“It was a chilly Halloween night in the town of Greendale. At the end of the winding country lane stood an old, ramshackle house, known to the townsfolk as the ‘Peppermint Palace’ due to its once-vibrant colors now peeling off like candy wrappers.
Every Halloween, two brave souls shouldered the ‘Peppermint Challenge’, to retrieve a pumpkin from its haunted garden. This year, it was Tom and Rose. Their braveries were ignited by the glimmer of excitement in their eyes and the thrill of adventure that filled their hearts.
As they entered the garden, the wind started to howl, creating ominous shadows. A noise startled them, it was the rustling of leaves from behind a towering ancient oak. Out sprung a hunched figure. It was old man Jenkins, the caretaker.
They screamed and ran, forgetting their mission. The following day, they found a pumpkin in each of their porches. A note laid next to them, ‘Better Luck Next Time – J’.” As it turned out, the ‘haunted’ Peppermint Palace was a masterfully created illusion by Jenkins who loved to spice up the town’s Halloweens!