Ok, why don't we get started while Mick eats?

*Micky nods, eating happily.* ;)

Davy: Sounds good to me.

Mike: Me too.

Peter: Please! Let's get this story finished, before something else burns down! :o

(We open in the Rainbow Room recording/performing studio a few days after the destruction of the wax museum. The Monkees play "As We Go Along" as Emma and Lauren listen and play with Katie, Jordan, and the twins.)

Emma: (As the boys finish) Very nice, guys.

Mike: I should hope so. We're gonna be doin' that one in our movie.

Bob: I'm just glad to see all of you alive!

Mike: No shit.

Micky: So're we.

Peter: Me too! That's one of the scariest stories we've EVER done! :o

Emma: That was the point, Peter. Last year's Halloween story was really more of a comedy/drama than a horror story. So this year, we thought we'd do an actual horror story. (Looks at the camera) Horror fantatics, and there are many, should have a field day spotting all the references to real-life horror films in this story, including it's title. ;)

Mike: I hate it when you guys try to stretch and WE end up bein' the ones who get hurt.

Peter: Michael, you weren't the one the Devils captured and tied up and almost... (trails off, then whimpers) :(

Mike: Alex tried to skewer me.

Emma: But he's right, Mike. You had it fairly easy in this story, especially compared to the last two Halloween stories we've done. ;)

Mike: (Grumbles) Which means you'll make it up next month.

Emma: Naturally. ;)

Micky: *blinks* Wait a minute, I just realized something...

Lauren: Uh oh... ;)

Davy: Wot's that, mate?

Mike: Yeah, Mick?

Micky: I've been the only one majorly picked on in all of the Halloween stories we've done!

*Lauren glances around, looking innocent.*

Emma: Don't look at me. (Nods at Lauren)

Micky: Babe?

Lauren: *shrugs* You...Halloween...it's a perfect fit.

Mike: You're the one who does the werewolf impression.

Micky: That's no reason for me to be the sacrificial lamb in all of these!

Lauren: It isn't? News to me. ;)

Emma: Don't worry, Mick. You'll be a hero next month.

Micky: I will? ;)

Bert: What IS up next month, and for the last two months of the year?

Emma: Next month, we're time-traveling again.

Mike: Oh, great, now where?

Emma: What came after the 80s?

Davy: The 90s...

Emma: (Grins) I hope you all like Ricky Martin, Harry Potter, and Pikachu. ;)

Mike: Ok, Em, thanks for makin' no sense.

Peter: Huh?

Micky: What, what, and what?

Davy: I don't want to know.

Emma: You'll see in three decades or so.

Peter: I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving! It's the first time we're all going to be together and making our own big dinner! :D

Mike: I ain't too sure 'bout that.

Emma: Mike, Mom gave me her turkey recipie.

Mike: Em, you've never cooked a big turkey, only a little turkey breast.

Emma: How hard could it be?

Mike: Don't you watch sitcoms?

Emma: I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't. ;)

Lauren: She's got an excellent point. ;)

Bert: Hey, what happened with the wax museum and the crazy owner?

Mike: They're still siftin' out the remains of the wax museum, but it's toast. Between the wax figures and the old buildin' bein' a firetrap anyway, it went up like nuthin'. They did find some bodies, though.

Emma: They've definately found the bodies of Christine Webber, Raoul De Leroux, Mira Giry, and a woman whose name the cops haven't released yet, but is very likely the woman Mike and I saw Andrew (gulps, then continues, looking a little paler) kill when we went into the basement.

Mike: They found parts of what was probably Andrew's organ. They're still looking for Andrew himself, but I doubt we'll run into him again. I know damn well he was burned to death under that hot wax. Even a madman couldn't live through that.

Bob: Where did the tale of Andrew Gaston and his wax figures come from?

Emma: Basically, it's a combination of the many versions of "Phantom of the Opera" and "Mystery of the Wax Museum/House of Wax."

Mike: (To the camera) Speakin' of horror, folks, this is a good time to mention this is another story that ain't for the kiddies.

Micky: You ain't kidding, Mike. :P

Emma: We wanted some genuinely spooky and gruesome horror this year, not just using a couple of Universal monsters as background color but going for the full "blood and scares." It's probably not nearly as bad as most modern horror films, and horror fans may find this reletively tame, but viewer discretion is still advised.

Bert: Peter and Mick, how are you feeling? Sheila and Alex really had it in for both of you in this story.

