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[Merry]

By late October, Riverside Farm had taken on its full Halloween personality. Orange pumpkins lined the porch steps. Corn stalks rustled against the barn walls, and little paper ghosts hung from the porch railing, bobbing whenever the October wind blew through. Someone had put a carved jack-o'-lantern on every fence post along the driveway, and after dark, their crooked faces glowed across the farm like a gathering of tiny, mischievous spirits.

Inside the main house, the kitchen smelled like cinnamon, apples, and woodsmoke. A bowl of candy sat in the middle of the table. On one side were glossy red candy apples, their sticks wrapped in orange-and-black ribbon. On the other was a large bag of candy corn.

The debate began immediately. Merry picked up a candy apple and admired its shiny red coating.

"Candy apples," she announced. "Obviously."

Stefi, dressed in an oversized black sweater decorated with little orange bats, reached into the candy-corn bag.

"Candy corn."

"Candy corn." Fritz nodded from beside her.

Merry looked at them both. "Why?"

"Because it's Halloween," Stefi said.

"That isn't a reason."

"It absolutely is."

"At least a candy apple has some nutritional value." Merry took a bite of her candy apple.

Stefi stared at her. "Because there's an apple inside?"

"Yes."

"You've covered it in enough sugar to make it practically glow."

"But underneath the sugar," Merry said patiently, "there is still an apple."

Fritz considered this. "She's got a point."

"Fritz!" Stefi looked betrayed.

He shrugged and took another handful of candy corn.

"I can support both sides," he said.

"You can't."

"I just did."

Marti, curled up in a chair beneath the window, reached for a candy apple.

"I'm with Merry."

"Thank you," Merry said.

Marti took a bite. "Definitely candy apples."

Otto, who had already eaten half of his, nodded vigorously.

"Candy apples," he affirmed.

Stefi looked around the table. "This is ridiculous."

"You're the one defending candy corn," Marti said.

"Because candy corn is Halloween."

"Pumpkins are Halloween," Merry said. "Bats are Halloween. Ghosts are Halloween. Candy corn is just... yellow sugar."

Fritz looked down at his candy corn.

"Yellow, orange, and white sugar."

"Thank you, Fritz."

"I was correcting you."

Stefi laughed. Outside, a gust of wind rattled the barn doors. Somewhere down by the pasture, a horse gave a soft whinny. The jack-o'-lanterns flickered through the kitchen window.

Carl, who had been sitting silently at the end of the table, finally looked up. "You're all arguing about which kind of terrible Halloween candy is better."

Everyone turned toward him.

Carl pointed at the candy apples.

"Those are sticky."

Then he pointed at the candy corn.

"That tastes like sweetened candle wax."

Stefi gasped. "Candy corn does not taste like candle wax!"

Carl raised an eyebrow. "Have you eaten candle wax?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?"

Stefi opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Fritz started laughing so hard he nearly dropped his candy. Merry shook her head, smiling.

Carl stood. "I want no part of either."

"That's not very festive," Marti said.

"I'll be festive when someone brings out the cider."

He started toward the door.

Stefi called after him. "Candy corn is better!"

"Candy apples!" Otto said firmly.

"Candy apples!" Marti added.

"Candy corn!" Fritz yelled.

Merry lifted her apple like a Halloween trophy. "Candy apples have fruit!"

Carl paused in the doorway. "Both are gross." Then he disappeared toward the barn.

For a moment, everyone was quiet. A jack-o'-lantern outside flickered in the darkness. Then Stefi reached into the candy-corn bag.

"So... anybody want some?"

"No," said Merry.

"Yes," said Fritz.

"Absolutely," said Otto, taking another bite of his candy apple.

Marti laughed.

Outside, the wind swept a handful of autumn leaves across the farmyard, sending them skittering beneath the glowing pumpkins as the horses shifted quietly in the barn.

Halloween at Riverside Farm was officially underway.

(639 words)