It's a Tully Halloween 4

By David

The author prefers not to display any email address. Please direct any feedback to puericil@hotmail.com and it will be forwarded

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This story is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It contains explicit depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
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It’s a Tully Halloween!
By David

Samuel Oliver has big plans for Halloween. He’s built the perfect superhero costume ever and plans to show it off to all of his friends at the neighborhood costume party.

But Samuel's dreams of fun and excitement are threatened when his mother is called out of town on a business trip and he’s faced with spending the second best holiday of the year with his dreaded babysitter, Mrs. Irma Tully!

See what happens when the cast of Marlene and the Boy Next Door get together and hold the scariest, creepiest Halloween ever!

Part Four – A Betrayal of the Worst Kind!

Twelve year old Samuel Oliver couldn’t believe his luck. Just that afternoon he’d been planning on an amazing Halloween with his friends, showing off his Iron Man costume and collecting more candy than he could ever hope to eat. But none of that happened; instead, he was sitting naked in the back seat of a sedan with a fully costumed Batwoman, of all people, at the wheel and under guard by Catwoman and Wonder Woman.

“Isn’t this fun?” whispered Marlene Miller. Dressed in her homemade Wonder Woman costume, the freckle faced twelve year old giggled at her nude companion. “I bet this is a Halloween you’ll never forget!”

"Yeah, probably," croaked the anxious boy. "I'm gonna try, though."

"Aw, don't be such a Debby downer," teased Marlene's Aunt Margaret. Peering over her shoulder at Samuel through her Catwoman goggles, she gave the beleaguered lad a playful smirk. “Not many boys get to hang out with such cool chicks!”

“Well, not in their birthday suits, anyway.” Looking up through the rear view mirror, Marlene’s mother watched Samuel quite intently from beneath her Batwoman mask; her dark red lipstick contrasted with her bright white teeth, making her playful smile look almost vicious. The naked boy could feel her gleaming eyes going up and down his exposed body; he pressed his thighs together in a desperate attempt to conceal his penis.

The costumed woman laughed. “Don’t worry, my sweet little Tarzan, you don’t have anything I haven’t seen before. We’ll get you fixed up soon as we get to the park. Hey, don’t frown so much, you’ll get stuck that way. We are going to show you a good time, whether you like it or not!”

The drive to the park was a quick one. Samuel hoped it would take a little longer, but before he knew it Mrs. Miller pulled into a parking place and everyone was getting out. He fumbled slowly with his seatbelt, doing his best to stall while he tried to think of some way – any way at all! – to stay in the car.

“Come on, slowpoke!” Marlene grabbed the nude lad by the hand and pulled him out of the car. “Geez, you’re no fun at all!”

Samuel was horrified! He was standing stark naked in the heart of the town. He could hear a rock band playing just a block away and several passersby were coming down the sidewalk. The only thing that kept him from being exposed to the world was the less than reliable wall of privacy formed by the trio of costumed females surrounding him.

“Here you go, sweetie.” Marlene’s mother held out his loincloth as he fidgeted about on the rough pavement in his bare feet. “I fixed you all up. Let’s get you dressed and then go have some fun!”

Marlene snickered. “Yeah, Sambo. Let’s get you dressed so we can have some fun!”

Samuel looked skeptically at the fresh knot and sighed. The repaired “costume” didn’t look any better than before; it was still just a couple of pieces of cloth held together by some string. Despite his reluctance, however, it was tied into place around his waist, adjusted, and then readjusted to the satisfaction of the giggling females. It wasn’t much, but it was all he had; at least his privates were covered, though it felt like more of his bottom was exposed than before.

“There, good as new!” Mrs. Miller grinned. “You look so cute like that. I can see why Marlene likes having you around.”

Samuel nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” was all he could think of to say.

A moment later the seventh grader found himself following the trio toward the center of the park and a large crowd of costumed characters and loud music. He glanced down at his meager costume and felt more naked than ever before. He started to turn around and head for the car, but Marlene grabbed him by one hand and her Aunt Margaret gripped him by the other.

“Oh no you don’t, little man,” purred the imposter Catwoman. She reached down and grabbed the faux tail attached to the back of her costume and flipped it in his face. “You’re coming with us. We need a big strong hero to keep us safe in the dark. Who knows what evil lurks on Halloween!”

Marlene giggled at her aunt’s comment. “Big strong hero, ha! More like a fat little fairy! Forget about him protecting us. If anything bad happens we’ll probably have to rescue his pudgy butt!”

“This isn’t a good idea,” Samuel fussed. “We’re gonna see people from my school, I just know it! If they see me looking like this, with barely any clothes on, my life will be ruined. Please … Marlene … Mrs. Miller … let’s go back. Pleeeeeeeeassssssse?”

“I’m sorry, but there’s no Mrs. Miller here,” Marlene’s mother said with a mock growl. “I’m ‘Batwoman,’ remember?”

“And I’m ‘Catwoman,’ so don’t be begging for my help, eitherrrrrr, my purrrrrrrr-etty!” purred Aunt Margaret.

“I guess you’re just out of luck, Sambo.” Marlene’s grin went from ear to ear. “So stop your whining! Believe me, nobody will care what you’re wearing. And nobody cares about your fat little bare butt! They’re just here for a good time. You worry too much!”

Samuel bit his lip. There was no use arguing. Between his bossy friend and her bullying elders, he had little say in what was about to happen. Maybe, just maybe, if he was lucky … and kept his head down … he might get by without seeing anybody he knew. Or more important, who knew him.

Of course, the first person they ran into was Mrs. McNealy, the lady who lived across the street from his home. Dressed as the Queen of Hearts, she had her ten year old twins in tow, Abigail and Allison, both of whom wore matching Alice in Wonderland outfits. The trio of costumes would have been cute if Samuel wasn’t so self-conscious about his own appearance.

“Samuel Oliver! What are you doing here? I thought your mother left you with your babysitter tonight. Why aren’t you with her?”

“Um, hey, Mrs. McNealy,” mumbled the blushing boy. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” The costumed woman seemed genuinely surprised to see him. A big smile spread across her face as she realized what he was wearing. “Well, that’s certainly an interesting costume. What little there is of it. What are you supposed to be? Aren’t you cold in that tiny thing?”

Before Samuel could say a word “Wonder Woman” butted in with, “Hi! My name is Marlene. This is my mom and my Aunt Margaret. We live next door to Sambo’s babysitter. Don’t you just love his costume? He’s Tarzan the Ape Man! You know, the Lord of the Jungle?”

“I see ….” The grinning woman turned her boys to face Samuel. “Girls! Look here! See who it is? It’s Samuel Oliver and he’s dressed up as Tarzan. You know, like from the cartoon you watch all the time?”

Samuel sighed as the two “Alices” stared at him. They were two little know-it-all snots and he hated having to deal with them back home. His stomach ached as they pointed at him and giggled and laughed. He should have been used to this kind of thing by now, but apparently not, especially when it came from little brats like the McNealy twins.

“He’s not Tarzan,” Abigail – or was it Allison? – said with hysterical laughter. “Tarzan is big and strong and handsome. Samuel Oliver’s just running around in his underwear!”

“That’s not underwear!” Allison – or was it Abigail? – yelled. “That’s just a couple of hankies on a string! And he’s not wearing anything underneath, Mama! See his butt, Mama? Can you see his butt? I can! I can see Samuel’s bare bottom! I can see his bare bottom!”

All of the women, plus several passersby, laughed along with the giggling girls. Samuel felt like digging a hole in the ground and burying himself in it.

“They make a good point,” remarked Mrs. McNealy. “That really isn’t much of a costume. Does your mother know what you’re wearing? Aren’t you embarrassed, just a little bit?”

The red-faced lad cleared his throat. “I, um … I had another costume, but it … I … c-couldn’t get … to it,” he croaked.

“Hmm, so I’ll take that as a no. Your mother doesn’t know you’re half naked on Halloween AND you’re not embarrassed, hmmm?” The Queen of Hearts frowned for a moment, but then a great big smile spread across her face. “No worries. I won’t tell on you. Just be careful. I’d hate to see you get in trouble because of some silly boyish prank.”

“I will,” Samuel squeaked.

“Oh, we’ll keep an eye on him, all right, Mrs. McNealy,” Marlene announced. “I’m Mrs. Tully’s assistant babysitter, so I’m used to keeping him out of trouble!”

Mrs. McNealy raised an eyebrow. “Well, isn’t that interesting. So, Marlene, you help … babysit … our little Samuel, eh? How old are you, dear?”

The happy girl giggled. “I’m twelve! The same as Sambo here. Boys are more immature than us girls, you know! That’s why Mrs. Tully puts me in charge sometimes!”

“I can see that.” Mrs. McNealy looked down at Samuel with a leering curl to her lip. “You better mind this one, Samuel Oliver. I don’t think she puts up with my nonsense!”

“Oh, I don’t, Mrs. McNealy,” declared Marlene. “He found that out the hard way!”

The adult females all laughed, at Samuel’s expense, of course. There was some more conversation, during which the flustered lad had to listen to Marlene yammer on and on about herself and her family and how she knew Mrs. Tully. In turn, Mrs. McNealy talked as though his mother hadn’t gone out of town on that business trip after all, which was strange.

“You’re sure about that, Mrs. McNealy?” Samuel frowned. “My mom … is at home?”

