Butterfingers and the new moon hayride.
The wagon eases along behind the tractor. Its rubber wheels easily absorb the shock of any stones or small limbs on the old logging road. Jenny watches the trees pass by on her left and tries not to let her eyes fall on Jack too often. It’s the beginning of October and she’s been waiting for this hayride for weeks. In the town of Chesterville the Harvest season is one of the most celebrated times of the year. And the new moon hayride is the event that starts off all the festivities.
With this in mind, the wagon follows a long line of different wagons and flat bed trailers. It looks as though the entire town showed up for this one, Jenny thinks. She turns back to her new acquaintance and asks her favorite question of the year. “So what’s your favorite Halloween candy?” The young girl beside Jenny smiles a shy smile and after a slight pause answers thoughtfully.
Butterfingers
“Butterfingers.” She pauses then smiles again and continues, “All Halloween candy is sweet, but if it’s about my favorite, it would definitely be butterfingers.” Then she looks at Jenny and holds out her hand while introducing herself. “Hi, my name is Sarah and my favorite candy is butterfingers.”
Jenny smiles back and puts out her own hand, “Hi Sarah, my name is Jenny, nice to meet you. My favorite Halloween candy is the Reese’s Cup.” The wagon dips noticeably to the side that Jenny and Sarah sit on. They are at the edge of the pasture now. Another few minutes and they will be at the outer edges of the forest. The old logging road carries on into the heart of the forest and further up the mountain. However, their path is just at the edges of the forest. No one has been up the old logging road in over fifty years.
The church hayride route is not a dangerous one. In fact, they have several ATV riders that help keep tabs on the long line of wagons. Therefore, since they are no longer strangers, Jenny and Sarah begin talking, and before long, become fast friends. Furthermore, they find that they have much in common, including a fascination with a certain boy named Jack. They are in a quiet discussion about this when a small, almost mousy voice, interrupts their conference.
The New Moon Hayride
“Um, excuse me.” The voice comes from a girl sitting across from Jenny and Sarah. She looks to be about their age and she leans a little closer as she continues, “I couldn’t help but overhear and I just want to say that I like Butterfingers too, but the Snickers candy bar is my favorite.” She gives a small uncertain smile and leans back against the rail of the wagon. Jenny and Sarah look at each other and smile. Then they introduce themselves. They learn that the mousy girl’s name is Abigail. Furthermore, this is her first hayride ever.
The three new friends begin chatting about their favorite candies as the wagon rolls steadily along. The setting sun turns the sky into a dazzling array of colors and it only adds to the magic of the event. The wagon rolls silently along as it is towed by the tractor. Before too long they will be at the fork. One path goes up the mountain and the other skirts the edge of the forest.
“You know what would be fun?” Jenny pauses for dramatic effect, “Exploring the old mountain road.” Sarah looks at Jenny with bright, excited eyes.
Butterfingers and Reese’s Cups
“That’s exactly what we should do! It’s the perfect time of day for a spooky walk into the dark forest.” Her smile is wide and she looks from Jenny to Abigail and then back to Jenny, “If we’re careful, they won’t even notice we’re gone”. The other two girls look at each other. Abigail watches, but makes no sound. Neither for, or against. The old logging road up the mountain is supposedly haunted. Of course, no one had been up that old trail in years. Nothing but an old ghost town at the top of the mountain anyway. Additionally, it was abandoned long ago. It probably didn’t exist anymore.
The wagon rolls lazily over more ruts in the road as they near the split. One way of the split goes around the edge of the forest and the other leads up the mountain. Sarah and Jenny have convinced Abigail that the adventure will be fun and quick. No one will even know they’re gone. Furthermore, Abigail feels compelled to join them. In fact, their excitement feels contagious and she barely has any friends. As they arrive at the split in the road, Jenny and Sarah prepare to jump from the slow moving wagon. Although Abigail feels hesitant, after a quick inner struggle, she decides to join them. Therefore, she prepares herself to jump down from the wagon.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The sound of the voice startles Abigail. She turns to see who is speaking and discovers Jack watching her intently. Blushing furiously, she looks back at the other two girls. They are already sitting on the edge of the rail, about to drop to the ground. They watch Abigail with an intensity that scares her. Additionally they are no longer smiling.
New Moon Hayride
The wagon continues along the old trail and as it passes the branch off that leads up the mountain, Jenny and Sarah do indeed leave the wagon. Furthermore, Abigail watches them intently. She begins to feel the weight of their eyes boring into her soul. The compulsion to join them grows more intense. It’s an adventure, after all. And she needs more friends. No one will even know they’re gone.
“They’re not real.” The voice is flat and certain. Once again Abigail turns and Jack the young man sitting to her right, regards her solemnly. She feels her face grow hot and yet she somehow knows that he is right. Turning back to where the girls sit on the railing, Abigail watches them begin to fade. They don’t just disappear. They diminish. Until, after a few more moments, they evaporate.
She turns back to Jack, “How did you know?” Her pulse is quick and the relief she feels is strange. It’s almost as though she narrowly escaped some close call.
The young man looks at Abigail and gives a slightly awkward smile, “My dad owns this wagon and he’s driving the tractor”. He gestures to the man on the tractor up ahead. “They never got on the wagon. Right after sunset they just appeared.”
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