Summary
Trooper is excited about his first Halloween with his new brother Darwin but Darwin doesn’t show the same excitement. What could be going on with him? Trooper needs to find out
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Main Characters
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Story
It was a cool, crisp October afternoon, Trooper and Darwin were walking home from the Adventure Bay Library.
“The library was awesome! Those horror books gave me a great idea for my costume this year! I’m going as a mad scientist! You can be my Frankenstein monster!” Trooper said as he thought of how cool he’d look and how much treats he could eat.
Darwin’s ears drooped and he looked away from his new brother. “S….sounds good but I can’t!”
“Why not? We go every year! Halloween is our favorite holiday!” Trooper said disappointed.
“I just don’t feel like trick or treating this year. Why don’t you go with Narwal?” Darwin said defeated.
“Well, he’s going to Disneyland the night before with his parents for the Halloween themed rides” Trooper said as they arrived on their street. “He promised to bring me back some Mickey ears!”
“Oh but what about Thatcher? He told us that he’s going as a werewolf! Like the one in the book he read!” Said Darwin.
“He said he’d meet us at the library on Halloween. Why won’t you come?” Trooper asked trying to get more information out of his friend.
“It’s nothing, I gotta go!” Darwin said as he took off towards the direction of home.
“Wonder what’s up with him?” Trooper said as he walked home.
Two days later, Narwal and Trooper were at the store looking for his and Trooper’s costumes. Narwal grabbed a towel and put it on as a cape and tackled Trooper who was wearing a white lab coat and goggles pinning him down.
“Caught you evil Dr Trooper! You thought you were tricky but nobody can escape Super Narwal!” Narwal said looking very heroic.
“Ahhh foiled again! I’ll beat you next time!” Trooper said pretending to be defeated.
“Not as long as this pup is around!” Narwal replied giggling.
Narwal helped his boyfriend up licking Trooper’s cheek making him blush. Trooper looked at him and smiled.
“So why do you need a costume if you are going to Disneyland?” Trooper asked confused.
“Well it’s Halloween and if you dress up, you get treats! I told my mom that I wanted to be a superhero at Disney and she gave me the money for it!” Narwal said as he searched a bin for a mask to go with the cape.
“Cool! I’m trying to go with Darwin but he said he doesn’t want to go”
“Why? He loves Halloween! You two always compete to see who can get the most candy!” Narwal replied as he pulls a mask out of the Halloween bin and placed it in his carriage.
“I know but something is bothering him. He won’t even tell me what’s going on!” Trooper said as he grabs a box with two yellow rubber pup boots and puts them in the carriage.
“You should see if you can figure out what is going on” Narwal replied. “Try spying on him!”
“I’ll do my best but I’m no spy!”
“I know! You’re just an adorable mad scientist!” Narwal smiled as he nuzzles Trooper as they walk to the register.
It was early the next day, Darwin was helping Hayward set up the Halloween decorations outside. As Hayward set up the fake gravestones, Darwin threw fake cobwebs over their bushes. Trooper took this time to snoop through his brother’s things to get a clue of what is up with him.
Trooper locks their bedroom door and begins to search underneath his brother’s bed, moving stuff quietly as to not get found out.
“It’s gotta be here somewhere!” Trooper replied going through a bunch of books and toys. “He always keeps his diary under here!”
After about ten minutes, Trooper gave up looking underneath there and put everything back the way it was. He then checked underneath Darwin’s pillow finding the diary in the pillowcase.
Just then he heard a knock at the door, Trooper immediately recognized the voice on the other side of the door.
“Trooper, it’s Darwin! Why is the door locked? Can I come in?” Darwin said knocking on the door.
Panicking, Trooper hides the diary in the pillowcase, grabs a comic, and unlocks the door. Seconds later, the door opens and his brother walks in.
“What are you doing in here dude?” Darwin asks as he goes underneath his bed.
“You know, just reading comic books! What are you doing up here?” Trooper asks looking at his brother looking for something underneath his bed.
“Looking for my Halloween caldron that we always used to put candy in” Darwin said hiding the fact that he was tearing up. Trooper could hear the sadness in his voice but decided not to push the issue to avoid upsetting him.