Micky: *cringes* I've been better. Wouldn't mind punching the daylight out of Alex...little perv... *trails off, remembering the kids*

Peter: (Shudders) It was so scary! I knew I saw a human finger, and then I couldn't see, and then Sheila... (he trails off, but adds with a slight smile) At least Valerie saved me. I love her so much. She's at work right now, but we're going to go out to lunch when she comes back, just the two of us, and talk about what happened. I don't want to have nightmares, too.

Mike: Yeah, well, I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you said there was more to Jenny Lind than wax and a blond wig.

Peter: I told you! Valerie says the cops think Christine was under all that wax!

Emma: Well, we'll think twice about not listening when there are lives at stake.

Bert: As odd as it may seem to ask this of a horror story, what was your favorite part?

Emma: Chasing Sheila and Alex around in costume in the finale.

Peter: Getting out of there before we got burned up with the museum! :o

Mike: The car chase. Urse said she had a pretty good time, too.

Micky: The fact thet we're still alive.

Bob: How about the kids? Did you enjoy trick-or-treating? :)

Little Mick: Lotsa candy! :D

Katie: Fun! Meet witch! :D

Shelly: We met nice lady. :)

Jordan: Lady! :)

Emma: Mrs. Marion turned out to be the sweetest old woman. (Smiles) Just goes to show that not everyone who seems crazy is. :)

Mike: Yeah, Katie and the guys have mentioned her a couple of times. I can't wait to meet her myself. She sounds like an awesome old chick.

Emma: Actually, we created her as a new mentor character, a replacement for Mr. Bennett, so those of you who enjoyed the warm-up will be happy to know you'll be seeing more of her.

Peter: I'm glad the kids made a new friend in the neighborhood. :)

Mike: Mick's just glad she'll feed him and give him stuff to work on between filmin'.

Micky: Darn right.

Bob: Hey Davy, how's Daph coming? She's due soon, isn't she?

Emma: She's out with the Abbies, looking for baby clothes. I hope the Abbies come back alive.

Davy: They may be alive, but definitely bloody tired.

Bob: How's Daph feeling these days?

Davy: 'Ungry, kinda cranky, tired...

Mike: And that's her better days.

Emma: Guys, she's almost due. Remember what Lauren and I were like when we were almost due?

Bob: Speaking of...hey Lauren, how's your little one coming?

Lauren: Nicely. I can still move on my own, so I'm pretty happy.

Micky: But she's back to out-eating me again.

*Lauren just shrugs.*

Bert: Anything else planned for the rest of the year?

Peter: We're going to shoot our scenes in the Bahamas a few weeks before Christmas, and Valerie said we could bring along any friends and family we wanted! :D

Mike: Daph'll probably have to stay behind with her new kid, but we could probably bring Nyles 'n Jack again. I'm sure they'd love a tropical vacation.

Peter: On a real cruise ship around Christmastime!

Emma: I've never been on a cruise ship. (Grins at the camera) And we figured it would be something original for the holidays.

Mike: Yeah. Anyone can do the sixteen-thousandth version of "It's a Wonderful Life" or "The Nutcracker," but how many holiday stories are set on a cruise ship with tons of weird characters?

Emma: We're just starting to work on our first stories for next year, too.

Mike: Please, no more horror.

Emma: Not for the beginning of the year, no. As of this moment, we're probably going to kick January off with a reletively light-hearted, Monty Python-esque parody. Nothing too nasty.

Peter: (Whimpers) I never want to be in another horror story again! Those poor people, especially poor Christine and Raoul! They were going to get married, and Andrew just... (sobs)

Mike: The cops told me what Andrew did to Raoul, in more detail than Andrew did.

Emma: And I heard his reaction in the bathroom for about ten minutes.

Micky: Ewww. :P

Mike: It's amazin' there was anything left for him to cover with wax.

Emma: We don't know the whole story, and I suspect most of it died with the main participants, but from what I've gathered, Andrew and Christine used to be lovers when they both worked for the (fictional, BTW) City of Angels Opera. Christine broke it off when she discovered that Andrew had a very violent and unpredictable temper and liked his...um, overtures...rough and a bit kinky. :p

Mike: Christine finally broke it off. Someone reported seein' Andrew beatin' her in a dresssin' room. She ended up fallin' for Raoul and gettin' serious with him. (Sighs) And despite what Andrew says, accordin' to the papers, Christine didn't have him fired. The City of Angels Opera Company fired him 'cause they were sick of him throwin' fits when someone didn't sing his songs the way he wanted them to. :p

Peter: (Still sobbing) That's what I saw! I saw the auras of Christine and Raoul in the main room! I KNEW there was something wrong with the Wolfman statue!

