“Was that three Cinnamons and two Pumpkin Spices? Yeah - all in cups, right?”

  “OK, here’s your cone – whoopsie daisy! Careful, two hands now. It’s pretty tall!”

  “That’s right, we use cow’s milk. If you want a non-dairy option, here are our sorbets…”

  It had been like this since lunchtime. While it wasn’t getting any warmer, there were many more people out and about. It was the day before Halloween andvthere were plenty of people young and old, who were getting into the spirit and dressed up already. The last group of customers - a group of spooky themed, face-painted school kids - filed out the door, jabbering, screaming and laughing, ice creams in hand.

  “Phew,” Logan whistled deep and low. Appropriate, given that he was wearing a shaggy, grey vest and a headband with wolf ears on top. “Business has been amazing!”

  “Not the word I’d use, Unc.” Taylor raised her lip into a snarl and slid out the retainer that had vampire fangs moulded onto it. It was one part of her costume, with the big reveal to be done tomorrow. “It’s been busy as f–”

  “Ever,” Logan interjected, glaring at his niece briefly, “not feeling too tired?”

  Ever, who didn’t have a costume yet, had a hastily drawn scar on his cheek using Taylor’s eyeliner. He gulped down some water, wiping his mouth and smearing the scar, much to Taylor’s dismay.

  “Feeling good. It used to be a lot busier than this over the summer.” He glanced at Taylor, who was nodding vigorously.

  “Yeah well, it can’t be summer all the time unfortunately. This sort of business is seasonal. Most businesses are actually. You have to ride the waves and average out your takings over the year to get a better sense of the–”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “Blah, blah, blah, anyway Ever,” Taylor said, cutting off her uncle. “What do you think you’ll be dressed up as tomorrow?”

  “I’m not sure. It’s my first time.” He looked at his palms, as if he’d written down the answers there. “I might go as the Grim Reaper.”

  Taylor gave a wide, knowing smile. “No kidding?”

  “Well that’s easy enough,” Logan said. “You just need to get some sort of black robe. If you didn’t have that, get a big, black sheet and fasten the front with a paperclip or something. Actually you know what…”

  He zipped into the back room for a moment.

  “Why don’t you go as something else?” Taylor whispered under her breath.

  “I don’t know what else I can be.”

  “You can be anything you want. You’re already Death’s apprentice now. You basically don’t have to dress up at all.”

  Ever didn’t have anything to say to this. He fiddled with a little, red ice cream spoon that had fallen on the ground.

  “Oh and what about Zoe? Is she coming or what?”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “Nice! What is she coming as?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “How can you not know what your girlfriend is dressing up as for Halloween?”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Found it!” Logan said. He was holding a black, folded up bit of fabric. “This was a table cloth we used once for some event. Haven’t used it since. You can have it.” He handed it over to Ever, who accepted it gratefully.

  It was smooth and synthetic. Without something to keep it in place, it would keep falling off for sure. It would have to do. He wasn’t comfortable being anything else, but himself.