Spooky Foods For All

      A recent incident had also left him feeling down. Just a few days ago, a tourist bought an Almost Gummy Rat and ate it in front of his friends, solely because he had lost a bet! He pinched his nose as he downed the sweet gummy quickly in just a few bites. He didn't even try to savour the juicy grape flavour! The group gagged and screamed as the delicacy was eaten, sending daggers into the scary, yet sensitive Bruce's heart.

      He had crafted each Gummy Rat with care, just to have it eaten as a joke. He had spent the following days in a strange stupor, coming into work without his usual energy and excitement. The week started to feel long and meaningless, until his assistant snapped him out of his daze. She had literally smacked him with a Bat Kebab and made him promise to come in early the next day.

      Together, they were going to try and make some new and more “appealing” foods for visitors. He headed quickly over to his shop and greeted his colleague. The Halloween Poogle smiled at him with her notebook and pencil ready.

      “Sir, I have so many ideas for the new line-up! What do you think about... Rainbow-coloured eyeball soup!!! Neopians love colourful things, and what's better than eyeballs?!” The Poogle was nearly jumping up and down with glee as she yelled her suggestion.

      The Bruce appreciated the enthusiasm, but he knew eyeballs were not a popular dish in other lands.

      “I like your spirit, Pen! Let's continue to brainstorm and mix things, okay? I'm sure we'll find the perfect recipe! Also, like I said before, please call me Mr. B!”

      “Righty-O, Mr. B! Hey, what about coffee... but instead of ice it's full of chilled eyeballs!!!” Pen twirled around singing “coffee with chilled eyeballs” as she disappeared into the kitchen.

      Mr. B was tired, but he couldn't help but smile. If only the rest of Neopia loved Spooky Foods as much as Pen did. He hated when others called his food “gross” and “too terrifying to eat.” Sure, his Deviled Eggs sometimes attacked, but it was all in good fun and part of the charm of his creations. His personal favourite, the Menacing Brew, was the perfect mixture of fear and spices. Everyone knows that fear heightens the other senses, which of course includes taste. Eating while having the creepy mug glare at you made the stew ten times more delicious than normal!

      “One day this shop will be on top,” he whispered to himself as he followed his assistant into the kitchen.

      “Alright Pen, let's get to work. I was thinking something like this might sell well to tourists.”

      Mr. B pulled out his drawings of cakes in all kinds of spooky shapes – Korbat wings, eyeballs, Spyders, ghosts, rats, and even zombies.

      “Ooooh will this eyeball cake be made with fresh and juicy eyeballs?”

      “Unfortunately, no... These are all just normal cakes, made with flour, sugar, and eggs. We can sell these as the perfect Haunted Woods souvenir to visitors! But we can also make your rainbow eyeball soup and eyeball coffee!” Mr. B could see the happiness in Pen's eyes at his last words. By the end of the day, they had made an assortment of spooky themed cakes for future tourists, and Pen's eyeball creations, including eyeball sandwiches and cookies.

      “Ah Pen, I hope these sell...” Mr. B looked at his work, but still felt a pit in his stomach.

      “Oh, Mr. B! You need more confidence. I know those customers with the Almost Gummy Rat got you feeling down, but you just need to pay them no mind! There are fans of Spooky Foods, and there are some Neopians who wouldn't eat a bite even if you paid them a million Neopoints. You can't please everyone, and that's okay!” Pen smiled wide at her boss and began setting up the shop for tomorrow.

      “Boss, why don't you head home early? I'll finish up here, I promise!”

      Normally, he wouldn't leave early, though he made an exception for today. Tomorrow, he needed to be well-rested, since a large tour group was coming to the Deserted Fairgrounds bright and early in the morning.

      He returned home and sat quietly on his balcony before bed. A scream far off in the distance soothed his mind as he thought about his work. Was Pen right? Did he really just need more confidence? He watched as Robot Chia Clowns zoomed around the Carnival of Terror in the distance. He loved the strange and eccentric nature of his home, and he tried hard to make his food reflect that.

      He used to be more confident when he first started, and his customers were only from the Haunted Woods. However, when more customers started coming from far away things changed. He tried not to let their reactions get to him, but over time it did. He started to think of more “normal” recipes, but what was normal anyways? Just because his food usually had a strong smell and “exotic” look didn't mean it wasn't delicious.

      He thought back to a recent article in the Neopian Times, about a young Neopian who had moved from the Haunted Woods to Neopia Central. He had brought his favourite foods – Boiled Lizard Stew and Brain Ice Cream – to a potluck party, only to be promptly laughed at and excluded by the others. The word “gross” was tossed around carelessly, leading the mother of the boy to write an article about the “Foods of Neopia” for the Neopian Times.

      A particularly poignant part stuck out to him now: “The heart of each land in Neopia can be seen in its cuisine. From the snowy treats of Terror Mountain to the dark and flavorful concoctions of the Haunted Woods, we honour each land by respecting their vibrant local delicacies.” Mr. B sat back in his chair, thinking about all the different foods of the world as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

      The next day he walked over to his shop bright and early, though surprisingly there was already a long line of customers waiting outside. He saw a mix of locals and tourists chatting together happily as they waited. He quietly entered through the back and saw that Pen was already there.

      “Mr. B!! Did you see the line!! To tell you the truth, I knocked on every... well many doors in the neighbourhood yesterday, letting everyone know about the new goods we came up with! I also put up flyers around the Fairgrounds! Wheee!!!!! This is so exciting! I'm going to open the doors early!!!” Pen ran to the front and threw the doors open, yelling greetings as customers flooded into the store.

      The day turned out to be the busiest day in years. By nightfall, everything was sold out, and customers filled the tables and chairs happily munching on their Spooky Foods. A group of locals even came up to Mr. B and apologised for not visiting in a while.

      “Everything has been crazy recently, with inflation, the rift in the sky, and the Grey curse... but we promise to come by more often for your delicious goods!”

      Mr. B felt tears well up in his eyes and tried to wipe them away. To see locals and tourists enjoying his food together was all he ever wanted.

      As the customers said their thanks and went home, Mr. B locked up the shop and turned toward his friend.

      “Pen, thank you for all your help, truly! You helped me stay positive, and without you I don't know what would have happened to the store.”

      Pen beamed and pulled out her trusty notebook, full of even more recipes and ideas. Mr. B smiled and put on his apron, ready to cook whatever Pen came up with, which was most likely something with eyeballs.

      Pen opened her notebook and skipped around the kitchen.

      “Let's continue to make new Spooky Foods together Mr. B!!”

     The End.