“Oh yes,” replied The Queen of Hearts. “There are at least two cars in the driveway and she and some lady friends have been handing out treats all evening. I thought it was strange that you weren’t there, but your mother explained how you just loooooved spending time with your babysitter, so she dropped you off and invited some of her friends over to hand out candy.”

After parting ways, Samuel tried to figure out what Mrs. McNealy was talking about. His mother didn’t go on that business trip after all? And she was home giving out candy to trick or treaters? With some ladies? That didn’t make any sense. If she was home, then what the heck was he doing staying the weekend with Mrs. Tully – and why in the world was he running around all Halloween night in a stupid ragged cloth for a costume????

Why would my mom tell Mrs. McNealy I love staying with Old Lady Tully, he thought to himself. She knows how much I hate that! She just being plain mean!

The baffled boy tiptoed nervously through the crowd of costumed carousers. The pavement gave way to gravel, which hurt his feet and caused him to go slower than his costumed escorts; he tried to keep up, but almost got left behind on more than one occasion. His head spun, he was so scared of being left alone on his own in his current condition. There were so many people, all of them in costume, most in masks of one sort or another. Many were little children, but there were adults and teenagers who’d dressed up, as well as kids his own age. Oh, how he’d give anything to have his Iron Man costume! Heck, at this point he’d almost be willing to put on that stupid fairy princess outfit Mrs. Tully had offered him. Anything – well, almost anything – would be better than this!

At last the foursome stopped at a spot where they could see the stage where the band was playing pop music. Most of the partiers were wandering or standing about, but many were dancing to the blaring music.

“Isn’t this fun?” Mrs. Miller said, nudging Samuel playfully. “The music is perfect for dancing. Maybe you should ask Marlene if she wants to dance!”

“Um, that’s all right,” the blushing lad croaked. He glanced down at his loincloth and winced at the mental image of it coming loose while he danced. “I’m … not much of a, um, dancer.”

“Forget him, Mom!” shouted Marlene. “I’d rather party with Aunt Margaret anyway!”

Samuel watched in awe as the young Wonder Woman sidled up to the much taller Catwoman and the two began moving about, shaking their hips and hopping up and down in sync with the blaring rhythmic sounds. The sight was as fascinating as it was mesmerizing; Aunt Margaret’s cat tail flipped and wiggled about as she danced and Marlene’s cape fluttered and flapped as if she was in flight. The two costumed females attracted more than their share of attention from the other partiers.

“Wow, look at those two go at it!” a teenaged werewolf declared to his friends. “That’s one pair of sexy superheroes!”

As much as he hated to admit, Samuel enjoyed watching Marlene dancing with her aunt. She moved with a grace and timing that he never expected, and the sight of her blossoming breasts bobbing about didn’t hurt; they were almost as interesting as Catwoman’s much larger bouncing boobs.

While his friend and her aunt danced Samuel spotted a nearby booth offering face painting. An idea lit up in his addled brain and it was his turn to drag his captors for a change.

“How about I get my face painted?” His voice was pleading, yet hopeful. “Everybody else is wearing a mask of some sort. If I get my face painted, then maybe nobody will recognize me!”

Marlene grinned. “Mmmmm, I dunno. They’re taking donations for the animal shelter. You need at least a whole dollar. You got any money on you?”

“Come on, Marlene! Where would I put it?” The nearly naked child sighed. “Can I borrow some from you? I’ll pay you back, I promise!”

“I don’t knoooooooow ….” Marlene giggled. “I kinda like you the way you are.”

“You want me to beg? Okay, fine.” Samuel put his hands together and took a deep breath. “Please, Marlene! Puh-leeeeeeeeeeeassssssse? I’ll do anything you say. You can even pick out how the lady does it. I just need a little money. PLEEEEEEASSSSSE!!!!”

“Oh, okay … I guess so ….” A slow, evil smile spread across the super hero girl’s face. “But only if I get to choose the paint job.”

Samuel frowned. It suddenly occurred to him that this might not have been the best idea. What if Marlene chose something really embarrassing, though he couldn’t imagine what would that might be. He started to renege, but got cut off before he could get out a single syllable.

“Okay, how about this?” His friend giggled as she spoke. “I pick out three ideas and you choose one of them. That way you can have your say in the matter. And no take backs!”

The weary boy nodded. “Oh, okay. As long as it’s not too embarrassing.”

The freckle faced girl laughed. “Hey, you’ve been saying all night long you’re already embarrassed enough. How can it get any worse?”

Marlene dashed over to the booth and struck up a conversation with the lady behind the table. Samuel watched as she pointed in his direction and the two stared at him for a moment before resuming their discussion. After a few minutes he was called to join them.

“This isn’t just face painting,” chirped the enthusiastic girl. “Miss Mackie is from the local theater. She’s doing all sorts of things, painting, makeup and costumes. And it’s all for the animal shelter charity drive! Isn’t that neat?”

Samuel nodded. “I guess so.”

“Hello there, Tarzan,” Miss Mackie said cheerfully. “Your friend here says you want a makeup job. She’s made some great selections. Would you like to see what she picked out for you?

Samuel thought for a moment, then nodded. As he expected, Marlene didn’t make it easy for him; the three options were as diverse as they were embarrassing.

“A baby, a cartoon mouse ... and the Little Mermaid …?” Samuel shook his head. “Are you kidding me?”

Marlene grinned. “Hey, you don’t have to do any of them if you don’t wanna. You’re the one who wanted his face painted. Nobody’s forcing you to do anything, remember?”

“Well, I’m not going to let you paint me up like a stupid mermaid,” he muttered. “That’s for sure!”

“Why not, honey?” asked the lady behind the table. “Your friend said you wanted to be in disguise. I can make up your face so nobody would ever know who you are. I can do up your eyes and apply a little rouge and some lipstick. You’ll look just like the Little Mermaid. We’ve even got some accessories to make it look authentic.”

Samuel frowned. “Authentic accessories?”

“Oh, sure!” Miss Mackie pointed to some cardboard boxes filled with costumes. “We’re a one stop shop. I’ve got plenty of things to choose from!”

Marlene held up a purple and green outfit and a red wig. “Look here, Sambo. You can look just like Ariel! Nobody will recognize you if you dressed up like this! Now stop whining and try this on!”

The reluctant boy stood quietly as his friend slid the mermaid dress over his head and adjusted the fit. Like the costumes offered up by his babysitter, the material was cheap and almost too tight to fit him. But Marlene managed to get it on him somehow. Next came the wig, which was also too small. Plus it itched. Samuel was eager for more reasons than one to get out of the accursed disguise.

“Look how the top shows off his boy boobies!” exclaimed Marlene. “He looks like a real girl!”

“Oooh, I like that,” cooed Aunt Margaret. “You make a perfect Little Mermaid, sweetie. You look so sweet in that little dress! I vote for this one!”

“So do I,” agreed Mrs. Miller. The black clad woman slid up beside the crossdressed lad and held her bat-cape up over his head. “Ooooo, I’m the evil Ursula, here to cast a spell on the pretty Ariel … ‘poor unfortunate soul’ ….”

There was a flash of light and Samuel suddenly realized someone had taken his picture. He looked over to see Marlene holding her mother’s camera. The delighted girl stuck her tongue out at him and fired off another shot.

Everyone laughed except Samuel. He was handed a mirror and when he saw himself he was especially adamant about not dressing like a girl, mermaid or otherwise. There would be no lipstick, no red wig and no purple and green dress for him!

Why did she have to take my picture, he lamented silently. If Mrs. Tully ever finds out I put on a dress, she’ll never let me forget it.

As much as he hated the mermaid dress, the baby costume was out of the question as well. Miss Mackie boasted on her makeup artist skills, showing how she could put rouge on Samuel’s cheeks and some eye liner and a bit of lipstick to make his mouth look bigger. She produced a baby bonnet and an oversized pair of plastic pants with ruffles. There was even a bib with a kitten on the front!

“I don’t like that one, either!” Samuel fussed. “It’s way too sissy for me!”

“Yeah, so that means it’s perfect for you,” Marlene sneered. “Stop being so fussy, sissy boy!”

Again, Marlene insisted that Samuel at least try on the costume. He tried to refuse, but his eager friend could be most persuasive and the pressure from the adult women was overwhelming; before he knew it he was facing his critics in the shameful baby outfit and feeling like a complete fool.

FLASH!!!

“Oh my GOD! You’ve just GOT to do this one,” Marlene squealed as she clicked away with her mother’s camera. “This really is perfect for you! Come on, ‘baby doll’! Just think what Mrs. Tully will say when she sees you dressed up like a big old fat baby!”

FLASH!!!

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” the anxious boy confessed.

The mirror was once again produced. Samuel sighed to see how ridiculous he looked in the bonnet, bib and plastic pants. Marlene was right. Old Lady Tully would definitely approve. He imagined his babysitter’s delight and shivered; with his luck she’d make him dress like a baby from now until doomsday! Knowing her, she’d probably make he wear diapers, too!

“There’s no way in hell I’m wearing this!” he grunted. “No fucking way ….”

“EXCUSE ME???” Mrs. Miller stepped up and glared at the suddenly contrite child. With an angry grimace and a fierce look in her eyes, she suddenly looked quite dangerous in her Batwoman costume.

