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 pumpkin heads. “They’re moulded with a machete,” I say as his head drops to the floor. The trick is finding the right shape. His head is perfect. Dunking him in wax, I carve out his wide smile and hang him next to the previous neighbours; a winning hat trick.

Pauline Yates

Queensland writer, Pauline Yates, loves to explore the dark side of humanity through her writing. Her stories appear in multiple publications and anthologies, and she is the winner to the 2020 AHWA short story competition.

Website: paulineyates.com