The spirit of Halloween filled the air, and decorations adorned every house in the neighbourhood except one - Mrs. Kimbly's. Eleven-year-old Kevin, brimming with excitement for the holiday, felt saddened by his elderly neighbour's bare house. Knowing she might struggle to decorate on her own, he offered to help. However, Mrs. Kimbly firmly declined, stating her dislike for Halloween.
Kevin was taken aback by her reaction, having only ever seen her kind. Despite her words, he couldn't bear to see her house out of sync with the festive spirit. An idea began to form in his mind.
When Kevin shared his plan to decorate Mrs. Kimbly's house with his mother, she advised him to respect the woman's wishes. But Kevin's determination was unwavering. He gathered decorations from his garage, meticulously carved a jack-o'-lantern, and set off to Mrs. Kimbly's house.
As he was putting the finishing touches on his efforts, Mrs. Kimbly appeared, furious. In her anger, she smashed the pumpkin Kevin had so carefully crafted. Ashamed and hurt, Kevin fled home in tears.
It wasn't the anger that upset him, but the thought of Mrs. Kimbly spending Halloween alone while the rest of the neighbourhood celebrated. Determined to share some joy, he put on his vampire costume, grabbed a bag of sweets, and sat on Mrs. Kimbly's porch. He began handing out sweets to the passing trick-or-treaters, explaining that Mrs. Kimbly wasn't available.
After some time, Mrs. Kimbly opened the door. Fearful of further angering her, Kevin tried to leave, but she gently called him back. With a soft voice and a warm smile, she explained her outburst. She had no children or grandchildren, and seeing others celebrating together only amplified her loneliness.
Mrs. Kimbly apologised for smashing the pumpkin and thanked Kevin for his kindness, explaining how appreciated and loved she felt. Thanks to Kevin's determination and compassion, Mrs. Kimbly felt the warmth of the holiday for the first time in years.
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