“You didn’t just say what I think you said, did you? Samuel Oliver! I thought I knew you better than that! I cannot believe those words just came out of your mouth!”

Samuel bit his lip, then croaked, “I’m sorry. I … I just forgot.”

“Forgot what?” It was now Aunt Margaret’s turn to join the conversation; she glared at the frightened lad through her Catwoman goggles and flipped her cat tail at him. “Forgot your manners? Or forgot that civilized people don’t use words like that? Really, darling, I am so disappointed in you.”

“I’m really sorry. I promise.” Samuel put his hands behind his back and stared at his bare feet, a pose he’d acquired while being scolded by both his babysitter and his mother. He looked like an overgrown toddler in his bonnet, bib and plastic pants.

“I really am sorry,” he repeated softly. “I … I normally don’t say things like that. I just, I dunno, got excited I guess.”

Mrs. Miller shook a stern finger in front of his face. “That is no excuse, young man. We invited you along for a little family fun, and this is the thanks we get? I cannot believe you could be so rude … and so filthy! I’ve half a mind to call your babysitter and have her come down here and pick you up!”

By this time, of course, Samuel was in tears. If Mrs. Tully found out he’d used the “F-word” and was rude to Marlene and her parents, there was no telling what would happen to him. No amount of spankings and enemas would pay for this crime.

“Please, Mrs. Miller, don’t tell my Nana on me,” he croaked out in a hoarse voice. “I won’t ever do it again, I promise. I don’t normally say things like that, but I just got carried away. If you tell Nana, she’d spank me and … and ….”

There was an awkward moment of silence in the midst of all the partying going on. Samuel wiped his tears and waited for the three costumed females to do something other than stare at him. Judging from the lack of sympathy in their faces, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they left him behind to walk home by himself.

It was Miss Mackie who saved Samuel. “I’ve got an idea,” she interrupted with a sing song voice. “What if we look at Marlene’s third suggestion? Maybe that will help take everyone’s mind off their problems.”

She helped the anxious lad out of his baby costume and led him back to the table. He looked back at Mrs. Miller and gave her a rueful, I’m-so-sorry-I-messed-up-please-don’t-kill-me smile.

“Let’s see,” said the makeup artist, eager to break the uncomfortable silence. “We looked at the Little Mermaid and the baby options. Let’s do the third one. Here we go … how about a cute little cartoon mouse!”

As a gesture of repentance – as well as gratitude – Samuel chose the mouse costume without even looking at it. At the very least it sounded better than the other two. The way he figured it, what could go wrong, right?

“I don’t have an actual mouse costume, but I’ve done something like this before. I’ll paint your face white and put on some makeup, then I’ll paint your body white to match, along with some shading,” said the lady. “We’ve done this before for stage productions. I can even paint that little cloth thingie between your legs to match if you like. The paint will wash out, no problem.”

“You don’t have anything else I can wear?” Samuel gave his new friend a desperate look. “Nothing at all?”

“Nothing that goes with a mouse character. Hmmm, unless perhaps if you want to wear those silly plastic pants.” She gave him a mischievous wink. “You could pretend to be a baby mouse if you like, but if it were me I’d just stick to what you’ve been doing. It seems to working out for you so far.”

Not knowing what else to do, Samuel agreed to the mouse costume, but without those dreadful plastic pants. He stepped behind the table and, at the suggestion of the pretty woman, stood on a chair so she could better reach everything without bending over.

“Put your hands on your head, sweetie,” she said with a soft voice. “I can’t paint you properly if you’re going to get all shy on me.”

Miss Mackie first started on Samuel’s face, which he thought was weird. Why did she need him to put his hands on top of his head if she was just painting his neck? He started to put them down, but then he felt the cold chill of a paintbrush on his bare back and under his ribs. He turned around and saw Marlene with a brush in her hand. Not only that, but Mrs. Miller and Miss Margaret were helping out, too.

“Don’t pay them any mind, my love,” sang the makeup artist. Her voice was as cheerful as her smile. “You just need to look at me and stand still. You almost got paint in your eye!”

Samuel tried not to squirm as the cool paint brushes and playful fingers tickled him in the most sensitive areas, from his face to his bare belly and legs, some even delving beneath the useless loincloth. There was a lot of chatter, mostly teasing whispers and giggles, which he tried to ignore. He was prohibited from saying a word in order to keep from ruining the work on his face. To his surprise, the paint job didn’t take very long, not with four women – well, three women and one smart-alecky girl! – working as a team.

When they were done Miss Mackie stood back and nodded. “Here, let’s try on some ears, then you can tell us what you think.”

Samuel felt something clamp down on his head, hard and tight. He winced as tiny little teeth bit through his hair and into his scalp.

“It may be a little small,” the pretty lady admitted. “It was meant for a littler child, but I think it’ll work on you.”

At last Samuel was allowed to step down from the chair. He looked down at his body and gasped; his arms and legs and belly, everything was covered in white stage paint, giving him a most definite not-Tarzan appearance. He looked behind him and saw his butt and the back of his legs had been painted as well. Even his loincloth was white, which looked weird; a quick glance and you’d think he wasn’t wearing anything at all.

The nervous boy stood motionless as the lady held up the mirror.

“Sooooo?” she sang. “What do you think?”

Samuel was amazed at what he saw. Instead of his plump boyish features he saw a strange white face with a little black nose and a gray muzzle, long whiskers and wide exaggerated eyes with huge painted lashes radiating outward. A touch of red blush enhanced his cheeks and a broad pink smile was painted across his mouth.

"Is that really me?" the stunned lad whispered out loud.

Completing the whole “mouse look” were a pair of huge white plastic ears clamped atop his head; Miss Mackie even went to the trouble of spraying his curly blond hair with a straightener and brushing it down over his real ears, further concealing his signature appearance. Gone was the shy, fretful boy from just a few minutes earlier; instead, what he saw in the mirror was a professionally produced theatrical makeup job depicting an animated creature – indeed, from head to toe, he looked just like a cartoon mouse!

“Holy crap,” he whispered to himself. "I don't even look like me anymore!"

“No kidding!” echoed Marlene.

“Language, young man!” cautioned Mrs. Miller. “I haven’t forgotten I’m supposed to be mad at you because of your dirty mouth. Don’t say ‘crap,’ please.”

Samuel winced. “Sorry. I mean, wow. I don’t look like me anymore!”

“I think he likes what he sees,” quipped an amused Miss Mackie. “And so do I! It came out better than I expected.”

"Smile, little mouse!" shouted Marlene.

FLASH!!!

This time Samuel didn’t mind the camera so much. Indeed, he didn’t even mind wearing lipstick and eyeliner as it added to the detail of his disguise; instead of looking like a girl he looked, well, like a cartoon mouse, from head to toe. As silly and outrageous as he appeared, there was no way anyone would connect “Samuel Oliver” with this amazing animated character!

Aunt Margaret whistled. “That is absolutely wonderful! He looks like he should be on stage, like in a Broadway musical or something.”

“You mean like ‘Cats,’?” Mrs. Miller quipped. “A mouse in a play about kitties. Now that would be interesting.”

“Me-oooooowwwww,” purred her feline costumed sister.

“I love doing these kinds of things,” the makeup lady said. “It’s the first time I’ve done a whole body mouse, though. That was Marlene’s suggestion, and I’m glad she made it.”

Samuel shot a frustrated look at his friend. She, in turn, stuck out her tongue and laughed.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you get of this the easy way, did you, mouse boy?”

Miss Mackie sighed. “That brings up another point. You can’t have a character without a proper name. Samuel ... hmm ... how about ‘Sammy Mouse’? That has a nice ring to it.”

That set off a wave of chuckles and laughter all around. Of course, Marlene had to put her spin on things. “I like it! But what about ‘Oliver Mouse’? That is even better! We can call him ‘Olly’ for short!”

Once again, the four females all laughed. A flustered Samuel looked at his reflection and sighed. There was no sense in arguing. All that ever got him was more trouble.

“Oliver Mouse, huh?” Miss Mackie gave Samuel a little wink. “I love it! Hey, take a couple of pictures of our cute little Oliver with me. I want some for my portfolio.”

And so pictures were taken, some of Oliver Mouse with Miss Mackie, Oliver Mouse with Wonder Woman and Batwoman and Catwoman and even a couple of him with the whole group. At last Mrs. Miller pulled some money from her utility belt and paid the lady – plus a generous donation to the shelter – and the costumed foursome headed back to join the Halloween party.

“’Bye-bye, Oliver Mouse!” Miss Mackie called out. “Have a wonderful Halloween!”

Samuel gave the smiling woman a little wave. He looked over to see Marlene grinning at him.

“What?” he asked. “Why are you smiling at me? I didn’t do anything.”

The smirking girl shrugged. “I know. I was just looking at you. It’s funny … you look so different, but you look like … I don’t know … you just look like you, I think. But even more so.”

The painted boy blushed. He then turned to Marlene’s mother and tapped her on the arm.

“Thank you, Mrs. Miller. I feel better now with my face like this.”

The woman in the bat costume smiled. “You’re welcome, Oliver. You look very cute. Just do me a favor and don’t let that ugly Samuel around here anymore. If I hear his dirty mouth again I might have to paddle his little butt.”

Samuel nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” he said in a contrite voice.

