Chapter 1: Lil Bruh's Halloween Adventure/ Haunted Halls and Halloween Thrills

Inside the first grade classroom, Miss Essence waited with a box full of crayons, scissors and black, orange and green construction paper. “Good morning, my sweet pumpkins!” she sang out, her long earrings jingling. "We doing a special project today we're going to make pumpkins and bats out of construction paper" " I will show you how first." As Miss Essence shows the kids step by step her paper pumpkin she holds it up "Now you try do your best there's no such thing as mistake in art."

While Miss Essence passes out the colored paper and supplies, Trixie—my Trixie, with her rainbow braids and twinkly hazel eyes—sat beside Lil Bruh, around them were cousins, classmates and neighborhood friends,

Cousin Keke, Lil Key, Aaliyah,

Lil Sis Fantasia Bruh, Jamal, Tyrese, Ray Ray, Man Man, Chuck, Alex, David, Mateo, Raj, Jazzy, Zelyah, Illiana, Hibiscus, Lotus, Sakura, Tiare, Louie, Jin, Colione, Canoli, Kofi, Yarobi, Prince and Empress kids of every color and race grinning as they start their Halloween projects of paper pumpkins and paper bats.

Miss Essence hand out treats of candy corn and popcorn balls "Almost forgot to do a roll call" Miss Essence calls out every kids name to make sure they are all in class.

Miss Essence clapped her hands. “Now who’s ready to show their project? Lil bruh "Me!"

"No,Me!" "Pick me!" "I'm ready Miss Essence!" Trixie, Keke, Lil Key, Aaliyah and lil sis answers in an impatient outburst.

So Miss Essence gives each kid a turn.

1 hour until the last school bell rings. “We’ll read a spooky story, share candy corns, and after school, everyone’s invited to the big Halloween party at the Community Center.” "Also kids be safe trick or treating remember stranger danger."

That was all it took—chaos of happy squeals and wiggly feet! But as the day tiptoed by, something strange started to happen. The hallway grew chilly, even though the sun smiled bright outside. Shadows flickered near the lockers. A locker door creaked open by itself. In the bathroom, Tiare said a paper towel floated right out of the air!

When the final bell rang, Lil Bruh whispered, “That wasn’t the wind—did you see that, Fantasia and Trixie?” His eyes grew big as caramel apples.

Lil sis Fantasia bruh giggled while squeezing his hand. “Don’t worry, Lil Bruh, maybe it’s just a trick.”

The whole class hurried into the hallway, giggling and side-stepping the flickering shadows.

Colione and Canoli dared each other to peek in the dark music room, while Ray Ray and Jamal pretended to tiptoe past invisible monsters. The air was thick with giggles and the faint smell of chocolate. Miss Essence herded everyone outside, her laugh like sunlight cutting through the clouds.

Soon, yellow buses rumbled up and air was full of chatter and costume plans. Lil Bruh scrambled onto the bus, waving goodbye, already dreaming about his pumpkin costume at home. As lil bruh walks off the bus.

“Whew bruh bruh! You won’t believe it—the hallway was haunted at school!” he shouted, eyes as big as a bat.

“Oh really, have no fear bruh bruh is here I ain't afraid of no ghosts.” Bruh Bruh responded jokingly.

Inside, the Bruh Family house fluttered about, adjusting wings, capes, costumes and glittery things. Mommy Fefe Bruh zipped up Lil Sis Fantasia’s fairy dress, Daddy Mikey Bruh paints lil bruh's face orange and Big Bruh Bruh pops in his vampire fangs laughing and dancing—with Baby Bruh giggling along.

“Grab your buckets! Time to trick or treat and meet Granny Divine Bruh , Papa bruh, Aunty Roxie, Uncle Trill, Uncle Eli and Uncle Key Bruh and all your cousins at the Urban Community Center!” Mommy Fefe Bruh announced.

All the neighborhood families and kids stepped into the cool autumn air and twinkling moonlight beams. Laughter bounced from porch to porch. Jack-o-lanterns glowed. Every house felt creepy with spooky music, scary surprises and the promise of sweet treats.

