GHOSTS
by Regis, 5th Grade
When you feel a shiver down your spine
They're right next to you
When you feel the temperature drop
That's them getting warmer
It's the tingling in your hand
They're holding it
They're always with you but...they're dead!

SPOOKS
by Lili and Lindsey, 5th grade
They don't have bones,
they don't have flesh,
and in the day they sleep in their nests.
Chicken Licken has a hat,
he's a chicken ghost at that!

HALLOWEEN NIGHT
by Claire and Arianna, 5th grade
"It's almost Halloween and I have no costume and we haven't bought any candy!" yelled Arianna at her best friend Claire. "Relax, Arianna, we still have a week to get everything we need," said Claire.

"ONLY A WEEK! ONLY A WEEK! WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET EVERYTHING?" Arianna yelled even louder.

"We'll get it at the Wizard's Chest, duh!" said Claire.

"Duh!" said Arianna.

"Duh!" said Claire.

"DUH!" they both said at the same time.

"Okay, Claire, four days ago you said we'd have everything in a week's time. It'll be Halloween in three days and we've GOT NOTHING!" said Arianna.

"Arianna, calm down. After school we'll go to the Wizard's Chest and get our costumes, all right?"

"All right, but it has to be RIGHT after school!"

"FINE! Have it your way!"

"Fine, I will!"

So right after school they went to the Wizard's Chest. Claire bought an Ice Queen costume, and since there were no other costumes left, Arianna was forced to be an Ice Queen, too.

"Claire, we TOTALLY look the same!" Arianna complained as they looked in a mirror, "I don't even know which one is me!"

"Arianna, won't you EVER be quiet?!"

It was Halloween at last. "All right, Arianna, make sure you have everything ready," said Claire. "Let's remember to go by that graveyard."

"What graveyard?" Arianna asked, puzzled.

"HELLO! Haven't you heard about the graveyard by the big old house?"

"No..."

"Well, when the city's biggest criminal died, they buried him in that graveyard. They say whoever goes past the graveyard will have the life sucked out of them!"

There was ten seconds of silence, then Arianna burst out laughing.

"You really think I'm going to fall for that? Ha!"

Claire was stunned. "This totally is NOT a joke. Remember that kid Peter, who everyone called Doctor Dare?"

"Yes!"

"Well," said Claire, "Peter and a bunch of bad boys were at this same graveyard last Halloween. They dared Peter to cross past the graveyard and of course he accepted the dare."

"So?"

"So he started walking past the criminal's grave and there was suddenly a huge cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared away, Peter was GONE!"

Arianna gulped. Five seconds of silence passed. Then Claire burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?!" Arianna asked, shaking. "I can't believe you fell for my joke," Claire giggled.

Arianna giggled too, and then said, "Wait! What joke?"

"Arianna, don't you remember? Peter was expelled from school -- he didn't disappear!" She giggled again.

"Ohhh! Claire! Don't kid around! It's Halloween you know!"

"Come on, it's just a little spook-you-out joke!"

"Very funny! Now let's go."

"Fine with me!"

So the girls set out to find their holiday treasure, and sure enough, soon they had bags full of candy. They found themselves nearing the graveyard.

Claire kept walking but Arianna stayed where she was. "C'mon, Arianna," Claire called. But then Claire tripped on a rock and hit her head. She was unconscious. "Claire!" Arianna yelled. She ran over to Claire. "Claire, are you all right? I'll go get help!"

Suddenly a big puff of smoke appeared out of nowhere. When it cleared there was a big creepy shadow hovering over them. Arianna screamed her lungs out. Then Arianna started shaking Claire like crazy.

"CLAIRE! Claire, please wake up, oh, please!" As Arianna spoke, the shadow started moving closer and closer. Claire's eyes fluttered open. "What?" she asked with a groggy voice.

"There's no time to explain!" Arianna yelled. "RUN!" She grabbed Claire and ran. The shadow went after them, screaming, chasing them right into the old house!

"Where are we?" Claire asked.

"We're in that creepy old house you were telling me about!" They went through a bedroom and began to climb out a window. Claire went first. But just then the shadow appeared with a howl and grabbed Arianna. She screamed for help. The shadow dragged her up the stairs toward the roof. Claire got back in and ran after them, but the door to the roof had been locked. She found an ax and cut a hole in the door. She climbed out and started looking for Arianna. She saw the shadow was about to throw Arianna off the roof!

