2. Candy Corn

2 Candy Corn That afternoon, I zoomed to my house from the bus stop. And I ran in my front door as fast as lightning. "TATTLETALE! T-A-T-T-L-E-T-A-L-E SPELLS TATTLETALE!" I hollered. After that, I used the word in a sentence. "TATTLETALE… MAY IS A BIG FAT TATTLETALE!" I heard my grandma's voice. "Junie B., honey? Is that you?" she called. "I'm in Ollie's room! Come back and see us!" I circled my hands around my mouth. "OKAY!" I hollered again. "O-K SPELLS

OKAY!" After that, I hurried back there very fast. And I hugged my grandma real tight. "Did you hear me spell tattletale?" I said. "I looked that word up in my dictionary at school. On account of May tattletaled on me today." Grandma Miller was changing Ollie's clothes. She shook her head at that news. "Oh, dear… not more trouble with May," she said. "Honestly, Junie B. You're just going to have to ignore that girl." I crossed my arms. "Yeah, only how can I even ignore her when she calls me a scaredy-cat baby?" I said. "She told all the children that I am scared of Halloween, Grandma! Only if May knew what I know about Halloween, she would be scared, too."

Grandma looked curious at me. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "What is it that you know?" I swallowed very hard. Then I made my voice quieter. "I know five scary secrets… that's what I know," I said. "Only I'm not even allowed to tell anyone. Or else my head will turn into a wart." Chills came on my arms. "Paulie Allen Puffer told me that," whispered even softer. Grandma Miller wrinkled her eyebrows. "Paulie Allen Puffer?" she said. "Wasn't he the boy who told you that a monster lived under your bed?" I nodded my head. "Yes. That's the exact same Paulie Allen Puffer," I said. "He knows lots of scary stuff,

Grandma. On account of Paulie Allen Puffer has a brother who's in eighth grade. And eighth grade is almost as old as a grown-up." Grandma did a little smile. Then she finished buttoning Ollie's sweater. And she put him on the floor to walk to me. Ollie does not walk that professional. He teeters and totters and weevils and wobbles. He fell down on my foot. Then he patted my shoe very nice. And he said the word moo. Moo is Ollie's favorite word. He is not the sharpest tool in the barn. Grandma bent down to pick him up. I touched her softie white hair.

Bats would love that hair, I believe. "I wouldn't go out on Halloween if I were you, Grandma," I said. "Not with that head of hair." Grandma Miller did a little frown. Then she fluffed her hair very much. "Why? What's wrong with my hair?" she asked. "Don't you like it?"

I zipped my lips shut. 'Cause I said too much already, I think. Grandma Miller fluffed some more. "Speaking of Halloween, your mother is coming home from work early today. She wants to take you to the store to buy your costume." Just then, more chills came on my arms. I started backing out of Ollie's room very slow. "Yeah, only I might not want to buy my costume today," I said. "I might want to buy it tomorrow… or the next day… or never, possibly." I kept on backing up. "Okay. Well, I think I will go take a nap now, Grandma. And so when Mother gets home, please tell her not to bother me." I did a salute.