Real Life Goosebumps

A little delayed in this post, but on October 22nd our friend, Angie, planned a spooky Friday evening to celebrate the Halloween Season. All night, Patrick divided the night into Chapters of the beloved children’s’ books “Goosebumps.” I don't know why I did this (very bored at work), and expect NO ONE to actually read it (I would actually prefer if you didn't). I was going to delete it all but I had already written so much. So to follow this Goosebumps theme, the night went as follows:

Chapter One: One Way Ticket to Terror
It was a chilly October 22nd evening. It was a typical Friday except for the faint feeling of anticipation that loomed in the cool, crisp New York City air. As all Friday work days go, both Patrick and Lindsay were anxious to end their work day. However, this day they were both a little more excited because they were going to meet their friends at Grand Central Station to ride the Metro North to Sleepy Hollow.

Once Patrick and Lindsay arrived at Grand Central and bought their one-way tickets to Sleepy Hollow (also known as Tarry Town), they were greeted by the smiling faces of their beloved friends. Patrick and Lindsay were so happy to spend the rest of the night with them, totally oblivious to what the night had in store.

Chapter Two: Tickets of Forgetfulness
As Lindsay was thinking how cool they were that they were able to get to Grand Central on time and find the right train, she suddenly realized she forgot to print our their tickets to the BLAZE! She was in disbelief that she forgot the most important item of the night. As she confessed her mistake to her husband and others, Casey and Todd (Pat and Lindsay’s hip East Village friends) realized they had forgotten to print their tickets as well. Lindsay was relieved that they now had partners in their forgetfulness, and that they could solve this problem together.

The rest of Pat and Lindsay’s train ride was spent chatting with Casey and Todd about jobs, life, friends, and cupcakes. Little did they know this train would lead to spookiness and terror.

Todd and Casey

Chapter Three: Sleepy Hollow Belongs to the Dead
Before they knew it the train arrived at one of it’s many destinations: Sleepy Hollow. As they exited the train into the dark and dreary night, they quickly found their friends whom they had been separated from, in hopes they would have strength in numbers in this legendary village.

They walked the desolate streets of Sleepy Hollow, finding visual confirmations along their paths that this was in fact the same town in which the Headless Horseman still roams. It seemed as though the chilly air crawled through the streets seeking those that dared to venture passed the city into upstate New York.

As if a being, not seen by the living, led the motley crew without their knowledge, the group suddenly stumbled upon an ancient cemetery. Huge iron gates guarded a quaint seventh century dutch church resting on top of a small hill, as if looking over those that lay beneath. The rambunctious group of twenty-year-olds, reliving their early college years, snuck onto the desolate grounds that belonged not to them--but to the DEAD.

Angie taking a picture of....

...this.

Chapter Four: Shadow People
As they walked amongst the tombstones which immortalized those that once lived, the wind blew and the trees creaked beneath the glowing moon. Although the feeling of death loomed in the now freezing autumn night, the group continue to take pictures and ignored those that laid 6-feet under.

As Lindsay was fixing her camera settings to capture the spookiness of the evening, suddenly the chatter and laughter of her friends was gone. She quickly looked up from her camera only to find that the shadows were her only friends. It seemed that in Lindsay’s concentration she had aimlessly wondered away from the safety of her friends.

Trying not to panic, she quickly walked in the direction she thought she had come from as she search the distant darkness for anything familiar. After what seemed like an eternity, she stopped in desperation slowly spinning around looking in all directions for any sign of life. Suddenly she heard the foot steps of someone or something behind her and a giant shadow grow beneath her feet. She did not know whether to run for her life or confront the beast which grew closer with ever second. Before she was able to make her decision she felt a tug at her shoulder.

Chapter Five: The Darkened Windows Watch
As Lindsay jumped in terror from the touch of, what she thought was Death, she heard the scream of another. Confused at the sound of fright coming from so close, she looked at what now stood behind her, only to find her beloved husband alarmed at her fright.

Lindsay tried to play off her jumpiness as joke, ashamed that she let the her imagination enter the world of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. Patrick led her back to the group that was happily taking pictures behind headstones.