Claire ran over and pushed at the shadow first. It went over the edge, but Arianna started falling, too. Claire grabbed her and pulled her up to safety. They ran back down the stairs and all the way home.

When they got home Arianna said, "Man, this was the best Halloween ever!"

"You can say that again," Claire said, "Now, I'm gonna start digging into all this candy!"

"That sounds fine to me!"

THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT MR. REPLOGLE
by Dawn, 4th grade
Have you ever wondered why Mr. Replogle dyed his hair red last year? Well, here's why. It's the color of his favorite meal. Yes, that's right, Mr. Replogle is a vampire. It has been discovered that his mother was none other than the vampiress Maria Bloodly. Widely known for countless attacks on humans, she was destroyed by a very smart person who threw a glass of garlic tea on her. His father, however, was bitten three times by Maria and I hope you know that's how many times it takes to become a vampire. So that's why Mr. Replogle is not half but pure vampire. I hope he thinks twice before dining at Bromwell, because there is a very reliable vampire slayer at our school, but I'm not saying who. So be sure to be with someone whenever you go to the library... or carry a cup of garlic tea!

THERE'S NO DODGING HALLOWEEN... OR IS THERE?
by Janet with Katie, 5th grade
We asked Ms. Dodge ten questions about her Halloween experiences and here are her answers...
Q: What are the most common costumes that shows up at your house?
A: Either a witch or a ghost.

Q: What was the most rare costume?
A: Probably a dragon.

Q: What is the funniest costume that's ever come to your door?
A: Actually it was a student here at Bromwell who came as a dead bride!

Q: What kind of candy do you give out?
A: I usually give out M & Ms.

Q: Do you carve Jack-o-lanterns?
A: Actually, no, I paint them.

Q: What was your son's first costume?
A: My son's first Halloween costume was Mickey Mouse.

Q: What were you last year?
A: I was the mysterious gorilla!

Q: Have you dressed up before?
A: Yes, I have. I was Donald Duck one year and Snoopy another year.

THE LEGEND OF MR. BROMWELL'S GHOST
by Alina, 5th grade
There's a legend about old Mr. Bromwell. The rumors have passed from student to student, teacher to teacher. They say that before the school fires in 1897 and 1911, Mr. Bromwell appeared in the halls, warning those in the building of the danger. For one whole year they left the ruins of the burned building alone until 1912, because all the people who walked by swore they saw Mr. Bromwell looking out the windows and smiling. Do you believe it? The decision is up to you!

THE CAT AND THE BAT
by Randi, 3rd grade
Once there was a cat who was getting too old to chase rats. One day she heard her witch say "This cat is getting too old to catch the rats!" The witch said also "I'll drown it in the well!" Now when the cat heard this she packed up her favorite pet bat. She left and made friends with the Grim Reaper and the ghost of Christopher Columbus.

MY HALLOWEEN CANDY
by Kate, 2nd grade
It was Halloween night and I was out trick-or-treating. I got a ton of candy. When I got home, my sister, my brother and I had a candy war and I won! My brother only got three pieces of candy. I won seven of my brother's candy and my sister got one of each. I hid my candy so he couldn't take it back. Then in the morning I ate it all and then I didn't feel so good.

THE HAUNTED HOUSE ON MY STREET
by Olivia, 5th grade
Have you ever had one of those houses on your street that make you think you hear a scream or a chainsaw when you walk by? Well, I do! This is a true story... A long time ago, a man named Mr. Bailey owned a house on my street. He also owned the circus, and he especially loved the circus lions -- a bad hobby! How bad? It cost him his life.

One day Mr. Bailey decided to take one of the lions home for the night. He made a bed of down in a room for the lion. But later that night he was awoken by a scratching sound...

To the horror of the whole neighborhood there was a blood-curdling scream, and a deafening roar. I think that Mr. Bailey's bones are still there, if not resting in peace!

BUGS BUNNY'S GHOST
(with Twilight Zone music)
by Amalia, 4th grade
In the dark of the
night night night
Bugs Bunny was
roaming in the
twilight twilight twilight
And in the park at
midnight midnight midnight
and... and... and...BOO!

