"I think we should go
shopping today. Get some things for the
trick-or-treating we're having for the Tunnel kids," he announced
calmly.
Lady Beth and Countess Jennifer had
entered the store ahead of the others. They came back with a
report of the areas of the store with the densest population of grim
reaper paraphernalia so Andrew could steer clear. Once inside the
group disbursed with Yva off to look at costumes, JenniAnn in search of
butterfly wings for her Halloween ensemble, Rose and Lady Beth to
choose dishes
and Countess Jennifer on the look out for decorations. Andrew
headed straight to the craft aisles after they all agreed to meet at
the center of the store in ten minutes to report on their findings and
then make selections together.
Andrew was pricing craft kits and imagining his friends in custom witch hats when he realized the ten minutes were nearly up. He hastened to the center of the store and waited. Though the store was quite large, Andrew became nervous when he realized he couldn't see a single one of the ladies. Twelve minutes. Andrew decided he needed to go look for them. He averted his eyes away from a display of skeletons hanging from ghastly branches and ghouls holding weapons that reminded Andrew a little too much of certain assignments during the Middle Ages. He let out a sigh of relief when he reached the costume area. At least JenniAnn and Yva might be nearby.
The angel spotted JenniAnn first. Sure enough she was in a costume aisle. Andrew smiled. No doubt she'd gotten distracted by a princess dress or hippie jewelry. But as he approached Andrew realized she was neither entranced nor
impressed. Stunned or confused would have been more
accurate. "Laja?" he called, placing a hand on her
shoulder.
"Whoa." Andrew stared at the costume that had so affected his
friend. "That's... suggestive." He turned JenniAnn around
to face him.
"I don't get it," she muttered.
Andrew shuffled uncomfortably. "You don't need to."
JenniAnn blushed. "I get the idea. I'm not that sheltered. I just don't get why someone would wear that." She sighed. "I hate Halloween."
"Oh, Laja. No you don't. That costume isn't what Halloween's really about," Andrew consoled, leading her away, past equally risque costumes.
"Sometimes I don't get humans," she whispered.
Despite the awkwardness, Andrew laughed. "Me neither. Not all of them, anyway. Now, let's see if we can find Yva."
Andrew groaned as he turned into another aisle, still with JenniAnn in tow, and saw Yva staring at something. Her head was cocked to the side and she looked at the item on the rack with concern. As they approached she looked up at them.
"Hi, JenniAnn. Andrew. Look, I don't think you're the only one that gets a bad reputation this time of year." The woman motioned to a costume.
A long black cape, blood-drenched fangs, and a bloodied bag with a small hand reaching out of it.
"That's horrid," JenniAnn exclaimed. "Bram Stoker-ian... but horrid. Poor Mick."
"Poor Josef," Andrew added.
Yva reached up and switched the costume so it was behind a more pleasant one. "Poor whomever has to answer the door on Halloween and see that. Whatever happened to firefighters, super heroes, and cartoon characters? I always thought Halloween was supposed to give us a chance to be kids again, not remind us of the worst it means to be an adult. I'm not sure I like Halloween any more."
Andrew frowned. He'd tried to swallow his own antipathy for the date and show his friends a good time. Instead it seemed his distaste was spreading to them. "Maybe it's just the costume section," he suggested, ever hopeful. "Let's go check in with Rose, Lady Beth, and Countess Jennifer... er, I mean Beth and C.J.," Andrew covered, remembering that titles were best left in Dyeland lest undue attention be shifted onto them. "They're probably waiting. It's been over ten minutes since we were going to meet."
"Oops. I guess I lost track of time," Yva apologized.
JenniAnn nodded. "Me too... Easy to do around this crud. It's disorienting."
Andrew prayed that whatever the others' had come up with would bring some much needed amusement. They walked straight past the candy aisle, knowing nothing there could equal Willy's treats, and arrived at the dishware section where Lady Beth was holding up a wine glass with red paint dripping down the side.
"I think this is what Josef would call a 'poser's cup,'" she guessed.
"Lovely..." JenniAnn smirked.
Andrew ran his hand through his hair. "They don't have anything shaped like, I don't know, pumpkins? Something involving spiders even?"
Rose turned into the aisle just then. "Ask and ye shall receive." She beamed as she pushed her cart towards them.
"Aww!" JenniAnn cooed.
Yva picked up a mug from the basket. "These are really cute, Rose. The cutest thing I've seen here. Oh look at the little teddy bears trick-or-treating!" She reached for another mug and smiled.
"They'll be perfect for the cider and hot cocoa. Great find. Nothing even remotely offensive to AODs or... you knows." Lady Beth motioned back to the hideous "poser's cup."
"Are there any festively adorable and unyucky serving trays?" JenniAnn asked.
