"Where's Linus? We have the Great Pumpkin," Belinda said.

​

 

Madison laughed. It was Halloween, and all the neighbors around the cul-de-sac were in a contest to see who carved the best pumpkin. The prize was a gift certificate to the video store.

​

 

She and Belinda had carved a pumpkin with the face of a witch and then used colored paper to cover the openings so that the light from the candle inside would make the face glow green. They lit the candle, put the top back on the pumpkin, and went out trick-or-treating.

​

 

As they went from house to house, they looked over the other entries for the contest. Carly had done a nice carving of a ghost, and Peter had used an odd-shaped pumpkin to make a funny-looking frog. They came to Sam's house just as he was setting out his pumpkin.

​

 

"This is the winner right here," Sam said, in a not-too-friendly voice. Madison had to admit, he'd done a good job of carving a haunted house, but she still knew her and Belinda's pumpkin was better.

​

 

"Watch out for him," Belinda said, as they went to the next house. "He'll probably smash the other pumpkins just so he can win."

​

 

After they made a lap of the neighborhood, they returned to Madison's house to drop off the candy before everyone would meet for the winner to be announced. Their pumpkin was not smashed, but the candle was out, so it didn't look like anything special.

​

 

"I know who's to blame," said Madison.

​

 

"Who?" Belinda asked.