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    The Legend of Pumpkin Boy
    The Legend of Pumpkin Boy
    The Legend of Pumpkin Boy
    Ebook179 pages2 hours

    The Legend of Pumpkin Boy

    By Greg Jackson

    ()

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    About this ebook

    A new town. Strange new neighbors. It seemed like the perfect new start for the Myers family. Until they soon realize that during the month of October, their new neighborhood isn't quite normal. No decorations on the doors, no one walking around on the streets, no jack-o-lanterns or trick-or-treating. It was like everyone was hiding from something terrible and unknown.

    When twins Chris and Sidney Myers stumble onto the legend that no one dares to speak about, they quickly go from the new kids in town to the new kids who unwittingly unleash a silenced, decades-long curse. And now they're a battle against time for their families and the children of Haddon...and they're in a battle for Halloween itself as Chris and Sidney, and their weird new friend Danny, unravel the strange and bizarre Legend of Pumpkin Boy!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGreg Jackson
    Release dateOct 28, 2014
    ISBN9781310539169
    The Legend of Pumpkin Boy
    Author

    Greg Jackson

    Greg Jackson is author of Prodigals: Stories, for which he received the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 award and the Bard Fiction Prize. In 2017, he was named one of Granta's Best Young American Novelists. His fiction and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Granta, Tin House, Vice, Conjunctions, Virginia Quarterly Review, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Guardian, among other places.

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      Book preview

      The Legend of Pumpkin Boy - Greg Jackson

      The Legend of Pumpkin Boy

      Greg Jackson

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright © 2014 Greg Jackson

      All rights reserved.

      ISBN-13: 9781310539169

      DEDICATION

      For my son,

      Who loved to read the weird, spooky little tales with me.

      CHAPTER CONTENTS:

      1. The House on Draper Lane

      2. The Weird Saturday

      3. Eavesdroppers

      4. Night of Fright

      5. The New School

      6. The Strange Road

      7. Breakfast and Satchels

      8. The Library

      9. The Trek to Clover Hill

      10. The Glow of the Lantern

      11. The House on Clover Hill

      12. The Box in the Cement Box

      13. Haddon Hall

      14. Trapped

      15. Parental Involvement

      16. Mom's Visitor

      17. The Paradox Box

      18. Punkie Night

      19. Back to Boggy Loop

      20. The Void and the Carnival

      21. Funhouse

      22. The Pumpkin Children

      23. The Pumpkin Parade

      24. Skein's Cave

      25. The Heart of the Paradox

      26. The Reversal

      27. The New Haddon

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      A lot of people thank everyone in their books. I dedicated this book to my son, who has always loved the weird, strange little stories as a kid. So I would like to tip the cap for all of the book-loving kids, teens and adults out there who are presently reading this book or any other story that brings you into a different world for a little while.

      The imagination is a powerful thing.

      Don't ever lose it.

      CHAPTER ONE

      The House on Draper Lane

      It was a long ride into the rural outskirts of Illinois and Chris Myers was getting restless in the back seat. His twin sister Sidney was getting equally annoying to their parents and with every mile, it seemed more and more like the kids were all over each other. Mom and dad were clueless but were completely annoyed with the racket coming from the back seat. Between mom telling dad that he's going too fast and that he should have gotten gas a few miles back, she managed to throw some angry eyes at the fidgety kids.

      We're almost there. Mom said. Can't you two behave for two seconds?

      I really have to pee. Sidney said. And Chris smells like puke.

      I do not. He defended as he dug his nose into his armpit. This smells like you.

      I told you two to knock it off. Mom chastised. If you don't, your father and I are picking your rooms.

      I didn't even want to move. Chris said as he pulled his nose from his pit. All my friends are back home.

      You'll make new friends. Mom said.

      Chris and Sidney looked at each other and quickly rolled their eyes. Without missing a beat, they simultaneously stuck a forefinger in their mouths, accompanied with the obvious vomit noise. They rolled their eyes again and laughed. It was the typical parental comeback. All their friends are gone? Make new friends. As far as their parents were concerned, it would be easy as pie. It was the classic parent comeback that couldn't be tested.

      About an hour later, Mr. Myers pulled the car into the gated community called Haddon. Chris and Sidney craned their heads out the window to the security man in the booth. They stared at him like he was a being from another planet as they got the royal treatment of being accepted into this little slice of life.

      Myers Family. Dad said to the man. We're moving into the old house on Draper Lane.

      Yes, yes. The security man said as he flipped through the papers on his clipboard. It seems that everything is in order. You're house is ready and you're all set. But first thing tomorrow, get on up to the main building. You'll see it, it's the only new building in this place. You'll need to get your ID badges with the barcodes, which will open the gate. And you'll need to see Judge Carpenter, who will go over some of the lesser known details of Haddon.

      No problem. Dad said as he shot a look to mom. Lesser known details?

      Maybe they have a business and they make their own products or something. Mom said with a nervous shrug.

      Maybe they're creeps and make mummies. Sidney said in a purposely dire tone. Muahahaha.

      Or they're all aliens! Chris yelled and laughed at the thought of it.

