The Great Halloween Library Caper

It was two days before Halloween and Maria was feeling the heat

She had been hired to write a horror story, something scary and sweet

But her mind was blank and her creativity was at its lowest

She needed inspiration, something to help her mind compose this

She headed to the library, hoping to find a spark

To ignite her imagination and help her hit the mark

As she walked the shelves, she saw a group of skeletons swaying

Dancing to the tunes of a ghostly orchestra, their bones clacking and playing

But the sight was short-lived, as the skeletons suddenly froze in place

Their grins fading away, leaving a void in their space

Maria realised with a jolt that they had been performing for her benefit

Trying to spook her into coming up with a good horror story, no merit

Feeling more determined than ever, she headed to the basement in search of more

Inspiration to fuel her horror story, something to make her readers roar

As she descended the stairs, she heard the sound of cards being shuffled and the low

Murmur of voices, a sound that sent shivers down her spine, so cold

When she reached the bottom, she was greeted by the strangest sight

A group of rats playing poker, dressed in tiny suits and top hats so bright

One of the rats reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden box

"I'll raise you my soul," he said, as he placed it on the table, free of locks

Maria's mind was racing, she couldn't believe what she saw

This was the perfect horror story, she couldn't wait to take pen to draw

But as she turned to leave, she was stopped by a cold, bony hand on her shoulder

She turned around to see a group of ghostly figures, their faces twisted in torture

"We've been trapped in this library for centuries," one of them moaned

"Our souls are being used as betting chips in this never-ending game alone"

Maria knew she had to act fast, she couldn't leave these ghosts behind

She raced back up the stairs, her mind racing to find

A way to rescue them and stop the rat's twisted game

It was two days before Halloween, and she had a lot to reclaim

She spent the rest of the day in the library, searching for a way to banish the ghosts and break the rat's curse. She worked through the night, fuelled by her desire to save the ghosts and put an end to the rat's game.

Finally, on the night of the Halloween party, Maria had everything she needed. She gathered the ghosts and led them to the basement, where the rats were still seated at their table. With a loud cry, she threw a mixture of herbs and holy water at the rats, causing them to scatter in every direction.

The ghosts let out a cheer as their souls were returned to them. Maria had saved the day, or so it seemed. But as she left the library, she couldn't shake the feeling that the rats would be back, their game still unbroken.

It was a Halloween to remember, but not for the reasons she had hoped. The rats were still out there, their game still unprobed. But she had her horror story, one that would surely shock her readers. And that was enough, at least for now. It was time to take a well-deserved rest.