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What's inside

1. 1. Story 1: The Porch Light Mia stood at the end of the driveway, staring at the old Murphy house. Every window was dark except one—a dim orange glow flickered on the front porch. Her friends had already run up, grabbed candy, and raced back, laughing. But Mia's feet felt stuck to the ground. "Come on!" called her brother Jake. "It's just Mr. Murphy handing out treats!" Mia took a deep breath. She thought about all the other houses she'd visited tonight. None of them had been scary at all. She remembered her mom's words: "Courage isn't about not being afraid. It's about going forward anyway." Slowly, Mia walked up the creaky steps. Mr. Murphy opened the door with a kind smile. "Happy Halloween!" he said, dropping a chocolate bar into her bag. Mia smiled back, feeling proud of herself. Story 2: The Last House Carlos and his cousin Emma had one house left on Maple Street. The house sat behind a tall iron fence, and twisted trees blocked most of the moonlight. Carlos had heard rumors that strange noises came from the basement. "Maybe we should skip it," Carlos whispered. Emma shook her head. "We've come this far. Besides, someone put up Halloween decorations, so they must be expecting trick-or-treaters." Carlos nodded. Together, they pushed open the gate. It squeaked loudly. As they approached, the door swung open before they could knock. A teenager in a vampire costume stood there, holding a bowl of candy. "You two are brave!" the teenager said. "Most kids turn back at the gate. Extra candy for you!" Carlos grinned. Facing his fear with Emma had been worth it. --- What is the main theme that both stories share?
2. 2. In Story 1, what is Mia afraid of at the beginning?
3. 3. In Story 2, what makes Carlos nervous about the last house?
4. 4. Who helps or encourages the main character in Story 1?
5. 5. Who helps or encourages the main character in Story 2?
6. 6. How are the settings of the two scary houses similar?

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