Rosie's First Halloween - CH1 (10/10/24)

[FatherFish]

*Knock Knock Knock*

“Right on cue.” Rosemary quipped. Another Halloween had come to her humble homey neighborhood. However, she had been unable to greet her favorite holiday with her usual sinister smile. Tragedy struck, leaving her without an outfit for the special occasion. She still felt odd about the trick-or-treaters not seeing her in costume, like a churchgoer with a stain on her Sunday best. She almost wanted to ignore it, but the bowl of lollipops and Snickers wouldn’t finish itself—she was already tempted to take up that job. To her surprise, she opened the door and saw someone who looked too old to be trick-or-treating.

The older woman looked no higher than five feet (black heels not included). She wore a black coat with a matching cap atop her gray hair. With coke bottle glasses and a wrinkly face, she looked like the textbook picture of someone’s grandma. “Excuse me,” the grandma started in a shrill, quiet voice. Rosemary would have missed the question if the two weren’t a foot apart. “Are you Mrs. Conrad?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Whose asking?” Not even waiting for a response, Rosemary unwrapped a cherry-flavored lollipop from the bowl and popped it in her mouth. Older people tended to drag on, and Rosemary saw no fault in having a snack when that happened. A glance and Rosemary figured this one would be no different.

“Oh, where are my manners,” the grandma continued. “My name is Ms. Garland. I wanted to consult you about the toilet paper on my trees.”

Ms. Garland…why did that name sound so familiar? Because they lived on the same block, right? Then why had Rosemary never seen this woman before? Had her infamy proceeded her once again? It was truly a challenge, being so revered and reviled.

“It’s probably just some bratty kids making trouble,” Rosemary replied still idly sucking on the lollipop. “I mean, it’s Halloween, so…” Rosemary tried to keep a casual air, but something about the conversation just felt off. The Autumn air suddenly felt extra chilly. It was as if Mrs. Garland had brought a personal wind cloud to the door. There was an alien animosity between Rosemary and this woman she just met. It was easier keeping track of folks who didn’t like her—an ever-expansive list—when she knew the reasoning.

Ms. Garland reiterated her question, “I heard two young girls in the area were seen running around with toilet paper. Do you know anything about that?” There was bait on the hook and the older woman was hoping her neighbor would bite.

Rosemary paused. She had two young girls in the area. But there was no way her daughters were the culprits. Firstly, Rachel knew better than to TP someone’s house. Second, Marcy was a lot more creative than that. Even then, it was still an impossible feat for them to take credit. Both of her daughters had moved out, going for either work or college. “Sorry lady, my kids aren’t allowed around toilet paper.” Rosemary smiled to signal she was joking, but Ms. Garland looked unamused.

“Is that right?”

Rosemary paused again, now feeling pressured as though she was asked to rat out on a classmate. “Y-yeah that’s right.”

…Crickets. Even though Rosemary just found the incident, the silence and stares grandma was dishing out felt like a guilty verdict. After a few seconds of agonizing silence, Ms. Garland finally looked up and said, “Alright then, thank you.” She turned and gave a weak wave goodbye, coupled with a, “See you soon Rosemary.”

As she closed the front door, the answer hit Rosemary like a lightning bolt. Ms. Garland was the name of her neighbor when she was a kid. She never met the woman, but Rosemary remembered hearing she was a mean old witch. She chalked it up to coincidence. Ms. Garland was said to be pretty old and the name was fairly common. Not worth giving any more thought. ‘See you soon Rosemary.’ was also a weird way of saying goodbye. If grandma was trying for formality then she missed the mark and came off as creepy. It would be more in-season for her to do that, but Garland gave off a strong no-nonsense vibe. Whatever. Again, not worth giving any more thought. Rosemary had cheesy horror flicks to fall asleep to. Rosemary shrugged and discarded the lollipop stick she had been absentmindedly chewing on.

 

***

 

“Come on, Rosie. There’s still time for me to dump a gallon of fake blood over ya.” David had been dressed to the nines, addressing this year’s Halloween party with a classic zombie ensemble. Gray and green face paint. Fake guts hanging from his chest. Eyelids that were red and blood sunk. He was a living picture of death.

“Seriously, sis. It’s not like you to miss out on Halloween.” Janet had been dressed to match. While she originally planned to stay home for Halloween, considering her scary days long in the past. However, the costume’s theme, a bloodied bride and groom, worked best in a set. With her sister unable to engage in the festivities, Janet answered the call back to action.

