Page 1 of A Cowboy's Halloween

CHAPTER1

Jack Griffin’s phone rang, and he shimmied it out of his pocket as he kicked his apartment door shut behind him.

“Hey there, Roy!” he said enthusiastically. Not all brothers got along as well as the Griffins did, but Jack would do anything and everything for Roy, Parker, and Ronald. “How’s it going?

“Hey, Jack! I’m good, just getting ready for Halloween. All stocked up on candy for the kids this year.”

Jack burst out laughing. “Halloween is over two weeks away! Are you sure you aren’t going to eat all of the candy and need to buy more for the trick-or-treaters?”

“I’m not going to open the bag,” Roy insisted.

“Or did you buy two bags? One for the kids and one for you?”

“Maybe…”

Jack laughed some more. “I’m so glad you called,” he said as he lowered himself to sit on the edge of his couch. “I was actually going to call you.”

“Really? What’s up?”

“Well, I had an idea. How about we, you, Parker, and Ronald, get together at my place this Saturday night for a Halloween movie marathon? We can watch some classic horror films and really get into the spooky mood.”

“That sounds awesome! I’m in for sure. Let me check with Parker and Ronald. Or do you want to call them?”

“Doesn’t matter to me,” Jack said.

“I’ll call back in a few.”

Roy hung up.

Jack chuckled to himself. Roy was the oldest, so he tended to be a take-charge kind of guy. Roy wanting to call the others didn’t surprise Jack at all.

A few minutes later, Roy called back. “Jack, they’re both up for it too! Count us in.”

“Fantastic! It’s going to be a blast. I’ll text you the details, but save the date. Saturday night, seven PM, at my apartment.”

“Got it. We’ll be there with bells on. Can’t wait for some Halloween scares!”

Jack laughed. “Great, Roy. It’s going to be epic. See you on Saturday!”

* * *

Jack couldn’t wait for his brothers to arrive for their Halloween movie night. With excitement in the air, he decided to transform his apartment into a cozy yet eerie setting for the spooky movie marathon.

First, Jack began by hanging up some Halloween decorations. He draped fake spider webs across his living room and strategically placed plastic spiders and bats on the walls. Jack also scattered some battery-operated candles around the room to create a dim, eerie atmosphere.

Then, he turned off the overhead lights and switched to soft orange and purple string lights. The subtle glow added a haunted ambiance that would be perfect for their horror movie marathon.

Jack made sure to stock up on everyone’s favorite movie snacks. He had bowls of buttery popcorn, a variety of candy, and a big bowl of punch with floating “eyeballs” made from lychee fruit and blueberries.

To get into the Halloween spirit, Jack set up a costume corner with a selection of masks, hats, and props. He planned on encouraging his brothers to dress up if they felt like it, and he had a few spare costumes ready just in case.

Jack had carefully curated a list of classic horror movies, including favorites like The Shining, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Others. He made sure the remote control was easily accessible, ready to start the scares whenever they were ready.

He arranged the seating area with cozy blankets and cushions, ensuring that everyone would be comfortable during their movie marathon.

Jack played a spooky playlist of eerie music softly in the background, enhancing the overall Halloween experience.

As Jack finished setting up, he couldn’t help but feel the excitement building. Everything was ready for a night of scares and laughter with his brothers. All that was left to do was wait for Roy, Parker, and Ronald to arrive and enjoy the Halloween movie night they had been looking forward to.

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