Despite the unlikelihood that anybody would recognize him in his new makeup job, Samuel was still quite a bit nervous. His theory was immediately put to the test when he looked across the way and saw two of his classmates, Doug Toler and Andrew Lawson, staring back at him. They were only a few yards away; dressed in homemade zombie outfits, their lame makeup made them easy to recognize.

“What’s the matter, Oliver Mouse?” teased Marlene. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or in your case, a cat!”

Samuel swallowed, then croaked, “See those guys over there? With the crappy zombie costumes? They are in my class at school. They keep staring at me. Do you think they know who I am?”

Marlene glanced around for a moment, then looked at her companion. She let out a great laugh and shook her head. “You idiot! You know why they’re staring? Because you’re staring at them! They probably think you’re somebody who knows them. Which, of course, you are. The first rule of being in disguise is not acting like you’re in disguise, you dummy!”

Samuel nodded, then turned away and pretended to stare in the opposite direction. To his horror, the two boys walked right up to him. He resisted the impulse to run away when they stopped just a couple of feet away.

“Hey, nice costume,” Doug Toler said. “You didn’t buy that, did you?”

Samuel tried to think of something to say, but Marlene interrupted. That’s when he realized they hadn’t been staring at “Oliver Mouse” but “Wonder Woman.”

“Thank you, but no, I didn’t buy it,” she replied. “I made it from scratch.”

“Yeah, I thought so,” Doug said. “That’s cool. You did a good job on it.”

“Why, thank you.” The costumed girl shot a grin toward Samuel and then looked back at the zombie boy with what appeared to be extreme interest. “I’m glad you like what I did with it.”

“Oh yeah, it’s perfect! You really got everything right. You really know what you’re doing!”

“That’s not what he’s saying,” Andrew Lawson cut in, his zombie face made even weirder with a goofy grin. “What he wants to say it your outfit shows off your boobs! And your sexy butt, too!”

Marlene blinked. “Excuse me?”

Doug punched Andrew in the arm. “Would you shut up, you asshole? Why do you have to ruin everything?”

Andrew burst out with a lewd laugh. “Hey, I’m not ruining anything. I’m just keeping it real! Just a minute ago you said, Man, that Wonder Woman sure has nice boobs! What the fuck is she doing hanging around that stupid mouse?”

Wide-eyed and unsure of what to do, Samuel Oliver looked from his two classmates over to Marlene. Her face was red and her mouth curled downward. He’d seen that expression before and knew what it meant and he did not want any part of what was about to happen. To his shame, he stepped back and got out of the line of fire.

“Hey, now wait a minute! Don’t get mad. I … I d-didn’t really say that.” Doug tried in vain to defend himself. “I just said I thought your costume was pretty cool.”

“Bullshit!” exclaimed Andrew. “You said her boobs looked cool and her ass was awesome! I heard it with my own ears!”

Samuel watched in awe as Marlene stepped forward, angered and not at all intimidated by the two zombies.

“I don’t know who you are or who you think you are, little boys,” the costumed girl growled. “But you do not talk to girls or women like that. Either to them or about them. Which means you don’t talk to me like that, either! To me or about me. If I were you, I’d walk away before something bad happens.”

Marlene’s response caught everyone off guard, the two boys, Samuel and several passersby. The boys both stepped back, their eyes wide and their jaws dropped in surprise. Neither of them quite expected this kind of response from a cute girl. Wonder Woman advanced on them, her hands open and held out before her as if she was about to shove them.

“Why are you still here?” she asked in the same forceful growl. “I don’t have anything you want and I don’t want to talk to either of you. I think you both need to leave me and my friend alone.”

A cheer of support came from some of the surrounding partiers. “You go, girl!” and “Go get’em, Wonder Woman!” among the loudest.

The two zombies backed off. Andrew shot a sheepish grin at Marlene and said, “Sorry. I didn’t mean ….”

“I know what you meant,” Marlene interrupted. “And you messed it up. Maybe next time you need to put more thought into it. You might do better. Your dumb friend, not so much.”

Andrew nodded, nudged his less eloquent companion and disappeared into the crowd.

There was a round of laughter from the other partiers and Marlene glowed in a moment of glory. Still, Samuel was afraid something else might go wrong, so in a panic he grabbed Marlene by the hand and took off in the opposite direction from Doug and Andrew, praying that his classmates wouldn’t follow.

“Oh, now you come to the rescue.” Marlene laughed when they finally came to a stop. “You weren’t much help. I guess I should expect that from a big sissy like you.”

Samuel shivered in his bare skin. He could only imagine how he looked, shaking with fear in his mouse makeup and paint.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he confessed. “I’ve never been in that kind of situation before. At first I thought we … you … were going to get beat up.”

Marlene shrugged. “Never happen. I’ve been picked on plenty of times. I used to just duck my head and ignore it, but lately, well … I just changed how I do things. I guess it was last summer that I decided I didn’t have to take crap like that. It wasn’t that big a deal.”

Samuel thought for a moment, then grinned. “You really turned it around though, didn’t you? Toward the end it looked like you were about to kick their asses!”

The costumed girl laughed. “Don’t let my mom hear you say ‘ass.’ Didn’t she tell you what she’d do if she heard you using such language?”

“Oh yeah … she’ll beat my ass … er, I mean, my bottom. “The painted boy blinked. “Okay, but still, you looked like you were gonna … you know, kick theirs.”

“And I would have. I’m not afraid of them. Not like you, sissy boy.” Marlene reached down and flipped up the back of her friend’s skimpy loincloth. “Haha! You were scared to death, weren’t you? Your cute little bottom would be easy to kick. I think I’d rather just spank it, instead.”

Samuel felt his face burn white hot. “Come on, that’s not fair. I mean, Miss Mackie did a great job disguising me, but I’m still practically naked. I couldn’t do anything against those guys. How would you feel if you were running around in public like this with your bare butt hanging out?”

The costumed girl giggled. “Oh, I’d be so scared I’d pee myself. But it’s not me, is it? It’s all about you. I chose to be Wonder Woman and you chose to be a shy little mouse. So you better behave, Oliver Mouse, or I’ll do to you what I did when we were with the Barbies! All it takes is a pull of the string and ….”

“No Marlene!” Samuel’s eyes went wide with fear. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh wouldn’t I?” The costumed girl’s finger plucked at the little knot holding his loincloth together. “I’ll do it right now if you say another word. I’ll leave your naked little mouse butt in the middle of all these people. Imagine that, a naked mouse! Not that it would matter much. It’s not like you have a lot down there for anybody to notice.”

Samuel bit his lip. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to scream at the bullying girl, he couldn’t stand it. But he kept silent. Marlene had shown him on more than one occasion she wasn’t to be trifled with. Best he just did as he was told and kept what little dignity he had left. Or at least he tried to.

By this time, of course, the pair had gotten separated from Marlene’s mother and aunt. But that didn’t stop them from enjoying the party, this in spite of Samuel’s continued anxiety. They wandered through the crowd of people and admired the variety and creativity of the costumes that surrounded them. There were the usual store bought outfits, but a significant number had either improvised or designed their own.

“They all look pretty good,” Marlene said. “But I think our costumes are the best!”

“Even my stupid mouse outfit?” Samuel asked.

“Yes, even your stupid mouse outfit. Remember who chose it. Sure, it’s dumb and it makes you look so silly, but I love it!”

“You do?”

The freckle-faced girl nodded. “Absolutely. You’re easy to pick on, which is why I chose this costume. You look so stupid, it’s ridiculous. I don’t have to worry about anybody wanting anything to do with you but me. I want you all to myself!”

Samuel gave his friend a bashful smile, then nodded. For whatever reason, Marlene seemed to like him as much as she liked bullying and teasing him; he was beginning to think that was her way of saying she loved him. That almost made sense to his adolescent mind. Still, it was something he wouldn’t understand for years to come. He decided not to think too hard about it for now and just enjoy the moment.

As it turned out, the twosome’s costumes attracted their fair share of attention. Marlene’s Wonder Woman outfit was a huge hit with women and girls, especially when they found out she’d done most of the work herself. The preteen reveled in the attention she was getting, and she talked on and on with her fans about how she made the bracelets and crown, as well as how she drew the pattern and sewed the bodysuit.

Samuel’s silly animated mouse costume drew almost as much attention, though he was less forthcoming in talking about it. When he did speak he used a silly high pitched cartoony voice that made everyone laugh; of course, his real reason for talking like that was to conceal his identity. He mostly nodded and smiled while Marlene yammered about Miss Mackie and what a great job she’d done. Many of the people they met were surprised and confused when they realized Samuel’s body was painted; apparently they thought he was wearing a bodysuit of some sort.

“My goodness! That really is his bare skin,” one fat woman dressed as a clown said in amazement. “I swear, I thought he was in one of those body stockings when I first saw him. Good job!”

“Aren’t you cold, young man?” cooed a lady who was the spitting image of Morticia Addams, right down to the slinky black dress. “You’re much braver than I am, that’s for sure. Little boys can be so bold … so reckless ….”

There were more comments, many of which echoed the same sentiments Samuel heard earlier when he was dressed as “Tarzan.” The major difference, of course, was now he didn’t have to worry about everyone knowing who he was. All anyone knew to call him was “Mouse Boy” or “Oliver Mouse,” thanks to big mouth Marlene. He worried a little about someone picking up on his last name, but that was the least of his concerns, as it turned out.