"Festively adorable and unyucky serving trays... 3 o'clock." Andrew pointed further down the aisle.
"Too cute," Rose exclaimed.
"Aren't they?" Andrew picked up one covered in smiling spiders.
"I meant you," she explained, just waiting for the telltale blush.
Andrew did not disappoint. "Thanks, Rose."
The group selected a few trays and then went off in search of Countess Jennifer. Andrew grew increasingly sluggish as they neared the decoration section.
"I'll wait back there with you," JenniAnn offered, pointing to the housewares aisle, once they'd reached their destination.
Andrew squeezed her hand but kept staring at the black cloaked figures. "I'll be fine. Thanks, though. Let's go find C.J.."
The group of five silently walked past the regiment of reapers. They ignored the bloodsoaked vampire mannequins. The jagged sickles. The zombie heads.
Andrew sighed and began to wonder where the nearest exit was so he could make a run for it as soon as they'd found Countess Jennifer.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" sounded a jolly voice.
Bewildered by the unseasonable greeting, the Dyelanders turned around to find themselves staring at Santa. But this wasn't just any Santa. Nor was he alone. Countess Jennifer was smiling beside him.
"And have you decided what you want for Christmas, young man? Young being extremely relative," Santa asked Andrew with a wink.
"Adam?" Andrew squinted at the approaching saint.
Adam lowered his voice. "Hello everyone. I'm interviewing for the store Santa position and I thought I heard C.J. muttering about this gore." The angel of death rolled his eyes as he looked around them. "Andrew, you look as pale as, well, a ghost, buddy."
"The atmosphere is getting to us all, I think," Lady Beth explained.
Yva was transfixed by
Adam. "You're a splendid Santa! That
beard really brings out your eyes."
Adam chuckled. "Thanks."
"He absolutely thrilled a couple little kids that saw him." Countess Jennifer beamed at Adam. "No small feat considering they were holding grim reaper costumes when they came up to him."
"Speaking of costumes... Adam, yours is lovely! Wherever did you get it?" JenniAnn asked, awed by the rustic but beautiful ensemble.
Adam looked down at his attire and smiled mysteriously. "I borrowed it from a friend who has some familiarity with the part."
Andrew burst out laughing when he saw each of the women stare at Adam with increased awe. "Well, buddy," he began, "I'm glad we ran into you. We're picking out stuff for the Halloween party for the children but... it's proving a little difficult. We'd rather not traumatize them. Vincent wouldn't be happy. I don't think Father would, either. Any ideas? C.J., did you find anything?"
The woman frowned. "A jack o'lantern centerpiece. Some black cat and spider stuff." She waved to a few items in the basket she carried. "Everything else... like you said, we don't want to traumatize the kids."
"It's becoming pretty demoralizing," Rose added.
"I can see that. I didn't feel too comfortable coming in here myself." Adam shook his head as a young woman carrying a costume package emblazoned with the title "Stripperella" walked past.
Andrew did a double take and then looked back at his old friend. "I just wanted to show everyone a good time. You know it's been difficult lately and I thought maybe we could recapture some of that child-like spirit but..." He looked at the ground as his voice trailed off.
"Aww, Andrew. We all know that your intent was very good and kind. I'm just sorry I ever suggested this place," JenniAnn added. "It was so fun when I was little. Now it's just depressing. I'm glad my younger self can't see this." She gestured to one of the vampire mannequins.
"You couldn't have known," Yva consoled. "We've spent the last several Halloweens in Dyel... well, you know. I guess it made it easy to miss how the holiday's changed."
"I'm sure we can still manage something amazing for the kids. I have a half hour before I need to be any where. Maybe I can hel... Hey." Adam's voice cut off when he felt a sudden pressure against his leg.
There was a tiny boy, no more than three or four, wrapped around "Santa's" right leg and sobbing.
For a moment the adults all looked at each other, baffled. Then Andrew stooped down to be level with the child.
"Hey there, my name's Andrew and I'm one of Santa's... helpers," Andrew introduced with a warm smile. "Did you lose your mom or dad?"
The little boy's face was still plastered to Adam's pants leg but he nodded.
"We could take him to the front desk. Have his mom or dad paged," Lady Beth suggested.
Adam nodded. "Son, do you know either your mom's or dad's name?"
The little boy looked up at the elder angel. "M-mommy!" he cried.
"Could you tell us your name?" Rose asked.
The little boy shook his head adamantly.
"Could you tell Santa?" Andrew motioned to his old friend and smiled at the little boy.
The little boy nodded and Adam crouched down as he whispered in his ear.
"Well, Caleb, of course!" Adam smiled at the little boy and tousled his hair. "Caleb, how about you, me, my trusty elf, Andrew, and these lovely young women go ask the people up front to page your mommy so she can come find you?"
