Over the Harvest Moon Bed & Breakfast

“You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave….”Eagles Hotel California played as Sam, Jill, and daughter Charlene drove into the parking lot of the cute Bed and Breakfast that overlooks the North River. The three jumped at the idea of taking a road trip to observe the beautiful leaves that change from summer green to autumn  red, yellow, and gold. They thought there could be no better place to spend Halloween weekend than Salem, Massachusetts. Salem with the witch history and the beautiful fall trees. During this trip, however, Jill’s horrible sense of direction and the lack of cell signal landed them in an unfamiliar area. Frustrated Sam said, “I cannot drive and decipher the map at the same time. Come on Jill.” Jill looked around and noticed the Bed and Breakfast sign just ahead. “Look Sam, ahead a Bed and Breakfast sign,’ Over the Harvest Moon with Vacancy.’ It’s located on the River, too”  Although the sign was faded and the paint chipped, it looked inviting under the circumstances.  Let’s stay here, maybe we can find out how this small town celebrates Halloween. If we like it enough, then we can stay  through the whole weekend. What do you think?” Since they were lost, and the hour late, Sam reluctantly said, “OK, how bad can it be? “Charlene concurred,” especially, if they have a hot tub.” “I doubt it, but we can check,” said Sam

Once inside, the trio thought the lobby was warm, cozy, and inviting with Halloween decorations perfectly displayed, eerie but spooky fun. Over the Harvest Moon B&B might be perfect for the holiday weekend. Skeletons were positioned in rocking chairs, two more positioned at a game board appearing  to play checkers. A bale of hay with scary Pumpkin faces and pumpkin people in the middle of the lobby, and one pumpkin person with pig tails holding a doll was beside the check-in counter. In the corner was a Doll House decorated with cobwebs, pumpkins, skeletons, and small figurines. Charlene was mesmerized by the Doll House and crept closer to it like an imaginary magnet was pulling her.

An older couple welcomed them. “Hi! Come on in. Welcome to the Over the Harvest Moon Bed and Breakfast. Help yourself to hot Apple Cider and our freshly baked cookies. These here are pumpkin cheesecake and those have chocolate chips; get them while they’re hot!” said the gray-haired lady as she handed them the copper mugs and napkins from her tray. She pointed to frosted cookies in the display case.“The smell adds to the coziness,” thought Jill, “m-m-m-m fresh baked cookies and hot apple cider; how can we resist?” she said picking up the tongs to distribute cookies for everyone.“Charlene will want Chocolate chip; Sammy and I will take the pumpkin cheesecake ones. Thank you, oh the Apple Cider is hot and tastes unusually delicious.” The graying couple gave each other a look that made Sam feel uneasy, but maybe he was just seeing things. “Charlene come get your drink and cookie.” Charlene, standing ever so close to the Doll House, didn’t appear to pay attention to what they said to her. She just kept her gaze at the Doll House. They thought they could hear soft sounds like Charlene was talking to someone, but Jill and Sam dismissed it and went back to checking in. “If you want the spooky season special, then you want room #13, right?” asked the old man. “Sure, we’re in,” said Sam.Jill said, “Charlene don’t you want your cookie at least?” Charlene didn’t even notice. Sam looked at the man, “You don’t have a hot tub, do you?” asked Sam. “No, sir,” confessed the old man,” but we have other entertaining activities” as he made a snide laugh. Again, Sam’s radar kicked in, nudging Jill to see if she had the same feeling, she did not seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. As he was finishing up the paperwork, Sam asked, “How long have you been here? “ “I’m Wilfred and this is my wife, Gertrude. This old B&B was in her family for generations. As a matter of fact, our parlor was the actual location for some of the witch trials in this area back in the day. Gertrude’s great grandpa was the judge in many of those cases.We have historical pictures and historical markers all around the grounds; please feel free to explore. Dinner was already served, but if you want us to throw some sandwiches together, we can do that.” Jill shoving cookies in her mouth and giggling, “this is enough.” She noticed a black cat walking though the lobby. “Charlene, are you hungry for a sandwich, you haven’t touched your cookie nor your drink, are you ok?” Charlene never shifted her attention from the House. Sam called for Jill to hold the door as he brought in the luggage cart with their luggage. The old man pointed down the east hall, “your room is down that hall. Jill giggling and eating another cookie, “These snacks are ‘addictive’! I can’t stop eating the cookies; and this hot apple cider is the best that I’ve ever tasted.” Sam caught the older couple once again, giving each other a look.

 Sam urged Jill to put her snacks down and help him. She had to drag Charlene away from the Doll House. Even as they journeyed toward their room, Charlene could not take her eyes off that darn Doll House. Jill still giggling while dragging her away thought she seemed in a trance. She mumbled something. ” What? What about Mrs. Potter? Who is Mrs. Potter?” asked Jill. “I can’t hear you.” Now, on the verge of full-on laughter, Jill opened the door to #13.Entering the room, Sam met them at the door with the luggage cart. Once inside, Jill opened the closet to put the luggage away while Sam took the cart back to the lobby. Strange, clothes hanging in the closet? She picked up the room phone, “Over the Harvest Moon, this is Wilford.” “Wilford, we must be in the wrong room, there are clothes hanging in the closet.” “No worries, Gertrude will be right there to get them. Mrs. Potter left in such a hurry, she forgot all her luggage.” ”Mrs. Potter? “asked Jill. Hanging up the phone, she turned to ask Charlene about Mrs. Potter, but Charlene was gone!”

