Halloween on the Cul-de-Sac - 1. Chapter 1

The cooler temperatures had barely settled in when first of October began. On my little cul-de-sac it was an easy date to know because Allison began her yearly ritual, Halloween decorating. Which also set off my neighbor Rose, who was better known for her biting comments and jabs. Most called her Barb, for them.

“Honey, Allison has her first lawn decoration up,” called my husband, Tremaine, as he stood drinking his coffee and looking out the front door.

“Damn. It isn’t even eight o’clock yet. But, this is her season,” I commented as I joined him by the door.

We looked across the way as a giant inflatable pumpkin with a black cat on top came to life. Allison hurried to the street and smiled as she looked at what was the first of her many displays.

“Bloody hell, you daft woman. Do you really need a pussy that big?” Rose called from her front yard. She barely ever decorated, However, she was a big flower person and was in the middle of planting two dozen mum plants along her front garden bed, now that her perennials were dying off.

“Come on, Rose. Get in the spirit,” Allison called out as she waved.

“The only way you could have more spirit, is if you were dead.” Rose waved her trowel and turned back to her mums.

“I guess we should pick up a pumpkin or two,” Tre commented as he headed toward the kitchen.

“You do it. I never was as into Halloween as I am Christmas.”

Tre and I went all out for Christmas, so I could understand Allison’s passion. Poor Rose, though, she lived between us and her only passion seemed to her flowers and snappy comments. I knew Allison would work everyday with her husband, Terrance, and her twins, Lynette and Edison. The house was always incredible and they did throw the best Halloween party in town.

*-*-*

“Honey, come see this mess. Goddamn. I bet those hooligans from around the corner did it !” Tre stood on the front walk on his way to the car.

“What are you…oh.” I stepped onto the front stoop and stared.

Tre had picked up and carved two large pumpkins over last weekend. One had Mickey Mouse and the other was of a giant spider. Now the pumpkins were smashed to bits across the front walk.

“Mom, come quick!” Lynette stood at the end of her driveway shaking.

We looked across the street at the destruction done to Allison’s yard.

In the past week the pumpkin had been joined by a Winnie the Pooh dressed as a honey pot, a blow up Snoopy as Joe Cool, and nearly every day a new carved pumpkin. Now every pumpkin was smashed to bits. The giant inflatable pumpkin was slashed, Pooh was beheaded, and Snoopy had been shredded to pieces

Allison opened the front door, took one look and went to go check on the damage. Unfortunately, she stepped onto some of the damp pumpkin on her porch, slipped, fell, and ended up breaking her leg.

The culprits even ripped Rose’s mums up. She came out as Terrance raced Allison to the hospital. Tre had Lynnette and Edison grab their stuff and he took them to school. Since I work from home, I went and gathered up some trash bags, a rake, a broom, and started to clean up.

“Hold it.” Rose marched over with her cell phone and took pictures of all three yards. “I called the bobbies. Want them to see the damage.”

“Bobbies?”

“Police. The little piss ants won’t get away with this.” Rose smiled rather nastily. ”I knew those new security cameras would come in handy.”

“You caught them on camera?”

Rose turned and swept away back toward her home without another word.

It took me two hours to clean up the mess from my yard and Allison’s. Rose came out and transplanted her mums and the helped me clean up Allison’s yard. She usually kept a running commentary but didn’t say a word. In fact, the closest to a sound was a grunt she made after dropping a crushed pumpkin into a garbage bag, and wiping the back of her gloved hand under her blonde bangs to clear the sweat off. We’d just put the last bag of trash out at the curb when Terrance pulled up. Allison was on crutches and hobbled into the house.

“Thanks guys. I was dreading cleaning all that up,” Terrance said as he joined us on the sidewalk.

“She okay?” I asked rather quietly.

“She never really said much. I told her we’d start over with new stuff and she just shook head and cried. To be honest, Pete, I’ve never seen Ally like this.” Terrance looked defeated.

I patted his shoulder. ”Keep your chin up. When the twins get home, they’ll cheer her up and then you will start over.”

Terrance nodded and headed into his house.

Rose stood silently looking at all three houses from the edge of her property before finally heading in.

I gathered up everything and headed inside to finish my latest project for work.

*-*-*

“I’m worried about Allison.” Tre sat at the table finishing his glass of wine. “The kids said she doesn’t want to do anything about decorating. Terrance is at a loss about what to do. She doesn’t want to throw her Halloween party either.”

“I know. Even with the culprits being caught thanks to Rose, it didn’t do anything for Allison.“ I gathered up our dishes and put them in the sink to soak. “The kids ended up paying for the damage and to replace everything. I just expected her to start over and get things ready for the kids.”

