Glamour

There's a new neighbour at the end of the street. Her only concession to the season is a single pumpkin on her doorstep.

The kids have been watching the decorations go up on all the houses for days. Fake cobwebs, plastic bats, coffins, tombstones, skeletons and (obviously) jack o'lanterns. The house at the end looks dull by comparison.

They work their way up the road, house by house. The chorus of "trick or treat!" punctuates the evening. Wrappers rustle, and so do cheap, shop-bought costumes.

At last, there's just one house left. A couple of bigger kids swagger up the path, ostentatiously unafraid. "She's got a pumpkin out, hasn't she?" the boy shrugs.

Darkness swallows them. Moments later, their squeals pierce the night. The smaller children draw together, trembling, eyes wide.

The older kids reappear, and run back down the street laughing. Tantalising snatches of conversation sound like this:

"Wow! Amazing!"

"I know right?"

"When that head came down... so cool!"

"Full size chocolate bars, too!"

Something like a collective sigh happens. Tension melts away. The young ones stop clutching each others' hands. Everybody pretends they weren't scared. They move on to the last house.

Walking up the garden path is like walking though a House of Horrors. They shriek in fright when a rotting corpse rises from the front lawn and launches at them. They giggle, fear ebbing and flowing, and hold their nerve when the mummy does the same. The swooping ghost makes them jump, and then just as they reach the doorstep, a sticky head, dripping red drops down as if on a cord. Bugs erupt from its laughing mouth.

The door opens, and warm light spills out over them. A handsome woman dressed as a witch smiles at them all with painted lips and even, white teeth. Her hair is wavy and red, and she's wearing a pinnafore over her green dress. She looks like she's stepped out of a 1950s magazine. Several fistfuls of chocolate later, she waves them away with a "Happy Hallowe'en!" and a bright laugh.

When they arrive home, those chocolate bars have vanished. In their place, in the top of each plastic pail, sit small bloody bones.

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Word count: 366

(NB. This excludes the title, subtitle, and author's note.)

Submitted on Thursday 31st October at 21:24

Quick Author's Note

A Year of Stories: I'm writing (and submitting, here) a story every day this year. This continues my 305 (!!!) daily micro-fiction story streak since 1st January.

ONLY SIXTY-ONE DAYS TO GO!

Please consider lending your support to the other creators on this madcap "a story every day" adventure. They're putting out excellent content every day!

Rachel Deeming

Gerard DiLeo

The story behind the story: This is a story for Marie Sinadjan's Spooky Bingo, using the theme "Happy Hallowe'en".

Thank you

Especially if you are one of the wonderful people who has been staunchly reading these daily scribbles since the start of the year. I see you, and I am extremely grateful for your ongoing support.

Thank you to those who leave feedback/comments.

I am making excellent headway catching up on reads. Where I'm already up to date with all someone's stories, I read someone else's in lieu!

If you enjoyed this one, the very best compliment you can give me is to share it, or read another!

This is the last day for my dollar challenge!

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Thank you again!