Caleb nodded and let Adam lead him up to the front desk with the rest of the Dyelanders following. Andrew smiled as Caleb kept staring intently back at him.
"Andrew, why's the kid recognize you?" Countess Jennifer whispered.
Andrew chuckled. "He doesn't. Look where he's looking."
The women tried to nonchalantly follow Caleb's gaze.
Caleb tugged on Adam's arm. "Santa, why doesn't the elf have pointed ears? And why is he so tall?" He continued to stare at Andrew's very standard ears.
"Ooh, I can't wait to hear this." Yva laughed and looked expectantly at Adam.
"Well..." Adam began, "he looks that way to blend in. It makes it easier to get things done. Otherwise people might always be asking him about the North Pole and what presents I'll bring them. When we're here we don't want a lot of people to know who we are. But you're special."
"Surprisingly accurate, well, except for the North Pole part." Andrew lowered his voice so only the five women around him could hear.
At that point they'd reached the front desk and Andrew approached the nearest employee. As the page was broadcast all over the store, the seven distracted Caleb by asking him all about his plans for Halloween. The little boy's face lit up as he talked about going to his grandparents for a party and dressing up as Batman and collecting mountains of candy and watching "Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin." He had begun to list off all the types of candy he hoped to collect when a woman came running up to the bench where Caleb and Adam sat.
"Caleb! Oh baby! Oh... I was so worried!" the woman cried and scooped the boy into her arms. For his part Caleb clung to the woman's sweater and kept murmuring "mommy" over and over.
At last the teary eyed woman pulled her eyes away from her son's face. "Thank you so much for taking care of him. I-I don't know what happened. One minute he was right there with his hand on the basket and I turned to grab something and... and..." She hugged Caleb even tighter. "Oh I wish you were still little enough to sit in the cart!" She smiled at him and kissed his forehead before redirecting her attention to her son's rescuers. "They grow up so fast! Thank you, again, for watching over my boy."
"You're very welcome, ma'am," Adam responded. "You two have a great Halloween."
After a chorus of good byes, Caleb and his mother left the store, eager to put the very real scare behind them.
"Well," Andrew began,
"this has been quite an ordeal. If everyone
wants to head back... I think it's okay."
Rose shook her head. "No, I think we need to stick to our plan."
"I agree," JenniAnn added. "It's like Caleb's mom said. Kids grow up so fast. I don't want to waste a single Halloween before... I dunno. Jessie becomes to cool for us lame grown-ups." She sighed wistfully.
"Or Gary goes away to school or gets a job," Yva added.
"And it *is* Jacob's first Halloween," Lady Beth pointed out.
Countess Jennifer put a hand on Andrew's shoulder. "We'll avoid the reaper section this time. Let's just get the crafts and then we'll get out of here!"
"I think you should listen to the ladies, Andrew. I don't want to have to fire my favorite elf for lack of spirit." Adam grinned at his friend and wagged his white gloved finger.
Andrew chuckled. "I'll go, I'll go!"
The group made their selections quickly, each choosing a craft to demonstrate for the children. The basket soon filled with material necessary for jack o'lanterns and witch hats and ghosts and spiders and... turkeys which Adam, of course, had chosen.
Once they had checked out, the group bid Adam good bye and then piled into Andrew's van. It was a quiet ride, each thinking of the numerous images of Halloween they had witnessed at the store. For all its ghoulishness and debauchery, it was still a day that brought joy to a little, lost boy. It was still a day for inner superheroes and fairy tale characters. It was still a celebration of the all-too-brief innocence of childhood.
Rose broke the silence and looked around at her friends. "We're going to be glad we did this."
Andrew smiled at her in the rearview mirror. "I know."
"Maybe Halloween's always been a lil... out there. But the grown-ups I knew always made sure we had a good, safe, happy time. They were probly annoyed and bothered themselves but they put it aside for us and, ya know, probly a had a good time themselves cause of it," JenniAnn suggested.
"And so we're the grown-ups now?" Yva asked with a teasing smile. "I'm not sure about that."
"Children at heart. But, yes, grown-ups," Countess Jennifer suggested.
Andrew laughed. "That's great! I'm officially a grown-up now. Only took me..."
Rose gasped as she waited for Andrew to finish his sentence, hoping he'd slip and reveal his long sought after age.
"Mmm-hmmm years," the angel of death closed and then smiled impishly.
"Mmm-hmmm!" Rose repeated, exasperated. "That is NOT a number."
"You don't know that. Maybe I was created before the English language. Maybe I just gave you a very exact answer in... in Angelese," Andrew defended, his smile growing.
"You just wait until I put mmm-hmmm candles on your next birthday cake," Lady Beth threatened, laughing at the thought.
Rose sighed. "I know someone who is definitely getting a trick for Halloween and not a treat!" But the smile she gave Andrew showed that any such trick would not be much to fear.