Mike: (Thoughtful) And that's why Sheila and Alex grabbed you. They didn't want you seeing the auras of any more dead people that could incriminate them or Andrew in first-degree murder.

Bert: Speaking of, where ARE Sheila and Alex?

Mike: Dunno. They vanished durin' the fire in the wax museum. They ain't dead, I know that much. I saw the black-light as we were leavin'. My wolf's intuition and Ursula's connection to Sheila can still sense them.

Peter: Micky zapped Alex good with his energy-draining gun! They won't be back for a long time! :D

Emma: Especially since we're coming up on the holidays and neither of them are Christmas fans.

Micky: Which is a good thing. If I ever see those two again, it’ll be too soon. :p

Bert: What was their part in all of this?

Peter: Sheila told Micky and me that. She and Alex invited Christine and Raoul to come to the wax museum for a special audition for the opening day show. Andrew used the organ to hypnotize them. After Shelia and Alex (gulps and pauses before going on) handled them and took their souls, they turned them over to Andrew, who killed them and covered them in wax.

Mike: The nasty war scenes were apparently their ideas, too. Another attempt to make a war-and-death-themed fun park.

Peter: Alex, um, had Mira, took her soul, and let Andrew have her the day after we saw them damage her vocal chords with Alex's potions.

Emma: Why Mira?

Peter: Andrew liked her, but she didn't like him, so he wanted to hurt her.

Emma: God, what a loony. How do we keep running into these nutcases?

Mike: I swear, we must attract them or somethin'.

Micky: We're magnets. :P

Peter: Well, I hope we aren't magnetized anymore! These guys are really scaring me! :o

Emma: We promise, no more full-blown loony villians. Not for a long time, anyway. Stupid villians, cunning villians, but no nutcases.

Mike: (Mutters) Well, there's a relief.

Peter: I'm just glad Andrew didn't get to kill anyone else! All of the other statues were really just very real wax statues, not humans at all!

Emma: Actually, I almost feel bad for Andrew. He may have been a loony, but he was a damn fine artist. Some of the actual wax figures did look very, very real. He had genuine talent. He could have made a real go of that wax museum if he hadn't let vengance and Devils promising him revenge get to him.

Mike: Yeah, even if he did have a really weird sense of humor.

Emma: (Sighs) I guess it goes to show, just like it did for the Phantom of the Opera. Share your talents, but don't hurt others doing it.

Mike: And now that we've got the moral of the story out of the way, why don't we head off to the tag video and send off our viewers?

Micky: *nods* But first, *turns to the camera and grins* we wanna wish all of you out there a Happy Halloween!

Lauren: *also looks at the camera* And to remember to not each too much candy.

Micky: You can never eat too much candy, babe. ;)

*Lauren just rolls her eyes.*

(Fade out on everyone laughing and fade in on the Rainbow Room for a romp, the 80s Monkees song "Don't Bring Me Down." Mike wears his knight's costume from "Monkees In Wonderland." Emma wears the fairy princess costume from "Nightmare Revolutions.")

(Peter is dressed as a scarecrow in battered clothes, a floppy hat, and straw sticking out everywhere.)

*Davy wears a Musketeers type uniform costume, including the sword hanging on his hip.*

*Micky wears a black suit and fedora. Lauren also wears a black suit, but has a black boa draped over her shoulders.*

(Peter looks stiff as he plays. Mike tries to get him to move, but he then goes floppy.)

*Micky keeps aiming his drumsticks as though they were a gun.*

(Mike is still fooling with Peter. Peter's lists to one side, then the other. Mike finally pulls out his plastic sword and pokes Peter with it. Peter makes a face and rubs his side.)

(Emma waves her wand, making gold, red, and coppery sparkles appear over the group.)

*Lauren walks by Micky and flips the tip of her boa at him. He smirks at her.*

*Davy pulls his sword out and briefly duels with Micky, who uses a drumstick as his sword.*

(Mike joins them and gets into a three-way duel as the fall-colored sparkles swirl and dip behind them, looking more than a little psychadelic.)

(Emma rolls her eyes and waves her wand over the trio. They put their "swords" aside and start dancing instead.)

(The entire group keeps dancing as the colors swirl and the camera swirls with it. Emma finally ends the video by aiming her wand directly at the camera. The screen goes blank when the fall-colored sparkles hit the camera, followed by a black and red "Happy Halloween from all of us at 'Dream World'!" graphic, the lettering done in dripping blood.)

(Fade back in on the end credits, accompanied by "Goin' Down," over various stills from the "production." The credits end with a still of everyone in costume in the Rainbow Room, with "A Raybert Production" in the dripping-blood font.)