Alright, this is very different from what I usually do. For one thing, it revolves mostly around characters that I like, but who aren't my favorite, or even second favorite in the movie. Secondly, I'm exploring some of my own creativity by making this a pre- death pre- Halloween Town story. It revolves around the lives of at least four characters from the movie. There may be more later on, if I see a good place to add them in. I won't give out their names right away, but I'm guessing it'll be pretty easy to determine who they are.
Pumpkin Town
Chapter One:
Arriving In Kingston
There are some places in the world that have very strange and unusual things about them. Things that people cannot explain, and eventually just accept as part of their reality. These are the things that are passed about the town in the late hours of the night or early hours of the morning around a campfire, or in a dark bedroom while the speaker holds a flashlight to their face, illuminating their lips and nose and that place between the eye's, making them look unnatural and unreal. These are the stories that are eventually turned into legends, and the legends that eventually turn into myths. No one knows exactly how they start, they just do. They develop over night and make a place and the people who live there and the stories behind them amazing.
The town of Kingston had been that sort of place. Once upon a time, it had been known for it's legend and myth, and a whole bunch of other strange sorts of things that made a passerby want to visit the town just to see whether or not it was true. Or whether or not such a place could make the earth change beneath their feet, and the air change as they breathed it upon their lips, or whether or not such a town could make a man feel amazing…if only for just the few moments they stood within it's boundaries. The town of Kingston had been a very intriguing place. But that had been before it was called Kingston. That had been back when it was called Pumpkin Town.
Gregory didn't know anything about that the day he moved in. Nor would he have cared if he had. He was too busy being miserable to care about anything.
Gregory was miserable for several reasons, all justified in their own way, though some being more understandable then the others. The first, and quite possibly the most understandable was that his parents had just passed two weeks before, and he was now living with his widowed Aunt who always seamed to get him just the right clothes to make him look more like a loser then he already did, and say just the right things to embarrass him, and who always seamed to believe he was just a few years younger then he actually was. His second reason was that by moving into a new town it meant he'd have to face a new school year at a different school where he would make few friends if any and have to face new bullies. At least at the school he had been in, he had had an arrangement with some of the old ones. (Being that as long as he paid them they wouldn't beat the crap out of him.) And the third being that he would have to get used to new surroundings and a new house and new neighbors, when he had liked the old ones just fine.
Gregory sighed and watched his feet as he kicked them beneath the car seat, while occasionally looking out his window, which he could only just reach, being rather short for his age. His Aunt sat in the front of the car, her beloved Apathy in her lap, (Apathy being a Siamese cat that hated Gregory and wasted no time in hissing and scratching at him. ) while humming to herself.
As they entered the town Gregory peered out the window, catching a glimpse of the welcome sign. He felt a sinking sensation in his stomach as he did. The sign was covered in graffiti, which only meant that the town was probably full of the sort of kids who seamed to have a passion for beating other kids like him up.
As he examined the sign more closely, he found some things written on it that made him feel even more uneasy then he had before. The town was called Kingston. Like other welcome signs the name was slightly faded and obviously of some age. Most of the graffiti on the sign was of the regular sort, declarations of love and who was hot, capitalized profanities, and crude drawings. But some of it didn't sit well with Gregory. Some of which being sentences that read things like 'Down with King.' 'Down with Kingston.' 'Bring back Hector.' 'King is a grave robber.' And many more of that nature. The other thing, and quite possibly the most strange thing written upon the sign, was two words written over and over in all sorts of different scrawls; These being the words Pumpkin Town.
Great, just perfect. Gregory was thinking to himself. Because of his Aunt he had to move to Psycho Ville. He slumped back down into his seat, looking towards the front of the car where his aunt was switching through radio stations.
"Why do we have to move here, Anne?" He whined to his aunt, getting a rather nasty growl from Apathy.
"Dear, I told you to call me Aunt Anne, just calling me Anne makes me feel like your disrespecting me, I am your guardian now you know…" Anne said, while pulling her hand back from the knob on the radio.
"I know, I know…just my luck." The last he said very quietly so as not to be heard.
"…And I've told you why a hundred times now, a change of scenery will be good for you. I swear for a boy who's been top of his class since he was eight you'd think your memory would be a bit better." She gasped as she nearly ran off the road. "Stop talking to me now Gregory, you'll make me crash."
Gregory sat back in his seat with another sigh, wondering how his aunt could say that he could make her crash when her cat, who constantly sat up on it's hind legs and put it's paws against her chest and chin, seamed to be no distraction to her at all.
"I liked the old town just fine." He said softly, not really meaning to be heard.
"What was that dear, speak up, you're a boy, not a girl, you should work on your volume. I swear, your father was the same way, always spoke in such a girly voice, Heather had him wrapped around her fingers, yes she did." His aunt went on like that for a while. Gregory groaned silently to himself and stuffed his face into his chubby hands. Suddenly his aunt stopped short of what she had been saying.