It hurt Rosemary somewhat, seeing her sister run off with her husband while wearing the matching zombie costumes she and David planned out together. But her costume had torn the night before, and there wasn’t enough material to fix it in her size. Luckily, Janet didn’t mind taking her sister’s hand-me-downs. Still, if anyone was going to run off with her decomposing corpse of a husband, Janet was the best bet. “ I’ll be fine, don’t sweat. I’ve already caused plenty of mischief in my day. I’ve earned one year to slack off. You crazy kids have fun tonight. Don’t do anything I would do,” Rosemary teased.

“Got it. I don’t think we could fit bail in the budget anyway.” While not fully convinced, David left his wife with a hug and a peck on the cheek.

Just like that, Rosemary was back to being the loneliest treat in the candy bowl. She wondered what her daughters were doing, settling on the notion that they were no doubt busy partying with their friends. Now her husband and sister were in the same boat. How did Halloween get so lame this year? For once, stuffing her face full of sweets didn’t sound so appealing. She wished she was out there, causing havoc. Raising hell for her neighborhood was supposed to be special.

*Knock Knock Knock*

Another trick-or-treater, she suspected. The night had been dreadfully dull so far. She wondered if the kids were too scared to go over to Rosemary’s residence this year. She might have overdone it last year with the fake guts in the skeleton. At the time, it seemed like a great use for leftover spaghetti.

*Knock Knock Knock*

“I’m coming, keep your bedsheets on.” Rosemary finally arrived at the front door, ready to greet another set of kids in crappy costumes. What surprised her was what she had, or rather had not, seen. Nothing. Not a soul in sight. Even David rushing back to grab his keys wouldn’t have been as disappointing a sight. A familiar chill hit her as she backed into her house before her mind could wander.

“Hello again, Rosemary.”

Rosemary lept back, slamming into the closed front door. She had thrown up the candy bowl, spraying chocolate and lollipops and empty wrappers all over the living room. She clutched her chest, her heart beating like a drum in a marching band.

“I told you I would see you soon,” Ms. Garland explained, her voice casual with notes of disappointment. “You never were good at listening.”

Rosemary shrieked, “What the hell are you talking about?!” While not the most neighborly answer, Rosemary felt it was okay to break social norms when unlawful entry came into the mix.

“I see that you are also still a potty mouth.” Garland tsked and shook her head. “You don’t remember, do you? Two little girls who TP’d my house? Think long and hard before you answer.”

“I already told you, I—” Rosemary stopped, eyes growing wide. “Oh, my God.” She thought long and looked harder this time. Her gut churned, not from the overdose of sugary snacks, but at the awful answer to her neighbor’s question.

She was only a teenager at the time. One Halloween, just the same as this. There had been rumors floating off a mean old witch who lived up the street. It was Rosemary who decided the old house needed a redecoration. An eggshell white and yolk yellow paint job here and there made for an unforgettable welcome to the neighborhood. The habit soon became a tradition. Every year, she and Janet ran by Garland’s house and treated her to more of the same neighborly hospitalities They never got caught, and, with Mrs. Garland’s house already being a crossroads at their trick-or-treat route, it was too good to pass up.

“My goodness, that must have been, what, thirty years ago? Thirty years ago today. Time sure does fly when you grow up and become the naughtiest woman in the neighborhood. If only had been more like your sister, Janet. Such a sweet girl. She even baked me a cake a few years back. It was to apologize for all of your pranks. I always pegged you as a ringleader, Rosie. Not that it was hard to guess.”

Ms. Garland looked around the room, clicking her tongue. There were gumdrops and gummi worms every which way. With a snap of the fingers, all the scattered treats floated and returned to their right place in the candy bowl. “Such a messy little girl you are.”

“You’re… You’re a witch!” Paralyzed with fear and back against the wall, all Rosemary could manage was to state the obvious. She was as helpless as one of the countless heroines she watched get slashed and hacked away on the TV screen moments ago.

Ms. Garland laughed. Rather, she cackled, loud enough to shake Rosemary to her frightened core. “That’s right, dearie! I’m the big, scary witch you always made me out to be.” The years melted off of her wrinkled face as Ms. Garland teased her old adversary. “I bet you were so scared, wondering what would happen if the mean old witch ever caught you. Well, little Rosie, you don’t have to worry about that anymore! And do you know why?”

Rosemary, still petrified, took a desperate shot in the dark. “Because you forgive me?”

That was the wrong answer. “Oh, no!” Garland cackled, “Because, this year, I’m going to show you!”

Ms. Garland yanked Rosemary’s ear, hard, and dragged her over to the couch. Rosemary landed squarely on her lap. Her pants had been pulled down, exposing her bare bottom to the elements. “Now, I think a spanking is just what we need to start you off!”