The group was still laughing as Andrew pulled into his garage and they began to unpack their Halloween treasures.
Andrew was pricing craft kits and imagining his friends in custom witch hats when he realized the ten minutes were nearly up. He hastened to the center of the store and waited. Though the store was quite large, Andrew became nervous when he realized he couldn't see a single one of the ladies. Twelve minutes. Andrew decided he needed to go look for them. He averted his eyes away from a display of skeletons hanging from ghastly branches and ghouls holding weapons that reminded Andrew a little too much of certain assignments during the Middle Ages. He let out a sigh of relief when he reached the costume area. At least JenniAnn and Yva might be nearby.
The angel spotted JenniAnn first. Sure enough she was in a costume aisle. Andrew smiled. No doubt she'd gotten distracted by a princess dress or hippie jewelry. But as he approached Andrew realized she was neither entranced nor
impressed. Stunned or confused would have been more
accurate. "Laja?" he called, placing a hand on her
shoulder.
"Whoa." Andrew stared at the costume that had so affected his
friend. "That's... suggestive." He turned JenniAnn around
to face him."I don't get it," she muttered.
Andrew shuffled uncomfortably. "You don't need to."
JenniAnn blushed. "I get the idea. I'm not that sheltered. I just don't get why someone would wear that." She sighed. "I hate Halloween."
"Oh, Laja. No you don't. That costume isn't what Halloween's really about," Andrew consoled, leading her away, past equally risque costumes.
"Sometimes I don't get humans," she whispered.
Despite the awkwardness, Andrew laughed. "Me neither. Not all of them, anyway. Now, let's see if we can find Yva."
Andrew groaned as he turned into another aisle, still with JenniAnn in tow, and saw Yva staring at something. Her head was cocked to the side and she looked at the item on the rack with concern. As they approached she looked up at them.
"Hi, JenniAnn. Andrew. Look, I don't think you're the only one that gets a bad reputation this time of year." The woman motioned to a costume.
A long black cape, blood-drenched fangs, and a bloodied bag with a small hand reaching out of it.
"That's horrid," JenniAnn exclaimed. "Bram Stoker-ian... but horrid. Poor Mick."
"Poor Josef," Andrew added.
Yva reached up and switched the costume so it was behind a more pleasant one. "Poor whomever has to answer the door on Halloween and see that. Whatever happened to firefighters, super heroes, and cartoon characters? I always thought Halloween was supposed to give us a chance to be kids again, not remind us of the worst it means to be an adult. I'm not sure I like Halloween any more."
Andrew frowned. He'd tried to swallow his own antipathy for the date and show his friends a good time. Instead it seemed his distaste was spreading to them. "Maybe it's just the costume section," he suggested, ever hopeful. "Let's go check in with Rose, Lady Beth, and Countess Jennifer... er, I mean Beth and C.J.," Andrew covered, remembering that titles were best left in Dyeland lest undue attention be shifted onto them. "They're probably waiting. It's been over ten minutes since we were going to meet."
"Oops. I guess I lost track of time," Yva apologized.
JenniAnn nodded. "Me too... Easy to do around this crud. It's disorienting."
Andrew prayed that whatever the others' had come up with would bring some much needed amusement. They walked straight past the candy aisle, knowing nothing there could equal Willy's treats, and arrived at the dishware section where Lady Beth was holding up a wine glass with red paint dripping down the side.
"I think this is what Josef would call a 'poser's cup,'" she guessed.
"Lovely..." JenniAnn smirked.
Andrew ran his hand through his hair. "They don't have anything shaped like, I don't know, pumpkins? Something involving spiders even?"
Rose turned into the aisle just then. "Ask and ye shall receive." She beamed as she pushed her cart towards them.
"Aww!" JenniAnn cooed.
Yva picked up a mug from the basket. "These are really cute, Rose. The cutest thing I've seen here. Oh look at the little teddy bears trick-or-treating!" She reached for another mug and smiled.
"They'll be perfect for the cider and hot cocoa. Great find. Nothing even remotely offensive to AODs or... you knows." Lady Beth motioned back to the hideous "poser's cup."
"Are there any festively adorable and unyucky serving trays?" JenniAnn asked.
"Festively adorable and unyucky serving trays... 3 o'clock." Andrew pointed further down the aisle.
"Too cute," Rose exclaimed.
"Aren't they?" Andrew picked up one covered in smiling spiders.
"I meant you," she explained, just waiting for the telltale blush.
Andrew did not disappoint. "Thanks, Rose."
The group selected a few trays and then went off in search of Countess Jennifer. Andrew grew increasingly sluggish as they neared the decoration section.
"I'll wait back there with you," JenniAnn offered, pointing to the housewares aisle, once they'd reached their destination.
