Love at McDonald's: A HALLOWEEN TALE

2

It's crooked. A little more to the left.
He looked at it intensely, then gently adjusted it, taking a step back to observe it once more.

He coughed and stroked his moustache in contemplation.
More to the right.

"Finished." he finally sighed contently as he took a step back to observe his the Jack-o -Lantern wreath he had bought from the costume store. The angry pumpkin face was positioned inside its circle, mouth open, as if releasing a horrid scream at whoever were to knock on his door. Perhaps it would keep some of the little gremlins from knocking tonight.

And if not? He smiled to himself as he grabbed the huge pack of candy and ripped it open, taking in the sweet smell that quickly evaporated and poured it into the big bucket he had placed in front of his door.

Tonight he wouldn't be there to open it and hand the candy out himself. He was invited to a small get together by his favourite three.
He sighed and watched his breath turn into a little foggy cloud before him. It was getting chilly outside.

He would have to be on his way soon, or they'd start without him. And that wasn't good, because he was in charge of the pizza.

"I better get going.." he blew hot breath into his hands and rubbed them together, slowly beginning to feel the chill. Or maybe it was the fact that he never bothered to wear a jacket.

He contemplated his doorstep one last time, before he finally backed away. It looked good as it was. Just as he was about to turn and walk to his car, a rustle in the bush across the street broke the peaceful silence of the empty street before his house. He slowly turned around and eyed the bush, before looking to his left and right. The sky was turning a darker blue, and the October wind was dragging the dry leaves along and across the street. He stood under the warm light of his front door, the only light lit on his street. He stayed put, observing the bush, wondering if it had only been the strength of the wind. 

But the silence that had taken over the street felt different, he felt it in his bones; it just did not feel right. The silence was dense and waiting, too quiet to just be settling in after the breeze of the wind. Soloman slowly picked up his big aluminium torch, and walked on onto the sidewalk before his lawn. 

There he stood in the heavy silence and the play of the wind, right across the bush, not three feet away from it. He watched its dark leaves move with the current, standing there innocently, yet threathening to hide away awaiting danger. Eric didn't budge, he kept staring at it, ignoring his fluttering tie in the wind. He wouldn't let himself get scared so easiky, after after all he was from Fordtown, Detroit. There was worse things to be afraid of.

"Who's there?" he called. There was no response. "...that's what I thought."

Just as he was about to turn his back to it though, it rustled again. Loudly, as if it was responding to him. So he turned again to face it, in the now darkened road as the streetlights were coming alive, slowly, too slowly, illuminating the street with their orange lights.

And there it was again, the dreading silence. Lingering intensely, as if growing louder by the second. Just as it became deafening like drums in a theater building up to reveal who was behind the curtain, an unexpected noise tore it apart. An overcrowded car filled with younglings bolted through the street with deafening music and chaos of screams and laughter, leaving behind long strips of toilet paper they generously catapulted out of the windows. He jumped back in shock at the unexpected overbearing noise, instantly forgetting he was otherwise in danger. "Jesus Christ...no speeding in the neighborhood!...Gonna kill somebody..." he mumbled to himself as he opened his car door and slid in, closing it loudly. He looked at his watch as he simultaneously turned the key of the engine. 9PM. He had to hurry.