title: Charlie's Halloween Party
author:  C. Francis Carnicelli 
description: C. Francis Carnicelli was raised on a steady diet of TV and the cinema.Years later and many spiral notebooks full of jotted-down notes, wild plot points, and crazydreams he had later, he fashioned about 15 short stories, which he whittled down to nine for his first publication, "<b>Something's in the Forest</b>!". A bachelor (by default) and residing in Simi Valley, California, he is also an avid theater performer and playwright. He has written, directed, produced, and starred in over 20 children's plays of "fractured fairy tales" for the Gypsies-in-a-Trunk players in Simi Valley, California. He has also written several screenplays andwrites movie reviews for a quaint local paper &amp;website. For more info, please visit his website at <b><i>CARNICELLI.NET</i></b>
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  Of Course,
  
  Cutie
  
  Nikki Paris
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © 2021 Nikki Paris
  
  All rights reserved.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For the old souls
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > 1
  
  > Charlie
  
  October was the worst month of the year. Halloween was a bullshit, stupid
  holiday. Pumpkin spice tasted like hot garbage, and no, the vibrant hues on
  the trees weren’t beautiful. Red, orange, and yellow were garish, hideous
  colors.
  
  I hated watching those ugly leaves cling to the branches for dear life, but I
  hated it more when they fluttered to the ground, losing their battle. They
  represented death, even a year later. They always would.
  
  “Charlotte Cox!” Matteo called across the courtyard of our quaint little city
  college. It wasn’t a friendly greeting. His hands were on his hips, and his
  lips were pursed. My fabulous best friend was pissed, and I knew exactly why.
  
  I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled, “What’s up, Mattie-boy? Love the
  scarf!”
  
  The corner of his mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes. Matteo lov