CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
( PUMPKIN )

     CARMEN SIGHS AT Daniel. The boy had been tugging at her sleeve, wanting to enter the hay maze as soon as possible. But Aurora, on the other hand, had other plans. Aurora climbs onto the stack of hay in front of them, balancing herself.

She brushes the hay from her, smiling at Jonah. "This is the best vantage point."

"But that's cheating!" Jack says, pointing an accusing finger at the girl. "You can't do that!"

"What're you gonna do, call the maze police?" Aurora snorts.

"I want up there, too," Corbyn says excitedly. Backing up, the boy takes a running start, before jumping. He barely makes it onto the bale, Aurora having helped pull him up.

"Does anyone else want up here?" Corbyn asks, staring down at the group.

When no one else climbs up, Jack grins triumphantly. Not liking the cocky smile, Aurora quickly comes up with a plan.

"Why don't we make a bet?" She asks, grinning slyly. "If the six of you find your way out before Corbyn and I, we'll pay for the ice cream afterwards. If Corbyn and I find the exit first, you six buy ours."

"Deal," Daniel answers immediately, sticking his hand up for her to shake.

"It's settled then."

Not waiting for a response, Aurora rushes ahead of the others with Corbyn in tow. Callie turns to the others, glancing at them all.

"I think we should split up into two groups. That way, not all of us have to pay for their ice cream if they get there first. Only the last three would have to buy it for us all," She says.

"I second that opinion," Carmen smiles. "Lets choose teams."

"I choose Carmen," Daniel says, gripping her by her sweater sleeve again.

"And I get Callie." Jack states firmly, pulling the girl into his arms. Zach joins Daniel and Carmen, and Jonah joins the other two.

"Good luck," Jonah says to Carmen, Daniel, and Zach. "And may the odds be ever in your favor."

---

"We're lost," Carmen says, leaning on a bale of hay. "I think you two can agree that we're going to die out here."

"We won't die," Daniel says, looking around them.

"My feet are killing me," The girl sighs, shifting in discomfort. She doesn't have to say another word, as Daniel swoops her from her feet, and into his arms.

"Dude!" Zach throws his hands in the air. "I had it!"

"Sure you did," Daniel says sarcastically, moving forward. "That kind of positivity gets you places, Zach. Just keep telling yourself things like that."

Carmen holds onto Daniel, sending a smile at Zach over his shoulder. The boy can't help but smile, even though she was in the arms of another.

"I think that if we go this way, we could get out," Daniel walks down a long row, coming to a stop at a dead end. "Well, nevermind . . . But what about down there?"

"Awww!" Someone says from behind them. "Aren't they the cutest, Jason?"

They turn in confusion, seeing a couple in their twenties. The girl fawns over Daniel and Carmen, yanking at her boyfriend's arm.

"She's not my-"

"You're so cute," The girl says, sighing in content. "I remember when I was that in love."

"Lets get out of here," Zach groans, shoving Daniel down a new row. "I can't stand being here another minute."

"But Zach, we're going the wrong way!" Daniel argues, shoving in the opposite direction. "I'm sure the end is over the-"

"Don't argue with me, because I absolutely refuse to go back there when that couple-"

"I know that, but you need to stop and listen to-"

"Can you guys please stop fighting?" Carmen groans, jumping from Daniel's hold, before pointing behind them. "That's the way out. Now shut up, and follow me before either of you get us even more lost than we already are."

The two close their mouths, listening to the girl. And, surely as she said, the direction she lead them was the right way to go. In the near distance, Carmen heard Aurora chatting away with the others.

"So you left my Caramel in a huge hay maze with Tweedledee and Tweedledum?"

"Well," Jonah starts, sounding stressed. "When you put it that way, it sounds bad."

"You are-" The girl stops herself, turning as she hears a leaf crunch behind them. "CARAMEL!"

She lunges forward, tackling the girl into a tight embrace. "You are not allowed to leave my line of vision ever again."

Carmen laughs, detangling herself from Aurora. "You're worse than Zach."

"That reminds me," Aurora says, looking to Daniel. "Thanks for getting Caramel out alive, Daniel."

"I kept her alive, too!" Zach throws his hands up in exasperation.

"Sure you did, Heroine," Aurora teases with a laugh. "I'm ready for an ice cream. Can we leave now?"

"Right after I get a pumpkin," Carmen decides, dashing towards the field of growing pumpkins.

Aurora sprints after her, yelling loudly, "I WANT ONE TOO."

The rest of the group follows behind, watching as Carmen perches herself in the middle of a patch of tiny pumpkins. She smiles widely, sifting through them. Aurora on the other hand, begins sprinting through the patch.

"Oh no," Jonah mutters as she trips over a big one.

As she dusts herself off, Aurora turns to the pumpkin with a glare. Carmen looks over to her, just as she begins kicking the pumpkin repeatedly.

"Good lord," Zach mutters. "Jonah, you might want to-"

"No," Jonah holds up a hand, chuckling as he watches the girl tackle the pumpkin. "I want to see how this plays out."

"Well, if we're going to get banned, we might as well go out with a bang," Callie shrugs, sprinting over to where Aurora and Carmen now stand.

And without hesitance, Aurora begins chasing after children with her air horn.

"TASTE THE FURY, BITCHES!"

"And that, Jonah," Jack says, patting him on the shoulder. "Is how we get banned from every public place we go to."

_____