Darwin grabs the caldron in his mouth and walks downstairs closing the bedroom door behind him.
“Hope he’s okay” Trooper says as he pulls his diary out of the pillowcase again. After ten minutes of trying to guess the combination, Trooper gives up. “I’m never going to get this! There must be another way I can find out what happened.”
It was Halloween morning, Trooper had woken up to say goodbye to Narwal who boarded a plane for California at seven in the morning. As he was walking home, he saw his brother round the corner. Desperate to find out what was bothering his brother, Trooper followed him.
As he trailed Darwin, Trooper stayed close to the ground like a predator sneaking up on its prey. Just then, he steps on a twig that snaps. Darwin’s ears perk and he looks behind him but doesn’t see anyone. He shrugs and continues walking. Meanwhile Trooper pops out from the other side of some shrubs.
“That was a close one!” Trooper said as he continued to trail his brother.
After five more minutes of following Darwin, they arrived at the Adventure Bay Pup Cemetery. Darwin walks up to two graves which Trooper realizes are his parents’ tombstones.
“Wonder why Darwin is visiting his parents’ graves today?” Trooper wondered as he tried to listen from behind a few tombstones.
“Hi Mom…..Hi Dad!....” Darwin says tearing up, “Today’s the day, the biggest night of the year for us!”
Trooper listened carefully.
“I miss you guys so much! This will be the first year without you guys to trick or treat with me. Trooper asked for me to go with him but it’s not the same without you guys!” Darwin started to cry. “I can’t do it without you!”
Just then, dark clouds filled the sky. It looked like rain but strangely, there was none. All of a sudden a bright light shown above and two ghostly border collies appeared before him. Trooper gasped behind the tombstones because he knew who they were. They are Darwin’s birth parents.
“Son, there’s no need to be upset” Darwin’s father said calmly,
“You’re father’s right! Everything will be okay! We’re in a better place now!” Darwin’s mother added.
“But it’s Halloween and you guys always took me trick or treating! It’s not the same without you!” Darwin said with tears tuning down his cheeks.
“Your brother Trooper really wants to spend Halloween with you and have fun!” Darwin’s Dad said as he nuzzles his son.
“In fact, he’s here with us right now!” Added his mother. “Trooper, we know you’re back there!”
Trooper shakenly walks up to where Darwin is but hesitantly.
“We’re not going to hurt you Trooper.” Said Darwin’s Dad.
“Darwin, please go and have a good time with your brother. You know your father and I are always watching over you and are very proud of the pup you’ve become this past year! You’re kind and helpful, and you have a very adorable girlfriend!” Darwin’s mother said smiling at her little boy.
“Yeah! Hattie is a keeper! Treat her right son!” Darwin’s Dad added smiling at him.
“We love you Darwin! Have a great Halloween!” Darwin’s Mom said as she and her husband nuzzle their son before fading away.
“Bye Mom! Bye Dad!” Darwin said with tears in his eyes as his brother hugged him.
“So that’s why you didn’t want to trick or treat. I’m so sorry bro!” Trooper said hugging his brother.
“It’s okay, you didn’t know. But at least we get to go trick or treating tonight” Darwin said as a smile formed on his face.
“Are you sure you wanna go? Trooper asked.
“Of course! After talking to my parents, I decided I want to go but I’ll need help coming up with a costume!” Darwin said smiling.
“I got just the costume! Trooper said as the two pups ran home.
That night as each pup was going door to door trick or treating, Thatcher was waiting by the library with his werewolf costume on looking down the street as his best friends approached.
“Wow great costume Thatcher!” Trooper said as he and Darwin arrived.
“Thanks! It’s just like the one in this book and…. great costumes guys!” Thatcher replied.
Trooper smiled.
“I’m the evil Dr Trooper and this is my Frankenstein’s monster!” Trooper announced as Darwin pretended to be Frankenstein making monster sounds.
“You guys are funny!” Thatcher said laughing.
“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s go get some treats!” Trooper said as they started to walk towards some houses to trick or treat.
The pups spent the rest of the night going door to door getting candy. Pretty soon they had bags full of candy and went back to Trooper’s house to have a sleepover. That night they dreamt of the awesome Halloween they had and all the adventures to come!
The End!