'The Wicked Seed Of Pi' Returns To Haunt Bridgewater's 13 Skeletons

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — For almost 20 years skeletons have emerged annually from the ground at Jim and Joann Adams' Bridgewater home. And this spooky season is no different.

Beginning Oct. 1, skeletons began to appear on the front lawn of 948 Route 202/206 in Bridgewater. The drive-by Halloween display has evolved every day throughout the month showcasing their latest extension of the story of "The Wicked Seed of 'Pi'."

The theme this year is linked back to the 2021's three sisters story where the Three Sisters Seed Company sold seed packets at an antique store. In 2022, the Adams had the skeletons plant these seeds and grew some Bam Boo Berry, Snozzberries, Creepy Carrots, Three-Headed Lettuce, Marshmellow Grass and Rotten Bananas.

What the skeletons didn't realize was that one of the seed packets labeled with the "pi" symbol would swell into a vine that grew into a pumpkin creature to consume them.

"We had a lot of fun with that," said Jim Adams. "Now, once the season was over, they actually defeated the beast by pulling him down on his roots but they were warned by the witches that, hey, the seeds are cursed too, and they're going to come back."

The Adams decided to continue this story this year.

"So now, two years later, they came out of the ground, as they do every year, and they felt something strange. And lo and behold, [the pumpkin creature] is back, you know? And what they do, they had to go out and they said, 'Okay, we got to beat him again. We got to defeat this creature.' And they set out with their plan, and they made four traps," said Jim Adams.

One trap was a giant mallet to smash the pumpkin. But the mallet had to be mounted way up in the tree to be as high as the pumpkin creature's head was.

"It's a pretty neat visual effect," said Adams.

The next trap was a simple net. The skeletons stood on a roof and had a net there with a scarecrow as bait.

This was kind of a play on the fact that last year the Adams had a couple of scarecrows stolen.

"We used it like this beast or creature is stealing," said Adams. "You know now we realize, hey, it might have been this wicked seed monster. So the skeletons decided to use that as bait."

The third trap was what the Adams called a "bully pinata" where the pumpkin creature would step into the noose, and the skeletons pull on it, and they pull it upside down.

The fourth trap was called the vanishing pumpkin head pit where the skeletons lay branches down over a deep hole, and then cover it with leaves.

While the other traps failed, the fourth trap managed to capture the creature who is trapped in this giant cage in the Adams front lawn made of bamboo.

Locals can drive by to see the evolving display or follow 13 Skeletons on their Facebook and Instagram and begin with the first photo of the season and watch as the story unfolds.

Sock Drive

This year, the Adams are once again turning their Halloween display into a way to help the homeless and veterans.

The sock drive is in honor of Jim Adams mother Carole who would donate socks.

"Carole would go to the dollar store and just buy socks to give to the homeless," said Joann Adams previously.

In tribute to Carole, donation boxes will be set out front for the public to drop off socks. Only new, packaged socks will be accepted.

After Halloween, Jim will personally deliver the socks to those in need.

"If you don't have time to stop by, if you have a pair of socks, give it to someone homeless that honors my mother. I did this for my mother and I am carrying it on," said Adams.

For more information on the display visit 13skeletons.com or facebook.com/13skeletons or instagram.com/13skeletons. The Adams also have a 13 Skeletons picture book "Circus of the Night" — based on a previous Circus theme — for sale on their website.

Watch where the story originated in 2022 below:

• See Related: 'Bigger, Better' Halloween Machine Spooks Locals In Bridgewater
• Related: 13 Skeletons: A Halloween Tradition Lives On In Bridgewater

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