EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Happy Halloween!
There is a special night that our house celebrates without fail.
A night when the boundaries between realms become faint, and orange pumpkins, spooky cobwebs and a parade of otherworldly visitors show up.
That's right, tonight is Halloween!
A familiar teal-haired figure is walking down the park path. This year, the girls had worked hard at decorating the park path around their home. Atop the many lamp poles hang decorations of the spooky variety, paper-mâché bats and spiders alike hang in the soft glow of the lamplightas. Children in costumes run around, some wearing sorceress hats, others wearing very realistic full-faced goblin masks. They run around without a care in the continent, enjoying the evening's festivities.
And walking right beside Lumi is a familiar four-legged figure.
Still orange, Pip, the plush fox walks side by side with her good friend, tail holding a thin wooden branch. That was all the costume Pip needed, no mage robe required! On this most special of nights, nobody would bat an eyelid if Pip started walking and moving about!
"... and that's what happened while you were away. What a most happy view! Everyone sure worked hard to make tonight happen!" Pip exclaims, eyes shifting from the running children to the small army of cats Mrs. Elmsworth had brought out tonight. Some of the younger cats are scrounging inside little decorative pumpkins for treats, while the elder cats, four of them, throw a meow of recognition towards Pip, who returns with a wave of his magical branch.
(A gentle, slightly amused tone)
"Yes! It's a wonderfully charming sight now that it is night." Lumi pauses, glancing towards the lake. "The lanterns are still a stunning sight, aren't they?"
Floating across the lake are a handful of square lanterns bright with an orange glow. Earlier on this evening, each member of the house had set off one of their own to float towards the sea. Now, the little line of wishes is halfway across the lake, floating towards destinations unknown. A pair of black swans glide silently beside those lanterns, curious escorts to these little lamplights.
Lumi lets out a small contented sigh. She had been out for only a short while, and it was already Halloween! Apparently, the house had been very busy when their dramaturg was away, organizing a festival which Pip recounted to Lumi with great detail. [HtH129] Tonight had been a wondrous night filled with chocolate cake with extra choco sprinkles on top.
Pip licks a small smudge of chocolate off the left side of his face too.
Somewhere inside our house, the girls are playing a strange little game with guests in a theatre hall. Fitting for tonight, it was called an 'execution game', and the hall had been set up to resemble a courtroom with circular rows of audience seating. Sadly, Pip had taken one too many chocolate cake slices tonight, and had to take a small breather outside.
The two stop by a bench that faces inwards, towards the lake, and wordlessly, girl and fox both sit.
Quietly.
They sit together, watching the celebrations continue around them.
On the other side of the lake, Lumi spies Mr. Fitzwilliam, the baker's husband, handing out gingerbread cookies from a platter. Sauntering off into the side is Mrs. Higgins, walking her adorable white-furred dachshund. The little thing is adorned with an utterly adorable pumpkin hat - one that it wears with great pride!
Lumi gives a thoughtful pause, scanning the distance. She spies the lighthouse perched upon high cliffs in the distance, still at work on this happy night, throwing light into the night sea. Then, she smiles, and rubs Pip's orange back.
(A warm, appreciative tone)
"Look, Pip. Mr. Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Higgins are still out there!"
Lumi smiles, raising a hand.
"Shall we wave?"
"Let's wave!"
On the other side of the lake, Mr. Fitzwilliam and Mrs. Higgins wave back.
An adorable dachshund jumps and skips about.
The lanterns dance across the water.
On this night of dreams, nothing else needs to be said.
The two simply watch, and let the magic of Halloween wash over them.
Happy Halloween, my beloved.
We are trying something different! This is a simul-posting at the same time as the Scribblehub release! Go check out the entire series at this link!