Andrew squeezed her hand but kept staring at the black cloaked figures. "I'll be fine. Thanks, though. Let's go find C.J.."
The group of five silently walked past the regiment of reapers. They ignored the bloodsoaked vampire mannequins. The jagged sickles. The zombie heads.
Andrew sighed and began to wonder where the nearest exit was so he could make a run for it as soon as they'd found Countess Jennifer.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" sounded a jolly voice.
Bewildered by the unseasonable greeting, the Dyelanders turned around to find themselves staring at Santa. But this wasn't just any Santa. Nor was he alone. Countess Jennifer was smiling beside him.
"And have you decided what you want for Christmas, young man? Young being extremely relative," Santa asked Andrew with a wink.
"Adam?" Andrew squinted at the approaching saint.
Adam lowered his voice. "Hello everyone. I'm interviewing for the store Santa position and I thought I heard C.J. muttering about this gore." The angel of death rolled his eyes as he looked around them. "Andrew, you look as pale as, well, a ghost, buddy."
"The atmosphere is getting to us all, I think," Lady Beth explained.
Yva was transfixed by
Adam. "You're a splendid Santa! That
beard really brings out your eyes."Adam chuckled. "Thanks."
"He absolutely thrilled a couple little kids that saw him." Countess Jennifer beamed at Adam. "No small feat considering they were holding grim reaper costumes when they came up to him."
"Speaking of costumes... Adam, yours is lovely! Wherever did you get it?" JenniAnn asked, awed by the rustic but beautiful ensemble.
Adam looked down at his attire and smiled mysteriously. "I borrowed it from a friend who has some familiarity with the part."
Andrew burst out laughing when he saw each of the women stare at Adam with increased awe. "Well, buddy," he began, "I'm glad we ran into you. We're picking out stuff for the Halloween party for the children but... it's proving a little difficult. We'd rather not traumatize them. Vincent wouldn't be happy. I don't think Father would, either. Any ideas? C.J., did you find anything?"
The woman frowned. "A jack o'lantern centerpiece. Some black cat and spider stuff." She waved to a few items in the basket she carried. "Everything else... like you said, we don't want to traumatize the kids."
"It's becoming pretty demoralizing," Rose added.
"I can see that. I didn't feel too comfortable coming in here myself." Adam shook his head as a young woman carrying a costume package emblazoned with the title "Stripperella" walked past.
Andrew did a double take and then looked back at his old friend. "I just wanted to show everyone a good time. You know it's been difficult lately and I thought maybe we could recapture some of that child-like spirit but..." He looked at the ground as his voice trailed off.
"Aww, Andrew. We all know that your intent was very good and kind. I'm just sorry I ever suggested this place," JenniAnn added. "It was so fun when I was little. Now it's just depressing. I'm glad my younger self can't see this." She gestured to one of the vampire mannequins.
"You couldn't have known," Yva consoled. "We've spent the last several Halloweens in Dyel... well, you know. I guess it made it easy to miss how the holiday's changed."
"I'm sure we can still manage something amazing for the kids. I have a half hour before I need to be any where. Maybe I can hel... Hey." Adam's voice cut off when he felt a sudden pressure against his leg.
There was a tiny boy, no more than three or four, wrapped around "Santa's" right leg and sobbing.
For a moment the adults all looked at each other, baffled. Then Andrew stooped down to be level with the child.
"Hey there, my name's Andrew and I'm one of Santa's... helpers," Andrew introduced with a warm smile. "Did you lose your mom or dad?"
The little boy's face was still plastered to Adam's pants leg but he nodded.
"We could take him to the front desk. Have his mom or dad paged," Lady Beth suggested.
Adam nodded. "Son, do you know either your mom's or dad's name?"
The little boy looked up at the elder angel. "M-mommy!" he cried.
"Could you tell us your name?" Rose asked.
The little boy shook his head adamantly.
"Could you tell Santa?" Andrew motioned to his old friend and smiled at the little boy.
The little boy nodded and Adam crouched down as he whispered in his ear.
"Well, Caleb, of course!" Adam smiled at the little boy and tousled his hair. "Caleb, how about you, me, my trusty elf, Andrew, and these lovely young women go ask the people up front to page your mommy so she can come find you?"
Caleb nodded and let Adam lead him up to the front desk with the rest of the Dyelanders following. Andrew smiled as Caleb kept staring intently back at him.
"Andrew, why's the kid recognize you?" Countess Jennifer whispered.
Andrew chuckled. "He doesn't. Look where he's looking."
The women tried to nonchalantly follow Caleb's gaze.
Caleb tugged on Adam's arm. "Santa, why doesn't the elf have pointed ears? And why is he so tall?" He continued to stare at Andrew's very standard ears.
"Ooh, I can't wait to hear this." Yva laughed and looked expectantly at Adam.
