Apocrypha

Chapter 13

"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9

A COLD EVENING was the first sign that the harvest festival was in town. The festival signaled a time when the people can say goodbye to the summer and welcome the fall. But for the residents of Verona, it was a time to relax and live off their bountiful harvests.

Because the beginning of fall only meant one thing: It was time for a festival.

The members of the house on the outskirts of town all got ready. They wore their coziest coats, and some wore scarves and gloves. Their pockets were lined with money they had saved through chores and work.

Kari took herself, Timon, Lucrece, Mamillius, and Virgilia (she won the lottery for the remaining spot) in the car. The rest took the bikes that were scattered around.

They set off for the center of town. Kari had to park her car far away from the actual event since the streets were packed with cars. The ones on the bikes set them near a bike rack.

Before Gabriel even saw what the festival looked like, he could smell something sweet in the air and could hear loud music playing. The ground started to become littered with hay straws and confetti.

Just a head was the event. People entered with their families and friends. Kari stopped the group before going any further.

"Remember!" She shouted through the noise behind her. "Stick with your partner! No wandering off. If you get lost, try to find one of us. We'll be here for four hours."

The group nodded in understanding. Lucrece pulled out a handcuff-like contraption and tied it to Mamillius' wrist and the other on hers. They became tied. Cassio and Horatio nodded at one another. Kari offered her arm to Timon. Aaron and his friend were silent but close together. Virgilia and Alcibiades both looked annoyed that they were partnered up.

Lysander smirked. He knew that agreeing to make Kari golden milk as a bride to pair him and Gabriel together was a good idea. It was their plan to make this their date.

They entered the festival and began to go their separate ways. The town center transformed from a simple center to a lively area where every place you looked at was something to do or see.

"What should we do first?" Gabriel asked in his partner's ear.

"Let's get some food in our system first." He replied. There was a funnel cake stand, and the line wasn't too long.

They got their food, Gabriel paying, and ate it while standing near some hay bales. Gabriel has tried funnel cakes before, and they were just as good as he remembered.

Then it was time for walking around. They saw different attractions, such as a scarecrow making station and bobbing for apples. Gabriel and Lysander spent several minutes laughing at people sticking their heads in barrels of water and coming out with them not having successfully grabbed an apple and instead took bites out of them.

An area that caught Gabriel's eye was the pumpkin patch sign. It led through the town and to a more rural area. People walked through the patch, and all looked at the pumpkins that were ready for harvesting.

Lysander paid the small fee to enter for both of them. He saw that there was a maze somewhere near where they could go.

"Look!" Gabriel pointed. He saw a woman about to sit on a pumpkin that clearly looked rotted. They watched as she sat on the pumpkin and squashed it under her weight.

They had to conceal their laughter by crouching down so people didn't see them.

Further through the patch, there was a quiet area where they sat on some benches and looked at the hills littered with round pumpkins.