GO AHEAD, GIVE US ALL A BIG SCARE.

Fright time is coming! Young minds turn shadows into monsters, scattering leaves and swaying branches into ghosts. Witches and goblins compete with skeletons and ghouls for the title of scariest Halloween fantasies.

Children ages 2 to 15 are invited to dream up the scariest Halloween story and pictures they can, and submit them to the Daily News' L.A. Life section. Age categories are 7 and younger, 8-11 and 12-15. One entry per child. The top entry in each category for the story and picture contest will be featured in the Halloween edition of L.A. Life on Oct. 31. Each winner will receive four movie passes. First runners-up each will receive four passes to the Iceoplex in North Hills.

For the story contest, children should submit an original story - no more than 300 words and in their best penmanship - double-spaced on an 8-1/2-by-11-inch sheet of paper. Mail to: Scary Stories Contest, care of Kevin Ainsfeld, L.A. Life, Daily News, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200.

The child's full name, age, address and telephone number should be written legibly or typed on the top of each story.

For the picture contest, children should draw the scary picture (adults can address the envelope, but can't help on the drawing) on an 8-1/2-by-11-inch sheet of unlined white paper and send it to the address listed above. Color drawings are welcome.

The child's full name, age, address and telephone number should be written legibly or typed on the back of the picture. Any medium can be used - pencil, crayon, water paints or whatever the child enjoys.

But, please, no tracing.

All entries must be received at the Daily News by Oct. 24. They cannot be returned. A panel of editors will select the winners.

Good luck!