After a while, I figured since it's Halloween, I need to do a Halloween story! And after asking around, this story turned out to be the winner, so, here we go with a brand new Peanuts story! Anyway, enjoy!
Once again, autumn had arrived in the nice little sleepy town where Charlie Brown and his friends lived. As the next leaf of the season was falling, a beagle was carrying a rake and raking it up towards a huge pile of leaves that have already been raked. Satisfied with his work, the beagle known as Snoopy threw the rake aside as he looked up towards a nest and gave the 'OK' sign.
The yellow bird known as Woodstock peeked out and grinned before ducking back in his nest. After a small diving board appeared from the nest, Woodstock walked on the board, taking a deep breath, as if he were taking part in the big games held by the Greeks. After two small jumps, Woodstock then dived off as he did many assorted poses... before landing down on the pile of leaves, messing a few of them up, but not by much.
Woodstock then popped out of the leaf pile as he looked towards Snoopy, who held a neutral face, as if he was disappointe... before the beagle smiled, holding up a '10'. Woodstock laughed as Snoopy started to climb up a real diving board that he had custom ordered as he began to make his jumps. Woodstock stood back as Snoopy jumped off the diving board, doing a somersault and landed on the pile of leaves, scattering them everywhere. Snoopy then got up and did a pose as Woodstock applauded. As Snoopy was taking his bows, he couldn't help but notice that his owner and friend, Charlie Brown, was heading back to his house, followed by his best friend, Linus Van Pelt, who seemed to be holding flyers.
"I just don't understand it, Charlie Brown." Linus said in disappointment. "Every year, I try to convince everyone that the Great Pumpkin is coming, and every year, they rebuff me. Every year, I invite someone to go with me to the pumpkin patch, and every year, that person is met with disappointment and complains that I waste their time!"
"And every year, you end up disappointed because the Great Pumpkin never rises from the pumpkin patch..." Charlie Brown sighed. "Linus, I don't want to be negative, but as your friend, I have to side with Lucy and the others and tell you that the Great Pumpkin just does not exist. He never did."
Linus gave a big frown as he said, "No, he's real, Charlie Brown! I am certain of that!"
"I'm telling you th- look, where did you even HEAR of this Great Pumpkin mythos anyway?" Charlie Brown asked.
Linus gave a grin as he pulled Charlie Brown into the house. "I'm glad you asked!"
"Good grief." Charlie Brown muttered as Linus pulled out some paper and pencils as he began to explain everything by drawing everything.
"It all started when I was six and I got my first comic book. Naturally, it was a light hearted fun comic book, about a boy going out on adventures, and in the first book I read, it happened to be the first Halloween issue, where the boy sat in the pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin. That story inspired me so much that I had to get him here myself!" Linus said. "And after four Halloweens of missing out on the Great Pumpkin, this year will be my year!"
"Has it been five Halloweens you believed in the Great Pumpkin?" Charlie Brown raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Honestly, I feel it's been a little longer than that..."
Linus gave a glare towards Charlie Brown as the boy sighed, "Look, the comic you read, you do know that maybe this was a fantasy comic, right? The things that happened in the comic weren't real."
"Maybe not the fantasy stuff, but the Great Pumpkin is very real!" Linus said with a confident smirk.
Charlie Brown could only respond by shaking his head. "Linus, why don't you just try trick-or-treating like everyone else? At least you get something rather than nothing."
"No way, Charlie Brown. Going out in ridiculous costumes and knocking around other people's doors asking for candy is just plain silly!" Linus frowned.
"So is going around the days before and trying to talk about the Great Pumpkin to people, and you do it anyway." Charlie Brown pointed out.
Linus opened his mouth to argue... before pausing. "You know, I never really thought about it that way..."
The red and black striped shirt wearing boy then sat down to think as Charlie Brown said, "Don't you get tired of sitting in the pumpkin patch every Halloween, only to be disappointed when the Great Pumpkin never comes?"
"Well, I'm sure it's probably because he hasn't risen from the pumpkin patch yet!" Linus smiled. "And... and..."
Linus's smiled wilted. "Will it be the same this year, I wonder? Will I have to face disappointment again? Oh, Charlie Brown, I don't want to be disappointed! While you guys get a lot of candy, I just sit around that pumpkin patch, hoping for the Great Pumpkin to arrive! You guys have it easy!"
"Not exa-" Charlie Brown started... then paused as he began to think of the times he went trick-or-treating, only to get rocks in his bag every year due to bad costumes. He paused as he got an idea. "Hey, Linus. Why don't we switch places and positions this Halloween? I can wait out in the pumpkin patch for you and you can go trick-or-treating in my place!"
Linus shook his head in surprise. "Are you sure, Charlie Brown? I mean, you said you don't believe in the Great Pumpkin."
"Who knows? Maybe the approach was wrong." Charlie Brown smiled. "That's why maybe if a different face shows up, maybe there's a chance the Great Pumpkin will rise from the patch. Meanwhile, you can experience what trick-or-treating is like! What do you say, Linus?"
Linus paused to think... then smiled as he shook Charlie Brown's hand. "You're a genius, Charlie Brown! I guess maybe I better look up costume ideas now! I'm heading home right now!"
And with that, Linus gave the flyers to Charlie Brown before running out the door as the bald kid gave a warm smile... before he heard the voice of his sister.
"I just overheard, you're the one waiting for the Great Pumpkin this year?" Sally asked in disbelief. "I can't believe you're just going along with this!"
"I am... besides, I need a break from the trick-or-treat madness... I just don't want to get more rocks." Charlie Brown sighed as he walked off.
"My sweet babboo, trick-or-treating? My big brother, going to the pumpkin patch? What kind of topsy turvy world is this?" Sally asked as she ran over to the phone and started to call up the first person she could think of to tell everyone the news.
And the first chapter has been completed! How did you guys like it? There will be more to come, so do NOT miss out on the wonders! Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!