Horrible Harry at Halloween by Suzy Kline

What’s Harry Going to Be?

    E very Halloween we wear costumes to South School. The biggest question the week before is ...
    What’s Harry going to be?
    My name is Doug. I’m in third grade. My best friend is Harry. He loves horrible things. His name is even spooky, Harry Spooger. When it’s Halloween, Harry always plays a few tricks on us. And each year his costumes get scarier and scarier.

    The day before Halloween we were sitting on the rug in the library corner. The second morning bell hadn’t rung yet, so we were just talking about the big question ... What’s Harry going to be?
    â€œRemember last year in second grade?” Sidney said. “Harry wore a snake costume. All you could see was his white teeth. He was so scary!”
    â€œHe was late, ” Mary groaned. “It took him ten extra minutes to slither across the playground. I remember he had to stay after school that day.”
    As Mary thought about it more, she smiled.
    â€œI remember what costume Harry wore in the first grade,” Song Lee said. “He was the Loch Ness Monster.”

    Sidney’s teeth began to chatter. “He was all slimy and green.”
    â€œYeah, even in kindergarten Harry was scary,” I said. “Remember? He was C ount Dracula. He chewed on strawberries and let the red juice drip down his chin like blood .”
    Mary shivered. “Well, I’m going to be Tinker Bell. I found a fancy gold dress with gold sequins at the thrift shop for five dollars. Mom is taking up the hem, and making me a wand and a special box with magic powder in it. It’s called pixie dust.”
    â€œOooh! You’ll have magical powers!” Song Lee exclaimed.
    No one else ooohed.
    â€œHey, what are you wearing?” I asked Dexter.
    â€œThe usual. My Elvis costume. I’m bringing a guitar, too.”
    â€œCool,” I said. “What are you gonna be Sid?”
    â€œA squid,” a voice said from the doorway.
    â€œHarry!” we all replied as he ran into the room and took a flying leap onto the space couch. It was finally his turn to sit on it. We go in ABC order. Spooger is last. It was his day.
    â€œWhat are you wearing Harry?” Mary asked.
    â€œAhhhhhhhh,” he replied lying back on the couch. His head was propped up on the little cushion.
    â€œHuh?” Mary nagged. “I’m going to be Tinker Bell.”
    â€œWell Tink, you’ll never guess what I’m gonna be in a thousand years,” Harry said putting his arms behind his head.
    â€œA Komodo dragon?” Song Lee asked.
    â€œNope.”
    â€œT-Rex?” I asked.
    â€œNope.”
    â€œA ghost? A ghoul? A vampire?” Mary persisted.
    â€œNope. Nope. Nope.”
    â€œHarry!” we all groaned. “Tell us!”
    But Harry didn’t. He just shook his head and changed the subject. “I thought of a new game we can play for recess today.”
    â€œWhat?” we replied.
    â€œTombstone kickball. We get some chalk and draw a tombstone on first base, second base, third base, and home plate.”
    â€œNeat-o!” Dexter and I said. Suddenly, Sidney leaped in the air. “Now I know what you’re gonna be for Halloween... a walking corpse! That’s why you’ve got graveyards on the brain.”
    â€œWrong again, Squid. You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.” And then Harry closed his eyes and pretended to snore.

Water, Water Everywhere!

    T hat morning we did science experiments with water. Everybody paid attention except for Sidney. He kept bugging Harry about his Halloween costume.
    â€œAre you going to be a mummy?”
    Harry laughed. “Nope.”
    â€œGive it up, Sid,” Mary scolded. “It’s my turn now to go up and do an experiment. I don’t want you to distract anyone. So ... shhhh!”
    We watched Mary take a big brown bag to the front of the room. Two big words were written in cursive on the