“What?! Wait, n-no, please! I’m sorry, oh God, I’m so, so sorry—”

*WHAP*

*WHAP* *WHAP*

 *WHAP* *WHAP* *WHAP*

…It must have been sixty spanks before Ms. Garland was satisfied. That snarky, prideful attitude? Four spanks were all it took to shatter it completely. The other fifty-six were to give Rosemary the red, shiny bottom she desperately deserved, according to Ms. Garland.

“…I think that should do for the first half of your punishment. I must say, I never imagined you to be such a fusspot!” The older woman’s chipper and song-like tone was a far cry from the whimpering woman in the corner of the room. Rosemary had been stripped bare with her nose facing the corner. “Oh, you shush those sniffles, dearie. You and I both know this punishment has been years in the making.”

Rosemary kept herself pinned to the wall. While her eyes were filled with a view of eggshell white, her ears heard every moment of Garland prepping for further punishment. Her gentle humming blocked the finer auditor details, but Rose could still make a few subtle sounds of clothes moving. There was rustling—a crinkling, perhaps—going off loudly behind her. Her chest filled with red-hot, nervous anxiety. Despite her growing curiosity, she didn’t dare make a peep. She was in no mood for her mouth to write another check her red bottom couldn’t afford to cash out.

“You can turn around now, Rosie. I was able to conjure up something more appropriate for you to wear tonight.” Ms. Garland grinned at her turn of phrase. When the young woman took a tad too long to turn over, Garland once more took matters into her own hands, dragging the woman over to the center of the living room.

Though her hair was disheveled and her eyes were puffy, the meaning of the sight was crystal clear to her. “A diaper?” Rosemary stammered, covering her chest.

“A diaper,” Garland sang, “For the biggest brat in the neighborhood. Let’s face it, Rosie. You never really grew out of those. Even as an adult, you still act just as mature as a baby. Now, have a seat, and don’t make me ask twice.” Garland smiled at the woman’s broken compliance. “Very good. There just might be hope yet in teaching you some manners. Now, lie back. Let Nanny Garland take care of everything.”

Rosie complied once more, her back embracing with the flat cloth. Despite the shakes and squirms, Garland was able to change Rosemary into a fresh diaper with ease. White powder was carefully flaked over her crotch and rubbed in, a snowy sight more fit for the Christmas season. The thick padding was fully folded over, causing Rosemary’s legs to spread out slightly. The sudden sounds of crinkles around her butt caused Rosemary to whimper even louder.

“There we go,” Ms. Garland lifted Rosemary to an upright position, returning the padded woman to eye level. “The perfect proper protection for a big baby like you. Now, it is finally time for your costume. Arms up, Rosie!”

A fluffy red onesie was pulled over her head. Large buttons on the crotch snapped close, keeping her diaper nice and snug. Short black socks were snaked up her feet. Red Mary Jane shoes followed close behind. Affixed on her head was a red baby bonnet, with devil horns poking from the top. “Aren’t you precious? You truly are the biggest devil in the neighborhood.”

“Is,” Rosemary sniffled, “Are you done?”

“My sweet, little Rosie.” Ms. Garland kissed the tear-stricken woman on her forehead. “I’m not even close to done with you. Don’t you know what day today is?”

“Halloween…?”

“That’s right, Rosie. And Nanny Garland knows how much you love Halloween. But you didn’t have a costume to spend it in. Well, I’m going to make sure you have your best Halloween ever. It is the least I can do to you, for opening my eyes all those years ago.” Now, stand up, Rosie. It’s time to show the whole neighborhood what a little devil you are.”

***

Rosie was red all over. From her blushing cheeks to her devilish costume to her stinging bottom. As she was forced to waddle through the busy night streets, every passerby adored her costume choice. More so than any year prior.

“Aww, what a cute costume!”

“Oh, that’s so clever.”

“I could just eat you up!”

Coo after coo, not a single person saw anything odd about treating a grown woman like an oversized toddler. While costumes and playing characters were part of the holiday spirit, this level of commitment was far from regular. “Hey,” Rosemary whined, failing at sounding demanding, “Why is everyone acting like I’m a baby?”

“Oh, you notice!” Ms. Garland chuckled. “Before we left, I cast a spell that made everyone see you for what you truly are; a helpless baby needing guidance. Isn’t magic wonderful?”

‘Impossible’ would have been more accurate. However, given her recent tricks, the disappearing act, and levitation, Rosemary had no room to make a case against her. What was Rosemary to do now? The witch had her hand held tightly around the handle of Rosemary’s baby leash. Both of Rosemary’s hands were busy clutching a candy bucket, in the shape of a classic jack-o-lantern. Coupled with all the crinkly bulk swaddling her bottom, she had no hopes of making a break for it. “Listen,” Rosemary pleaded, “I am so sorry for all the stuff I did as a kid. I totally accept this punishment and I get the point. Can we drop it now?” It was by no means a perfect apology; however, Rosemary felt that her humiliation had been punishment enough for her childhood wrongdoings.

