If you do not remember Aunt Dahlia, then you are not a true Goosebumps fan. She is the wicked witch who turned two innocent boys into older men. Not tall and muscular, but rather slow and wrinkly. She accomplished the deed by using her prune cookies. She will go to children and convince them that she is their aunt. This is how she is able to get them to eat her prune cookies.

While most kids would give in and eat the cookies, Shelly knows when to put her foot down. Yes, she is kind and sweet towards the people around her, but when you do something that she is uncomfortable with, she will stand up for herself. What? Did some of you readers think that Shelly was stupid? If she were stupid, she would still be close to James and Chad.

Shelly could not believe what the old lady had said. She rose to her feet and covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide. "Oh my gosh."

Aunt Dahlia giggled creepily - although that did not make the orphan suspicious - and held her arms out to the sides. "Yes, Shelly. Now come give me a hug!"

Shelly was about to - but stopped herself. Something did not feel right to her. "You are...my Aunt Dahlia?"

"Yes. It is me. Your favorite aunt!"

"How can you be my favorite aunt...when I have not seen or heard about you until now?"

Aunt Dahlia reached out for her, but Shelly stumbled back. "Oh, honey. I am sorry. I bet that you have lots of questions for me. I will try to answer them as best as I can."

"Okay. Explain why you never came into my life until this moment. Where were you when my parents and aunts and uncles and siblings were still alive? Why did you not attend the funerals?" She bit her lip and looked at Tamara. "Why did you let me and Tamara stay at the orphanage for so long?"

Aunt Dahlia was an excellent manipulator - and poor Shelly fell for it. She lied that she was a sister of her mother's and that no one in the family cared about her because she was weird. She lied that she deeply wanted to meet her and her siblings, but was afraid that her presence would shake the family. As for the reason why she never attended the funerals, she felt that she would go against the mom and dad's wishes.

Shelly felt bad for her. "My goodness. I had no idea."

"How could you have any idea when your mom and dad and the rest of your family kept it a secret from you?" Aunt Dahlia replied. "I should have returned to you and Tamara sooner than this—"

She was interrupted by Shelly. Shelly hugged her by wrapping an arm around her waist. "I am so happy, Aunt Dahlia."

"You buy that story? I mean, you are happy?"

She looked up at her and nodded. "I am more than happy. I am overjoyed. For months, I thought that my entire family was buried under the ground. I...I thought that Tamara and I were the only Madisons left. Well, Tamara was adopted by my parents, so..."

Aunt Dahlia carefully hugged her back. "Bet that you are not as happy as I am."

They pulled away from each other, ending the hug.

The orphan brushed back a hair strand and had on a big smile. "If you are related to me and can provide me with all the necessities...does this mean that you will take me in?"

Aunt Dahlia patted the top of her head. "If you want. I will not force you."

"Yes. Please. I want to be part of a family again, even if it is just you and me and Tamara. Please take me away from the orphanage."

"Anything for my nieces. But first..." She shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled out a clear bag. A bag full of cookies. Prune cookies. "...are you starving? You must be. The hospital probably fed you expired food."

Shelly licked her lips. "I have not eaten lunch. And I do love cookies. What kind are they?"

"These are my famous prune cookies. The best that this world has ever tasted." She opened the bag and took out a cookie. "Do not be shy. Take a bite."

Shelly had nothing to worry about. The cookies will not transform her into an old lady with white hair. The only thing that they will do is make her sleepy. Oh. I guess that she has something to worry about after all. Too bad for Aunt Dahlia that Shelly hates prune cookies. She also hates oatmeal cookies.

"Aunt Dahlia...I do not know how to say this, but...I do not like prune cookies."

Aunt Dahlia was not at all stunned. She was used to children refusing her delicious cookies. They would claim that they were stuffed or some other ridiculous excuse. She would have to persuade her.

She waved the cookie in Shelly's face. "I promise that you will love my prune cookies, honey. They do not taste like the ones that you see in stores."

Shelly held up a hand. "No thank you, Aunt Dahlia. I may try one later. Can I get a sandwich instead? I am craving for a turkey classic."

Aunt Dahlia pushed the cookie against her cheek. "Eat the cookie! Is it that difficult? You should be grateful that I am letting you have dessert before lunch."

"Why are you making it such..." Her voice trailed off. She yawned.

Aunt Dahlia blinked. "Why are you yawning? I have not given you the cookie!"

"Man. Did not realize how tired I really am." She lied down on the bench, cuddling with her baby sister. "Wake me up when you have lunch ready..." Then she fell asleep.

Aunt Dahlia dropped the cookie back in the bag. "I cannot believe how easy that was."