Due to the time change Peep's father never even noticed their newly painted yellow and blue house. Since he didn't ask Liza didn't tell him. She'd accepted the birthday gift from Peep no-questions-asked. They had a pact.

Sometimes you need to trust the one you love.

What do you want for your 9th birthday Peep?" Liza asked as she drove him to school.

"I dunno. Nothing I guess. I already have everything I want." He gazed out the window. Like fairy dust, colorful fall leaves fell and swirled around the car.

"Come on Peep you've gotta give me an idea. I don't wanna get you another GameStop gift card."

"Why not? It always fits," said Peep with a smirk.

"Tomorrow is Halloween. You going Trick-or-treating with your friends?"

"Nah..." Peep replied. "No one's really into it this year."

Peep happened to be between friends at the moment. At school he'd become the weird goth-kid with black hair.

Last week, at recess, it started raining. His temporary hair dye streamed down his face onto his orange hoodie.

Anabelle pointed and mocked, "Look! Peep is melting! He looks like a rotting pumpkin!"

His entire class couldn't stop laughing. When they got to their classroom Mrs. Dyer sent Peep to the nurse's office.

How humiliating.

Halloween had always brought him such joy. Anabelle and her evil minions always brought him such misery.

Liza sensed her son's melancholy so she came up with Plan B. In their family Plan B stood for BETTER PLAN! "I've got an idea! How about I take you and Oskar to Adventureland? They're having a special Halloween night. If you dress in costume all rides are half price." She enticed, "They're giving away lots of candy!"

Peep's sparkling amber eyes lit up! "Perfect mom. You always know how to cheer me up!" He kissed his mother on the cheek and hopped out of the car.

She called after him, "Don't let the haters get you down."

"I won't."

They did.

—-

Adventureland night proved to be magical. Oskar dressed as Batman, Peep as his arch nemesis, The Joker. Lisa wore a black headband with cat ears so she could claim to be Catwoman.

The boys went on every ride at least 5 times. Even though the Haunted House was a bit lame Liza joined them. As they rode through the maze they pointed out the strings holding up the ghosts and the not-so-scary actors going, "Boo!"  The three of them ending up laughing so hard they started crying.

They kept quoting the spooky talking tree, "I wouldn't go in there if I were you... There's a man in there with a chainsaw..."

On the ride home they stuffed themselves with miniature Milky Way bars, Reese's peanut butter cups, Skittles and Kit Kats.

When you're almost 9 mom's have a way of making everything better.

As Liza tucked Peep in goodnight he announced, "I know what I want for my birthday!"

"Oh yeah, what's that?" She asked.

"Ma, could we play hookie?"

"You mean you want me to call in sick?" Liza asked.

"Yeah, we could both use a mental health day!" Peep looked hopeful.

"For you kiddo? Anything." I'll call in mental first thing in the morning." She crossed her eyes making Peep laugh. "Tomorrow we'll spend the day as you like. You can be King for a day!"

"Ma, I'm gonna be king for-EH-ver!"

Liza kissed him on the forehead. Peep quickly fell asleep.

After midnight Locket zipped through the hole in the screen and slipped under the window, which Peep left open—just-a-crack.

Locket hovered above Peep's right ear and took a miniature ram's horn from its golden pouch and blew, "Pffffffft." No sound came out. She took a big breath and tried again. Squeeeeeeeeeeek!

Peep jumped up in bed. "What the—?"

Locket sang, "On the day that you were born all the fairies sang a song! You are loved and you are sweet. It's time you used your dancing feet. So hurry up--an adventure awaits. It's time to pass through the fairy gates." Clap, clap, clap! Squeeeeeeeek!

"Um... thank you?" Peep looked confused.

"I'm sorry my shofar playing isn't up to par. It's my mother's. She'd have a unicorn if she knew I'd borrowed it," Locket said as she put away the tiny horn.

Peep was curious. "May I see it?"

"Oh heavens no Peep! I'm not even supposed to touch this. But if your worried we removed it from a living Kadu you're most certainly mistaken. This horn was graciously bequeathed to us by the Prince of the Kadu's. He lived to be 333 years old."

"Great..." Peep said sarcastically. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

Locket tumbled in midair. "You'd rather sleep than go on an amazing adventure?"

Peep yawned, "I've already been to Adventureland so I'm good."

Locket laughed hysterically and pinged about Peep's room leaving streaks of blue light behind her.

"Adventureland in Huntington on the Island of Long?" When she finally settled down she sat on Peep's shoulder. "That's not the type of adventure I mean." She whispered in his ear, "I wanna take you to another world."

"I'm good." Peep laid back down and pulled the covers over his head.

Locket crawled out from beneath the covers. "You have been chosen. The Leprechauns need you."

Peep dumped off the covers. "The Leprechauns need ME?"

"Locket answered matter-of-factly, "Why yes."

Peep said, "I don't believe in Leprechauns."

Locket asked, "Do you believe in meeeeeee?"

, "Barely," Peep replied

Locket retorted, "Ha! If you believe in me then you have to believe in Leprechauns. You wanna know why?"

Peep took the bait. "Why?"

"Because Leprechauns are fairies! Most people don't know this because Leprechauns are so ornery and a bit selfish... Think of them as irritable fairy cousins who live on the wrong side of the rainbow."

Annoyed, Peep covered his face with his hands. "The only time I ever think of Leprechauns is when I eat my favorite cereal--Lucky Charms."

Locket shook her head. "Leprechauns hate that cereal. When we're in their presence don't ever mention you eat it—otherwise they'll get very angry. You don't wanna see them when their angry."

"I don't wanna see them at all." Peep got out of bed and headed toward the door.

Locket zipped in front of him. "Where are you going?"

"All this talk about Lucky Charms has made me hungry. Gonna get myself a midnight snack."

-End of Chapter 15-

Author's note: I was trying really hard to get this out by Halloween! I came close! I've been to Adventureland in Huntington, Long Island many times! Have you ever heard of it? Remember voting and commenting really helps our stories to grow. Be blessed!