It had been raining for the past couple of days in Lower Manhattan, which meant there were barely any customers and the papers got soaked. So after the long and dreadful afternoon, a bunch of little boys and one girl were running a muck in the bunkroom, and the two leaders were at their wits end. It took awhile but they two boys managed to calm everyone down and hoped to find something to entertain their little spirits. But everyone was board of card games, checkers, chest and they weren't allowed to use darts just yet, so there wasn't much to do. That is until Albert suggested some scary stories seeing as there's a thunderstorm. The perfect night for such a thing.

"The last time you'se told a scary story Snipes wet his bed after someone -" Wolf glared at Race, who had the most innocent look imaginable. "- crawled out from under it." now, there were both pros and cons to a scary story before bed. On one hand, Wolf knew it would get everyone to sleep, but on the other hand, it could lead to a long night of nightmares, which mean sleep depriven newsies in the morning. It was already hard enough getting all the boys and one girl up and running, but if everyone stayed up all night, it would be a long day.

"I did not wet the bed!" Sniper exclaimed. But his red cheeks betrayed his words.

"They's the ones who want ta be scared babies for the night," Jumps said, which offended the room full of little newsboys. He then leaned closer to Wolf and whispered ever so quietly. "Unless ya got a better idea ta get 'em ta bed, let 'em be paranoid for the night."

Despite his better judgment, Wolf knew Jumps was right about getting a room full of little rowdy boys who don't know the meaning of getting a good night's rest, this was the only reasonable solution. The other one was to let them wear themselves out and be cranky in the morning, which was a whole other story. In the end, Wolf gave the ok and Albert was about to start, when all of a sudden the power went out and Elmer screamed, "We's gonna die! It's gonna get us! Tell my story!"

"I'm even younger," Buttons replied as he pulled his knees to his chest and started to rock back and forth in fear.

"I's didn't even started yet ya nitwits!" Albert exclaimed. "The stinkin' power went out...which gives the perfect spooky effect," he thought out loud.

"Well, we's in for a long night," Wolf mumbled to himself as he got up and went with Jumps to find some candles so they wouldn't be completely in the dark while Albert started the story.

"Well..ya see there's this goil who's bout nine, an' she has this lil rag doll 'er mudda made 'er outta scraps of fabric. An' she loved that doll, but one day while playin' in the park, it was lost-"

"This ain't scary," Jojo grumbled.

"Would ya shut yer pie hole, it's called settin' the scene," Albert said while glaring at Jojo, who shrugged and shifted in his seat a bit. "The goil lost 'er doll an' she was heartbroken-"

"Couldn't 'er mudda make anudda one?" Henry questioned.

"Anyways!" Albert shouted in annoyance. "The goil lived in a orphanage cause 'er folks died." after that no one interrupted and only listened as the tall tale went on. The boys and Feister were at the edge of their seats as Albert went on with the story. Every now and then a crack of thunder or lightning would clash in the sky, making the little newsies jump up. About halfway through some of the boys started to hug one another for comfort, while others put on a brave face. "So, if ya ever stumble across a rag doll on the street at night, you'se better make a run for it fore the ghost grabs ya!"

And with that, the lights turned back on and at that very same moment, a small white figure came out of nowhere. "It's the doll ghost!" Crutchie screamed. "Run for yer life!" needless to say the boys went into a mad panic, running this way and that way, while Wolf and Jumps tried to wrangle up the boys and calm them down since there was no such thing as ghosts.

"It got me!" Finch screamed as the ghost jumped onto his back. "This is the end of me!"

"No it's not!" Jack yelled. "C'mon, let's soak the ghost for Finch!" and with that the boys grabbed some pillows and started to attack the ghost...and Finch to the ground. From that point on it was just pure chaos as the boys all whacked the ghost as hard as they could with the pillows.

"Ok, ok," the ghost laughed. "I give up!"

"Shut yer...do ghosts even have faces?" Specs thought out loud because this ghost sure didn't have a face.

"It's just me ya dummies!" the ghost said.

"We's don't know anyone named "me" ghost!" Mike stated.

"Go back ta where ya came from ya little devil!" Ike yelled.