At one point Samuel spotted a familiar figure. Someone near the concession stands was dressed in an Iron Man costume. He squinted, then moved closer to get a good look.

Wow, that’s pretty cool, he thought. It looks homemade … and it’s even got lights, just like mine.

Samuel blinked.

“Dang, it’s even painted to look just like mine,” he whispered to himself. “What’s up with that?”

He started to get closer for a better look, but then watched with amazement as “Iron Man” removed his mask to eat a hot dog.

It was one of his friends from school! Jimmy Hartfield was wearing Samuel’s Iron Man costume!

What the heck????

***

Samuel Oliver couldn’t believe his eyes! After all he’d been through that day, after being told at the last minute his Halloween would be ruined, then having to put up with Mrs. Tully and Marlene and her family, and now, to find out that one of his friends – well, someone who he thought was a friend – had stolen his most favorite thing in the whole wide world … that was the worst!

“Oh, yeah,” he muttered to himself. “This is most definitely the worst day in my entire life.”

Still in his “Oliver Mouse” disguise, the frustrated youth watched from a distance as Marlene stood next to Jimmy Hartfield and laughed and chatted away as though they were best friends. She’d been there for at least ten minutes, maybe longer. It was hard to tell since he didn’t have a watch – or anything else – on his person.

Stupid no pockets, fumed the half-naked lad. I hate being naked! Well, almost naked, anyway.

Every now and then Marlene would shoot a glance in his direction, more than once blowing a kiss right at him. She’d then go back to laughing and talking with that Jimmy as if they were best friends. This both angered and worried Samuel, rousing a feeling of jealousy knowing that a girl he had feelings for was spending time with someone who betrayed him; it also concerned him that she might give him away and he’d be forced to explain to his classmates why he was running around naked except for a coat of white paint!

It wasn’t just Jimmy that ignited Samuel’s feelings of jealousy. Steve Elliott showed up, too. He was wearing a store bought Transformers costume, Megatron, of course. That figured. Steve saw himself as a badass as well as a smart ass. Samuel noted with some pride that Steve’s costume was a poor comparison to the Iron Man suit he had built … the same one that stupid Jimmy Hartfield was now wearing!

Marlene was finally on the move. Samuel watched as she waved farewell to his friends, then headed right for his location. He glanced about, but no one seemed to be paying him much attention; no more than they would any boy painted up to look like a life-sized cartoon mouse. He nodded and waved as the occasional child pointed at him and laughed, comforted only in knowing that as much as they enjoyed making fun of him, they would never know who he was.

Wow, this is almost like having a secret identity, he thought to himself. It’s kinda fun, as long as I don’t get caught, I mean.

“So, what did he have to say?” he asked Marlene when she finally returned. “It is Jimmy Hartfield, isn’t it? Is that my costume, yes or no.”

Marlene shook her head. “First off, don’t talk to me like that. You are not the boss of me, which means you don’t go around telling me things like ‘yes or no.’ I’ll say what I have to say when I say it, regardless of what you have to say. If you want to know anything, all you have to do is use the secret word.”

Samuel frowned. “The secret word …?”

Marlene stared at him in all her Wonder Woman glory. It took him a second, but he got it.

“Oh, okay. I’m sorry. PLEASE, tell me, was that Jimmy? PLEEEEEASSSSE??? And was that my costume? Please?”

“That’s better.” The costumed girl laughed. “Okay, so there’s good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

Samuel shrugged. “I dunno. The bad news, I guess.”

“Good choice. The truth is, there is no real good news, so I can tell you everything ‘cause it’s all bad. Unless you consider that, yes, that was your so-called friend, Jimmy What’s-His-Name. Ugh! I don’t know why you think he’s your friend. What a turd! If I could buy him for what he’s worth and sell him for what he thinks he’s worth, I’d be a rich woman.”

Samuel wrinkled his mousy nose. “Yeah, well, he’s … not perfect.”

“Not perfect? Let me tell you about your ‘friend.’ Oh, and that other turd, Steve Something-Or-Other ….”

Samuel sighed. “Steve Elliott.”

Marlene shook her head. “Whatever. Apparently you were supposed to meet them somewhere and that pissed them off. They don’t think much of you, it seems.”

Samuel nodded. “Yeah, well, they are kinda butts sometime.”

“Sometime? Let me tell you what they did. They went by your house and talked to your mom. She told them you were at Mrs. Tully’s – imagine that! – and wouldn’t be going trick or treating with them. They didn’t give a crap about that.”

“Okaaaaaay ….” A wave of anger swept over the painted boy. His scowl, however, was offset by the smiling mouse features that covered his face. “That’s just great.”

“That’s not the best part.” Marlene laughed. “They were more interested in that precious Iron Man suit you bragged so much about. Whatever you said about it really got them curious. So they sweet talked your mom, told them they heard all about your costume and asked to see it. She not only showed it to them, she let them borrow it, since you obviously wasn’t going to need it for Halloween. I suspect you’ll never see it again, judging from the way they talked.”

Samuel Oliver could not believe his ears! Why would his mom give away his Iron Man suit? After all the work he put into it, she had the nerve, the meanness, to just give it away? Why would she do that?

Marlene reached out and touched him on the arm. “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t blame your mom. Those two shitheads are to blame. They were bragging about it, saying how they talked her into giving up your costume. For what it’s worth, they really like it. A lot. They think you’re stupid for spending so much time on it so they could get it away from your mom. They also thought it was funny – both ‘haha’ funny and weird funny – that you wanted to go to Mrs. Tully’s for Halloween.”

The seething boy nodded, then shook his head. “But I didn’t want to go to Old Lady Tully’s. That’s my mom’s idea. She’s supposed to be on a business trip, anyway. What’s she doing home?”

“I dunno.” Marlene shrugged. “I suppose she has her reasons. Hey, you wanna know what Turd One and Turd Two call you?”

Samuel sighed. “Not really.”

“They actually have two nicknames for you. ‘Sammy the Mommy’s Boy’ and ‘Sammy the Teacher’s Pet’. I think ‘Mommy’s Boy’ is their favorite right now. That’s what they pretty much said, anyway.”

Samuel could feel the heat rise in his cheeks. “That sounds about right.”

Marlene snickered. “Sammy. I like that. I like it better than Sambo and almost as much as ‘Samantha.’ I think I’ll start calling you that. ‘Sammy the Sissy.’ Or how about ‘Sissy Sammy’?”

“I don’t like either one of those,” the painted lad lamented. “Saying that means you’ll do it anyway, though, huh?”

“Haha! Absolutely! Anything to get under your skin. Which is the point, Sissy Sammy!”

Samuel nodded. He thought for a moment, then in a low voice said, “Soooo … I got a question. You keep calling Jimmy and Steve turds. But when I saw you with them, you seemed to be having fun. You were laughing and talking and stuff. Does that mean you like them? Better than me, I mean?”

The girl in the Wonder Woman costume sighed. “Good God! Are you really that stupid? Samuel Oliver, you have got to be the biggest dummy in the whole wide world! Do I like them better than you? That implies I like them at all. I swear, if you think that, then you have to be as dumb as you look!” She giggled. “And you look pretty dumb right now.”

Samuel nodded again. There was no arguing that point; he pretty much knew how stupid he looked with his face made up with eyeliner and lipstick and his pudgy body practically naked. He sighed and started to say, “But I saw you ….”

“There are no ‘buts’ about it. Except the one I’m gonna beat the first chance I get. You dumbass! Haven’t you figured out anything about how I feel about you? Are you honestly that stupid?”

Samuel nodded, though he didn’t quite know why. “Okay … well ….?”

Marlene shook her head. “Let me give you a hint. Who am I spending time with tonight? Who did I go trick or treating with? Who am I with right now?”

“Me?” Samuel lowered his eyes. A flush of heat hit his cheeks. “Okaaaaaay ….”

“And one more thing. How many boys do you think I’ve kissed? Or touched their ….” – she lowered her voice to a whisper – “… or touched their wieners? One, that’s how many! One and only one, and it was YOU! It was you, you stupid dummy!”

With that she gave the nearly naked boy a kiss on the cheek. A couple of passersby chuckled to see “Wonder Woman” and “Oliver Mouse” being so affectionate.

“You two are so cute together!” a woman dressed as a sexy Minnie Mouse said with a laugh. “I just love Halloween. It brings out the best in everyone!”

Samuel felt a thrill go through his body. He’d thought that maybe Marlene liked him. He knew she liked teasing him and picking on him and even bullying him. But … to actually hear her say that she “LIKED” him? That was something he’d have to think about.

“Don’t get any ideas, Sissy Sammy,” his friend said in a mocking voice. “You’re still the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. Now come on, let’s go have some fun ….”

***

The highpoint – or low, depending on your point of view – of the community Halloween party was the costume contest. Samuel and Marlene were looking for Mrs. Miller and her sister when the band quit playing and they heard their names over the sound system. Well, they heard their character names, anyway.

“Did you hear that?” Marlene pointed to the stage. “They just asked for ‘Oliver Mouse’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ to report up front.”

Samuel frowned. “Us? Report up front? For what?”

The costumed girl grinned. “For the big contest, apparently. Aunt Margaret teased Mom about entering the competition. I guess she signed up all of us. Come on, let’s go see what’s up!”