"Well..." Adam began, "he looks that way to blend in. It makes it easier to get things done. Otherwise people might always be asking him about the North Pole and what presents I'll bring them. When we're here we don't want a lot of people to know who we are. But you're special."
"Surprisingly accurate, well, except for the North Pole part." Andrew lowered his voice so only the five women around him could hear.
At that point they'd reached the front desk and Andrew approached the nearest employee. As the page was broadcast all over the store, the seven distracted Caleb by asking him all about his plans for Halloween. The little boy's face lit up as he talked about going to his grandparents for a party and dressing up as Batman and collecting mountains of candy and watching "Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin." He had begun to list off all the types of candy he hoped to collect when a woman came running up to the bench where Caleb and Adam sat.
"Caleb! Oh baby! Oh... I was so worried!" the woman cried and scooped the boy into her arms. For his part Caleb clung to the woman's sweater and kept murmuring "mommy" over and over.
At last the teary eyed woman pulled her eyes away from her son's face. "Thank you so much for taking care of him. I-I don't know what happened. One minute he was right there with his hand on the basket and I turned to grab something and... and..." She hugged Caleb even tighter. "Oh I wish you were still little enough to sit in the cart!" She smiled at him and kissed his forehead before redirecting her attention to her son's rescuers. "They grow up so fast! Thank you, again, for watching over my boy."
"You're very welcome, ma'am," Adam responded. "You two have a great Halloween."
After a chorus of good byes, Caleb and his mother left the store, eager to put the very real scare behind them.
"Well," Andrew began,
"this has been quite an ordeal. If everyone
wants to head back... I think it's okay."Rose shook her head. "No, I think we need to stick to our plan."
"I agree," JenniAnn added. "It's like Caleb's mom said. Kids grow up so fast. I don't want to waste a single Halloween before... I dunno. Jessie becomes to cool for us lame grown-ups." She sighed wistfully.
"Or Gary goes away to school or gets a job," Yva added.
"And it *is* Jacob's first Halloween," Lady Beth pointed out.
Countess Jennifer put a hand on Andrew's shoulder. "We'll avoid the reaper section this time. Let's just get the crafts and then we'll get out of here!"
"I think you should listen to the ladies, Andrew. I don't want to have to fire my favorite elf for lack of spirit." Adam grinned at his friend and wagged his white gloved finger.
Andrew chuckled. "I'll go, I'll go!"
The group made their selections quickly, each choosing a craft to demonstrate for the children. The basket soon filled with material necessary for jack o'lanterns and witch hats and ghosts and spiders and... turkeys which Adam, of course, had chosen.
Once they had checked out, the group bid Adam good bye and then piled into Andrew's van. It was a quiet ride, each thinking of the numerous images of Halloween they had witnessed at the store. For all its ghoulishness and debauchery, it was still a day that brought joy to a little, lost boy. It was still a day for inner superheroes and fairy tale characters. It was still a celebration of the all-too-brief innocence of childhood.
Rose broke the silence and looked around at her friends. "We're going to be glad we did this."
Andrew smiled at her in the rearview mirror. "I know."
"Maybe Halloween's always been a lil... out there. But the grown-ups I knew always made sure we had a good, safe, happy time. They were probly annoyed and bothered themselves but they put it aside for us and, ya know, probly a had a good time themselves cause of it," JenniAnn suggested.
"And so we're the grown-ups now?" Yva asked with a teasing smile. "I'm not sure about that."
"Children at heart. But, yes, grown-ups," Countess Jennifer suggested.
Andrew laughed. "That's great! I'm officially a grown-up now. Only took me..."
Rose gasped as she waited for Andrew to finish his sentence, hoping he'd slip and reveal his long sought after age.
"Mmm-hmmm years," the angel of death closed and then smiled impishly.
"Mmm-hmmm!" Rose repeated, exasperated. "That is NOT a number."
"You don't know that. Maybe I was created before the English language. Maybe I just gave you a very exact answer in... in Angelese," Andrew defended, his smile growing.
"You just wait until I put mmm-hmmm candles on your next birthday cake," Lady Beth threatened, laughing at the thought.
Rose sighed. "I know someone who is definitely getting a trick for Halloween and not a treat!" But the smile she gave Andrew showed that any such trick would not be much to fear.
The group was still laughing as Andrew pulled into his garage and they began to unpack their Halloween treasures.
*~*~*
At dusk on October 31st, the Fields
of Gold were brimming with activity and myriad characters.
Dressed
as Bo Beep, Yva and her husband-turned-sheep demonstrated to the Tunnel
children how to make Halloween scarves for their teddy bears.
