Graveyard Shift

Howard dug his shovel into the cold hard ground looking listlessly off into the distance. He slowly began to sift the loose dirt back into the pre dug hole. All he could think of is how he was going to go from groundskeeper to babysitter. Halloween always seemed to bring out the hooligans and more specifically bring them to his graveyard. It wouldn't be too bad if they would just stop defacing and disrespecting the property. As if that wasn't bad enough the ruffians would take things a step further by harassing poor Howard. One year they even shoved him into a grave hole and pummeled him with a borage of candy wrappers and apples. The bruises eventually faded, but the ridicule left him feeling quite insecure. Howard knew he wasn't no spring chicken anymore. However, he didn't see himself as an old coot just yet either. Unfortunately, he was caught somewhere in between. Completely lost in thought he didn't realize that there was someone lurking in the shadows behind him. The sound of crunching leaves and snapping twigs trigger an alert inside Howard's head. He quickly began to scan the grounds desperately searching for the source of the heavy footsteps, but found nothing. He just shook his head. Chalked it up to his over imaginative imagination and continued working. A brief moment of silence was shortly interrupted when the mysterious footsteps returned. This time they were closer. So close that he could hear and feel the persons breathe on the back of his neck. Howard began to panic. Hooligans were one thing, but ghost...that was a totally different ballgame. His mind began to race wildly with questions flooding his head. Was this a prank? Was this a vengeful spirit that had been disturbed? Howard started scratching his head in bewilderment. A peculiar child happened to be conveniently riding by on his bike at this precise moment. Usually, he'd take a brisk ride by the cemetery during the morning hours. Today he decided to take a different route to school, and decided to venture back past the graveyard on his way home. The boy stopped when he noticed the older gentleman swinging a shovel at the air. Curiously, the boy rode through the cemetery and made his way to the man. "What are you doing?" the boy questioned the groundskeeper. Howard muttered a few phrases that couldn't quite be deciphered. He stopped swinging the shovel and began to glance around frightenedly. With a deep gruff voice he began to reply more clearly, "Sorry, dear boy. I didn't mean to frighten you. I thought I saw a bumble bee." The peculiar boy thought this was quite funny. Laughing so much as to have nudged his oversized glasses off the brim of his freckled nose. The once frightened man had soon became relieved with the sound of the boys infectious laughter. "I'm Walter Eugene McMillion the third. Pleased to meet you, sir," the boy boasted loudly. He started blinking repeatedly and squinting his nose. Howard began to clear his throat and with a deep, gruff voice replied, "Howard Eugene Hewitt... the only." The boy giggled. "Boy, you sure are funny mister Hewitt. I recon I can help you with your bee problem. I'll just have to go tell my ma and then I shall be back quicker than a jack rabbit on Easter Sunday." Howard smiled graciously. "That'd be much appreciated Walter...." He was cut off short as the boy excitedly dashed off. "I guess there will still be time for him to go trick-or-treating," Walter muttered aloud. He continued filling the hole, completely forgetting about the strange occurrences. Once finished he put his shovel in the back of his old pick-up truck. Then began to reach for his rake. There was a rustling sound behind him that nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. "I can get that mister Hewitt," a voice loudly quipped in the older gentlemen's ear. Howard grabbed his chest breathing hard, "Dear, God, boy! You gave me a fright." Giggling erupted from the tiny boy's frame. He brushed his orange hair away from the corner of his eye. "You sure do frighten easily mister." This took Howard by surprise. He had been on edge lately. Partly because he didn't know what tonight would have in store. With night quickly approaching he became more and more at unease. Through his thickened frames the peculiar boy began to study the man. "Are you okay mister?" With a bit of confusion Howard glanced around before nodding his slowly. "I'll be okay. I'm just not particularly looking forward to this evening. Every Halloween a group of teens make a habit of destroying this here graveyard. Sometimes, they become bored and I become subjected to their cruel pranks as well." Howard's head dropped and his eyes fixated on the ground beneath his feet. He was quite ashamed and embarrassed by his predicament. " Well, tonight you won't be alone mister. I'm too old for candy, anyhow. I'd much rather stay here and help. We'll keep this place in tip top shape. That is. If you'll have me?" Walter chimed as he placed his hand on the older mans shoulder. Howard handed him the rake. This put a big smile on Walter's face as he began to rake the leaves. The older man retrieved his leaf blower and began to assist the young man with the leaves. Within a couple hours the place was utterly leaf free. The place looked amazing. The two started to put away the