Ghosts of the Present (Rescue Bots AU)

13. Hallo-Weird Coincidences

As the days passed, the air started to cool even more and the leaves began to fall, scattering the roads as the bots drove down them early one morning.

After hearing how the Burnses and the townsfolk remembered the events, a decision had been made; they would not worry about how they returned, how they gained their powers, or what the dreams meant. It was all in the past now; now, they would focus on getting better control of their powers, and reintegrating into Griffin Rock society.

"Alright guys, here's the plan." Graham pulled out a clipboard, removing his hands from Boulder's controls as he examined the paper clipped to it. "Boulder and I will handle the south part of town. Kade, you and Heatwave handle the east, Blades and Dani the west, and Cody, Dad, and Chase will take the north. Sound good to everyone?"

Perfect! Blades cheered, I'm so excited that we get to finally participate!

Tomorrow was Earliween, Griffin Rock's version of Halloween to compensate for the colder weather they got in Maine. By October, the nights were too cold for the little kids to be out collecting candy in their costumes, so they did it earlier.

Today's assignment was simple enough; go down the streets and make sure none of the decorations for the event were against safety rules.

Don't get too excited, Blades. Dani warned, You know as well as any of us how Earliween can bring just as much trouble as any other big event. I'm surprised you're still interested in it at all, to be honest.

Why is that?

That weird ghosty thing that happened in town hall the other day? You're still interested in Earliween after that?

At least I know that everything in Earliween is fake!...Right?

Right. Chief affirmed, Now let's get this work done so we can head back to the house for our own decorations.

Boulder rumbled down the street, keeping his optics open for anything that might be a hazard: Jack-o-lanterns too close to flammable materials such as fabric, flickering lights that might suggest a power shortage, metal objects with a point that might injure a kid if they fell down on top of it.

So far, everything looked clear and safely decorated on his end. But Dani's words had only made the feeling worse; the feeling that he was watched, like something or someone was following him. He wondered if it was the spirit that they'd encountered that night, the one that Heatwave was so convinced was neither a ghost nor Charlotte Wayne.

"Boulder? You okay, Buddy?" Graham asked as he felt the bulldozer's controls stiffen a little.

"Hmm? Oh..Yes, just thinking, is all..."

"...Alright..."

Graham didn't seem convinced, but he also knew that if it was something Boulder wanted to talk about, then he would when he was ready. He patted his partner's dashboard with a hand, and they rumbled on.

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"No, Mr. Peterson. I'm not saying you can't have the jack-o-lantern lights up for Earliween." Kade rubbed his eyes, "I'm saying you can't have that many strands of lights, plugged into that many extension cords, plugged into that many powerstrips, all snaking together through dividers into one, singular, electrical outlet."

Heatwave overlooked the lawn that looked like it was more power cord than grass at this point. "How can you look at this and not immediately think 'this is an electrical fire hazard?'"

Mr. Peterson shrugged, "I've done it before."

"Yes, and every year my Dad tells you to either lessen the number of lights, or increase the number of outlets. You've got like six of them on the north side of the house, right? Geez. Gimme those."