The debate club building was filled with costumed students, some chatting animatedly while others participated in the organized activities. Megan moved among them effortlessly, always attentive to the details. Although we had already seen the decorations before, the atmosphere now vibrated with a different energy: laughter, soft background music, and the constant hum of conversations. It was impossible not to be swept up by the festive spirit.
"Alright," said Megan, crossing her arms as she observed our pumpkins with an analytical expression. "Let's see what we've got here."
She leaned first toward Sack's pumpkin, with its detailed design of a nighttime landscape.
"Interesting," she commented, gently touching one of the carved stars. "It's elegant, understated, and has a great level of detail. I like the concept; it's different from the usual. Though…" She looked at Sack with a raised eyebrow. "…it still doesn't have a face, which makes me question your traditional Halloween values."
"If you wanted a face, the rules should have been clear beforehand," Sack responded indifferently, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Megan smiled with amusement before moving on to my pumpkin. She turned it in her hands, examining the symmetry and the clean carving.
"This one is impeccable," she remarked. "Everything is perfectly balanced, the lines are smooth and precise, and the tiny dots resembling stars around the eyes are a very refined touch. Classic and beautiful, just as I'd expect from you, Lindsay."
"Thank you," I replied with a modest smile. "You know I like order, even in pumpkins."
Sack softly snorted next to me, which made me roll my eyes and add, "Well, almost always."
He smirked and, without saying anything, ruffled my hair with one hand before continuing to inspect the area. I quickly fixed my hair with a grimace but couldn't help smiling. It had become his usual way of responding to my comments.
At that moment, taking advantage of Megan being distracted while reviewing Olivia's pumpkin, Sack leaned closer to me. His voice was barely a whisper, low enough for only me to hear.
"Your pumpkin is perfect, just like you," he said, with a half-smile that made my heart skip a beat.
"Stop being cheesy," I whispered back, though I couldn't help the slight blush that crept onto my cheeks.
"I'm not being cheesy; I'm being honest," he retorted, shrugging with feigned innocence.
Before I could respond, Megan called our attention again.
Finally, Megan approached Olivia's pumpkin. Before she could say anything, Olivia was already waving her hands enthusiastically.
"Before you say anything, let me explain my masterpiece!" she said, holding her pumpkin with both hands. "What you have in front of you is not just a pumpkin; it's an experience. A ghost dancing salsa, caught in a Halloween whirlwind. Look at those eyes, big and expressive. Those eyebrows arched in eternal surprise. And, of course, the tongue, because you can't dance salsa without passion! It's art in its purest form, like it went through a martyrdom before starting to dance salsa."
Megan let out an amused laugh.
"I can't deny it has personality," she said, turning the pumpkin to examine it more closely. "It's chaotic, exaggerated, and somehow radiates so much energy. No doubt, it's the most entertaining of the three."
She took a few more seconds to think, then straightened up decisively.
"Well, after careful deliberation, I've reached a conclusion. The winning pumpkin is…" She paused dramatically before pointing at Olivia. "…Olivia and her salsa-dancing ghost!"
Olivia threw her arms up in victory.
"Obviously," she said with total nonchalance. "It was only a matter of time before they recognized my artistic genius."
"I'm going to regret giving her this title, aren't I?" Megan joked, crossing her arms.
"Definitely," I confirmed with a smile.
Sack, who had been silently observing, just sighed lightly and muttered:
"I guess that explains why it looks like a little kid tried to make abstract art."
Olivia ignored him with a dramatic gesture and hugged her pumpkin proudly.
"Anyway, now that we've concluded this prestigious competition, how about you all stay for tonight's event?" Megan suggested. "There'll be a costume contest, food, and even a section for scary stories."
Lindsay and I exchanged glances before I responded.
"We'd love to, but we have another mission first."
"Mission?" Megan asked curiously.
"Treasure hunt," Olivia interjected excitedly. "It's a tradition we just started, and we have to finish it before the night begins. But if we finish in time, we might swing by here."
Megan smiled.
"Well, I'll be waiting for you. Though if Olivia shows up dressed as a tormented artist, I won't be responsible for the number of people who'll want to interview her about her 'masterpiece.'"
