Welcome to Disney's Magic of Storytelling podcast, brought to you by Wake Med Children's, because inside every child is a story waiting to be told.
Our storyteller is ABC 11 news anchor Lauren Johnson.
The princess and the frog, Tiana's ghost.
Halloween night in New Orleans began with a rusty orange sunset.
That sun looks just like a big old pumpkin, Tiana said, standing in the doorway of her restaurant.
It's perfect for Halloween, her friend Charlotte said, flouncing up in a little Bo Peep costume.
And look, those little fluffy clouds look just like your beignets.
Tiana scowled.
Why the frown, sugar?
Charlotte asked.
Don't you love Halloween?
I do, Tiana says.
It's just, there's been some weird stuff going on today.
You reminded me about it when you mentioned beignets.
Weird beignet stuff?
Charlotte asked, laughing.
Only you would have a pastry mystery on Halloween, Tiana.
Tiana shook her head.
It's probably nothing.
I made a special batch of them for my Halloween party tonight, and they've all gone missing.
Charlotte smiled.
You know, they say the spirits walk the earth on Halloween.
Maybe they're the ones causing this mischief, she teased.
Tiana laughed, but she wondered if maybe Charlotte was right.
Tiana knew spirits were real.
She had seen them during her adventure as a frog.
I sure hope it's not ghost, she thought nervously.
Just then, something fluttered at the edge of her vision, but when she spun around, nothing was there.
Did you see that?
Tiana said.
See what?
Charlotte asked.
Tiana, honey, get your hat and let's go.
We have pumpkins to carve, apples to bob for, a party to throw.
Tiana smiled, shrugging off her nerves.
Okay, okay, she said.
I'm ready.
First, Tiana and Charlotte went to the Halloween Fest at the farmer's market to carve pumpkins.
But just as Tiana was putting the finishing touches on their pumpkin, she saw something strange out of the corner of her eye.
What was that?
Charlotte said, dropping their pumpkin, but it was already gone.
You saw it too, Tiana asked.
I saw something, Charlotte said.
She looked a little spooked.
Next, the friends went bobbing for apples, but as Tiana came up for air, she saw it again.
Charlotte shrieked, she saw it too.
The little wisp of white was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
Tiana and Charlotte stared at each other.
I'm pretty sure you're being haunted, sweetie, Charlotte told Tiana.
As Tiana and Charlotte walked back to the restaurant, Tiana kept peering over her shoulder.
She couldn't shake that feeling that there was something following her, but it always disappeared before she could get a good look.
Tiana did her best to ignore the flutters as she settled into her restaurant.
She needed to work on the finishing touches for her big Halloween party.
The first step was to replace those missing beignets.
Tiana was just sprinkling powdered sugar over the fresh beignets when the lights in the kitchen flickered and went out.
Crashes and shouts of surprise sounded from every direction as Tiana's staff blundered into each other in the dark.
Tiana clutched her basket of beignets tightly, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.
Swish, something brushed her hand.
As suddenly as the lights had gone off, they came back on again.
Tiana, what on earth?
Charlotte cried, running into the kitchen.
Is everyone all right?
Tiana asked, looking around.
Her staff all nodded shakily.
There was no sign of whatever had touched her hand, but several of the beignets were missing.
Tiana had had just about enough.
Why is this ghost haunting me?
She asked Charlotte.
New Orleans is full of people.
What's so special about me?
Well, Charlotte said thoughtfully, you do make the best beignets in all New Orleans.
Maybe the ghost is just hungry.
There's only one way to find out, Tiana said.
She rolled up her sleeves and got to work on the biggest, tastiest batch of beignets she'd ever made.
As soon as the beignets were done, Tiana and Charlotte left the treats in a basket at the restaurant kitchen's back door.
Then they snuck around the corner to watch.
They waited and waited.
Just as they were about to give up, there was a movement in the shadows.
Tiana and Charlotte clutched each other's hands.
Tiana's heart was beating so hard she could feel it in her toes.
She'd never been so spooked.
The ghost moved into the light.
Tiana let out a big sigh of relief and then started laughing.
The ghost was a bunch of kids.
Tiana stepped out of her hiding place, surprising the kids.
Sorry, Miss Tiana, one of them said nervously.
Trick or treat, another one said.
We were just really, really hungry, said a third.
Well, then come on, Tiana said smiling.
I've got a big Halloween party going and you're all invited.
Really?
The first kid asked, her eyes wide.
Sure, Tiana said.
After all, a trick this good deserves a treat.
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