by Sophie Wagner In Mateo’s opinion, Halloween was the best time of the year. On decorating day, his family would carve, hang skeletons and Mother would make meat pies. Sadly, this year they started without him. When he arrived home, Morrie was already carving a lopsided smile into a decapitated head. In the kitchen, […]
by Elle Jauffret She always picked the ugliest pumpkin, the rotten one with the mouldy skin—disfigured, putrid, and asymmetrical. She would carve through its decomposing shell with sharp nails—and dig through its flesh with bare hands. Once its entrails removed, she would search through the stringy pulp for the blackest of seeds that she […]
by Pauline Yates I’ve won ‘Best Halloween Display’ two years running, but while hanging decorations, my new neighbour distracts me. He likes my legs. I love his wide smile. Tempted, I suggest a private trick or treat before the judges arrive. Invitation accepted, he asks what tricks I know. I show him my wax […]
by Caoimhin Kennedy My daughter kisses me. “Heading home,” she says. Since my cancer, Carrie gives out my treats on Halloween. I roll my wheelchair to the porch’s edge and watch her taillights dwindle into the night. That’s when I see the girl on my lawn. “Hello,” the little girl says. She’s dressed as […]
by Steven Holding Introducing Mr Owen (Hal to his friends, if he had any…) Date of birth: October thirty-first. Born ugly as sin, but it’s how he was treated that paved the way for later behaviour, not what’s within. Beaten and abused, he decided to choose a suitably horrifying revenge against those who had […]
by Mel Andela “Trick or treat.” The childlike voice floats down the darkened street. The sidewalks are empty, costumed youngsters long since gone home. It was far too late even for trouble-seeking teens, yet the voice was there, repeating. “Trick or treat.” The singsong words pierce his ears, a cold sweat beading on his […]
by Matt Krizan Karina lingers at the end of the dock, watching for Ryan to resurface. The water shimmers in the moonlight, while cicadas drown out the sound of gentle waves lapping against the pilings. She shuts her eyes as she remembers their early days together, skinny-dipping on summer nights just like this one. […]
by Caoimhin Kennedy I bait the hook and toss my line. Pluksh! goes the sinker. I look down at my feet into my bucket full of fish. They’re really biting tonight. In fact… Yep! I crank the reel. Look at that—another one! I drop the fish into the bucket and re-apply the hearty bait […]
by S.L. Kretschmer I lie prostrate on the ocean floor, clutching the scuba tank to my chest. Silence, except for the exaggerated echo of my breaths. Shafts of hazy, muted sunlight edge tantalisingly close to my supine body. It can’t be more than eight metres to the surface. Clownfish dart to my left, disappearing […]
by Robyn Fraser Sunrise, and a misty river. Three trout, hooked and thrown back. He preferred to fish humanely. Something glittered in the reeds. He reached for it, and metal teeth clamped over his fingers. A line tautened and pulled him into the water, screaming and thrashing. It felt like an eternity under there. […]