      Mom turned around with pure delight in her eyes. Pretty cool, huh? Name badges, security codes? That's right out of a spy book.

      I guess. Sidney said.Mummies would be cooler, though.

      It's pretty cool, I guess. Chris added as he looked at his sister. But you're going to take a picture with a giant zit on your nose! You'll look like a witch!

      What? Sidney yelled. Mom!

      Guys, come on! Mom snapped. We're here and you're still fighting. Sidney, you don't have a zit. Stop letting your brother tease you so much.

      He's mean! Sidney yelled.

      Your zit is mean. Chris laughed. Look at it! You've made it angry and it's about to pop all over your stupid face.

      Sidney punched her brother hard in the arm with whatever might she could summon behind her cinched seat belt. Chris howled, flinched and pulled back in his seat.

      Two for flinching. Sidney laughed and slugged him two more times. That's what happens when you tell your sister that she has a zit.

      Mom flung around. You two, stop it right now! This is our new home and we have to make a good impression!

      Sorry, mom. Chris and Sidney said in unison while dad yammered on to the man at the gate.

      Dad finally stopped talking and the old man at the gate fumbled to find a switch on the edge of his booth. He fumbled for a weird amount of time before he finally found the switch that he obviously lost. Out the front windshield, the metal gates slid open with a few select squeals of metal and gears.

      As the car rolled into their new lives up the main road, all eyes in the car were aimed at the canopy of rust-colored leaves hanging above them. Every house lining the main street looked different from one another. Some of the houses were huge mansion-looking homes and some were one floor brick houses with wrap-around porches. Chris and Sidney couldn't keep their eyes off the naturally creepy surroundings as they crawled past.

      This is so cool! Chris said as his slid his head out the window. His mother tried to pull him back in but she soon figured out that he was still buckled in and finally not bothering his sister. Halloween here is going to be awesome.

      I have to get my costume, mom. Sidney said as she watched the houses roll by under the blanket of Autumn trees. I want to be Elsa.

      What's tomorrow? Mom asked. Saturday? Sure, we can head into town and see what they have and if we can't find anything, I'll see what I can whip up. Unless my sewing machine gets broken in the move. She looked at dad. I don't like those moving people.

      They were cheaper than the rest. Dad shrugged. This house wasn't cheap.

      Thanks, mom. Sidney said, not really paying that much attention.

      You guys like this place? Dad asked. I guess so since you stopped fighting.

      Yeah, it's nice, I guess. Chris said, looking at his sister. I thought you had to pee.

      I'm holding it. Sidney snapped.

      Dad, I think Sid peed her pants. Chris laughed.

      Well that didn't last very long. Dad laughed to mom as the reflection of the rust colored leaves rolled over the windows.

      I did not! Sidney yelled.

      Their snapping didn't last long. They followed the roads and the surroundings as their station wagon snaked its way through the narrow, leaf-littered streets. They made two rights, three lefts and a u-turn and finally, after nearly getting lost, dad pulled the car into the driveway of a big wooden house that had three floors and a basement. It was at the end of a cul-de-sac and stood alone in the middle of two other houses.

      Is that our house? Chris asked, his eyes widening at the huge sight in front of him."

      Yes it is. Dad said. You like it?

      It's huge! Sidney yelled.

      Dad stopped the car and it didn't take more than three seconds for the kids to jump out. They ran up to the front door and ran around the entire wrap-around porch by the time their parents even left the vehicle.

      Okay, here's the deal. Dad said as he grabbed both of their collars to slow them down. Your mother and I have the room on the front of the house. There are two identical rooms facing the back yard, one on each side. You two decide which ones you want. Again, they're both identical so there shouldn't be any fighting, got it?

      Got it. Chris and Sidney said in unison.

      Chris held up a finger like he had a point to make: Mom, you already said you were picking our rooms if we didn't shut up in the car. That was a lie if you already picked them.

      Okay, you have a point. Dad said. And it didn't work, did it?

      Mom piped up before Dad opened the door. Now the room in the middle is the playroom. All your toys go in there, got it? I'm tired of stepping on Lego pieces in the carpet.

      Fiiiine. Chris and Sidney again said in unison.

      They're like little land mines. Dad said. You have no idea how serious we are about that. I love them as much as you do but they really hurt in the dark.

      Okay, okay! Sidney said, her pee-pee dance going into full swing as she stood there. Do the bathrooms work?

      Go! Dad said as he turned the key and flung the door open.

      Chris ran around the entire bottom floor. He zoomed through the kitchen and the dining room, into the living room and the den, coming back out into the foyer that his parents were standing in. Sidney was already halfway up the stairs when he noticed her, so he took the steps two at a time to catch up. When he was finally at her heels, he pulled on her shirt to throw her off balance and when he made her trip and fall on her face, Chris took the lead.

      No fair! Sidney grunted as she got up to give chase.

      Ten minutes and you two need to help with the boxes! Mom yelled from somewhere downstairs.

      Chris and Sidney didn't answer. They just ran down the hallway and picked their rooms, separated by the common room, just like Mom and Dad said.

      I don't want this one. Sidney said as she looked into

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