Wait Until After Halloween

I've been a resident of my neighborhood for over two years now. While I've managed to become accustomed to it, I had a particularly rocky start with it. In particular, the unofficial rule in this neighborhood is to never have Christmas decorations up before Halloween was close. I did just that.

People warned me about it, saying that if I didn't take them down, I'd be sorry. I replied to them that if me doing so didn't result in a fine I'd do what I want with my own property. I should have listened to them. It was the 20th when it came. I had just gotten through setting up the lights.

I wasn't a big Halloween fan, to say the least. I always preferred Christmas. In that regard, I'd always put my decorations up in late October. Sure I'd get some eye rolls from people passing by. However, nothing really bad would happen to me not until that night.

I stepped back, taking a moment to admire my handiwork. That was when I heard it. Up in the night sky, I saw a silhouette barely illuminated by the moon and stars. Its appearance was some twisted combination of bat and deer. The most prominent thing about it was its fiery red eyes and its nose which also seemed to burn like a flame.

I was speechless upon seeing it. I tried to rationalize it in my mind, thinking it was in fact a large bat and that my mind was playing tricks on me. It coming into full view proved me wrong. My Christmas lights illuminated it fully. It was certainly more deer-like in appearance if deer had razor-sharp teeth.

Its claws were so sharp-looking I thought if it wanted to it could cut me in half with one swipe. I didn't know what to do in that situation. It was blocking the way to my house and I doubted I could outrun it with how fast it was. I shouted for help only to glance over and see my neighbors turn out their lights. I mentally cursed them and turned back to the creature.

I had no idea at the time why it was in front of me. What I did know was that I needed to find a way to escape it. As it approached me and raised one of its hands, presumably to strike at me, I thought fast and kicked off one of my shoes at its head to distract it. Then attempted mad dashing towards my front door. I got maybe eight feet before I felt it yank me back and throw me to the ground.

I groaned in pain and tried sitting up. In addition to it, sounding really pissed off at me as indicated by the fact it was growling, my shoe was hanging from one of its antlers. It grabbed the shoe and threw it at me with such force, my nose broke. Defenseless and groggy from the pain with blood running down my shirt, all I could do was watch it. To my confusion and surprise, it yanked free one of my plastic candy canes.

These feelings quickly turned into fear when I realized what it planned on doing with it. I tried to plead with it but it was no use. All I could do was raise my arms in a feeble attempt to shield myself as it brought the candy cane down on me repeatedly. Getting hit by one being swung by ar regular person is painful enough, never mind when a whatever that thing was is wielding them. The force of its swings was so strong it broke my right arm which is my dominant one.

One candy cane beating was bad. Unfortunately for me, it decided to make use of all the ones I owned. By the time it was done they were all in pieces and I was a broken mess on the ground. My vision was blurry from the pain. Although it was I could make out it flying towards my house and cutting down the attached lights.

When it landed back in front of me I thought it was going to deliver the killing blow. Instead, it did something I wasn't expecting. It spoke. The only response I could give to it was a pained croak. Its voice was deep and raspy.

"Next year, wait until after Halloween."

It then pointed from me to my Santa lawn decoration which it decapitated with one slice of its claws. I passed out shortly after that. When I woke up the next day the neighbors gave me smug looks as they passed by. The hospital trip was a pian. What was even worse was having to clean up the mess it left behind.

Trying to find bits of broken glass and plastic while wearing a cast was not easy. I figured whatever that thing was it was really into Halloween. Not wanting to reincur its rath I made sure to get some last-minute decorations for the holiday in order to appease it. As the trick or treaters walked by on Halloween I could see it watching me from the woods. Only the lights of its eyes and nose were visible.

Children and parents who also noticed it walked quickly by it. They reacted to it as if it was something they were used to. I figured that this was the case and now I am too. Every October it can be spotted watching from the woods for anyone to break the neighborhood's unofficial rule. I make sure to follow this to a t and even put up Halloween decorations early.

As a result of my experience, I've found an appreciation for the holiday. I just make sure I never put up any Christmas decorations until November. I don't know what that thing is or where it came from. All I know is that I don't ever want to get on its bad side again.

If you happen to be as big a Christmas fan as I am and move to my neighborhood, I suggest you heed my warning or it will come for you.