The painted boy felt dizzy as he allowed his friend to grab his hand and lead him through the crowd. When they got to the stage they saw Marlene’s mother and aunt primping and fixing their makeup.

“It’s about time you got here,” Aunt Margaret said. “They’re about to start.”

“About to start?” Samuel blinked. He looked over at Marlene’s aunt and blinked again. “You’re not serious? I mean, you really entered our names … my name … in this contest?”

The sultry, confident Catwoman smiled down at the painted boy. “I most cerrrrrrtainly did. Do you have a problem with that, my little mousey frrrrrriend?”

“Oh god, there she goes with that stupid voice again,” laughed Mrs. Miller.

Samuel felt his mouth go dry. “You mean, I have to go out on stage … like this … in front of everybody? I don’t wanna do that. You guys go ahead and do it without me. I’ll just wait … you know … right here ….”

"Oh no, you don’t!" chided Batwoman. "If I have to get up on that stage, then everybody has to go. I'm not the only one who's going to make a fool of herself!"

“But … do I have to?” The painted lad stuck his lip out, which looked more adorable than ever with his “Oliver Mouse” makeup. “I don’t wanna!”

“Samuel Oliver, you stop right now!” Mrs. Miller snapped her fingers and tapped the surprised lad on the nose. “You’ve been a spoilsport all evening. I’m not putting up with it one more minute. Marlene went out of her way to invite you along with us. You’re not going to ruin her night just because you’re a little shy!”

Samuel took a deep breath, he was so nervous. “Please don’t make me go up there, Mrs. Miller! Everybody’s gonna see me and make fun of me.”

Aunt Margaret laughed. “So what if they do? You’ve been having fun all night running around half-naked. Why make a fuss now?”

“But that wasn’t my idea,” the pouting boy fussed. “I wanted to be Iron Man!”

“That doesn’t matter. I’ve already paid the entry fee, so you’re coming with us, little mouse, whether you like it or not!”

Marlene leaned close and whispered in Samuel’s ear. “I wouldn’t argue any more if I were you. You’ll just make my mom mad. Besides, nobody knows who you are in your makeup. Remember when they called out your name? They said ‘Oliver Mouse,’ not Sissy Sammy.”

The anxious lad sighed. “Thanks a lot. You didn’t have to put it that way.”

Marlene giggled. “Hey, what are friends for?”

The contest itself was a blur as far as our young hero was concerned. There were about thirty or so contestants in the competition, and everyone got into a line and walked in a circle across the stage while the announcer talked and made jokes about their costumes. Each was allowed to pause for a moment or so at least once to do something in character. A trio of high school boys dressed as “Killer Clowns” waved their fake blood-stained cleavers and garden shears around and laughed maniacally. The woman dressed as the sexy Minnie Mouse waved and flirted to the crowd like a pop star diva. Various vampires and aliens and cartoon characters posed and pantomimed their characters’ storylines, some better than others.

Marlene’s favorite was “Morticia Addams.” The elegant woman flipped back her long black hair and stood with her hand on her hip and rolled her eyes in a bored fashion; she then took a drag from a cigarette on a long holder and emitted smoke from the bottom of her slinky dress. There was a lot of laughter and whistles as she minced daintily from the center of the stage.

Then it was time for Mrs. Miller and Aunt Margaret to show off their talents. Samuel was surprised by their skit, which turned out to be quite a hit. “Batwoman” and “Catwoman” pretended to chase and wrestle one another, strutting about the stage in their black form-fitting costumes, prompting a lot of whistles from male onlookers. At one point Aunt Margaret pulled out her whip and snapped and cracked it like a professional, which sparked a collective gasp from the crowd. The skit ended with Batwoman ensnared in Catwoman’s bullwhip and the crowd went wild, clapping and cheering as if they were at a sporting event.

Marlene laughed to see her mother and aunt acting so silly. “I’ve never seen my mom have so much fun,” she whispered to Samuel. “She’s never done anything like this before. It took Aunt Margaret all month to talk her into dressing up and entering the contest with her. Don’t they look great? This the best Halloween ever!”

The nearly naked boy nodded. He was impressed to see his friend’s mother and aunt acting so playful and carefree. It was hard to believe these were the same women who lived next door to his babysitter.

When Marlene stepped into the spotlight she began by going into a series of heroic poses right out of the pages of the comic books and cartoons. Samuel was impressed, as was most of the audience. Then everyone cheered when she pulled out her illuminated lasso and spun it about like an expert. The crowd was wowed as much as Samuel had been when he first saw it. Wonder Woman then somehow managed to loop it over one of the Killer Clowns, who played along and pretended to be under her spell. The audience cheered on the diminutive heroine as she subdued the much larger evil clown, making her almost as popular as her mother and aunt.

Then it was Samuel’s turn. The poor boy was nervous enough being on stage in little more than his birthday suit, a bit of cloth and some body paint. When it came time for him to step out of line and do his skit, all he could think of to do was act like the shy mouse that he appeared to be. The frightened lad tiptoed to center stage and stood pigeon-toed with his hands between his legs; he stared wide-eyed at the laughing audience, twitching his mousy nose and looking about as if searching for some predator that might eat him. There was some polite laughter, then a few jeers as someone noted that “Oliver Mouse” appeared to be nearly naked.

“Is he wearing anything at all?” yelled a young boy near the front. “Hey, look! A nekkid mouse!”

The crowd burst out in laughter, then there was some clapping. Samuel didn’t know exactly what to do at that point. That’s when Aunt Margaret broke ranks and did her best “Catwoman” impression, stepping behind the frozen lad and pretended to paw at him with her gloves “claws.”

“Meeeeeee-oooowwww! Someone needs to take carrrrrre of this little moussssssssse,” she purred dramatically. “Who betterrrrrr than a cat!”

Catwoman then wrapped her leather whip around the wide-eyed lad and led him away from center stage. This prompted a burst of laughter from the crowd and a round of applause. Samuel felt his heart raced as he rejoined the other contestants in line. He was pretty sure everyone was laughing at him rather than with him like they did Marlene and her mother and aunt.

The results of the contest were exciting for Marlene and her family. “Batwoman” and “Catwoman” tied for second place behind the Killer Clowns and “Wonder Woman” came in fifth. “Oliver Mouse” didn’t win, but he did get honorable mention for “Cutest Costume.” Samuel was stunned by all the attention, but at least the announcer didn’t use his real name. As far as he could tell, his shameful secret was safe.

Afterward the foursome compared their ribbons, Mrs. Miller and Aunt Margaret both received bright red ribbons while Marlene won a green one. Samuel blushed to see that his was pink. That sparked a round of teasing from both his friend and the two adult women.

“Ha-ha! Sissy Sammy got a pink ribbon! Good enough for you,” she teased. “Don’t pout, pretty boy. From what I’ve seen, pink is your favorite color.”

“Now Marlene, don’t give Oliver a hard time,” cooed Mrs. Miller. “He can’t help it that he looks so good in pink. Don’t you let her get to you, sweetie. That’s a very pretty ribbon and you deserve it!”

Samuel didn’t bother saying anything. If he did it would have only made the conversation last longer. Best he just keep his mouth shut and let them have their fun.

The four costumed partiers lingered about the park for a little while longer, mostly because so many people stopped to congratulate them on taking part in the contest. Marlene and the two adult women received the bulk of the attention, which pleased Samuel to no end; he watched quietly as his friend showed off her lighted lasso and Batwoman and Catwoman posed for photographs together. He thought about what Marlene's aunt said earlier about him being lucky to hang out with such “cool chicks.” He had to admit that this was fun; he’d never before been around such pretty and fun women … or girls … before.

This did turn out to be fun after all, he thought to himself.

“So, what’s your name?” A girlish voice startled Samuel from his daydreaming. He looked over to see two girls about his own age looking right at him. His eyes went wide when he recognized them as Bobbi McCarthy and Kendra Jackson from his seventh grade class!

“Hello?” Bobbi said brightly. “We asked you a question? What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

Kendra giggled. “Yeah, cat got your tongue?” she repeated with a mischievous smirk.

Samuel was stunned! Blond petite Bobbi was one of the prettiest girls in his seventh grade class, but he’d been way too shy to say much to her. Kendra, who was black, intimidated the bashful boy with her loud mouth and brash sense of humor. On top of that, Kendra apparently knew one of the Barbies from earlier in the evening – Karen Somebody – and that scared him more than anything. If Kendra and the Barbies ever got together … and talked about seeing a nearly naked boy on Halloween … he didn’t want to think about what might happen!

“Hey! I asked you a question, Mr. Mouse!” Kendra stood in front of the surprised lad and put her hands on her hips. “I said, cat got your tongue?”

Ironically – in more ways than one – Samuel’s classmates were dressed up as cats … sort of. While they each had cat ears atop their heads, their outfits were more like stylish party clothes than actual costumes; the blond Bobbi was wearing a black leotard and a flowing black tutu and stockings while Kendra wore a pink and black leopard print top and a matching pink skirt. Instead of wearing masks or cat makeup, their faces were just done up with more lipstick and eye makeup than they usually wore at school.

Well, at least I can see who they are, he thought to himself. I can recognize them, but they can’t recognize me. How lucky is that?

