No Trick-or-Treating! (Mary Test version)

It was Halloween night, and everyone at the Test household was all dressed up for the occasion.

Susan Test was dressed up like a fairy. Lumpy was dressed up like a pirate. Roo was dressed up like a pumpkin. Dr. Horace N. Buggy was dressed up like Dracula. Lila Test was also dressed up like a fairy. Hugh Test was dressed up like a waiter. Johnny Test was dressed up like a policeman, and Mary Test was dressed up like a zombie whose body parts could be served at horrifying restaurants.

"Oh, you guys look great!" Hugh exclaimed.

"So you're a waiter?" Lila asked.

"Yes, I am," Hugh said. "Would you like to look at our special tonight?" He lifted the lid, revealing Mary inside the table. Her head was on a plate.

"Boo!" Mary said. It made Susan, Lumpy, and Roo laugh.

"Oh my goodness, it's my favorite dish, Mary Test face!" Lila exclaimed. She ran up to Mary, grabbed her face, and kissed her on the forehead. "You know what, dear, it's a little chilly out. Would you run upstairs and grab your sweater?"

Mary did as she was told.

"That's my girl!" Hugh said.

"Wow, Lila," Horace said. "You look great!"

"Oh, why thank you, Horace," Lila smiled sweetly. "You do, too. And you too, Hugh."

"Really? It's my wedding tux. It still fits." Hugh said.

"Like a paint job." Horace said. Then he noticed Susan dressed up like a fairy, Lumpy dressed up like a rock star, and Roo dressed up like a pumpkin. "Hey, Roo, my man!" he said. He picked up the little kangaroo joey and gave him a hug. "This is your third Halloween!" Then he looked down at Susan and Lumpy and asked them, "What is he?"

"Isn't he a cutie?" Susan said, "He's a pumpkin."

"A pumpkin?!" Horace asked, not believing his daughter.

"I mean an evil light snatching jack-o'-lantern." Lumpy said.

Horace faced Roo again. "Oh, good! That's better!" he said. He and Roo rubbed noses.

As soon as Mary grabbed her orange-and-vermilion-striped sweater, she stopped at the railing, waiting to jump around.

Hugh glared at her. "Don't even think about it, Mary!"

Mary glared back at him. "*Don't even think about it!*" she said in a mocking tone.

"Baby!" Johnny said.

"Johnny, that's not a nice thing to say to Mary." Lila said.

Hugh didn't believe her. "You don't think I mean it?" he asked, "Just try me! I am the head of the household here! I am the boss!"

"*I'm the boss!*" Mary mocked him.

"You're nothing but a baby!" Johnny said.

"Johnny, stop calling your sister names!" Lila scolded lightly.

Susan, Lumpy, Roo, and Horace just gasped at Mary's insolence, and Hugh was losing patience.

"You are really getting on my nerves, young lady!" he scolded, "Don't you DARE jump off the step!"

Mary was being willful. "Make me!"

"You're such a baby!" Johnny said.

"That's enough now, Johnny." Lila told him.

Mary jumped off the last three steps.

"ALL RIGHT!" Hugh yelled, "THAT DOES IT, I WARNED YOU! NO TRICK-OR-TREATING!" Susan, Lumpy, Roo, Horace, Lila, and Johnny gasped in shock.

Mary glared angrily at Hugh and yelled, "YOU'RE AS EVIL AS VERMINIOUS SNAPTRAP!" She then stomped off to her room.

"So just Lumpy, Roo, and I are going?" Susan asked.

"Yes, dear." Lila said.

Susan became so happy. She said, "YAY!" She then ran to her own room with Lumpy and Roo following her.

"Hugh, what was that all about?" Lila asked.

Hugh shook his head guiltily. "I don't know," he said. "I was so mad it just came out. But *you two* saw her; she's totally out of control!"

"But it's Halloween," Horace said. "It's trick-or-treating!" Unfortunately, he didn't realize the doorbell rang.

"Horace, I've begged, I've pleaded, I've given her spankings, I've given her time-outs, I've washed her mouth out with soap! None of them worked! I had to do something." Hugh said.

"But you don't take away a religious holiday!" Horace said, "Think of Gil, Susan, Lumpy, Roo, Isabelle, and the Lost Animal Boys."