“Punishment? Rosie, I’m only giving you what you wanted. You were so sad that you weren’t able to go out this year, because of your costume. Now Look!” Out of the blue, Garland made a sharp turn left, causing Rosemary to gasp, “And what is all this talk about going home? We haven’t even hit our first house yet!”

Sure enough, that was soon fixed. Garland towed Rosemary to the front of a decorated home with the lights still on. Garland specifically avoided any homes with a “Take One” bowl, not wanting the spectacle of her charge to go to waste. “Go on, Rosie. Knock on the door and get your candy. You wouldn’t want to upset your nanny after she worked so hard to get you a costume on such short notice? Ungrateful behavior would need to be corrected, after all.”

Rosemary frowned. She saw no option other than continued compliance. Swallowing what little pride she had left, she knocked on the front door, resigned to the role of a common trick-or-treater.

*Knock Knock Knock*

The pair was not made to wait long for an answer. The door flung open, with an all-too-familiar face stepping out.

“OH MY GOODNESS!!! IS THAT WIDDLE ROSIE?!”

Dressed as a witch—the pretend, fictional kind—she was a bubbly mountain of a woman. Rosemary recognized her as Mrs. Baker, one of the local daycare workers. She had an earnest and pure passion for children and Rosemary in turn was no exception tonight.

Mrs. Baker continued to coo, “She is just the most adorable devil I have ever seen! Is this her first Halloween?” Mrs. Baker asked, directing her attention to the nanny on duty.

Ms. Garland smiled. “Yes, that’s right. I thought she was too young to go out tonight. But, David and Janet thought it wouldn’t be right for her to stay cooped up inside when they saw how much she loved the decorations.”

“David? Janet?” Rosemary thought to herself. There was no possible way they would cosign this. Had the witch’s magic reached them from across town?

Mrs. Baker nodded. “I see. Well, I know Rosie is lucky to have such a thoughtful nanny.” Mrs. Baker knelt, hands on her knees, facing back to Rosemary. “Do you like Halloween, sweetie? Are you going to be a little heck-raiser when you get bigger?”

“Not if I have any to say about it!” While an inside joke between Garland and her charge, both of the witches shared a laugh at Rosie’s expense. The little devil pouted, only wanting her night to end as soon as possible. Garland put a hand on Rosemary’s shoulder, pushing her forward. “Go on, Rosie. Don’t you have something to say to the nice lady?”

“T-trick or treat…” Rosemary stuck out her basket, the pumpkin face smiling for her sake, knowing better than to make Ms. Garland wait.

“Such a cutie,” Mrs. Baker smiled and deposited the chocolate-coated reward into the outstretch basket. “You be a good girl for your nanny, okay?” Mrs. Baker shut her door, finally finished fawning over Rosie.

“Hey, can we slow down,” Rosemary had only been outside for half an hour. But the barrage of sugary affection was leaving her feeling exhausted.

Ms. Garland raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? Hold on…” Ms. Garland cupped a hand underneath Rosemary’s onesie, feeling up her padding. The sudden contact caused Rosie to yelp and jump in her spot.

“Hey, quit it!”

“Oh, hush. This will only take a moment.” Ms. Garland had no time for childish gripes. She stuck a finger into the waistband of Rosemary’s diaper, surprised by what she hadn’t found. She stood back up, giving Rosemary’s rear a few finishing pats. “You aren’t even wet yet. You have nothing to complain about, little girl. I’m giving you exactly what you deserve. You wanted to act like a little brat. Now all of your misdeeds are catching up to you. It was only a matter of time before someone put you in your place. Be thankful it was me.” Ms. Garland walked back to the sidewalk, giving Rosie’s leash a reminder tug. “Now, are you going to trick or treat like a good girl, or do you need another hands-on lesson? I can always turn off my powers and leave dressed like that.”

Rosemary rapidly shook her head, waddling down to follow. Staring ahead, she saw all the homes in the distance. She felt an uneasy rumble in her gut—anxiety and an excess of treats from her candy dish being the culprits. Having lived in this town, this neighborhood, her entire life, she recognized all of them. She didn’t have enough digits to count all the people who would be celebrating in seeing their least favorite neighbor be subject to a pampering punishment. Rosemary wanted to get out of the house and enjoy the haunting holiday like she did every year. Unfortunately, Ms. Garland had arrived to grant her wish.

Halloween night had just begun; there were still so many familiar faces left to greet…

[diaper24/7]

Can't wait for more.

[Eagle0769]

Very good start.

As they say "pay back is a bitch". 🙂