The surprised lad found both girls to be quite attractive in their Halloween outfits, beautiful even. And there he was, wearing little more than that ridiculous loincloth and some body paint and mouse ears. If they figured out who he was, his life would be ruined. Or worse!

“Hello, little mouse,” Bobbi sang in a mocking tone. “Don’t be shy. We won’t hurt you or anything. We just want to know who you are.”

“Yeah, I wanna know who is dumb enough to run around showing off their bare butt!” jeered Kendra. Both girls burst out in giggles, of course.

Samuel tried to say something, but his mouth was suddenly too dry to do anything. He swallowed, then gulped, just like a cartoon mouse might in the presence of a pair of, well, hungry kittens.

“Sooooo, what … is … your … name?” Bobbi repeated the question, pronouncing each word as she would for a small child. “Do you go to Lincoln Junior High?”

“Come on, mouse boy!” Kendra said impatiently. “Don’t be shy. We wanna know who you are!”

The nervous lad nodded, then shook his head. “I’m Oliver Mouse,” he squeaked in his best cartoon mouse voice. “I live in TV Land and I go to Acme Junior High.”

“TV Land … Acme Junior …?” Bobbi gave Samuel a skeptical look. She struck a thoughtful pose, putting one hand on her hip; the fingers of the other pointed right at him. “You’re just making that up. Come on, tell us who you are. Pretty please?”

Kendra echoed her friend’s request, but with more sarcasm. “Yeah, pretty please? With sugar on top? We want to know if we know you. After all, it’s not often we see a boy running around with so few clothes on.”

The two girls giggled wildly, which caused Samuel’s face to burn hot yet again. He had to be careful. This was exactly the kind of thing he’d worried about all evening.

Bobbi suddenly stopped her laughter and moved in close, really close; she got so close she put the tip of her nose close enough to touch Samuel’s.

“Don’t move, you,” she said in a very serious voice. “I’m betting you’re somebody I know. I want to see if I can figure out who you really are.”

The pretty girl stared into Samuel’s eyes for a long time, time enough for him to get a whiff of the cinnamon gum she was famous for chewing all the time at school. He smiled as she moved her face up and down and left and right, her eyes studying him, trying to see through Miss Mackie’s makeup job to discover his true identity. Except for being scared to death, this had the makings of a somewhat pleasant experience as he realized he was close enough to kiss her.

I wonder if she’s as good a kisser as Marlene, he wondered dreamily as he watched the blond cat ballerina lick her pink lips at ultra-close range.

An alarming tingling suddenly irritated the nearly naked boy in between his legs; his eyes widened as he realized his boyish organ was on the way to sticking out. If he wasn’t careful his meager costume soon wouldn’t be big enough to conceal his excitement.

Oh gosh! Oh gosh! What am I gonna do now?

It was Marlene, of all people, who saved the day.

“That’s enough of that, mouse boy!” spat his costumed friend. For some reason she sounded angry with him. “Come along, we need to get going. You can play ‘kissy face’ later. We still have a Halloween party ahead of us.”

“We weren’t playing ‘kissy face’!” Bobbi shouted after them. “I was trying to see if I could figure out who he is! I didn’t want to kiss him … I just want to know who he is!”

“Yeah, right,” muttered Marlene as she drug Samuel toward the car. “You’re not kissing my boyfriend, you slut!”

“If he’s your boyfriend you shouldn’t let him run around half-naked, Wonder Bitch!” shouted Kendra. “Don’t worry. We’re not interested in him anyway. He’s too fat for us!”

It took Samuel a moment to get his feet going, but he finally got in step with Marlene and was walking alongside her unassisted. He tapped the costumed girl on the shoulder and grinned.

“Um, you just told Bobbi … I’m your … b-b-boyfr- ….”

“You shut up, sissy boy!” Marlene’s eyes blazed with fury. “Say another word and I’ll go back and tell that department store idiot who you really are! I’ll wash that stupid mouse makeup off your face and strip you bare butt naked and she’ll really have something to talk about! Go on, say something. I dare you!”

The painted boy nodded. He knew from experience when a female – especially a female named Marlene Miller – told him to do something, or not to do it, life was usually better if he complied.

And this was most definitely one of those times.

***

The drive back to Marlene’s house was long and tedious. While Samuel’s friend and her family chattered on about what a great evening they’d had, he fretted over the close calls he had and how’d been put at risk time and time again. Between Mrs. McNealy and the twins seeing him, and Jimmy and Steve and Bobbi and Kendra almost finding out who he was, his nerves were nearly shot.

I don’t know how much more of this I can take, he thought to himself.

The worried lad tried his best to put all of that out of his mind; however, the one thing he could not get over was his mother’s deception and betrayal.

Stupid mom! he thought to himself. How could she leave me with Mrs. Tully for Halloween? And then give my Iron Man costume away to Jimmy Hartfield, of all people? I don’t care what anybody else says. This is all her fault. She knows how Mrs. Tully treats me and she’s even been doing some of the same things to me at home. And now she’s giving away my stuff! That’s not fair! It’s not fair at all!

Stupid mom!

As if in response to his thoughts, Samuel noticed that the car was traveling in familiar territory. There was that gas station, then the library … and his school! And there was his church! His heart raced as he realized they suddenly turned at the intersection that led to the street he lived on. Within seconds they’d be passing by his house.

What the …? What are we doing here???

“Wake up, sissy boy?” Marlene grinned at the surprised lad. “You know where we are, don’t you?”

Samuel pulled his knees up and hugged them to his body. He looked quite pitiful, even with his mousey face.

“Yes,” he said in a hoarse voice.

“Well, you made such a fuss about your mommy, Mom and Aunt Margaret thought we should help you satisfy your curiosity. Get ready to get out.”

Samuel frowned. “Get out? Of the car?”

“No, dummy. The airplane!” The costumed girl punched him in the arm. “Yes, get out of the car. We’re going on a secret mission. You want to know what your mom has been up to, right? Well, we’re going to find out for ourselves.”

Before Samuel knew what was happening, the car pulled alongside the curb and came to a stop. The doors opened and everyone, Mrs. Miller, Aunt Margaret and Marlene all piled out. The nervous lad found himself going through the motions, as if he was in a dream over which he had no control.

The foursome stood on the sidewalk in front of his house: Batwoman, Catwoman, Wonder Woman … and a bashful four foot six inch cartoon mouse named “Oliver.”

“Don’t forget your bag of candy.” Marlene held hers up. “You need a cover story, remember?”

Samuel blinked. “A what?”

“I don’t think our little mouse friend quite understands what you’re doing, dear,” said Mrs. Miller. She handed the confused child his Halloween bag and pushed him toward Marlene. “Wonder Woman wants to do a little snooping, so you and she are going to pretend to be trick or treaters. You know, go undercover? Really, sweetheart, you need to pay attention if you’re going to hang around us.”

Samuel’s eyes went wide as he finally realized what was going on. He and Marlene … were going to the front door of his home … and confront his mother? He looked down at his nearly naked, white-washed body, and then he thought about the face paint that concealed his features. Was his disguise good enough to fool her? His own mother?

“I got a bad feeling about this,” he muttered to himself.

“I’ve got a good feeling,” snorted Marlene. “Come on, Sissy Sammy, let’s go!”

The next thing Samuel knew, Marlene had grabbed his hand and was dragging him up the steps to his own house and onto the front porch. Before he could stop her she rang the bell.

The giddy girl looked at him, her eyes blazing with excitement. “This is going to be fun!” she said happily.

The door opened on the second ring. An attractive blond lady in a snug fitting black sweater and matching black jeans appeared. Samuel’s mother, Denise Oliver, looked out to see a pair of children standing before her, one dressed as Wonder Woman and the other made up to look like a giant cartoon mouse. The pretty woman had to laugh, the pairing of the two characters looked so odd to her.

“What the hell …?”

“Trick or treat!” the children yelled. Well, mostly the girl in the Wonder Woman outfit. The mouse seemed a bit shy.

“Trick or treat! Trick or treat! Give us something good to eat!” sang the costumed girl. “Happy Halloween!”

“Happy Halloween,” mumbled the cartoon mouse.

The pretty woman smiled. Marlene noted how much she looked like Samuel. Or to be more accurate, how much he looked like his mother. When he wasn’t made up to look like a mouse, that it.

“Happy Halloween to you, too,” Mrs. Oliver said cheerily. “I love your costumes. Did you make them yourselves? They look very nice.”

Marlene nodded eagerly. “Yep, we sure did. Well, I did, anyway. Olly Mouse here had a little help from a professional makeup artist. Doesn’t he look cuuuuuuuute?”

“He sure does. Very cute, indeed.” The grinning woman nodded. In the background a female voice called out.

“Who is it, Denise? Do you need any help?”

“No, I’ve got it. It’s just some trick or treaters.”

“Well, invite them in,” another woman said, laughing. “We’ve got plenty of wine!”

“Hold onto your panties, I’ll be there in a minute!”

Samuel’s mother picked up a plastic pumpkin from the side table and stepped out onto the porch. Looking up and down the street, she shrugged and dropped a hand full of candy in each of the children’s bags. She thought for a moment, then dumped the rest of the candy out of the pumpkin, splitting it between the two.

“Here, take the rest of it,” she said pleasantly. “I thought trick or treating was over a couple of hours ago.”

Marlene laughed. “Yeah, I know. Thanks so much, Mrs. Oliver. Samuel said you were nice. I can see that for myself, what with all this cool candy.”