equipment into the back of the old pick-up truck. Howard walked to the driver side door and opened it. He then reached in for his lunch pail. Placing the pail upon the tailgate of the truck he began to rummage through it. Pulling out a plastic wrapped sandwich. Gently, he began to unwrap the sandwich before pulling half of it apart. Howard started motioning for Walter to take the other half. To which he obliged. Upon taking the first bite the young boy found quite a surprise. With a smile on his face he began sharking his head. "Peanut butter and banana... it's my favorite." Howard nodded his head in agreement. They spent hours just sitting on the tailgate talking. There was still one task left on the to-do-list, but they were enjoying themselves so much that they were procrastinating. Finally, Howard grabbed his trust shovel begrudgingly. Last hole of the night and not a hooligan in sight. Not yet anyways. He measured out a perfect rectangle and began dig furiously. "So, how long have you been a groundskeeper, mister?" Howard pulled out a handkerchief from his overalls' pocket and used it to pat the sweat from his forehead. He'd been working here for so long that he almost forgot the exact day he started. "The day was July 10, 1962 I was sixteen and just lost my father a week prior. The former groundskeeper approached me after the funeral. He said he was retiring and could use someone hardworking and dependable to take over. The hours were long, but the pay was good enough to support my ma and younger sister. So, I took him up on his offer. I've been here ever since." There was a long pause of silence between the two. Howard could tell by the all to familiar look in the kids eyes, that he too, had lost somebody. He gently placed his hand on the kids shoulder without saying another word. The bonding moment was interrupted when the screeching sound of tires and yelling pierced the air. The hooligans gunned the car right through the gates and continued to do donuts in the front entrance. Howard issued Walter to stand down as he started making his way toward the gate. "How ya doing old man?! You ready to party?" the ringleader shouted out the car window. Furiously, the older gentleman started mumbling. Shaking his fist in the air. One of the passengers began to throw beer cans at the man while laughing. They put the car in park and exited the vehicle. Walter, ignoring Howard's pleads, came running up shouting. "Leave him alone you big bullies!" This intrigued the teenagers. One of the three young men grabbed him in a headlock, while another started punching him violently in the gut. "Not so tough now are ya kid?!" the ringleader taunted. "Take him to mausoleum and lock him in." he ordered the other two. "Please, don't! You leave the poor boy alone!" Howard shouted nervously. The teenager laughed and mocked him miraculously. "We have better plans for you old man." the hooligans howled. They began to drag Walter kicking and screaming to the concrete building. After securing the door they retreated back to their master. Upon return they found him hovering over the older man who was on the ground bleeding. He was taking things a little too far, but neither dared to try to stop him. Howard put his hands up defensively across his face and prepared for the worst, but the worst was never to come. As he squinted his eyes a shadowy figure loomed out of the shadows and emerged as this large unforeseen force. Terrified the hooligans took off running. They managed to make there way to their vehicle, but upon leaving in such haste they lost control colliding into a nearby tree. The crash was loud and violent. Killing all three occupants immediately. Meanwhile, back at the graveyard Howard made his way to his truck to retrieve his cellular device to report the incident. While on the phone he stumbled his way to find Walter. He came to the young boy asleep on the floor. The door had some how been opened. Dropping to his knees he began to shake the boy. Walter came too groggily. The older gentleman gripped him tight. Thankful that he was unharmed. Moments later the police arrived to the grislily crash scene. They then started taking statements as an EMT attended to their injuries'. Walter's mother came bursting into the cemetery yelling for her baby. "I'm okay, momma." He assured her. She looked Howard and began to cry. "Thank you." To which Howard smiled and nodded. He was still quite confused at what had just occurred. Refusing to go to the hospital he opted to remain in the cemetery for a while to collect his thoughts. After everyone had left he went straight back to digging his hole. Out of nowhere a hand gripped his shoulder sternly. The man fell back in shock. He stared up at the large shadow figure as it transformed into a person. This man was tall. He had large dark rimmed glasses and scraggily bright orange hair. He was taken a back as the man smirked enormously. The figure patted his shoulder before he just disappeared. Howard dusted of the dirt from the tombstone that lay at the foot of the grave awaiting to be positioned into place. On the stone slab it read," Walter Eugene McMillion the 2nd~ beloved brother, son, and father." The man scratched his head in disbelief, "Happy Halloween to me. I think that hospital visit is calling to me after all."