I Will Be Ready...

I snapped to attention upon realizing what day it was. It was already far too close to dusk as the jolt of sudden horror materialized within me. As I looked out across the grey front yard, I noticed a side-by-side, single file line of tombstones stretching from one end to the other. I found it bizarre that my wife had placed them in such an odd array. Fencing formed a makeshift path from the driveway over to the neighbor's yard, ending roughly near the empty, cracked sidewalk. My dumbfounded gaze quickly flashed to anger as I realized that the yard was still barren. As the darkness settled in, I panicked at the realization that no one was on the street. Void of any movement throughout the entirety of the lifeless neighborhood. Where was everybody? 

No reason to visit this house tonight...

I jolted again, struggling to focus my blurred vision in the darkness of my surroundings. Where was I? I searched the space around me, trying to find some reference of location. My heart pounded in my chest as I noticed the red numbers beside me. 513... 

As the numbers registered, the reality finally became clearer.

5:13 am. I was lying in the darkness of my pre-dawn bedroom, dripping with sweat and heart still pounding. September 9. Another 52 days until Halloween...



It seems that every year at this time, the anxiety of Halloween preparation manifests itself into a chillingly nightmarish dream. And it's always the same thing. I realize far too late that it is Halloween night and I have nothing set up. And nobody comes to the house. I always jolt awake, fearing that what has just played out in my sleep-filled confusion is reality. Until I slowly realize that I am, in fact, still in bed, in the middle of the night, with weeks left to go before the big night.

This vivid, strange nightmare caught me off guard, as I realize that I am again behind in my yearly build schedule. It serves and an alarm to get going on some major prop building. And because of it, I buckled down this past weekend and really started cranking out the work. A few more trips to Lowe's and some serious building time in the garage will ensure that everything on my list will get done. My enthusiasm has returned (yet again) and I'm amped to make some seriously kick ass new display work. We're already half way through September, and come October 1, the real fun begins. Or is it madness? Either way, I will be ready...