The air outside the Bruh Family house had that perfect Halloween chill—enough to make you shiver, but the kind of shiver you get from a cold glass of orange soda. Lil Bruh’s skeleton mask slipped sideways as he ran down the porch steps, his candy bucket bouncing against his leg. I hurried behind, holding Fantasia’s hand. The sidewalks glowed with jack-o’-lanterns and porch lights. Neighbors called out, “Trick or treat!” from stoops bright and warm.

The Bruh Family strolled together, costumes flapping and giggles mixing with the autumn wind. All through Urban Town, music drifted—somewhere, someone was playing “Monster Mash” on a crackling old radio. Kids darted from house to house, their buckets growing heavy with chocolate and bright-wrapped chews. Mommy Fefe Bruh kept us close as we made our way toward the Community Center, one stop at a time.

But Lil Bruh kept looking back over his shoulder. His eyes were big, searching the purple-dark corners where the streetlights didn’t quite reach. “Aunty Roxie… I saw it again! That shadow, see? By the old Baxter house!”

I knelt next to him. “What did it look like, baby?”

He scrunched his nose, thinking hard. “It was tall and had a pointy hat. And I think it waved at me.”

Trixie’s rainbow braids bounced as she leaned in, excited and a little worried. “Let’s go look! Maybe it’s a witch… Or a wizard! Or a—”

I shook my head, but the kids were already tiptoeing toward the empty old house. The yard was full of crunchy leaves. In the upstairs window, a light blinked on and off. Lil Bruh’s hand found Trixie’s, and together, they crept through the gate.

The grown-ups called after us. “Stay where we can see you!” Daddy Mikey’s voice was gentle but strong. Mommy Fefe added, “No tricks on Halloween!”

Inside the yard, every sound was louder: the crunch of leaves, a creaky swing, the soft thud of a falling acorn. The upstairs window flashed again—just once, like a wink.

Lil Bruh’s voice wobbled. “Maybe it’s a ghost. Should we run?”

Trixie shook her head, brave as ever. “Let’s find out.”

They huddled together, feet frozen, staring at the window. Suddenly, the front door creaked open and a tall, skinny shadow leaned out. Lil Bruh yelped, nearly dropping his bucket.

A slow, familiar laugh rolled across the porch. “Well, well, y’all found me!”

It was Papa Bruh, holding an old army flashlight under his chin. Behind him, in the dark hallway, glowed a pile of glittery orange pumpkins and a big bowl of gummy worms.

Trixie and Lil Bruh burst out laughing with relief, “BRUH!

You scared us!" "Aww kids Papas just joking."

The rest of the Bruh Family crowded the porch, giggling and shaking their heads. “Come on,” “let’s go celebrate—there’s hot apple cider and music waiting for us at the Urban Town Community Center.

As we neared the Urban Town Community Center, a chilly wind whistled—just enough to shiver and wonder. The party lights sparkled, but somewhere behind us, a shadow flickered longer than it should.

Lil Bruh gripped my hand. “Aunty Roxie, is something following us?”

I replied back, gentle and calm: “Let’s find out.”

All they could see was a big, giant scarecrow with a pumpkin head jumped at them "I'm Pumpkin Pailer." "Bruh, stop playing." Lil bruh and I laughed as they continued to walk down the sidewalk with the rest of the Bruh family.

The mystery of Halloween had only just begun for the Bruh Family.

Surprising The bruh Family as they enter the Urban Town Community Center.

First, they saw a bunch of mirrors that lead into a maze. Everyone in the neighborhood kept bumping into each other and mirrors.

Lil bruh and his cousins all were lost and couldn't find the rest of the family. "Oh, no" lil bruh said nervously and called out for his family. "Mommy, Daddy, Papa, Granny, Aunty, Uncle, Bruh Bruh, Lil Sis where is everyone?" Aunty Roxie bruh hears lil bruh's cry for help and sped through the mirrored maze to find him. Aunty Roxie calls out to the kids "Where y'all at?" "Down here.", Lil bruh and Trixie whined. Finally spotting all the kids "OMG" Aunty Roxie laughed. "Now everyone hold hands and follow me." As Aunty Roxie bruh guided the kids through the mirrored maze.