THE CURSE OF THE BLACK HAWKS!
by Mats, 5th grade
Pete Muldon was the coach of the Chicago Black Hawks in 1927, and the team did fairly well. But club owner Fred McLaughlin decided to get a new coach. Angered, Muldon put his personal hex on the Black Hawks. He said the team would never win the Stanley Cup.

When 25 years had passed and the Hawks had never won the Cup, Muldon's words were remembered. Perhaps he had really laid a curse on the team!

Never is a long time, however, and the Black Hawks finally did win the Stanley Cup and break "Muldon's Curse" in 1962. But Muldon had nothing to be ashamed of. It took Chicago 35 years to break the jinx!

BLACK CAT ON THE MOUND!
by Mats, 5th grade
Between June 1949 and June 1951, New York Yankees southpaw Eddie Lopat defeated the Cleveland Indians eleven times in a row. When Lopat faced the Indians on June 4th, 1951, one Cleveland fan decided to break the streak. As Lopat took the mound, the fan jumped out of the stand and dropped a black cat at the pitcher's feet. The jinx worked. Lopat was pounded for five runs in the first inning, and the Indians went on to win, 8 - 2.

CAR 42, WHERE ARE YOU?
by Grant and Sean, 4th grade
In 1963, the Grand Prix was being held in Japan at the Suzuka Circuit in Nagoya. The favorite was Masao Asano, who drove car number 42. During the race he got in a fatal crash. In the next year's Grand Prix, the use of the number 42 was banned. But in 8 of the 25 laps marshalls checking the cars saw a car with the number 42!

HALLOWEEN, HALLOWEEN
by Helen, 4th grade
Halloween, Halloween -
oh it makes me scream!
Halloween -
I'm dressing up as a Jumping Bean!
Halloween -
I'm eating orange whipped cream!
Halloween -
I'm going to be real mean!
Halloween, Halloween -
better watch out for me!

AT 12 O'CLOCK MIDNIGHT
by Natasha, 4th grade
At 12 midnight...
the bats screech
the werewolves howl
the mummies growl
the ghosts scare
while the king of them all,
Count Dracula
flies house to house
to bite you on the neck!
(But this only happens at 12 o'clock midnight!)

A TALE OF HALLOWEEN
by Scott, 4th grade
I shall tell you a tale of a scary fright
of a gruesome night
that will make you take flight.
This takes place on Halloween
Some things you have ever seen:
Pumpkins with faces,
Skeletons taking paces,
Witches on brooms,
and green stinky fumes...
But don't be afraid,
for they're just costumes!

THE HAUNTED PARK
by Alex and Lauren, 5th grade
Detectives 102 and 201 are now on duty (also known as Alex and Laura). Our newest case is about a graveyard that happens to be under a popular park.

Here are the facts. The haunted park is Cheesman Park, right near our school! When there is a full moon out and you walk slowly through the damp grass, you can feel hot and cold spots. The heat or cold rises up from the ground, maybe from where the bodies are buried. The craziest fact of all is that all of this is true! We looked in a Neighborhood Fact Book and found out about the spooky graveyard and now we're letting you in on this freaky secret.

THE DARK FIGURE
by Aris, 2nd grade
I had just chosen some of my favorite books at the Tattered Cover when suddenly I saw a dark figure coming toward me. It was eight feet tall. It's claws were four feet long. It came closer and closer.

The moon was full. It was Halloween. Finally I could see its face. It had red eyes and its teeth were ten inches long. I screamed "AHHHHHHH!" It screamed "AHHHHHHH!"

I realized it was only me in a costume in a mirror. Happy Halloween!

THE HOUND OF HALLOWEEN
by Natalie, 4th grade
When the sun finally went down, the whole city of San Diego didn't mind. Because tonight was Halloween. For once mothers didn't call, "Come in Dave! Bath time," at 6:30 p.m. By 6:40 p.m. everyone was ready.

On a busy street in La Jolla the Dannens got ready. There was Olive, Jessie, Jerry, and their cousins Fred, George, and Mandy. When they wereready they hurried into the living room to show mom.

"Fred are you sure you want screws in your head? George don't let that toilet paper unwrap! Jerry is that my bedsheet? Mandy what a pretty wing! Olive you look like Britney Spears. Jessie... what are you?"

"I'm a two-headed monster. I need Sarah to be the other head," said Jessie.