"I'll take that as a compliment," Olivia said, pointing at her with a finger. "See you later, Megan! If we don't come back, it's because we've fallen victim to a conspiracy to prevent us from shining with our intelligence and creativity."
"Or because you got lost on campus," Sack added in a neutral tone.We said our goodbyes amid laughter and left the building, leaving our pumpkins as part of the decoration. Olivia was especially thrilled at the idea that her "art" would be admired by others.
"Now that I'm the official winner of the pumpkin competition," Olivia announced as we walked back to her room, "I have the absolute right to decide what we do another day. The entire day. No arguments."
"Sure, because your decisions are always so rational and well thought out," Sack commented in an indifferent tone, though there was a slight hint of humor in his words.
"Exactly," Olivia responded, completely ignoring Sack's tone. "For example, we could spend an entire day exploring the campus looking for… Oh, wait! Not ghosts, obviously. That would be too scary. But we could organize a giant picnic in the main garden. Or have a romantic movie marathon. Or even try to make our own low-budget movie. Imagine the potential!"
Sack rolled his eyes, but I intervened before he could make another sarcastic comment.
"I like her ideas," I said, defending Olivia with a smile. "They're creative and fun. Besides, you never know when we might need a homemade movie to impress someone."
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Olivia affirmed, pointing at me as if she had just scored an important point.
When we arrived at Olivia's room, we began getting ready to put on our Ghostbusters costumes. Olivia already had everything prepared: the beige overalls, backpacks simulating proton packs, and improvised helmets. We laughed as we helped each other adjust the details, making sure each of us looked as authentic as possible.
"This is going to be epic," Olivia said, tightening the belt on her suit. "We're not just going on a treasure hunt; we're living an unforgettable adventure."
"I just hope we don't end up chasing imaginary shadows," Sack muttered, though I could see a small smile on his face.
"Oh, Sack, don't be such a buzzkill," Olivia replied, playfully tapping him on the arm. "Sometimes the best adventures come from the most unexpected things."
Once we were ready in our costumes, we decided to grab lunch before starting the treasure hunt. Originally, I had planned to take us to an elegant restaurant as part of the celebration, but since Olivia insisted on moving the treasure hunt from night to afternoon (out of fear of the campus's paranormal legends), there wasn't enough time.
"What a shame we can't go to the restaurant," I commented as we walked toward the cafeteria. "I was sure you all would have loved it."
"Don't worry, Lindsay," Olivia said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "The cafeteria will be fun too. Plus, this way we can start early and avoid any nighttime scares."
"Yeah, because not all of us are fans of ghosts," Sack added with an ironic smile.
"Exactly," Olivia responded. "I don't want to end up being chased by some vengeful spirit while I'm searching for my item. I'd rather do it in broad daylight."
We ordered our food and sat at a table near the window. From there, we could see other costumed students, some chatting animatedly and others simply enjoying the festive atmosphere.
"So, how is this going to work?" Olivia asked, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Do you already have the instructions ready for finding the items?"
I nodded, pulling my folded sheet out of my pocket.
"Each of us has a sheet with clues to find our object. I prepared Olivia's, Olivia prepared Sack's, and Sack prepared mine."
"Awesome," Olivia said, excited. "This is going to be like a personalized clue hunt."
Sack pulled out his sheet and handed it to me with a calm smile.
"Here you go, Lindsay. I hope it's not too difficult for you."
I smiled back and handed my sheet to Olivia.
"Here's yours, Olivia. Get ready to solve a couple of riddles."
Olivia pulled out her sheet and handed it to Sack with a dramatic gesture.
"And here's yours, Sack. I hope you enjoy the challenge."
"Knowing her, I'll probably have to solve a math puzzle or something," Sack murmured, though he couldn't help but smile.
"By the way," I said, changing the subject, "what do you think we'll find? Remember, each of us hid something special for the others."
"Knowing us, it'll probably be a mix of useful and meaningful items," Olivia responded, laughing. "Maybe I'll find something that inspires me to write my next novel, or maybe it'll be something practical, like a voucher for dinner."
"Or something completely useless, like a rock with your name written on it," I added with an ironic smile.
After finishing our lunch, we headed toward the starting point of the treasure hunt. With our instruction sheets in hand, we were ready to face whatever awaited us.