Lil bruh had an idea, "let's crawl through the maze" so they all crawled to the end of the maze.

There stood Mommy Bruh holding baby bruh, Daddy Bruh and Bruh Bruh. Bruh Bruh asked Lil bruh "Were you scared?

Lil bruh answered with a brave voice "Bruh, I'm never scared, what's our next adventure."

Bruh Bruh laughs "haunted hallway."

All the kids cheered aloud "YEH"

"This time everyone hold hands and stay together, try not to get lost because I don't want to have to keep looking for y'all!" Aunty Roxie bruh announced as the bruh family enters the haunted hallway of the community center.

They could feel the spooky vibes walking through the dim hallway. Lights flickering and eerie sounds.

The bruh family waited in suspense for the scare. Slowly creeping toward them was a mummy. "BRUH! the family whispered as the mummy got closer everyone stopped and quietly leaned up against the hallway walls out of the mummys way hoping the mummy wouldn't see them. Out of the blue giant tarantulas crawled down the walls and onto the Bruh Family's heads. They all screamed, running down the hallway right into a Giant spider web.

"Bruh, my mouth was open."

lil bruh expressed with disgust. Then the family heard a raspy witchy voice saying " Here eat this candy boy, it tastes better than spider webs." "NO, LIL BRUH, DON'T EAT THAT, IT COULD BE POISON!" Both shouted Lil sis Fantasia and Trixie bruh." Continually running down the hallway. "Oh, no, watch out! the family screamed while slipping and sliding through ooey, gooey orange and green slime oozing down the walls and little cries from baby bruh as they slide closer to the end of the hallway holding onto whatever they could. Mommy Bruh and Lil bruh slipped and slide trying to catch their footing through the slime right pass the mummy. Then baby bruh went flying out of mommy bruh's arms into the air. Daddy Bruh turns and catches baby bruh just in time. Daddy Bruh sweating in relief, "Whew, that was close."

Lil bruh speaks out his favorite word "BRUH!"

Mommy Fe Fe Bruh thinks how she needs to find the bathrooms so she can change baby bruhs diaper.

She grabbed a doorknob and walked into the bathroom with a diaper to change baby bruh. She saw a glowing mirror out popped some vampire teeth and a eerie voice

"Aww ha, two for one I want to suck your blood, OOPS!" all Mommy Bruh could see was an image of a cape and urgently responded

"Bruh, not today!" Mommy bruh rushed out the door bumping into lil bruh "Bruh, I was looking for you." "Come on son let's get out of here" She grabbed lil Bruh's hand and they both hurried into the eating area of the community center with the rest of the family.

Finally, The Bruh family gathers into the eating area of the Urban Town Community Center. There were decorations, food, beverages and bowls of candy waiting for everyone at the tables. The bruh family sat down at a table. Next to them sat Lil bruh's classmates and friends all happily greeted Lil bruh with smiles and hugs asking Lil bruh if he was enjoying the Halloween Party.

Granny Divine Bruh glides to the table giving everyone her homemade pumpkin pies giving one to Lil bruh first "Here's the pie I promised you." As everyone finished up with eating and talking Miss Essence dances her way onto the stage to announce the winner of the raffle Jolly the clown and Pumpkin Pailer holding the basket full of raffle tickets.

"Everyone is a winner" Miss Essence Sang.

So she figures everyone should win and gives every family a gift basket.

"Now let's dance Party time!"

Everyone jumps on the dance floor starting off with a soul train line, clapping their hands and moving their feet to the music. Suddenly, Jolly the clown joins the crowd "BOO!" trying to scare the kids. Lil Bruh shockingly responds "BRUH!" as the party whines down everyone helps Miss Essence clean up and goes home with joy, laughter and lots of candy that mommy bruh will only allow the bruh family kids to eat 3 pieces of candy a day to prevent cavities and trips to the dentist. Lil bruh ends his day in his pj's and Mommy and Daddy Bruh tucking him in bed "Goodnight Lil bruh" Mommy Fe Fe and Daddy Mikey whispers. "Good night, can't wait for the next adventure." Zzzzz.