After parting ways with the overly enthusiastic Mr. Lundy, Mike and the others headed to the dressing rooms for the House of Angels.
In the men's locker room, George, having quickly thrown on his guard uniform, took one look at Mike in his elaborate angel regalia and couldn't help but grumble under his breath. "This is totally unfair."
Mike was decked out in a custom-designed, pure white ensemble, complete with massive feathered wings on his back and a halo suspended above his head by a wire headband. With the magnificent costume paired with Mike's handsome face, he looked like a literal angel who had just stepped out of a myth.
In contrast, George was stuck in a simple leather half-vest and holding a crude wooden spear. Standing next to Mike, he looked less like a guard and more like the cheap accessory that comes free with an action figure.
Ignoring George's "resentful" glare, Mike finished suiting up and walked out with him.
In the hallway, Mary and Missy were just emerging from the women's dressing room.
Their costumes were similar in style to Mike's, though their wings were a size smaller and the details weren't quite as exquisite.
Seeing his wife and daughter looking equally resplendent, George glanced down at his own shabby leather vest and remarked sourly, "You three look like the real family here."
Hearing the jealousy in her husband's tone, Mary smiled and patted his protruding belly. "Hey, you're the one who signed up for security detail."
George, knowing full well he didn't have the physique for an angel costume, was silenced by his wife's logic.
Meanwhile, Missy's eyes went wide when she saw Mike's dashing look. She ran circles around him on her short legs, cheering, "Mike, you look so cool today!"
Receiving the genuine compliment from the little girl, Mike smiled. He looked her over and replied, "And our little Angel Missy looks absolutely adorable, too."
With her white dress and tiny wings, Missy really was the picture of cuteness.
"Thank you~" Missy curtsied like a lady, then skipped down the hallway chanting, "Missy is a little angel~"
"Alright, Missy. It's time to get ready." Checking the time, Mary corralled her energetic daughter and led the group into the House of Angels venue.
The room was pure white, decorated with fluffy cotton "clouds." The walls were adorned with large murals of the Holy Son, the Virgin Mary, and the Holy Spirit. At first glance, it really did have a "Heaven" vibe.
Mary and Mike took their seats on the left and right sides of the room, sitting about fifteen feet apart.
"What if nobody likes my House of Angels?" Mary whispered anxiously to her husband standing behind her.
Despite all her preparation, now that showtime had arrived, Mary—the mastermind behind it all—couldn't help but worry.
"It'll be fine. The event just started; people will come..." George, in his guard uniform, whispered back reassuringly. Then, with more confidence, he added, "Don't forget, we have our ace in the hole: Mike."
As if on cue, people in the hallway had already spotted the dashing Mike.
Moments later, a group of young girls came pushing and shoving their way toward him.
Of course, they weren't there to pray; they were there to drool over Mike's "divine beauty."
The girls chattered excitedly around him, some asking for his name, others boldly asking for his number.
Mike maintained a polite but distant smile, nodding occasionally to handle the crowd.
To be honest, if the girls had been a little prettier, Mike might have shown a bit more enthusiasm. But hey, everyone's a member of the "judging a book by its cover" club sometimes.
Across the room, Mary heard the commotion. She frowned. "They aren't here to repent."
Mary's goal for the House of Angels was to help those in need of redemption. Clearly, this gaggle of girls didn't fit her criteria.
"Patience, Mary. The night is young. Someone who needs help will walk in eventually," George said, continuing to soothe his anxious wife.
Actually, as soon as the church's Halloween event kicked off, a large number of visitors had flooded in. However, compared to the serene House of Angels, most people opted for the thrill of the House of Horrors.
Mr. Lundy was currently swamped. Dressed as Satan, he was leading batch after batch of visitors through his "Seven Deadly Sins" cabin.
Meanwhile, Georgie was wandering the streets aimlessly.
Suddenly, he spotted a beautiful girl sitting on a bench in a corner, looking utterly dejected.
"Hey there, beautiful. Need a hand?" Georgie walked over and asked like a gentleman.
Veronica looked up at the sound of his voice, studied Georgie for a second, and shook her head. "No thanks. I just want to be alone for a while."
Coming from a single-parent home, Veronica had gotten into a huge fight with her dad about her boyfriend earlier that day and had run away.
She thought she could spend a memorable Halloween with her boyfriend. But when she finally tracked him down, she saw him from a distance—arms linked intimately with another girl.
That was the reason for her current depression.
Georgie could tell the girl was emotionally vulnerable. He hinted, "Maybe I can take you to do something fun."
Veronica understood Georgie's implication immediately. A desire for revenge against her cheating boyfriend flared up in her heart. Still, she played along, asking, "So, what did you have in mind?"
"Uh..." Georgie didn't want to be too explicit. He thought for a moment and suggested, "I could take you to a movie first, and then... maybe we can have some private time."
It was Halloween, so the theaters were definitely playing horror movies. Georgie, with his little scheme, was already imagining the scene where the girl gets scared and buries her face in his chest.
While Georgie's looks were a few tiers below Mike's, he was still a decent-looking guy by ordinary standards.
Feeling rebellious, Veronica studied Georgie for a few more seconds before agreeing. "Fine. Let's go check out the movies."
Just like that, Georgie successfully landed a date.
He led the way as they walked toward the movie theater.
"What's going on over there?" Passing the church, Veronica stared at the crowd gathered at the entrance.
"Oh, the church's Halloween event. My mom organized it..." Georgie said casually.
You could tell he was trying to flex a little in front of the girl.
"Really? Let's go take a look." Veronica, feeling lost and confused, suddenly felt a need for some spiritual grounding.
"Wait—" Seeing his private date about to go up in smoke, Georgie wanted to pull her back.
But before he could say much, she was already at the church entrance.
Standing in the lobby, Veronica looked at the signs for the House of Angels on one side and the House of Horrors on the other. She turned to him. "Your mom runs this. Which one do you think we should go to?"
Georgie's reaction was lightning fast. He realized Mike was in the House of Angels. He absolutely could not let this girl see Mike.
"Ideally," Georgie said with conviction, pointing the other way, "the House of Horrors is way more fun."