HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

The Costume-Maker
By Reggieman721

Knobby fingers working slowly,
Needle weaving up and under,
Threads are pulled and buttons sewn as
Costume-maker works his wonder.

His working place is dark and silent;
Back room of the shop is quiet.
He crafts each garment specially
For just the pet who wants to buy it.

The common orders all consist of
Werelupes, vampires, ghosts, and witches.
This Neopet makes each unique, though:
All by hand he hems and stitches.

Greying Lenny wipes his brow and
Works all hours of the night.
He makes each costume with one goal:
He wants his wares to cause a fright.

When Halloween at last arrives,
He puts away his pins and string.
With bowl of candies, sugar sweet,
He calmly waits for bell to ring.

At happy shouts of "Trick or Treat!"
The door doth open with a groan.
No better sight is there to see,
Than pets in costumes he has sewn!

I Wouldn't Go... If I Were You!
By Anjie

Something creaks, I thought I saw...
It's just the wind, friend, nothing more!

Gather round, the eve grows dim,
This wind would chill you through.
Many trawl the dark tonight,
I'd not, if I were you.
"Trick or Treat!" Neopets cry,
As pound on doors they may.
Aye, a treat would be so grand,
A trick? Not so, I say!

Did you hear that? In the night?
Just Halloween, it causes fright!

Consider in the Haunted Woods,
Which doors you wish to seek.
For little pets who find some homes,
May find the outcome bleak.
What sweets would Edna give, I ask?
No doubt some magic treat!
One bite may turn you into dust,
She deals in dark deceit.

Something moved, right over there!
Hush now, friend, please don't despair!

Should you stumble to Thade's door,
I fear you won't return!
I've heard tales told of tricks he plays,
To make one's stomach churn!
Halloween... another day,
There's nothing you should fear.
Unless the woods you choose to tread,
Then fate may be severe.

Witches, Monsters! (Brain Tree too!)
I would stay home... if I were you.

Halloween
By Tamia_silverwing

It seemed that on that starless night,
A Crokabek did call,
As I was traipsing listlessly
Down those aged halls.

The house had seen a lot of life
Back in its younger days,
But now it seemed to sigh, fatigued,
That history a haze.

A mirror on one peeling wall,
Did seem to lure me near,
Its frame was touched with black decay,
Its surface long unclear.

But still I stole a glance at it,
In search of something real.
It seemed to me my life's answers
Would somehow be revealed.

The brown Lupe did gaze solemnly,
From beyond that misted glass.
His message seemed to be too clear,
He said I was the last.

I was the last; how cruel it seemed,
That I should still remain,
And all my family's company,
Should ne'er be felt again.

A sob rose from my clenched throat,
It seemed the blaze had moved with speed,
And in its hurry half the house
Had fallen to its greed.

What a horror that night had been,
Why hadn't I been there?
For on a whim I had been wandering
And hadn't seemed to care.

Hadn't thought to care for kin,
That beloved family of mine,
For on that night it seemed to me,
I just hadn't the time.

And while I traversed the Neovian streets,
The blaze had sprung to life,
It licked the walls to nought but ash,
My mind seemed fraught with strife.

For had I been there, I would have seen
my kinsfolk one last time,
It would have seemed nothing could part
That family of mine.

That was a night of pain but now,
I stood alone, it seemed,
With agonising memories
To haunt my every dream.

But then, it seemed the slightest sound
Did reach my folded ears,
And when I chanced a sideways glance,
Was forced to choke back tears.

For standing there, in shades of grey,
And teal like thoughts unseen,
Were seven pets, it seemed to me,
That family that should have been.

The ghosts were still, but seemed to smile,
With the kindness I once knew,
And the eldest Lupe did walk to me,
And seem to look me through.

You are the last, it seemed she said,
But you are not alone,
For we shall always be with you,
In this place you once called home.

And I looked at them, the ghostly pets,
And my heart seemed to swell.
I let go of that ruined life,
Warmth filled me like a spell.

I stayed with them for forever, thus,
Inside those ancient halls,
And far off in the starless night,
A Crokabek did call.

Neopians on Halloween
By Concertogreat_8

Lone Ghostkerchief floats in a flickering breeze;
Cobwebs twine round candlesticks with ease.
Cold winds blow brisk, bell tolls dully loud,
Hear the sound of fear it spreads about.

Young pets hurry 'long the faded path,
School's over, heads full of math.
Little Kougra pulls up hood, scarves go round,
Hurry, pitter-patter, the little feet sound.
Bell tolls -- from the sky a shower of leaves,
Barbats in a cloud, launched from the trees.
Wide eyes, one small gasp, Aisha stumbles --
Ashy sky smeared to dark violet rumbles.
Cackles come from the murky air,
Edna, stirring a potion deep in her lair.

Whoot calls, sticks snap, running fast,
Hurry, hurry; ah, safe home at last!
Shutters barred, windows shut;
Small face peeks out, whispered, "But..."
Mothers yank inside; no Uni babe left out,
While those strange Korbats are about.

Wild laughter fills the cold night dim,
Adorned trees' smoky white limb.
All Hallow's Eve, the Witchery Night,
Magic runs wild and Neopians take fright;
Scorned by the cackles of Eliv Thade,
Chased round by ghostly Meepits made.

Candy corns or Spyder's web --
Golden coins or Werelupe's head,
Demon-laughter, Vampire Cy,
Eyes glowing red, his teeth do not lie.
Black cape swirls in ghostly parade,
Sophie stirs from hidden glade.

