The month of October is on its last legs. That means pumpkin carving, eating candy, scary movies, colder nights, sharing candy, funky sweaters, funny costumes, and not sharing candy.

It’s fun and all, but I’ve found that I always have trouble sleeping on Halloween night. It’s not that I’m scared, because I’m not. I’m just more aware on that particular night.

Okay, I’m a little scared, but who isn’t? Anyone that says that they have no problems watching horror films all day probably won’t be singing the same tune when they’re wide awake at 2 a.m. and don’t have the guts to turn out the lights. {sidebar id=65}

I refuse to look into mirrors or look out windows in fear that I might find another face staring back. Any creaking in my house is obviously a serial killer who has decided that I’m next. If neither of my parents answers when I call them, they’ve obviously been abducted by aliens. And if I go to sleep, it’ll be the last thing I do. The anxiety can keep me up for hours.

Oddly enough, the only solution I’ve found to this problem is to be scared. It’s become a running gag in my home to hide behind corners, under beds, or in closets, and jump out and scream at whoever you targeted.

The stages of the “Family Scare” are as follows:

1) You get really FREAKIN SCARED AND SCREAM YOUR HEAD OFF!

2) Become infuriated that your pesky nine-year-old brother* just scared the bejesus out of you.

3) Laugh your head off because even though you were caught off guard, that scare was the best thing you never knew you needed.

I’ve decided to keep this short and sweet because I’ve got a bag of pre-Halloween candy that’s calling my name.

Remember folks, “It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.”  

*Little brother can be replaced with younger sister, immature father, or even cunning grandmother.