Oberon and Titania, otherwise known as Vincent and Catherine, danced in
the moonlight while their wee Puck sat on the lap of his grandfather,
Father Time. JenniAnn was keeping in theme with her Celtic
goddess costume and telling some of the older children about the
origins of the festival of Samhain. Willy the Mad Hatter was
instructing Lady Beth and Henry, dressed in the finest of Highland
garb, on how to make chocolate shaped like pumpkins. The usually
dignified Nigel looked even more so in his Mr. Darcy costume and was
taking turns with Adam, dressed as Gulliver, giving people
hayrack rides around the
field. Rose, in a poodle skirt and looking like she had
stepped out of the 1950s, was getting Lindy Hop and Jitterbug lessons
from Mick aka Prince Charming while Snow White Beth looked on and
laughed. Meanwhile, Logan the Jedi Knight, Bunny/Elmer Fudd and
Countess Jennifer the Unicorn carved pumpkins. Everywhere was a
scene of joy, romance, or creativity.
All this activity was observed by a scarecrow sitting on a bundle of hay with a basset hound temporarily dubbed Dorothy sitting at his feet. Andrew the Scarecrow smiled as he watched his friends laugh and play. Though at times he had doubted it, his plan had worked. Halloween was bringing joy and childlike spirit to them all.
"You did it," JenniAnn announced as she and Rose approached.
"Did what?"
The two women sat down on either side of the angel. "Gave us the celebration we all needed, just like you said," Rose responded.
Andrew smiled and caught JenniAnn looking at him and laughing quietly.
"I'm glad I could. Why are you laughing?" Andrew tilted his head in confusion.
JenniAnn sobered and then shook her head.
"I think it's your costume. Maybe the flannel. The very, very lovely flannel," Rose guessed with an appreciative glance at the angel.
"What? You don't like it?" Andrew examined his ragged flannel shirt and jeans with their patches of straw self-consciously.
JenniAnn shook her head. "No, it's not that! I love it. When I was little I was obsessed with The Wizard of Oz and, well... the Scarecrow was my first crush. And now my last crush... well... you're an even nicer looking Scarecrow."
Andrew blushed as he laughed. "Thanks. But... the Scarecrow?" he looked doubtfully at the blonde woman.
"Hey, I was four! I didn't have as refined tastes as I have now," JenniAnn answered pointedly looking at Andrew who only blushed more. "But, seriously, your costume is, like, the perfect symbol for how I feel tonight. It's like something from my childhood has come back but only better."
"It may be ironic but I think you saved Halloween around here, Andrew," Rose added. "This has been a wonderful night. It's been everything Halloween should be! I mean look at all the great candy Willy brought and that pie Lady Beth made and the cider and hot chocolate..."
"And look at all the creativity it brought out in the children!" JenniAnn waved to Jessie who was showing off her witch's hat to Adam as she sat beside him on the hayrack.
Rose closed her eyes. "And the music. Beautiful, haunting."
They all listened as Nigel played a soft, centuries old melody on his wooden flute while Yva and Sir Sven, Catherine and Vincent, Mick and Beth and other couples danced.
Happy children, blissful couples, good friends, great food... Andrew took it all in. He bowed his head for a moment in silent prayer and then looked to the women on either side of him. "You want to know something?"
"Yep, your age," Rose answered without missing a beat.
Andrew chuckled. "No, Rose, not that. Something else you never thought you'd hear me say."
"Go on," JenniAnn encouraged.
"I actually think I might come to love Halloween." Andrew smiled at their stunned expressions.
After they were over their shock, JenniAnn and Rose each gave Andrew a hug.
"What's going on over here? You alright, Andrewkins?" Yva asked as she approached after Nigel's number had ended.
Andrew pulled away from his other two friends and nodded at Yva. "You know, I'm feeling really great. In fact... I want to dance. I think we all should."
The angel made his way over to a CD player and soon "I Put a Spell on You" was blaring over the speakers in the field. Everyone gathered at the middle of the field and began to dance in a variety of styles.
Mick and Beth had stepped into the woods for a moment and when they returned looked on curiously at the scene.
"Aww, look at Vincent dancing with Jacob!" Beth cooed.
Mick had his eye brow raised. "Why is Andrew waving Logan's light saber around him like that?"
Beth laughed. "I remember JenniAnn saying something about an umbrella and him doing that... wow... he looks... You know, I just never pictured the angel of death as a scarecrow waving around a light saber. And that a Celtic goddess, Highland lady, and a throng of others would actually be impressed by this. Go Andrew." Beth smiled benevolently at the crowd.
"Our friends are nerds," Mick concluded with a grin.
"You want to be a nerd, too, don't you?"
Mick nodded eagerly.
Beth took her boyfriend's hand and soon they, too, were dancing joyfully (if not altogether beautifully) with the group.
