By the Light of the Jack-O-Lantern

“Don’t forget to light your Jack-O-Lantern every night this month!” my new neighbor across the street exclaimed as she waved in my direction, a sweet smile on her face. I was carrying furniture in through the front door, a small chair I’d had for years that was plush and cozy. Focused on the task at hand, I didn’t pay much mind to her statement, just nodded politely and went back to it. 

A few hours later, after hauling in what I could for the day, I took a break and sat on my front porch with a glass of wine. The sun was high in the sky, slowly creeping towards the horizon. There was a slight chill in the air, but it was warm enough. I took in the new neighborhood around me. It was peaceful, and each house was a unique portrait of its owner. I was excited to make my home a reflection as well. 

My neighbor emerged from her front door, an intricate wooden piece, and the outer walls were a welcoming soft green, just like her eyes. She beamed at me and trotted over. I beckoned her onto the porch and unfolded a chair. 

“Would you like a glass of wine?” I asked, already heading inside to grab it. 

“That would be lovely!” 

Once we had our wine and were seated, we made some small talk, and then she pulled out a decent-sized pumpkin from the bag at her side.

“This is for you, dear! You’ll want to carve it and light it on your porch before it gets too late tonight!” 

I smiled and accepted the pumpkin. I guess they were really into Halloween here.

“Make sure you put some effort into the face, really make it your own! I can help if you’d like, nothing like wine and carving pumpkins.” She chuckled and showed me the carving supplies she’d brought as well. 

I gave in, she was kind, and I didn’t want to start off living here on the wrong foot. 

Once we were done, I had a pumpkin with a toothy grin and happy eyes. My neighbor plopped it onto the table where sunlight was still beaming in.

“Let it dry out for a bit before lighting it,” Then she gestured to the seeds we’d laid out on paper towels, “And you can cook those in the oven for a nice snack! I’ll send a quick recipe.” She smiled at me again while tapping on her phone. 

“Thank you for welcoming me here,” I said, returning the smile, “It means a lot.”

She headed back home across the street.

“Don’t forget to add a light to the pumpkin and set it on the porch before you go to bed! The kids can be rowdy if you don’t!” She waved one last time before disappearing back into her home.

…

I was sound asleep in my almost empty bedroom, I’d only had the energy to set up the bed so far, when I heard tapping on my bedroom window and then scurrying footsteps. It startled me awake, and I shot up, listening intently. Then I heard some echoing laughter, and quick footsteps outside on both sides of the house, leaves crunching under each footfall. Then I heard banging on the front door, and it made me jump out of my skin. 

A sudden realization hit me. “Shit! The Jack-O-Lantern!” 

I wasn’t sure if it was the time of night and being jostled from my sleep, but as silly as it had seemed to me earlier, I was certain I needed to light that pumpkin now. I threw off my blankets and ran to the living room, where the pumpkin still sat, it was grinning at me mischievously like it knew I’d made a mistake. 

I grabbed the pumpkin, flicked on an LED candle, slammed it into the bottom, and made my way to the front door. I held the pumpkin securely to my chest and creaked open the front door. In my yard were small, shadowy figures. I swear I could make out eyes, but if I blinked, they were gone. I heard more laughter, and it made my skin crawl. I was terrified, my skin cold and clammy, but I quickly took a couple of steps out onto the porch and placed the now-lit Jack-O-Lantern. 

In the same moments, the shadowy figures ran towards me but dissipated like misty shadows against the light. I felt a rush of frigid air and thanked myself silently that it wasn’t a real flame, because it certainly would have gone out if it were. Suddenly, the air felt easier to breathe, and the tension I’d been holding released. I went back inside and locked the door behind me. 

…

The next day, I was exhausted; it was difficult to get another wink of sleep after what had happened the night before. I went to the store to buy more batteries and more LED candles. I was not letting the Jack-O-Lantern light go out. After prepping everything, I made my way over to my neighbor’s house and rapped on the door. 

“Did you forget?” she asked me immediately, probably sensing my exhaustion and fear.

I nodded at her silently, then told her about the night before. 

“Were those… Children?” I asked, feeling a bit sheepish, but I wanted answers.

She nodded and smiled, but it was hollow, her eyes distant. “Sorry, dear. I was trying to shield you from this. Awful timing, really, but there is a history with this town and Halloween. It was a long time ago…” She trailed for a moment, then continued, “There was a group of children, a horrible accident, they loved Halloween and-” then suddenly she grasped my hand and looked me in the eyes, startling me, and said, “Just keep the Jack-O-Lantern lit.”

…

What did you think of the story? Would you still live there? Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you so much for reading!

–Clever&WTF