Trick of the Light (Halloween Theme)

[unreliable narrator]

I gaze silently from the shadowed porch seat, overlooking the neighbourhood and the vibrant bustle of trick-or-treaters, their gaudy costumes glinting and flapping in the evening air. I scan the scene for my brother Jack peering into the gathering darkness, but recognise no-one. Excited whoops and screams resound as parents’ guide their little groups from home to home and I feel warm inside.

A woman across the street emerges onto her front porch. She carries my brother carefully in her outstretched arms then sets him down before returning inside. He grins at me, candlelight flickering behind his carefully carved features.

[pondspider]

Very nice. It took a while for the penny to drop

[Lucy Jayne]

This is brilliant. After such a good description that last line is perfect. I didn't predict the outcome as it all seemed so normal, had to read it again.

I wish this forum had huge gold stars that I could post!

[strawman]

Do young Brits Trick or Treat and carve yellow squash?

[ROU Killing Time]

In some cultures it's a carved turnip. (No idea how you fit a votive in one.)

[ROU Killing Time]

I wrote this one on All Hallows' Eve, 2009

"Jack"

I lay in deathly sleep.

The cold, sharp edge of the blade opens me, awakening me from my sweet slumber.

My skull carved open, brains scooped out and discarded as useless trash.

I would scream, but have no mouth for my agonies to issue forth from.

Not yet, anyway.

My simple, smooth face is next.

Ragged holes for eyes, and now a jagged mouth, teeth bared and hungry.

Then, a burning within.

I stare with gooey, gleaming sight at my tormentor, then feast and satisfy my new, eternal hunger.

In the compost pile, my children germinate and begin to grow.

October 31, 2009

[pondspider]

Do young Brits Trick or Treat and carve yellow squash?

We do, but largely because of cultural bleed from you lot

[pondspider]

...Then, a burning within.

I stare with gooey, gleaming sight at my tormentor, then feast and satisfy my new, eternal hunger.

In the compost pile, my children germinate and begin to grow.

October 31, 2009

That's darn good Very darn good.

[SpareInch]

Do young Brits Trick or Treat and carve yellow squash?

In some cultures it's a carved turnip. (No idea how you fit a votive in one.)

The Trick or Treat part is largely borrowed from America. It's technically illegal, since you need a licence to go collecting donations from door to door, but it's one of those laws that you apply with a good dressing of common sense.

Pumpkins don't traditionally grow in these parts, so we used to use turnips. But when I say turnip, I mean TURNIP! Like, a foot or more in diameter. They don't grow those big ones any more as you need to keep them in the garden shed or somewhere once you cut a lump off to eat. Hence turnips these days are much smaller, so you can keep them in the fridge if needs be.

The old tradition here was to carve your lantern, put a candle in it, of course, then wander around the town or village at night, using the scary face on the lantern to scare away the evil spirits. Also, the smell of slowly roasting turnip from your lantern is DELICIOUS!

[pondspider]

This seems appropriate... gratuitous pumpkin season mockery from John Oliver, one Brit who knows his way around 'Mericanese.

PS. @Hellobuglers

[unreliable narrator]

My favourite Halloween short story has to be 'Halloween Lights' by Anna Taborska. I first heard it a couple of years ago on Tales to Terrify and it's stuck with me ever since. I was thinking about that when I came up with the description in this Drabble. (Well that and the scene in ET if I'm being brutally honest with myself...)

If your interested or haven't heard it heres a link.

http://talestoterrify.com/tales-to-terr ... emma-file/

[ROU Killing Time]

...Then, a burning within.

I stare with gooey, gleaming sight at my tormentor, then feast and satisfy my new, eternal hunger.

In the compost pile, my children germinate and begin to grow.

October 31, 2009

That's darn good Very darn good.

Ty. So was the OP's. It reminded me of a young(er) Drabbler I knew back in the day...

[PB&Jellyphish320]

This is a pretty charming story. And I recognize the inspiration, but it's years since I've heard it. Thanks for that!

[tibbi]

New dribblecast made out of this. This was fun getting the music just right

http://www.dribblecast.org/2014/10/15/d ... the-light/

[unreliable narrator]

Wow! I am both shocked and honoured at the same time! Great narration... not unreliable at all. The music is great too. Thank you tibbi