13 Days 13 Shorts: Jack-O-Lantern

Hey, hope everyone is enjoying the creepy countdown to Halloween. There are some great short stories lined up such as tomorrow's werewolf short so stay tuned. As for today, we're going to contrast yesterday's long story about a harmless Halloween with a short, disturbing tale. Enjoy

JACK-O-LANTERN by Omar Najam

John and Christine ran through the neighborhood
With as innocent costumes as they possibly could.
A ghost and a witch, no one suspected
That these two were hosting thoughts oh so menacing.
They would knock on the doors and receive candy treats
And smile and bow in their black and white sheets.
But the second that the gracious doors would close
A smile across their faces would grow.
John would check the window as Christine reared her foot
And the two would take turns giving jack-o-lanterns the boot.
By 11pm they had caused so much damage
Each doorstep in the town had faces pulpy and mangled.
With a holler and hoop they smashed in the squash
and left only one jack-o-lantern when their shoes needed a wash.
And as they skipped away, without looking back
The eyes blinked on that solitary jack.

John wiped the orange mush from his shoe
His sole in the grass to be rid of the goo.
Christine smiled at him with a mischievous grin.
She wanted to continue kicking jack-o-lanterns in.
But then there was a rustle from behind a nearby tree
As Christine shielded her eyes so the soundmaker she could see.
Out stepped a monster with a glowing orange head
That was tied to his body with a course black thread.
His fingers were thin and made from dry sticks.
And in his hand he held a bloody garden pick.
The children rubbed their eyes to see if he was real
Just as he swung his arm and their necks met his steel.

The jack-o-lantern monster walked back to his deck
And sat down in his chair to take a quick rest.
He breathed in the silence and that facial gash etched
Into a smile, it slowly stretched.
He had carved out the heads and placed in candles
Hoping the hollowed out sockets would scare away vandals.
The children's heads flickered, glowing mouths ajar,
Only interrupted by the cackling stars.