Denise looked at the happy girl with interest. “You know my little Samuel? Do you go to school with him?”

“Oh no. I live next to Mrs. Tully. I’ve known her for years, ever since I was little. I met your son last summer while he was staying with her.”

The pretty woman smiled. “Sooooo … you met Samuel while he stayed with Irma Tully, hmm? That’s very … interesting.”

Denise Oliver then turned to the cartoon mouse. “So, little mouse, what’s your name? It’s obviously not Mickey.”

Samuel fought to keep his nerve. He couldn’t believe he was standing in front of his mother in disguise; even more, he couldn’t believe she hadn’t recognized him! He forced a smile, opened his mouth, then shut it. He then looked at Marlene with a worried, almost sickly smile.

“Olly’s a bit shy,” she said with a giggle. “He doesn’t say much, and when he does it’s mostly squeaks. Say ‘hello,’ Olly.”

Samuel thought for moment, then cleared his throat. “Hello,” he said in his high pitched best pretend mouse voice.

The pretty woman laughed. “Olly, hmm? Olly, as in … Oliver? Is your name ‘Oliver Mouse’?”

The painted lad nodded. Which was all he could work up the nerve to do.

“That’s … very interesting, too.” A broad smirk spread across Denise Oliver’s face. “You look about my son’s age, Mr. Oliver Mouse. You look a lot like him, from the neck down, come to think about it. You’re a little chubby buddy, aren’t you? Just like my little Samuel.”

Samuel wanted to die! His mom recognized him, he just knew it! But for some reason she kept acting as if she didn’t know who he was. Why was she doing that? What the heck was she thinking?

How do I keep getting myself in these predicaments, he thought to himself for the millionth time that day.

“Um, Mrs. Oliver?” Marlene interrupted. “Samuel said you were going out of town and that you dropped him off at Mrs. Tully’s for the weekend. What happened? Did you miss your flight?”

The pretty woman nodded. She kept her eyes on Samuel as she spoke. “Something like that. I decided to have my friends over instead, you know, a little girl time. It’s been rather pleasant having the house to myself and no nasty little boys around complaining all the time.”

“I can understand that!” The costumed girl giggled. She nodded to the Batwoman and Catwoman figures waiting near the car. “My mom and my aunt and I spend a lot of girl time together. It’s awesome!”

By this time two women had approached from the other room and lurked in the shadows behind Samuel’s mother. There was some whispering and then silence as they appeared to be eavesdropping.

The smirking woman reached out and caressed Samuel’s arm. “And your little boyfriend here? Does he spend … girl time … with you as well?”

Marlene laughed. “Well, kinda. He’s not so bad, compared to other boys, I guess. Like I said, he’s a bit shy. But I like him anyway.”

Samuel gritted his teeth as his mother let her fingers linger along his shoulder, then drop down and caress his protruding nipple. She’d done that on many occasions in the past; it was her way of teasing him without using words. Doing it while he was in disguise convinced him that she knew his secret identity.

“Well, I like how he’s quiet and obedient. That’s important. I wouldn’t mind having a little boy like this in my own home. Someone who spoke when he was spoken to and did as he was told.” Denise Oliver then pulled away, giving her flustered son a knowing wink as she stepped back toward the door. “I think I’d like that quite a lot.”

Marlene nudged her painted friend, as if to say, Watch this! “Well, you do have Samuel. Isn’t he a good boy?”

Mrs. Oliver rolled her eyes and sighed. “I wish! Oh, he tries, but he’s still too much like his father. Boys can be nasty little things, you know. I don’t like nasty little boys. That’s why I keep taking him over to Mrs. Tully. She knows how to make him behave properly. Maybe one of these days, when he’s better trained and isn’t so nasty, he won’t have to go.”

The two women in the shadows laughed in response to the comment. Samuel felt sick as he realized that his mother had been sharing his private problems with her friends.

“Nasty, huh?” The costumed girl bit her lip. “That makes sense. I don’t like nasty boys, either.”

Denis Oliver smiled. “You are wise beyond your years, young lady.”

Marlene giggled. “Well, we better go. Say good bye, Oliver!”

Samuel cleared his throat. “Good bye,” he said quietly. His eyes went wide as he realized he used his real voice, not “Oliver Mouse’s.”

His mother raised an eyebrow and gave him than familiar, “A-ha, I knew it!” smirk he knew so well. His stomach ached as he confirmed the worst.

“Good night, Samuel,” Mrs. Oliver cooed. “I’ll see you on Sunday.”

And with that the door shut. There were some audible whispers and then a burst of feminine laughter could be heard on the other side.

***

At long last they were back in Mrs. Miller’s sedan and headed back to Marlene’s house, this time “for real.” Still shaken by the encounter with his mother, Samuel replayed their conversation over and over again, not quite believing what just happened.

“Well, that was certainly enlightening,” said Marlene. “Your mom is pretty cool. I wouldn’t mind spending some more time with her. I think Mom and Aunt Margaret would like her, too!”

“Yeah, she’s a lot of fun,” Samuel muttered. He gritted his teeth, he was so mad and scared from what he’d just experienced. “She knew who I was! She knew it the minute she opened the door! This is all your fault, Marlene! You set me up and ….”

“Hey, you better watch your mouth, little man,” growled Aunt Margaret. The Catwoman-attired figure scowled at him through the rearview mirror. “That is my favorite niece ….”

“She’s your only niece, you dumbass,” interrupted Mrs. Miller. “Please, continue.”

Aunt Margaret snickered. “As I was saying, you are addressing my favorite niece! If you pick a fight with her, you’re going to have to deal with me, little mouse. And you do not want to do that!”

“Don’t forget her mother,” added Batwoman. “Keep it up, mouse boy. I am not above putting you over my knee. You think Mrs. Tully can dole out a whipping, just test me. Say something mean to my daughter again and I’ll see to it you can’t sit down for a month!”

Samuel cowered down, completely outnumbered and at an overwhelming disadvantage. In his anger he’d completely forgotten who he was and who he dealing with.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Miller, Miss Margaret. I just … you know … got upset. This is all my mom’s fault, not Marlene’s. I’m sorry.”

There was a moment of awkward silence. Samuel was dying to say something, so he went for it.

“Like I said, my mom did this. She knew all along she wasn’t going on that trip! She pushed me to Mrs. Tully’s house for no good reason. Now, because of her, I lost my Iron Man costume, tons of people have seen me practically naked … and … and ….” He looked down at himself and grunted. “And now I’m painted up to look like a stupid mouse!”

“It sounds to me like you got the better deal,” quipped Aunt Margaret. Shot the flustered lad a bright, mischievous smile. “I mean, you got to hang out with us. Who cares about a silly old robot costume and your idiot boyfriends when you can be with me!”

“Or me!” chimed Mrs. Miller. “Consider yourself lucky, little mouse. You just spent the best Halloween night ever with Batwoman, Catwoman and Wonder Woman!”

“You mean Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Bat Bitch,” teased Aunt Margaret.

Batwoman reached over and smacked her sister on the arm. “Language, please. Just because you’re dressed like a badass doesn’t mean I can’t take you down.”

Her feline sibling laughed. “Language? You just said ‘badass.’ How is that any better than ‘Bat Bitch’?”

And so the bickering continued.

“My mom’s right, you know,” whispered Marlene. She reached over and took Samuel’s hand. The baffled boy was surprised to feel her give it an affectionate, almost protective squeeze. “This wasn’t all that bad, was it? I mean, if your mom hadn’t dropped you off at Mrs. Tully’s, we wouldn’t have gotten together and had so much fun. I mean, think about all the neat things we got to do together. You got a huge bag of yummy candy and even won a ribbon at the Halloween contest. Don’t tell me you didn’t like any of it.”

There was an instance of silence, then Marlene moved in close, putting her lips against Samuel’s ear. “Especially kissing in the dark.”

With that she gave the stunned boy a quick kiss on his ear, slipping her tongue deep inside and sending a shiver over his nearly nude body. She then kissed his cheek. There was a pause, then she kissed him again, this time on the lips.

“See, isn’t that fun?” she whispered in his ear before slipping her tongue in it again.

Samuel felt the heat in his cheeks and even though it was dark, he could see two pairs of eyes staring at him from the front seat; Mrs. Miller was looking over her shoulder and from point blank range leered at the pair of twelve year olds while her younger sister watched through the rear view mirror.

This is creepy, he thought, kissing Marlene with her mom and aunt watching. Is it always gonna be like this?

Despite his fear, Samuel felt an alarming tingling sensation emitting from beneath the thin loincloth as Marlene pulled her tongue from his ear and sat back in her seat.

Oh great, he lamented. If I start sticking out down there and Mrs. Miller or her sister catch me, I’m dead meat. Why me???

Looking out the window, the painted lad thought about the evening’s events and how they would affect his future. It was all too much to take in, so much it made his head spin. From being nearly naked for most of the night to the betrayal by his mother and his friend and now, being watched by the two costumed women while Marlene played kissy face with his face, he had no idea how he was supposed to feel about anything.

For the moment he needed something else, something simple to focus on. As much as he hated to admit it, the exhausted child was actually looking forward to getting away from all the madness and getting back to the little house at the end of the lane.

His opinion about that would soon change.

To be continued ….

(End of File)