"Oh shut up ya dummies!" the ghost yelled at the twins. In the next second the "ghost" came out from under the sheet to reveal Feister with a happy face, wide eyes and messy hair. "Got ya!" she exclaimed before laughing, making the boys feel like complete idiots for falling at such a easy and typical trick. "You'se shoulda seen yer faces! Especially you'se Finchie, you'se looked bout ready ta spoil yer pants."

"I's knew it was you'se all along Feisty. I's was just fakin' ta get the others is all," Finch quickly replied. But his deep red cheeks said otherwise. This sent Feister into more laughs, and the boys were starting to feel even more embarrassed than before. They let a girl scare them all into thinking the doll ghost was going to take them alive.

"I's think that's enough scares for one night," Wolf said once things had calmed down. "Everyone ta bed or yer all really gonna die this time." and with those words, the boys and Feister all scrambled up and rushed to their beds for the night. Well...most of them, because some of the younger ones bunked with the olders for the night, but Albert ended up getting at least three boys with him because he's the one who told the story. It didn't make any sense, but there was nothing Albert could do.

After Feister had climbed up into her bunk, Mush followed her and settled down on her left. "Um...whaddya think yer doin'?" the small girl asked. "Yer bed is over there," she said while pointing over to the right.

"Well...I's bunkin' here tonight," Mush replied in a sure tone.

"Why? What's wrong with yer bed?" Feister asked as she crossed her arms.

"Nothin'. I's was just thinkin' that maybe I's should stay with ya in case somethin' or someone tried ta get ya in yer sleep. An' if that happened, you'se gonna need someone strong ta save ya," Mush explained before flexing his arms. "No one will dare ta come near ya with these bad boys protectin' ya."

"Am I's supposed ta be impressed by those tiny twigs?" Feister asked. "I's have more muscle than that! I's beaten ya at arm wrestlin'! Secondly, I's can take care of myself. An' lastly, if I's didn't know any better, I's say that yer scared of somethin' takin' ya in yer sleep."

"Am not!" Mush retorted as he crossed his arms.

"Then prove it by gettin' outta my bed!" Feister snapped.

Mush was about to say something, but then grumbled as he proceeded to get out, but not before saying, "If somethin' eats ya, just know I's told ya so." Feister rolled her eyes and Mush jumped out of her bunk. She smiled to herself as she laid down and closed her eyes for the night. Meanwhile in the bunk over on the right, Mush was having a hard time sleeping like some of the others. After a couple of hours thinking something could get him at any minute he went over to Jumps' bed wiggled under the covers.

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"JUMPS THERE'S A MONSTER UNDER YER BED!" was what woke everyone the following morning.

"There's no such things as monsters," Jumps mumbled into his pillow. It was way too early to be dealing with this kind of nonsense after what had happened the previous night with Finch thinking he was going to die, and the rest of the boys going into defensive mode, when in reality it was just Feister pulling a little prank.

"Jumps I's swear I's saw somethin'!" Mush yelled as he shook Jumps awake, while causing more grumbles from the boys and something about how Kid Blink is an idiot for bringing home a baby.

"Ok, I's up," Jumps grumbled as he slowly sat up to see a worried eyed Mush. "What's got ya cap in a bunch?" And before Mush could explain something popped out for under the bed and let out a loud roar, making a tiny Mush scream in fright and fall off the bed. By this point, all the boys were awake and had saw what just happened. Needless to say, they all started to laugh.

"It ain't a laughin' matter ya bummers!" Mush exclaimed. "There's a monster that's gonna eat us all!"

"Wow you'se sure is easy ta fool," a familiar voice said in a shocked tone. Mush looked up and saw a pleased Feister was leaning over the edge of Jumps' bed. "Not only do I's almost feel sorry for ya, but...there are two things I's gotta say ta ya. First bein' you'se seriously do have mush for brains, an' second bein'...I KNEW YOU'SE WAS SCARED!"

"Was not!" Mush shouted

"Was too!" Feister replied with a little smirk on her face.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"HA! You'se admitted you'se was scared," Feister exclaimed.

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Author's note

Hello again, I'm officially back with updates for this book! Yes, I know a Halloween-ish chapter seems a bit odd around this time, but as I've implied before this book was a mess to write out (plus, I think I was back in my Albert swing when I wrote this way back when). Anyways, Feister is such a little trickster, you know she's not going to let the boys live this moment down anytime soon. Especially how she managed to scare Mush. Though I don't think he feels the same way she does on the situation. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you soon!