Run inside, run and hide;
Safe locked in houses, safe inside;
Children listen at windows, at the doors;
Eyes open wide as stories fly.
Hide yourself, Neopians, on Halloween.

Costumed
By Cookybananas324

Now, there's only one reason
To head to Jhudora's Cloud
And that's for trick-or-treating.

It's really not surprising
That Halloween is her favorite day,
So she's generally a little bit nicer.

Still, something seems a bit odd --
Her smile's a little too wide,
Her eyes just a little too kind.

Something's up. I don't know what,
But I know who to ask about it.
I head down to Ye Olde Meridell.

Illusen's Glade isn't as busy
As it usually is, so I get to the door,
Knock a few times, and wait.

"What do you want?" asks Illusen
In a very un-Illusen-like voice
As she opens the door.

I can tell that something's not right;
Illusen's definitely not herself...
What could possibly be going on?

Her smile is a little too wicked,
Her eyes just a little too cruel,
Her face just a little too purple...

Finally, the answer hits me
With all the force of a slamming door --
It really should have been obvious.

Halloween is a time of costumes
For Neopets and faeries too, it seems,
The two old rivals have switched places!

I grin as I leave the Glade --
Wait 'til my friends hear this!
This was a Halloween to remember.
Wait a minute...
Where's my bag of candy?
I had it just a minute ago!

Somewhere from behind me,
Back in the Glade,
I hear a wicked cackle...

Ghosts
By Larkspurlane

Look upon the Haunted Woods,
Where trees, twisted and knotty, stand leafless,
Now the old year draws out to
Its hollow, dry end,
Now the cold wind westward blows
And with it takes the last signs of autumn --
Some would say, of life.

Dark days come, they say,
Dark days come, we miss our sunlit fields,
And summertime's sun-bright heat.

Tonight, we of the spirit kind bid you come,
Come to the Haunted Woods,
Wear your costumes and your masks pale
(Yet not so pale, nor half so luminous, as we)
Come, build a circle of fire
Among these trees twisted and skeletal,
Come at the midnight hour,
For tonight grave-rest is neither here nor there;
Halloween magic, that uncanny force,
Gleams its spectral vapours everywhere.
The Woods decay as time does flow,
And your fire-ring will burn to ash --
But we spirits alter not,
Our translucent hearts beat on
With strength renewed, and send
Wraith-blood through ghostly veins.

Dark days, they say, dark days come --
How dark, how dim, when, gleaming white,
We spirits return to haunt this place
On every moonlit night?

Halloween Night
By Jadis

Now sets the sun, now wilt the flowers,
Now slowly draw in day's final hours.
Across the land comes creeping dark,
Night's black blanket spreading stark.
As all good creatures take to their beds,
Neopia's villains each raise their heads.
Look to the sky: no stars can be seen.
Gathering clouds welcome Halloween.

Krawk Island's shacks shut up tight,
Piratical pets bed down for the night.
Pull up the blankets, lock the door,
Stoke the fire, my lad, some more.
Ghosts of smugglers and sailors, too,
Stalk the coast and wait for you.
Ancient wrecks from Maraqua's bane,
Rise and sail the seas again.

The Ghost Lupe pads on heavy paws,
What fool would meet its deadly jaws.
Take heed, you Island dwellers, hide!
Bar your doors and stay safe inside.
Vast, deformed and slathering hunger,
A mutant Chia splits the air asunder,
With deafening howls of evil intent.
Be in no doubt as to what is meant.

Faerieland hangs dark with foreboding,
A wicked presence seems to be goading.
From deep within their banished realms,
Dark faeries send out secret spells.
Stay still and quiet, you may yet evade,
The wandering spectre of Eliv Thade.
It's Halloween. Are you scared yet?
The night draws in. The sun has set...

The Ghoul Hunters
By Stariell

After darkness falls, late Halloween night,
A small band slips slowly across the moor,
Three figures, fending off their fright,
Acting both as the hunter and the lure.

The Ghoul Catchers, called on in need,
By villagers as desperate as they get,
To trap the Ghost Lupe with utmost speed,
And keep it bound tight in a silver net.

Brave Bren, the strongest of their crew,
Takes hold of the net and spins around,
Then all three are chilled right through,
By the wailing of a sinister hound.

The Ghost Lupe! The net is torn away.
More howls echo his through the mist.
Now hunters have become the prey,
Three Werelupes race into their midst.

The professor, from deep within his bag,
Sets off a bright flash that fills the skies,
And the three friends don't look back,
Taking off, with the benefit of surprise.

But far they've come, the night is black,
And worse things lurk on Halloween.
As for whether they'll made it back,
Perhaps you'll hear, if they've been seen.

The Terrors and Treats of Halloween
By Keikotoriyamacatnip

Hiding among the shadows' depths,
Neopets shake and quiver,
The scent of evil lurks in the air,
Cold winds cause pets to shiver.

Forces from beyond the grave
Rule upon this night,
Casting spells of mischief,
Filling others with fright.

Black cauldron bubbles beyond,
A Spyder spins his sticky net,
Count Von Roo scans the skies,
A Halloween none shall soon forget.

Edna cackles endlessly,
Stirring a witches' brew.
Esophagor moans incoherently,
Creepy quests he does spew.

All the scary creatures
In Haunted Woods reside,
Dedicate each long year
To protect their dreadful pride.

For without these inhabitants,
Only candy would reign supreme.
Tricks of terror ever gone,
Fright an ancient scheme.

On this bewitching night,
When Neopets roam around,
Collect the treats, play the tricks,
Beware the foreboding sounds.