"Ugh! Look at those two kids over there, trouble makers if I ever saw them. Those kids are exactly the sort I want you staying away from." Gregory looked up from his hands and looked out the window curiously, wondering what sort of kids his aunt was talking about.
Standing on the sidewalk just inside of town, he saw two kids who could've been his age, or could have been older. It was hard to tell because he didn't really look his age. There was a boy and a girl, and given the similarities between the two of them he thought they might be brother and sister. They were both tall and thin and probably would have had the same hair color if the boys wasn't so obviously died a bright blood red, and the girls wasn't mostly hidden beneath a striped knit cap.
As he looked at them, they both turned and met his gaze. He almost pulled away, surprised at being caught staring at them, instead he smiled…which he decided immediately had been a bad idea. The two kids looked at each other and then burst out laughing. Gregory pulled back from the window feeling hurt and embarrassed. As he did he saw his round face reflected in the glass. He kept his head lowered after that, avoiding looking out the window for the rest of their trip into town.
When they finally stopped, and Gregory was able to get out of the car and stretch his legs he saw that the town, despite his early views of it, didn't look quite as bad as he expected.
"It's a beauty isn't it. Good old fashioned small town. Not like those cities you get these days, no sir." His aunt was saying.
"Sure is!" A pleasant voice came behind them. "Best there ever was!" He turned to see who the origin of the voice belonged to. Down at the end of their driveway stood a man carrying a what appeared to be a tire, at his feet sat two others, brand new by the look of them. The minute Gregory saw him he began to progress towards them. He had a funny sort of prissy walk which matched his appearance perfectly. He looked like the sort of man who got bossed around a lot; by his boss, by his colleagues, probably even by his wife.
"I'm Jeff, Jeffery King that is. This is my town." He said. Gregory gave him a funny look. He hadn't really expected the owner of the town to be this tiny man, who's hair was thinning and who was getting pre mature wrinkles on his forehead and eyes. Jeff must have sensed Gregory's reaction because the minute he looked at his face his smile faded a little.
"I know I'm uh, not exactly what people expect from someone who owns a town, hear it all the time, but it is in fact mine, bought it ten years ago. I have the deed hung up on my wall." He gave Gregory another look, making him feel really awkward. The look suggested the man was a little wary of him. How this could be, Gregory had no idea.
His aunt seamed un aware of this.
"Oh, no, you look like just the sort of nice man to run such a lovely town. I respect a man who has money but doesn't show it off." Jeff smiled at her. Gregory decided he didn't like him much. He seamed like a terrible coward.
"What are the tires for." He asked, trying to get the man to stop looking at him so funny. The man looked down at the tire he was holding as though he had forgotten he had it.
"Greg, don't be nosy." His aunt said. Jeff flashed her another of his dopey smiles.
"No, it's alright. See some of the…uh…more colorful youths of this town like to um…play a game with me, they take my tires…or umm…let the air out…and…I'm just putting these back on my car…for…next time you know…good fun." He said this with a bit of laughter that sounded strange and humorless.
"They slash your tires?" Gregory asked, getting a sharp look from Anne.
"Slash? Oh! No! It's all in fun…" The man trailed off and looked away uncomfortably.
There was a long moment of silence. In the distance a cars engine could be heard.
"Well I think this town is very lucky to have such a kind man running it. Some men would take such jokes…none too lightly."
Gregory's aunt was fixing him with a very stern look, which he could just see from the corner of his eye, but Gregory barely noticed. He was too busy watching a car as it traveled past their house, and made its way down the street. It was the coolest car he had ever seen, being extremely vintage. Gregory loved old cars. It was beautiful, and was extremely large and colored an unearthly black, he grinned to himself.
"Gregory! Don't stare off like that, it makes you look horribly idiotic." His aunt said. Gregory ignored her.
"Who's car is that?" He asked Jeff, who tossed a jerky and panicky look over his shoulder.
"That car? I don't know. Nice though isn't it. Comes around here a lot. Stops in front of the old house down at the end of the road. I think the owner comes by to check on it every once in a while just to make sure it's still standing." Gregory lost sight of the car as it turned left at the end of the street, and looked back at Jeff.
"This is your town isn't it?" He asked, giving the man a curious look.
"Yes." The man said, looking cautious.
"Shouldn't you know who lives here?" He said. Jeff looked suddenly very stressed out.
"Yes…but that's Hectors old place and…the person who owns it now refuses to give me their name. Right on the border you know…so it's legal." Anne regarded Jeff with some interest.
"Who is Hector?" She asked. If she hadn't have asked, Gregory probably would have. He had seen that name on the sign coming in. Jeff looked suddenly very uncomfortable.
"He...umm…owned the place before me." Jeff said, as he began to absently rub his partially balding head.
"Before he sold it to you?" Anne asked, while picking up Apathy and stroking her fir.
