchell and Cam. She was annoyed that Mitchell was still in his Spider-Man costume. 

"Mitchell, will you please change out of that?" she said, tossing him a scarecrow costume.

"Fine," Mitchell said, taking it with a sigh. Cam looked around nervously, clearly hoping someone would ask him why he was so on edge.

"Mitchell, where are Haley and Daniel? Were they at your office party?" Claire asked, exasperated.

"Yeah, I think they left early," Mitchell said, slipping into the scarecrow costume.

"Great," Claire muttered. She gathered everyone to run through the final plans for their Halloween setup.

"All right, now. I just wanna run through everything really quick with everybody," Claire said, clapping her hands for attention. "First it's 'Trick or treat'... and then Phil..."

"Come in, if you dare," Phil said with a modulated voice.

"Right, and then Dad does the thunder and the lightning and the fog," Claire continued.

"We usher the children in, past Alex in her cage..."

"I'm in a cage?" Alex asked, looking puzzled.

"Yes," Claire confirmed. "You're in a house of horrors, being held against your will."

"Yeah, I know. So why do we need the cage?" Alex asked.

Claire ignored her question and continued. "And then Gloria pops up as the evil village bruja and she says, 'Welcome to your nightmare,'" Claire said, imitating a Colombian accent.

The cam does his thing and then I do my thing. Kids get their candy. They are ushered out."

"They think it's all over, but it's not... because out on the porch," Claire pointed to Mitchell, "the scarecrow pops to life… Pow! For one final 'aah!'"

Mitchell groaned but nodded in agreement. "Got it, scarecrow here," he said, resigned to his role.

"Claire, I don't think I'm ready for this," Cam said, adjusting his creepy clown costume nervously.

"You don't own bad Halloweens," Mitchell replied, rolling his eyes as he adjusted his scarecrow hat.

"Cam, just do your part," Claire insisted, frustration seeping into her voice. She was clearly on edge, wanting everything to go perfectly.

Just then, Jay and Gloria arrived. Jay was dressed as a gargoyle, with dark, ominous wings and a stone-like mask. Gloria, who was supposed to be the evil village bruja, was speaking in an exaggerated American accent, clearly not her best performance. It seemed like they were in the middle of an argument.

"I guess we'll have to do this without Haley and Daniel," Claire said, her patience thinning as she heard the excited voices of children approaching outside.

"Okay, everyone, positions!" she called out.

Their first attempt at scaring the children did not go as planned. Cam could not pop his head out from the table, startling no one. Jay forgot to turn on the sound effects, and Gloria's because of using an American accent her act fell flat, failing to add any scare factor.

The group of children who entered the haunted house looked around unimpressed. "This is lame," one of them said, and the rest quickly agreed before turning to leave.

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Daniel POV

 Haley and I pulled up to her house. We were late—very late.

"We can just sneak in," I said. "I mean, they must be busy with scaring kids."

"Yeah, come on," Haley agreed, getting out of the car. I followed her to the door.

As we approached, we saw Jay and Gloria just entering the house. "Oh, they must be late as well," Haley said.

I nodded and followed her to the door, where we heard Claire yelling.

"I'm not done, so not done. Look, here's the thing. We have fireworks at Christmas now... because that's what they do in Colombia. I don't mind. Thanksgiving… That used to be me roasting a turkey… until the gays took it over with whatever new turkey cooking craze… it is that you saw on the Food Network, and I'm fine with that too. All I ask... all I ask… is that you leave me Halloween. Yeah, Halloween. I realize it is a crazy-ass holiday for a grown woman to care about this much… but it is my crazy-ass holiday. Mine."

"That's a lot of complaining from somebody… who asked for thirds of our tandoori turkey last year," Cam added.

"Wow, she is angry," Haley whispered as the door opened to reveal Claire.

"Oh, look who is here. It must be five, right?" she said, glancing at me before walking off with Phil following her.

Haley took my hand and led me inside. Mitchell was dressed as a scarecrow, Jay as a gargoyle, Gloria as a witch, Cam was inside a table, and Alex was in a cage.

"So, um, what happened?" I asked.

"Oh, now you come," Mitchell said, clearly annoyed. "Where did you two go?" he added.

"Are you two dressed as a clown couple?" Cam asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, what happened to your makeup? And yours too, Haley—it's almost gone," Mitchell noted, looking at us curiously.

Yeah the clown make up was almost gone now most of it was on the couch in my office had to get it cleaned i reminded myself…. but we did look scarier now than before.

"Yeah, well, you know, it started itching," I said quickly.

"Yeah, yeah we had to take some off ," Haley said, backing me up.

Mitchell shook his head and turned to the others.

"Guys, come on! You heard what Claire said. We can't let her down. Let's give some kids nightmares," Mitchell urged.

I heard footsteps approaching and looked to see some kids coming. "Oh look, someone is coming," I said.

"Okay, get into positions," Mitchell said as the lights in the room dimmed.

"What are we supposed to do?" Haley asked.

"Follow my lead," I whispered.

The kids entered the darkened house, and I stood by the entrance, casting an eerie shadow. As they walked closer, the kids stepped back, only to find Haley blocking the door to make sure they couldn't escape.

I leaned closer to the kids, giving them my creepiest smile. "Hey, kids, you wanna see a magic trick?" I said, then laughed maniacally. They screamed and turned to flee, only to face Haley, who scared them back toward the others.

Jay did the sound effects, Gloria performed a witch routine, and Cam's head popped out from the table. Alex grabbed at the kids' legs from the cage, and Mitchell jumped out as the scarecrow. The kids screamed in terror and fled the house.

"Good job, everyone!" Mitchell said, high-fiving everyone.

Claire returned just in time to see the scared trick-or-treaters running away. 

She was happy.

Thankfully, she forgot about us being late.

I spent some time there, scaring more kids and enjoying the haunted house with Haley's family before returning home.

I really needed some sleep.