Page 96 of The King of Halloween
“Nah. It’s always blueberry.”
“Okay?” Raj didn’t understand, but he leaned back onto the cot and stretched out. “I’ll see you later, my liege.”
Adam slipped the pumpkin head on. He could only see a triangle of Raj, but it was enough. Lifting the head so he could take in Raj’s face, he placed his fingers to the jack o’lantern’s lips and tossed Raj a kiss. With that, he turned to face his public.
“Oh, Adam. I know it’s late notice, but would you be my date to the masquerade ball?”
With the goofy head bouncing off of his, Adam called out, “With all my heart.”
?CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
?
“TRICK-OR-TREAT!”
Under the bright store lights, monsters shook their buckets and pillowcases for candy. Adam snickered to himself, then whistled. “Hey, kids. Over here.”
One by one, the ninja fairies and zombie astronauts turned to find him sitting on a folding chair next to a mysterious treasure box. The whole street was lit up, Halloween here at last. Spooky music piped through the speakers hanging off the lampposts holding witches, bats, and moons. Best of all, it wasn’t the Monster Mash. Finally. Every shopkeeper from the soap emporium to the insurance agency was outside enjoying the unseasonably warm weather to greet the kids.
Despite the obvious man in a giant pumpkin head sitting by the door, most kids homed in on the door to his costume shop. Must be a Pavlovian response. Find door, ring bell, trick or treat.
“Now, you’ve got to be real quiet about what I’m going to show you.” Adam started to crack open the old trunk he’d glued brass buckles to for that sea-faring look. The kids gathered around, eyes wide and mouths drooling. At the last second, Adam slammed it shut, and he spun the box away. “We don’t want anyone finding out about these.”
Like an eccentric candy maker showing off his financially unstable chocolate waterfall, Adam brandished his haul. Golden light streamed out from LEDs stuck inside the top. The kids approached, their eyes wider than their mouths.
“Is that…?”
“Holy crap!”
“Full bars!” the littlest vampire shouted, grabbing a six-inch Snickers. He didn’t put it in his pail, but extended it like he’d found the holy grail. The others were less reverent, hiding their bars at the bottom of their bags as if they feared a sibling or parent discovering them. A few intrepid thieves tried to sneak out a second, but Adam closed it up tight.
“Sorry. I’m afraid the box is sealed shut for another year. Happy Halloween.”
They didn’t let their failure to bamboozle him sting for long. A few kids gave him a wave and responded with, “Happy Halloween.”
“Oh, and if your parents ask who had the best house for Halloween, you say…?”
“The costume shop!” a couple of squirts called out as they dashed for the old lady handing out ribbon candy from the Great War.
“Close enough,” Adam said to himself.
He turned around to lower onto the chair, and the metal bit against him. If he were smart, he’d have brought a cushion.
It’d been a madhouse earlier. It always was. Churches and schools bussed in their younger kids before the sun set. Then the older ones would trudge down Main Street looking for whatever remained. He’d nearly broken into the third backup box.
A flicker caught Adam’s eye. One of the shops turned off its light. Another followed across the way. One by one, Halloween was coming to an end in this part of town. Adam cracked open his treasure chest and fished out a payday.
Filling his mouth with nuts, he watched the smoke twirling above the pumpkins as a cleansing and eerie quiet fell over the street. Without cars whizzing past or children screeching for sugar, it was easy to forget how lonely this life could be. The Monster Mash faded, and a clock bong carried across the speakers.
Already?
Adam tugged back his sleeve to find it was eight o’clock. The children’s time was over. Now to let the adults get their mischief on.
With the folding chair tucked under his arm, and the treasure box in the other, Adam returned to his store. He flicked off the light so any stragglers would pass on by, then paused.
He’d had every intention to attend the masquerade in his usual suit and Halloween King get-up. It was what he wore every year to encourage people to vote for him. Everyone loves an incumbent.
But as he walked the aisles of his own store, it hit him how many pieces he had that weren’t just acceptable, they were good. Adam trailed his fingers through silken hair, feathered collars, and leather straps.