"Umm…no…Hector never sold me the place…he uh…passed away eleven years ago."
Gregory raised his brow. He knew a lot of things that a boy his age probably shouldn't…according to other boys his age. One of these things he knew about, at least to a degree was the law.
"How did you come upon it? Didn't he have a will?" Gregory asked curiously. Jeff tittered uneasily.
"Smart boy…he did as a matter of fact…" Gregory was lightly aware of his Aunts heavy glare on the back of his neck."
"He left this town to his son, and then after that to his grandson, they were the only family he had. Anyone in town can tell you the story…but I suppose getting the facts from me is the wiser move…they like to…how do you say…exaggerate things a little."
"Where's his son?"
"Dead. He died a few weeks after his father...or so I've heard."
"And his grandson?"
" They searched for him for a while…never actually found him...but...apparently found some sort of evidence to prove that he, too, was dead.After that, they sold it. I bought it at a good price actually." Gregory's aunt took her eyes off of him and directed them back to Jeff King.
"Well Mr. King, it's been a pleasure to meet you…but we really need to unpack." Jeff smiled while picking up the tires he had laid on the ground.
"Of course you do. It was a pleasure meeting you Mrs.…"
"Ms. Garret. It was a pleasure to meet you too." Jeff bowed awkwardly and left, looking very lopsided while carrying three tires in his gangly arms.
When he was gone Anne looked sharply at Gregory.
"What was the meaning of that?"
"Of what?" Gregory asked, giving his aunt a bewildered look.
"Couldn't you see you were making that poor man uncomfortable." Before he could a voice behind Gregory answered for him.
"Ah…by now he's plenty used to it." Both his aunt and Gregory turned to see who was speaking. Gregory was surprised an a little dispirited to see the two kids that he had seen when they entered the town walking across their neighbors yard.
"Yea. Poor guy has to take crap from all kinds of hooligans." The boy said, giving Gregory's aunt a look that was pathetically innocent.
"Run along now. I don't want Gregory dilly dallying with the likes of you." Anne said, making a shooing gesture to the two kids, who were giving her a very odd look. They shared a look with each other, then the false innocence was back, along with matching grins so ridiculously sweet they made Gregory feel stupid just looking at them.
"The likes of us, why madam, we're Kingston's own welcome wagon." The boy said, gesturing with his hands fancily.
"Oh yes, we welcome in everyone new to the town." The girl said.
"Mr. King encourages it." The boy added quickly. Anne looked at the two kids suspiciously. Gregory thought he was probably wearing a similar look. Usually when kids like these two acted as they were it was just to suck up to grown ups until they left them alone with him. Where, at this point they would do something real friendly…like turning him upside down and emptying the contents of his pockets and then giving him a lovely matching set of black eye's.
"Welcome wagon huh?" Anne said, seeming to consider this. "Well, I'm going to be busy for most of the day. I suppose you can go if you want Gregory." Gregory turned his head towards her quickly, screaming inwardly. 'DON'T FALL FOR IT' Outwardly he tried to sound as though he were just too busy for this sort of thing.
"No...I don't think so. I've got a lot of stuff to do and…"
"Oh Greg…just go. I'll take care of your little scholarly stuff and you can get your personal stuff later, like your stuffed animals and your dolls and stuff."
Gregory felt like screaming. At the mention of his 'personal stuff' he had seen the two kids exchange amused looks that he didn't much care for. He was also vaguely aware that he was blushing…which really dismayed him.
"I'd really just like to stay here…if it's all the same." He said…his voice small, and to his horror, starting to sound very similar to that of Mr. King's.
"Greg, your never going to make friends if you stay here, now go see the town. If you see it, maybe you'll like it a little better. Go meet people."
"But Anne…"
"Go Gregory, and it's Aunt Anne. I'll be having no disrespect from you…even in front of your new friends" Gregory sighed. He hadn't wanted to be home so much as he did now. He would have given almost anything to be back in his old room on his computer, or playing video games, or just lying around watching TV, where he wasn't expected to go out and 'meet people.' Besides, he had really hoped he could have at least waited until school started before the beatings did. And here he had only been in town for fifteen minutes.
'Just my luck.' He thought, while walking slowly towards the two children, who watched his progression with a matching look on their faces that was really starting to worry him.
As he neared the girl spoke to him quietly.
"Why so slow…Gregory…you'd think you were going to your own funeral." She grinned at him in a way he could only describe as purely wicked.
His aunt, who, deep in the back of his mind, he wished would realize what was going on before he left with these two obvious pretenders smiled broadly.
"Have fun Gregory." She said, before turning and going into the house, leaving him alone with the two children, who passed another of those grins amongst themselves before bursting out in gales of laughter.
Tell me if this sounded bad ok. I don't mind a little criticism. I was reading it back to myself and wasn't sure if I really liked it or not.
