Asked and Answered
“Welcome to the Halloween Party,” said Mrs. Petrowski, dressed up as a pencil, to Ms. DeAngelis, who had come to help out. “I understand you’ll lead the craft for the party. Do you have everything we need to make slime?”
“Nasty stuff, that,” said Ms. DeAngelis. “Far too messy to bring home. Why my familiar almost ate some by mistake! No, no. I’ve brought the ingredients to make Vials of Fantastical Fantoms.”
“But the craft is slime.” Mrs. Petrowski pointed at the print-out. Slime had been painfully and bureaucratically researched as the most stimulating craft for Developing Young Minds; proposed, voted and approved over endless hours by the PTA for all first-grade classrooms.
“Not today,” said Ms. DeAngelis. She turned to address the class.
“I’m a witch,” she told them, touching her pointy, black hat and patting her cobweb silver hair, “so pay close attention. I won’t repeat myself.”
Ms. DeAngelis plonked down a heavy cast-iron caldron from her vast velvet maroon-colored bag. With a flick-click-smick, she mixed the lavender powder, the mollusk dye, and the special creek water for the Fantastical Fantoms recipe.
“You’re sure you don’t want to make slime?” asked Mrs. Petrowski. Purple smoke rose up from the cauldron; puffs of spicy black licorice scented the air.
“Asked and answered, Mrs. Petrowski,” said Ms. DeAngelis. She dipped her long spoon into shimmering liquid and flicked it at Mrs. Petroski, instantly turning her into a small yellow spider.
The children squealed as the spider skittered up Ms. DeAngelis’ arm into her nest of curly hair.
“Oh wow!” said Billy Jones. “I want to make that.”
“Yes, of course you do,” said the Witch. "Line up to stir the cauldron.”