Immediately, a knock on the door. It was the sweet gray-haired lady, Gertude. Her hair neatly swept up and tucked into grandma’s style bun. Smiling, Gertrude went straight to the closet placing the clothes in a box. “We will just have to mail these to her.” Glancing at the closet door mirror,  “don’t youlove this mirror?  Mrs. Potter certainly did. We had the exact same one with the gold ornate frame made for the Doll House” “ Did you see Charlene when you came down the hall? It’s after midnight and she disappeared,” blurted out Jill. Quizzically looking at her as he entered, Sam came in the door dragging Charlene by her arm, “look who I found in the lobby at the Doll House. Gertrude, that Doll House has her mesmerized. She doesn’t even care about the lack of a hot tub….only that House.” Gertrude smiled, “it’s very popular, and again sorry about the clothes in the closet. You should really look at the mirror, legend says, you can go through it.” Sam showed her out and walked over to Jill. She was sound  asleep on the bed. By the sound of her breathing, obviously a deep sleep, and Charlene? She was gone again. “That girl better not be at that Doll House without telling anyone; it’s too late.” He walked over to the bed and shouted,” Jill, wake up, do NOT EAT any more of the snacks, here, drink this coffee from my thermos, Jill, wake up!!!I’ve got to get Charlene, she’s gone again. Here, drink this coffee. Get those sweets out of your system; I don’t have a good feeling about them or this place. ” Jill waking up blinking and trying to clear her foggy brain takes the cup and drinks the coffee. Sam looking at the mirror, “did you just hear sounds coming from it?  Something about that mirror doesn’t seem right, either.  and look at that corner.” “ I don’t see what you mean,” said Jill yawning, “but I believe you, let’s just close the closet door so it won’t face us.” Sam said,” keep drinking that coffee and do not eat or drink anymore of their food, It seems to be having a sedative effect on you. Let’s go to the lobby to find Charlene, I know she’s back at that Doll House. She is obsessed.”  Taking another swig of the coffee, she and Sam head out the door.”

Sam noticed somehow that it was almost sunrise. Where had the time gone? Heading toward the lobby, they heard growling and strange noises. Why were the decorations scarier than ever? They  seemed to be alive, earlier, they did seem cute, but even the fake spider near the lobby seemed to move. Sure enough, in the corner of the lobby, not even noticing anything around her, only the Doll House, Charlene stood in a trance-like state. Jill ran to Charlene shaking her.,” Charlene!” Charlene’s gaze from the Doll House never faltered. Jill pulled the rosary out of her pocket and started the prayer while placing it around Charlene’s neck. Amazingly, Charlene started moving and the decorations movements slowed. Sam said, “Charlene, snap out of it. Jill, stop your religious stuff, this is not the place.” Jill continued. “ The first Glorious mystery, Jesus rises from the grave.” Sam turned around facing the moving decorations and pumpkin people coming straight toward them. Feeling like he had to protect them, he  pulled his gun out of his pocket trying to scare  the monsters’ advancement. Where are Wilford and Gertrude? He opened their office door, two witches with the Wilford and Gertrude masks on the floor stirring a cauldron saying a chant, “toil, toil, toil, and trouble….Fire burn, and cauldron bubble, bubble, bubble.” “Stop!” yelled Sam as he pointed the gun at them in one hand, and he grabbed a cup of water in the other,” come out here, move it.” The decorations seemed to close in, but he continued to focus on these two. He rolled his eyes as he heard, Jill, “ Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,” but he noticed that Charlene was coming out of her trance and the monsters were backing away from the two. He had to take care of these two in front of him. Sticking the gun on “Wilford’s” back he urged them forward to the room number # 13. Once inside, he ordered “Gertrude” to openthe door, and the closet door, andgo through the mirror. “The evil witch looked back at him cackling, “Go” said Sam, not even certain what he was asking. The two stepped into the mirror! The whole house started shaking, an explosion, then, stillness. Sam ran out the door toward the lobby. There was Jill and Charlene hugging each other and the monsters were trick or treating children in costumes trying to figure out what was going on. The Doll House had grown. He saw several people walk out, Charlene said, “Mrs. Potter is that you?” ”Yes, you saved us. These are the children’s parents. thank you!” said the matronly looking lady while hugging her with gratitude. Charlene said, “it wasn’t me; it was my parents.” Pointing to Sam and Jill. She could hear Sam on the phone, “Yes, sheriff, yep, yes, I think all your missing persons are right here. You said you’ll be here as soon as possible? Great, I think these folks will appreciate that.” He hung up the phone to grab his wife and daughter, “Let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough Halloween to last me this year.” They all agreed.

No one seemed to notice two small green figurines pop out of the Doll House mirror.