On that night typically associated with monsters and ghosts, God looked upon the crowd in the Fields of Gold. He watched His children, human, angel, and vampire, dance and He smiled. It had been said that on this night the walls between the worlds grow thin. That night in Dyeland this was true. Grown-up and child, mortal and immortal; the distinctions didn't seem to matter.
As the song ended the crowd's attention was captured by a soft noise. They looked up at the moon and saw not a bat or a witch fly across it but a dove. They smiled at each other upon seeing this reminder of the love that truly united them all not just on one night a year but in every moment.
All this activity was observed by a scarecrow sitting on a bundle of hay with a basset hound temporarily dubbed Dorothy sitting at his feet. Andrew the Scarecrow smiled as he watched his friends laugh and play. Though at times he had doubted it, his plan had worked. Halloween was bringing joy and childlike spirit to them all.
"You did it," JenniAnn announced as she and Rose approached.
"Did what?"
The two women sat down on either side of the angel. "Gave us the celebration we all needed, just like you said," Rose responded.
Andrew smiled and caught JenniAnn looking at him and laughing quietly.
"I'm glad I could. Why are you laughing?" Andrew tilted his head in confusion.
JenniAnn sobered and then shook her head.
"I think it's your costume. Maybe the flannel. The very, very lovely flannel," Rose guessed with an appreciative glance at the angel.
"What? You don't like it?" Andrew examined his ragged flannel shirt and jeans with their patches of straw self-consciously.
JenniAnn shook her head. "No, it's not that! I love it. When I was little I was obsessed with The Wizard of Oz and, well... the Scarecrow was my first crush. And now my last crush... well... you're an even nicer looking Scarecrow."
Andrew blushed as he laughed. "Thanks. But... the Scarecrow?" he looked doubtfully at the blonde woman.
"Hey, I was four! I didn't have as refined tastes as I have now," JenniAnn answered pointedly looking at Andrew who only blushed more. "But, seriously, your costume is, like, the perfect symbol for how I feel tonight. It's like something from my childhood has come back but only better."
"It may be ironic but I think you saved Halloween around here, Andrew," Rose added. "This has been a wonderful night. It's been everything Halloween should be! I mean look at all the great candy Willy brought and that pie Lady Beth made and the cider and hot chocolate..."
"And look at all the creativity it brought out in the children!" JenniAnn waved to Jessie who was showing off her witch's hat to Adam as she sat beside him on the hayrack.
Rose closed her eyes. "And the music. Beautiful, haunting."
They all listened as Nigel played a soft, centuries old melody on his wooden flute while Yva and Sir Sven, Catherine and Vincent, Mick and Beth and other couples danced.
Happy children, blissful couples, good friends, great food... Andrew took it all in. He bowed his head for a moment in silent prayer and then looked to the women on either side of him. "You want to know something?"
"Yep, your age," Rose answered without missing a beat.
Andrew chuckled. "No, Rose, not that. Something else you never thought you'd hear me say."
"Go on," JenniAnn encouraged.
"I actually think I might come to love Halloween." Andrew smiled at their stunned expressions.
After they were over their shock, JenniAnn and Rose each gave Andrew a hug.
"What's going on over here? You alright, Andrewkins?" Yva asked as she approached after Nigel's number had ended.
Andrew pulled away from his other two friends and nodded at Yva. "You know, I'm feeling really great. In fact... I want to dance. I think we all should."
The angel made his way over to a CD player and soon "I Put a Spell on You" was blaring over the speakers in the field. Everyone gathered at the middle of the field and began to dance in a variety of styles.
Mick and Beth had stepped into the woods for a moment and when they returned looked on curiously at the scene.
"Aww, look at Vincent dancing with Jacob!" Beth cooed.
Mick had his eye brow raised. "Why is Andrew waving Logan's light saber around him like that?"
Beth laughed. "I remember JenniAnn saying something about an umbrella and him doing that... wow... he looks... You know, I just never pictured the angel of death as a scarecrow waving around a light saber. And that a Celtic goddess, Highland lady, and a throng of others would actually be impressed by this. Go Andrew." Beth smiled benevolently at the crowd.
"Our friends are nerds," Mick concluded with a grin.
"You want to be a nerd, too, don't you?"
Mick nodded eagerly.
Beth took her boyfriend's hand and soon they, too, were dancing joyfully (if not altogether beautifully) with the group.
On that night typically associated with monsters and ghosts, God looked upon the crowd in the Fields of Gold. He watched His children, human, angel, and vampire, dance and He smiled. It had been said that on this night the walls between the worlds grow thin. That night in Dyeland this was true. Grown-up and child, mortal and immortal; the distinctions didn't seem to matter.
As the song ended the crowd's attention was captured by a soft noise. They looked up at the moon and saw not a bat or a witch fly across it but a dove. They smiled at each other upon seeing this reminder of the love that truly united them all not just on one night a year but in every moment.