puredream Winning Entry

#6- The moon rose high in the sky and the wind howled its displeasure at the coming of Lanturnacht. Spooky pommekin carvings loomed in the darkness, almost as if Lanturn pets were waiting to pounce. I hurried onward, wishing the comfort of home when suddenly… Midnight pounced.

I jumped at my brother’s touch. It knocked me into the nearest pommekin as it landed on my head so that I could see the culprit, which earned me a harsh laugh from him and my other brother, DeathEater. Midnight took the greatest pleasure as my nightmare brethren turned over on his back, all three of his heads cackling. DeathEater even snorted a little. My older sister, Mystic Eve was the only one who was sympathetic as she came out from behind the large pommekin she was forced to hide behind, but a lot of good it did. She could have at least warned me.

“You should have seen your face!” Midnight rolled over on his belly, two of his three heads’ tongues lolled out in playful glee. “You looked like a pumpkin head, Ice Fire!”

Ice Fire: that was my nickname. I really disliked it for it didn’t really fit me, but my siblings all enjoyed torturing me with it. Well…. they liked to torture me in general. Insufferable Neanderthals! Growling lightly, I put my ears back as I tried to pull the silly act of spirit off my head. I really disliked Lanturnacht. It was around this time, their sadistic glee would increase and they would use the holiday as a reason to scare me silly.

As usual, I ignored them and continued to walk down the same path. Now that I knew who was stalking me, I felt a little at ease. However, my fur prickled as Midnight and DeathEater weaved behind me tauntingly. They were sure to harass me the whole way home. At least, I knew I could ignore them now that they were in the open.

“Come on, Ice,” Midnight taunted as he followed at my paws, “Don’t be such a wimp! Have a little fun!”

“Yeah!” Death clicked his teeth together as if he thought my discomfort was just delicious, “Come to the Maze with us!”

I was about to retort that I would certainly not. I had told them before I would not attend. They knew I hated confined places. However, Eve mercifully spoke up to deter their mocking, “So, what are you going to be for Lanturnacht?” I shot her a dirty look. The cliché of “any other topic would have been better” came to mind.

“Yeah, Ice,” Midnight cooed as I thought the words simultaneously in my head – he was a predictable one, my brother, “Going to be a cutesy little pommekin again?”

I don’t know why my brothers interested on teasing me about it. It had been years ago when my parents were still around. I had fallen into a pommekin while carving it on e year and my mom had decided to dress me up as one… every year since until she left. This year, I had decided to make up lost time and dress up as something cool and scary – but not too scary of course. I just didn’t know what exactly it was yet.

Feed up, I growled lowly and stalked off. Luckily, my brothers didn’t follow. They knew that if any of us was in a bad mood to just let us go off. Besides, it wasn’t any of our styles to coddle each other. Wandering through the neighborhood, I stopped when I got to old abandoned house. It was a cliché, but everyone was afraid of it. There was said to be an old witch inside, but none of the braver pets had been able to locate her. It didn’t stop others from speculating about it or for my fur to stand on end.

Especially now, because I swear I could see her right in front of me!

“Hello, young one,” The mirage seemed to speak, “You looked troubled….” She paused before a sly, twisted smile crossed her lips, “Perhaps, you are worried that your Halloween costume won’t be to par?” I wasn’t surprised she knew this. She was a witch, wasn’t she? Still, I was wary and she saw this, “Maybe I could be of use…”

My ears perked up at the sound of that, “What exactly do you mean?” Years of living with my brother’s pranks had made me wary to accept help. For all I know my brother’s could be behind this.

However, she stepped forward with a small package, “Here is what you need to make the others quake in fear. But remember… its side effects may outweigh the gains.”

I looked down at the pumpkin box eagerly as she handed it to me. “What is that supposed to mean?” I ask skeptically, but when I looked up no one remained in front of me. Turning my head back and forth, I figured it must be an old hag thing, but let it go as I went home to try out my new costume.

Once home, I jerked back the lid only to be blinded by some form of light. Writhing on the floor, my eyes burned from the intense burst. It took me several minutes before I could stand up without any dizziness. Stumbling over the mirror, I examined myself with horror and delight.

My once white fur was now glowed black. The scruff around my neck danced like candle light well skulls of the same color swirled around playful on my haunches. My eyes glowed in a way special effects could not even attempt to accomplish. My face… my face was marred with a pommekin. Yes… Let them laugh at my cutesy costume now…. I was the most scary pommekin on the block. This Lanturnacht was going to be as much as a beast as I was.