Better Off Undead by James Preller

Author:James Preller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

TIN MAN

Sunday night slowly rolled around. It had been one of those quiet, stay-at-home, do-nothing weekends. I tried not to think about Talal and the Bork brothers. Which, of course, was impossible. Had Tal figured out anything new? I’d ask him in school tomorrow.

“I know what I want to be for Halloween,” Dane announced during dinner.

“Oh?” my mother said.

Dane gave a gnomish grin. “The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz!”

“Big surprise,” I said.

“I need some old clothes, a hat, and some straw. Can we get straw, Mom?” Dane asked.

“Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem. I think Olson’s Farm sells hay bales this time of year.”

“I need straw,” Dane said, “not hay.”

I explained, “It’s the same thing, Dane. Hay, straw, there’s no difference.”

Dane’s lower lip trembled. His eyes grew wet. “It’s not the same,” he argued. “I’m stuffed with straw, not hay. Mom?”

“It’s okay, Dane, don’t fret,” my mother said. She shot a sour look in my direction, as if Dane’s tears were somehow my fault. “I’ll get you some straw. I promise.”

“Thanks,” Dane said, instantly cheering up. “Which character do you want to be on Halloween, Adrian?”

“Um? What?”

“If I’m the Scarecrow, you can be the Cowardly Lion or the Tin Man. We’ll have to find a girl to be Dorothy. Do you know any girls?”

“Slow down a sec, Dane. What are you talking about?”

He seemed especially fragile this morning, a china teacup that had to be handled ever so gently. My little brother, the person who loved me most of all, said, “I want to paint our front bricks yellow. Then we can go trick-or-treating together.”

“I’m in middle school, Dane,” I explained. “I’m not really into getting dressed up for Halloween.”

“Why not?”

“It’s just, I don’t know…” I shrugged. I didn’t really have an answer to that one. I knew there must be an end point when we’d all grow up and stop ringing doorbells, but I didn’t know exactly when that time would come. Was this the year I’d have to give up trick-or-treating? Maybe I could still do it a little bit, on the down low, as long as I didn’t act too into it. Ring a bell, mumble something, and look bored.

Dane stared at me in disbelief, as if I’d just announced that pizza was illegal. He powered on. “Your friend Zander could be the Cowardly Lion. He’s chubby, and I think the Lion should be sort of soft in the middle, don’t you think?”

“I guess,” I replied.

“So that makes you the Tin Man,” Dane said. “No heart.”

I looked across the table at my mother. No help there.

“Dane, I don’t know…,” I said.

“You have to,” he insisted.

My mother cleared her throat. “We can discuss it later, Dane. There’s still time before Halloween.”

Dane glanced at me as if I’d just stabbed him in the back with a fork. “Just forget it,” he muttered.

“Dane—” I faltered. “Let me think about it, okay?”

He didn’t look up, didn’t say a word, but I saw his face relax a little.

“I might know a good Dorothy,” I offered.

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