Barnaby was a ghost, and not a very good one. While other ghosts floated with an eerie grace, Barnaby tended to wobble and bump into things. He was supposed to be a master of fright, but most of his "boos" came out as a pathetic puff of air, like a leaky balloon.
One chilly autumn night, Barnaby spotted his target: a tiny kitten with fur the colour of sunset orange, sitting on a mossy log. The kitten held a tiny pumpkin carved with a wide, toothy grin, and its lantern cast a warm, happy glow.
"This is it!" Barnaby thought, his spectral form shimmering with determination. He glided forward, trying to appear menacing, but his wobbly descent caused him to trip over a stray root, sending him tumbling head-over-tail feathers in a cloud of sparkling, cerulean blue. The kitten, instead of being scared, blinked its big, emerald green eyes and tilted its head.
Barnaby righted himself, trying for a classic "boo" again. "B... b-b-boo!" The sound was more of a soft sneeze, accompanied by a little gust of lavender-hued wind. The kitten just purred and rubbed its little head against Barnaby's glowing form, making him tickle and turn a brilliant shade of fuchsia.
Realising he wasn't going to scare the kitten, Barnaby floated down to sit beside it. He watched as the kitten's pumpkin lantern illuminated the forest floor in shades of warm honey and goldenrod. The waves of stars the kitten was holding were now a mesmerising blend of silver, violet, and shimmering gold. Barnaby knew he wasn't a master of fright, but maybe, just maybe, he was a master of friendship. He smiled, a happy, shimmering, and now multicoloured ghost, content to simply sit and enjoy the quiet, magical night with his new friend.