Sarah Jen was a friend of the Dannens. She and her brother Mike were going trick-or-treating with them. Just then the doorbell rang and it was the Jens. Lena, David, Sarah, and Mike came in. Mike was a dragon with a huge bag with a pumpkin face on it. Sarah slipped under the extra-large T-shirt with Jessie and put on her mask.

"Good-bye!" Mom called as they slipped away. After 15 blocks they stopped, then they turned a corner and found themselves in front of the old Fine's house. The five Fines had moved out ten years before and nobody lived there now.

People claimed to have heard strange sounds coming from it, though.

"Hey, wanna dare?" asked Joe.

"No, that's silly," said Olive.

"Oh yeah? Lemme tell you the story..." Joe then told a totally-made-up story about how the house was haunted. When he finished, Mandy, who was only six years old, started to whimper in fear.

"We'll do it!" said Jessie and Sarah at the same time.

"All right then. Go!" Jerry teased.

Jessie looked at the house with its ivy and rickety bricks. "Okay," she said.

They walked into the house. Inside it was pitch black. After walking a short way, they stumbled and fell with a loud noise. Suddenly, they heard "Owooooooo...." and then a scuffling of feet.

"J-J-J-Jeesie," Sarah said (she said "Jeesie" when she was freaked).

Jessie stuttered, "P-P-Put on y-your flashlight."

Their masks has lights on them. The beams of light reached a small figure in a corner. It was a small collie.

Sarah reached forward, saying "Nice doggie. Good doggie." The dog looked up and licked their hand. Jessie picked up her up and carried her outside.

"No fair!" Fred stamped his foot.

"It is fair," said Mandy.

"No!" shouted Jerry, George, and Joe.

"Yes" said Sarah and Jessie, "What do you think, Olive?"

Olive thought for a while. "It is fair," she said decidedly.

"Yes!" shouted Jessie, "She's mine!"

They started home.

"You can keep her," said Mom.

"I'll name her Katy," Jessie announced. So the next time you go in a haunted house, don't flip out.Just bring a flashlight!

ONE CREEPY NIGHT
by Chante, 5th grade
Down in the deep dark woods,
you can hear the gray wolves cry.
When you walk in the deep dark forest
Is it your time to die?

Where the witches laugh,
and the moon shines bright,
hear the bones chatter
in the middle of the night.

As I walk through the house of the dead,
I can see the zombies roam...
As I walk upstairs to a room,
I can hear the mummies groan...

So next time you walk in the deep dark woods,
and you hear the gray wolves cry,
just stop and think,
and think some more,
Is it your time to die?

HALLOWEEN TONGUE TWISTERS
Say Them 3 Times Fast...If You Dare!
by the Tricksters in B-6
Marching monsters make masks - Kate

Vampires give valentines - Angelo

Phantoms frighten frogs - Chuckie

The moon makes mummies move - Meredith

Frankenstein likes frankfurters - Marley

Dastardly devils dive into the darkness - Elsa

Goblins and ghosts go to the graveyard - Jake

THE DUNGEON
by Ann and Kelly, 5th grade
There's been a rumor for a long time that there's a dungeon under our playing field. We went and searched for clues. We found a mysterious object, some artificial bones, and an old candy wrapper. They were near an old locked door outside a deserted part of the building. So Joe the custodian opened it up. It was dusty and dark and it seemed no one had been there for 500 years. It had electrical switches on the wall. But wait... part of the floor was boarded-up and hollow underneath. Could it be the entrance to a dungeon? Maybe! None of the teachers would tell us the real story. But we say: watch out!

ONE SCARY HALLOWEEN NIGHT
(When I Had To Go Inside Too Soon)
by Erik, 4th grade
Lots of scary things at night
Paralyzing me with fright.

Look at all the spooky ghosts,
those are what scare me most.

I also see a witch or two,
looking at me with eyes of blue.

Look at all the goblins and ghouls,
they made costumes with nifty tools.

Then there's all the black-robed phantoms,
scaring me out of my pant-ums.

What's running up behind? It's a... it's a...
Oh, it's just my sister.

Geez, this is so very scary...
Can we go back inside and be merry?

Do I dare go visit that creepy house?
And -
"Honey, it's time to come inside!"
"Mom, do I have to come in already?"