When I stepped outside the morning before Halloween, my car was covered in egg yolks and draped in toilet paper.

“Mommy… is the car sick?” my three-year-old whispered.

That’s how my day began.

I’m Clara. I’m 36, a full-time nurse, and a single mom raising three energetic kids: Ava, Michael, and Javier. My days usually start before sunrise and end long after bedtime stories.

I wasn’t asking for trouble this Halloween. I just needed to park close to my house to carry a sleeping toddler and groceries without collapsing.

Apparently, that was enough to set off my neighbor — Victor Langford.

Victor is in his 40s, with more decorations than common sense. Halloween is his personal Olympics.

At first, his displays were charming. Now, they’re overwhelming—fog machines, strobe lights, animatronic creatures that scream at 2 a.m. My kids love it. I tolerate it.

The night before, I came home exhausted from a 12-hour shift. My landlord’s truck was blocking our driveway again, so I parked in front of Victor’s house. It wasn’t illegal. It wasn’t even unusual.

The kids were half-asleep in the car, bundled in pumpkin-print pajamas. I carried Javier in one arm, held Michael’s hand, and guided Ava up the steps. I didn’t think twice about where I parked.

The next morning, yolk dripped down my windshield like yellow tears. Toilet paper fluttered in the breeze.

And the eggshell trail led straight to Victor’s driveway.

I marched over and knocked. He opened the door wearing an orange hoodie with smugness plastered across his face.

“Victor,” I said, keeping my composure. “Did you egg my car?”

“Yeah,” he answered casually. “You blocked the view of my decorations. People come to see this every year, Clara.”

“So instead of asking me to move, you vandalized my car?”

“It’s Halloween,” he shrugged. “Lighten up. You chose to have kids—maybe next time you’ll choose a different parking spot.”