Once enough pictures were taken and memories created, the friends continued on their journey, as this was only one stop in their adventure. As they searched for the next train stop they found themselves on what could be a very cute street during the day; however, at night, it was as if the original owners, of the 18 century houses, watched us through the darkened windows. As the houses creaked and moaned even without the slights bit of wind, it was as if we had walked back in time, a time where the Headless Horseman tormented those that dared to enter the darkness of the night. As we turned the corner we welcomed the sight of a brightly lit train station, a destination of safety--or so they thought.

Chapter Six: High-Fives in the Break Room
Just as the group arrived, a train quickly approached the station. Since Patrick and Lindsay purchased the wrong tickets at Grand Central, they need to buy another set to take them to their next spooky destination, a forest full of 4,000 jack-o-lanterns. Trying not to miss the train, Patrick ran all throughout the station trying to find a kiosk to sell them tickets. However, in no time at all the train came and went and took their friends with it.

Under the brightness of the station’s flood lights, Patrick and Lindsay waited for the next train to arrived. The sound of silence filled the evening air as they stood hand in hand trying to keep each other warm from the unusually cold early October night.

As Patrick and Lindsay waited and caught the next train, little did they know the events that were simultaneously happening in the train they had just missed. As the train conductor made his rounds collecting and punching the customers tickets, he grabbed Angie’s ticket, the orchestrator of this whole spooky evening, just like any other. As he glanced at the ticket he realized he had a bunch of hooligans on the train who were trying to get a free ride (or so he thought). The train conductor, a police academy dropout, lived and died for these moments. This is where he could shine and show everyone how powerful and supreme he was over these twenty-something “kids.”

As the train conductor enforced the Metro-North law, Angie explained her ignorance to the situation. However, not wanting this moment to pass without obtaining a good story he could high-five his train buddies in the break room, the train conductor made sure to showoff the power he holds as an employee of Metro North, putting Angie and her friends in their place as peon passengers.

Chapter Seven: Nine Dollar Prank
As both trains arrived at their last stop, Patrick and Lindsay were reunited with their friends, once again feeling the safety that comes in numbers.

As they left the familiarity of the train station the crew was left once again the darkness of the night. However, as their “luck” would have it, there were two drivers who were willing to take them all the way to “Blaze” event. The drivers even gave them smokin’ deal: $9.00 each car.

Excited that they caught such a break, the entire group of people piled into two cars. Just as they were getting situated in their seats, the cars pull up to a parking lot and the drivers tell them they have arrived at their destination. Thinking the drivers were kidding the group laughs; however, it was no joke. The drivers pulled a Halloween prank and the unsuspecting victims.

Chapter Eight: Hansel and Gretel
The group of friends all laughing at how easily they just got taken advantage of entered a sea of people anxiously waiting to beginning a night of pumpkin carving wonder. Amongst barrels of hay and lines of people formed by meticulously place rope, the crowd slowly made their way to the beginning of the pumpkin lit forest.

With all the excitement of the evening, Todd, Casey, Patrick and Lindsay almost forgot that this night could end tragically due to them not printing off their tickets. As they neared the entrance their hearts raced. The moment of truth finally came as they confessed their forgetfulness to the hooded figure which stood before the entrance. With no words spoken, the guardian slowly raised his hand with one outstretch finger pointing to a small wooden cottage across the dirt path which they now stood.

As they entered the cottage a man and a woman stood behind a desk with a printer. They explained our situation and what they thought was going to be a reenactment of the Hansel and Gretel story, was actually a breeze. They simply printed off our tickets and went on their way to a forest full of jack-o-lanterns.

Chapter 9: A Hot Coco Ending
The night grew colder and darker by the second as they walked the twisting dirt paths lined with orange carvings and crowed with people. There were thousands of pumpkins carved with great care in every design you could imagine. From sunflowers to dinosaurs, nothing was left out. Lindsay clug to Patrick to keep her warm as they made there way through the candle lit pumpkin patch.

Although everyone was in awe of the skillful carvings, they were all very excited when they saw the lighted tents signifying that Hot Coco was near. With hot cocos in their freezing hands, the friends reunited at the end of a night well spent, with terror, humor, and spectacular sights.

Left to Right Top: (Todd, Casey, Heidi, Scott, Klane, Pat, Lindsay)
Left to Right Bottom: (Amanda, Alexa, Angie)

*Note: All good pictures of compliments of Angie Harding. Thank you!