Saturday, October 31, 2020

Halloween!

 I feel a little sorry for today’s children.  They don’t get to experience Halloween as we did.  I remember going block to block, houses all lit up, jack-o-lanterns out; coming home with a bag full of treats.  In my day we received homemade goodies as well as store bought candy. 

 

When my children were young, our neighborhood was chock full of children and in groups, they would go house to house finally coming home with a bag filled with treats.  The world had gotten weird enough even then that I checked everything in their bags before they got into any of it.  But still, they had the fun of Trick ‘r’ Treat! around the neighborhood.

 

 In the past years I have prepared for monsters, princesses’, vampires, fairies, ghosties and goulies but none come by.  Makes me sad.  But, I am always ready!  As we wait for darkness to welcome any . . .  visitors, here’s a little story for you - - -

 White Wolf

 She snapped awake out of a deep sleep, screaming aloud in terror. In her nightmare, a large white wolf had been chasing her around and around the house, gaining on her with every step until it finally pounced on her and ripped out her throat.  She lay shaking for hours, unable to sleep after such a terrifying dream.  

But morning finally arrived, and the day was completely normal. Celia forgot all about her dream, until the moment her parents reminded her that they would be going out that night to celebrate their anniversary. Celia turned milk-white.  In her dream, the white wolf had come to kill her while her parents were out celebrating their anniversary!  She started shaking and begging them not to go.  Her parents were astonished at her behavior, and finally shamed her into staying home alone that night.


Fearfully, Celia locked herself into the house as soon as her parents left, checking every door and every window. She tried to laugh it off as she got into bed, and finally she shook off her irrational fear and fell asleep.  

Celia snapped awake suddenly, every muscle tense. She heard the tinkling of falling glass from a broken window, and the snuffling sound of a snout pressed to the floor.  It was the sound of a hunting wolf.  A werewolf.  Real wolves did not break into houses when there was plenty of game outside. She could hear the click-clicking of the creature’s claws on the wooden floor.  The musky, foul smell of wet animal fur combined with the meaty breath of a carnivore, drifted into the room.

She could hear the werewolf’s panting right outside her bedroom.  Then her body was
out of bed and she sped through the bathroom and down the back stairs.  She heard a soft growl and then the sound of animal feet pursuing her as she raced down the steps and tore open the back door.   She ran across the sharp gravel driveway toward the shed with its shovels and tools.  Anything she could use as a weapon.  But the huge, red-eyed wolf was suddenly between her and the toolshed, stalking toward her.  The cold wind pierced her skin as she turned and fled around the side of the house.  She gasped as the white wolf howled and took off after her.  She could hear the terrifying sound of the creature’s pounding feet.

Faster, faster, she commanded her legs, panting desperately against the fear choking her. She would run around the house and back down the driveway, she thought. She felt the wolf snap at her back leg and felt the sting of teeth and she ran faster.

The wolf veered away from her suddenly, and she felt a rush of hope.  She couldn’t hear the wolf now, couldn’t see it in the cloud-darkened night.  To her intense relief, she heard the sound of a car coming down the road in front of her house.  Her parents were back and would save her!

Then her heart stopped in panic as she turned the last corner and saw the shape of the white wolf as it stood balanced on the porch railing right in front of her.  It sprang upon Celia, huge teeth tearing into her flesh and ripping out her throat.  She fell under the weight of its body, hot blood spilling all over the ground, and died seconds after she hit the ground.  One minute later, her parent's car pulled into the driveway, its headlights blinding the white wolf as it pulled toward the house.  Frightened, the wolf backed away from its kill and then ran away.

Spooky Texas Retold by S.E. Schlosser

 The Birth of a Jack-o-Lantern

 Step One

 


Two Hours Later . . . . Step Two

 


Bwahahahahahahaha  Step Three

 


Happy Halloween!

 

31 Oct 2020

6 comments:

  1. Your jack-o-lantern looks so great all lit up in the dark! I hope you got at least a few little visitors last night.

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  2. That was a spooky story. Left me breathless!
    Love the pumpkin...wow!!!

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  3. Love the pumpkin ...

    Happy November Wishes.

    All the best Jan

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  4. I have enough trouble sleeping with trump as president, so I didn't read the story..but loved your pumpkin.

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  5. We used to have a lot of trick-or-treaters in Ohio - our little neighborhood was perfect. We were a block away from a church & they would have trunk or treat & then the kids would fan out in the neighborhood. Lots of fun! We don't get anyone down here - but we're kind of out in the country.

    Loved the story, but the pumpkin steals the show!

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  6. Now that's a scary jack o'lantern!

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