Every Halloween in Calaveras County, it was said that the old Turner Mansion came to life. The dilapidated house, with its creaky stairs and broken windows, was an eerie sight. Mrs. Helen, a sweet, chocolate chip cookie-baking grandmother, swears she’s seen the spirit of old man Turner wandering the grounds. She relishes in sharing her scary encounter, especially on Halloween, over a steaming mug of pumpkin soup.
Now, Joey, an eight-year-old boy, armed with a flashlight and a Frankenstein’s Monster Halloween costume, was determined to investigate the supposed haunting of Turner Mansion. Sneaking out of his bed just past midnight, his heart pounded like the whacking of a drum as he navigated the spooky mansion’s grounds, his flashlight casting devilish shadows on the aged walls.
Just as he was about to give up his ghost hunting expedition, he heard it – a delicate rustling sound! Slowly, he turned his flashlight towards the sound, only to discover…a family of raccoons knocking over Mrs. Helen’s pumpkin patch! With a giggle, he realised that our real fears lie in the unknown. He bolted home, looking forward to sharing his less-ghostly, more-furry spooky story.
From then on in Calaveras County, the haunted Turner Mansion became known as the Mischievous Raccoon Reserve, a playful twist to a once spooky legend! Halloween indeed has a peculiar way of turning frights into delights!