“It seems strange to be better decorated than they are. Hell, even Rose has a Halloween wreath up. Their house is just bare.” Tre stood and carried his glass to the sink. “I mean Halloween is five days away and Allison has no decorations up at all. This would be like you ignoring Christmas, Pete.”

I nodded in agreement. “But what can we do, hon?”

“Damned if I know?” Tre walked over and hugged me tight.

I couldn’t help but think we needed to do something. However, it was late and we both had work tomorrow.

*-*-*

“Mom! Dad! You’ve got to come see this,” yelled Edison.

“Hurry!” Lynn screamed

Hearing the loud commotion outside, Tre and I opened the front door and stared in amazement.

Allison and Terrance’s house and yard were full out decorated like never before. There were blow up figures of every Disney character dressed in Halloween garb all over the yard. The house was decked out in orange and purple rope lights, spelling out Halloween. There were cut out figures of various cartoon characters dressed for the holiday. Little pumpkins line the stairs with tealights sitting on their stems. The whole thing was kid friendly, but very Halloween.

“How the…did you kids do this?” Terry stood open mouthed in the middle of the yard looking as all the decorations and then he smiled from ear to ear.

“Isn’t it great, Dad,” said Lynn as she hugged her father.

“What do you think, Mom?” Edison asked as he bit his lip.

“How did you two do this?” Allison stood on the porch, perched on her crutches.

“We didn’t. When we went to go for the bus we found it all. We thought you guys did it last night after we went to bed.” Edison looked at his mom and then Lynnette before shrugging. “If you didn’t do it, who did?”

Tre and I looked at each other and then across again at the beautiful decorations.

“Whoever it was, they did a nice job,” Tre whispered.

“Yeah.” I agreed.

“Well, whoever it was I’ll have to thank later,” said Allison as she looked at Tre and I. “You two better hurry up or you will miss the bus.”

Lynnette and Edison grabbed their book bags off the lawn and hurried toward their bus stop.

Allison headed in as Terrance came over to Tre and I.

“Thank you both. That was a great surprise.” Terrance smiled and hugged Tre.

“I agree, but it wasn’t us,” Tre told him emphatically.

“Wait?” Terrance eyed Tre and then me. “If it wasn’t you two, then who did it?”

We shrugged.

*-*-*

It was Halloween Eve and Tre and I were getting ready to go to the Hallowen party. Since the decorations had appeared Ally was back to normal and in full Halloween mode. She roped her twins into putting out the rest of her decorations and then helping with the food for her party. She’d even asked if I could whip up some goodies since she had gotten a late start.

“Grab the tray with the bloody heart cupcakes. I’ll take the gummy worm cake and the eyeball donut holes.” I pointed out the various things to Tre.

“You’re almost as bad as Allison!”

“Not really, my dear, Watson.” I laughed as he shook his head and grabbed the tray.

“Well, Mr. Holmes, grab your stuff, because I believe there is a mystery afoot.” Tre headed out leaving me to grab my hat and the rest of the goodies.

As I started across the way Rose came out, dressed as Dracula. I had to laugh. She had the widows peak and all.

“Good evening,” she said as she pulled her cape tight.

“Evening. Love the costume. You don’t usually dress up or go, Rose.”

She paused. “Don’t like to bullocks things, but, eh. I figured I might as well see what else she did after….”

“After what, Rose?”

Rose shook her head and started up the walkway.

“It was you. You did it!”

Rose stopped and looked at me before taking a few steps toward me. “Say one word of it to them, and I’ll make the broken leg Allison has look like a Christmas gift compared to damage I’ll rain down on you. Understand me?”

I nodded.

“Good. Now let’s go enjoy the party. I’d hate to suck you dry.” Rose turned and walked back up and knocked on the door.

I knew Rose had a heart, even it was surrounded by barbs. I hurried up and joined the party.

Allison met me at the door, dressed as Daphne and carrying a stuffed Scooby Doo doll which was tied to her crutch. “Thanks for the goodies.”

“You’re welcome.” I followed Ally into the kitchen and set the food down where she wanted.

“Did Rose tell you she did the decorations?” Ally looked at me innocently as she picked up an eye ball donut and began to munch.

“How did you know?”

Ally giggled. “You and Tre were the obvious choice, but you both came out when we did and were just as surprised. Rose never looked or said anything. She tried too hard to seem like she didn’t care. That and only you two know about the extra outlet under the porch where the rope lights were plugged in.”

I smiled then laughed.

“I figured you would confront her. She hates letting anyone in,” Allison said as she hobbled over and hugged me. “Don’t worry. Terry and I are doing something nice for her, for Thanksgiving. Let’s go enjoy the party.”

I followed Allison in knowing that Tre and I had some really great neighbors, even if we had to find out at Halloween.