WH's NG - Terror n' Treats Pie

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The kitchen smelled pleasantly of cinnamon and fresh apples. Julie stood at the counter, and in front of her were bowls of flour and leftover dough, and next to them were fruits. In the center was already made, raw dough. Right next to it, five-year-old Tulip bustled about with great determination, dressed in her adorable dress prepared especially for this celebration. She also had on skull makeup and a pretty pumpkin motive hat.

"Mommy, can we add the apples now" asked Tulip, bouncing on her little slippers with impatience.

"Just a moment, honey. We have to wait for the dough to rise first so that it will be soft after baking" replied Julie, smiling happily at her daughter. "Remember what we said about the right order?"

Tulip grimaced, holding and playing with her long strands of hair.

"Yes, but I want it ready for Terror n' Treats! Everyone will be done with the candy picking and I…" the girl suddenly fell silent and her face became sad.

Julie noticed the change in her mood. She came closer and put her hand on her daughter's shoulder and spoke to her in a full motherly tone.

"Honey, I understand that you're sad that you can't go with Cris and his friends... I can feel that this is hard for you. I know how excited you were about this holiday..."

Tulip sniffed. "Why doesn't anyone listen to me? Everyone treats me like a glassy dolly!" her tone rose and her little hands clenched into fists. "Even you!"

Julie sighed and her heart beat faster. "No, Tulip, I don't want you to think that. The fact that you're the youngest of their group just makes everyone worry about you. They want you to be safe and that's why they're keeping an eye on you."

"But I can be independent!" the girl suddenly interrupted her. " I wanted to go with Cris and Riley and Jon, and now I have to stay home and bake a cake and wait for the other adults to come. I'll probably babysit Bee because that's the only company you probably think I deserve!"

"Don't say that, my little flower... it's true, you're very brave and smart and my dad and I have no doubts about it. But Terror n' Treats isn't just about collecting candy or telling each other scary stories. We can create something special together. Do you know that apple pie will be the perfect dessert for our party? Everyone loves it!" Julie tried to engage Tulip in a happy mood.

"By any chance, Beatrice doesn't like anything related to apples?" the girl replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeaaaahhh... But she's still small and Wally and I are still trying to change it a little. At least Wally is trying. Maybe in time your dad will accept that children can dislike something and it's completely natural." Julie added with an awkward smile.

"Maybe... but I'd still like to be with my friends..." Tulip mumbled, lowering her head.

Julie reached out and gently lifted her daughter's chin. "Look how beautiful these apples look! We can cut them together. And then we can make something really magical with them!"

Tulip sighed, but brightened up a bit. " Okay, Mom... But only if we add a lot of cinnamon!" she added suddenly, excitement in her voice.

"Deal! " Julie smiled, reaching for the apples. "And then, after we bake them, we'll make Terror n' Treats decorations. We'll have our little spooky party, right? And the aunts and uncles you know and love will come!"

" Yes! " Tulip exclaimed enthusiastically, her eyes twinkling again. "Can we make ghosts out of white napkins? Or spiderweb eggs? Or chocolate bats!?"

"Of course! And while we're decorating the cake, we'll make little apples out of red icing, too," Julie said, feeling the little one start to brighten up. With that, she gave her daughter a gentle kiss on the cheek, and they both laughed happily. The mood improved in an instant.

Working in the kitchen became fun. Tulip eagerly shaped the dough, while Julie cut the rest of the apples. As the remnants of flour floated in the air, the girl began to laugh, forgetting her sorrows for a moment.

However, as the cake was ready and then baked in the oven, spreading the wonderful smell of cinnamon and sweet fruit, Tulip felt bitterness again. Sitting at the table, she felt that everyone around her would continue to ignore her. Her mind was racing with thoughts of how her older brother Crispin and his friends would be having fun, and she would have to stay home with her parents and the rest of the adults, pretending to be happy with the way things were going.

"Mom, why don't others understand how much I want to be a part of all this?" she suddenly asked, her voice full of sadness.

Julie walked over and hugged her tightly. "I know it's hard, honey. Adults sometimes make mistakes, thinking they know what's best. But your feelings are important, and you should talk about them."

Tulip nodded, but bitterness still smoldered in her eyes. "Maybe I understand, but that doesn't mean I'm not sorry. Everyone treats me like some precious thing. I don't know what makes me so special..."

"Everyone is special, darling. I want you to know that what you feel is completely normal. And you're smart enough to know that you can handle these feelings. Remember that Terror n' Treats is also a time to have fun with your loved ones, not just collecting candy or pulling tricks" Julie said, trying to cheer her little daughter up.

Tulip, although she pretended to understand, carried bitterness in her heart. For her, Halloween wasn't supposed to be just baking a pie. It was supposed to be a time of joy, fun, and adventure with the rest of her friends. She imagined what it would be like if she went with them...

She felt hurt and left out.

When the pie was finally baked and the smell filled the kitchen, Tulip looked at it with a smile, pleased with her work but in the back of her mind were still thoughts of unfulfilled desires. She smiled at her mother.

"Mom, can we make extra pie for Cris and the other kids?" she asked, feigning joy, but there was still something depressing in her eyes.

"Of course, honey! We'll surprise them! A piece of apple pie for each one!" Julie replied, pleased with her daughter's enthusiasm.

Tulip nodded, a hint of bitterness still lurking in her heart. Despite everything, she wanted to believe that maybe Terror n' Treats could be as magical for her as it was for the other kids. Maybe in next year she'd join the other little residents of the neighborhood, and until then everyone would treat her the same as everyone else...

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I wanted to do something for Halloween and here it is! It's a spin-off/addition to this story I did in January:

Poor Tulip... I have a friend who was treated in a similar way and she didn't like it either, hence the inspiration for my character. And sorry for the text if you find it weird (I'm a bad writer). 😓

Hope Ya Like It and Happy Halloween! 👻💀🎃🦇🧡👻💀🎃🦇🧡