Halloween Stories

2009 Halloween Short Story Contest entry:

Who’s Afraid of the Pumpkin Man???
by Sean Dudley

October 31st and Halloween is here. For Sean, Destiny, Ty and Sammy it was one of their favorite days of the year. Tonight, their school is having a Halloween party for all students. 

While in class, they were explaining to Ms. Silverman who they were going to be for the party. ‘Ok class, who wants to go first? Who would like to tell me who they are going to be for the Halloween party?’ asked Ms. Silverman. 

Sean was quick to raise his hand and tell the teacher who he was going to be. ‘Ms. Silverman, I’m going to be The Ultimate Space Ranger like my cartoon hero’. ‘Hah!’ said Destiny. ‘I’m going to be Princess Tierra like my favorite cartoon hero’. ‘You think that’s good, wait until you hear who I’m going to be’ said Ty. ‘I’m going to be Captain Bucky, the leader of all pirates and Sammy’s going to be one of my mates, right Sammy?’ Sammy nodded his head yes. ‘Ha! Ha! Ha! You kids are losers! Costumes are for little kids!’ laughed Jimmy the school bully and his sidekick, Poppy.

‘So you and Poppy think that Halloween costumes are for kids?’ ‘Well yeah, Ms. Silverman. We’ll just leave it to the little kids here’ said Jimmy and before Poppy got a chance to say anything, the bell rang which meant the end of the school day. 

As the kids were running out the classroom, Ms. Silverman shouted out to them reminding that the party was tonight and to bring a costume or they will not be allowed into the party. 

While Sean, Destiny, Ty and Sammy were walking home talking about how they are going to meet up later for the party, Jimmy and Poppy sneaks up behind them.  

‘Hey kids. Have you ever heard of the Pumpkin Man from Parkers’ Park?’ ‘Nnnnn…no’. said a scared Sean. ‘You mean there is a Pumpkin Man that exists in Parkers’ Park?’ ‘Yeah, Sean.’ said Jimmy. ‘He comes out as soon as the park closes during the nightfall and whoever trespasses, he takes them with his…..I don’t want to say anymore.’ 

‘Where? Where?’ asked Ty. ‘You’ll have to find out for yourselves, if you’re not afraid’ said Jimmy as Poppy goes behind Destiny and startles her. 

‘BOOOO!’ shouted Poppy as Destiny screams in fear. ‘Eeeek!’ ‘Oh come on now, Jimmy. You think that I’m scared of this Pumpkin Man? Well I’m not scared and the four of us are going to prove it to you’ said Ty. 

‘We are?’ asked Sean ‘Don’t we have a party to go to tonight?’ ‘Yes, Sean. But we could always go late. The park closes right before the start of the party. So we could sneak into the park, see who’s this Pumpkin Man, take a picture of him, prove to Jimmy and Poppy that we’ve seen him and that we weren’t afraid of him’ said Ty. ‘Good luck, losers’ said Jimmy. 

As Jimmy and Poppy went their separate way home, Jimmy shouts ‘Oh, remember! Officer Kevin watches the park at night, so watch out and try not to get caught! I want to see proof!’ ‘Don’t worry!’ shouted Ty. ‘You’ll get your proof at school on Monday!’ ‘How are we going to get into the park with Officer Kevin standing in the front?’ asked Sean. ‘Don’t worry, Sean. I’ll figure out a plan to keep him company’ said Ty. 

Two hours have passed by and Destiny is just about ready for the party when someone knocks on her front door. ‘I got it, Destiny! Just finish putting on your costume!’ shouted her grandmother as she goes to answer the door. She opens the door and goes ‘My, my and who would you three be?’ 

‘Hello, miss. I am the Ultimate Space Ranger! Here to save the universe!’ shouted Sean. ‘I am Captain Bucky, King of all Pirates! Sammy here is part of my mates. Give me all your gold!’ shouted Ty. ‘Arrrggghh!’ shouted Sammy. 

‘You kids look so wonderful in your costumes. The three of you are going to have a great time at the party tonight.’ said Destiny’s grandmother. ‘Thank you and we will.’ said Ty and Sean. ‘Ok, guys, I’m ready. Let’s hurry up and go. We don’t want to be late for the party, right?’ said Destiny as she comes out of her bedroom dressed in her Princess Tierra costume. 

‘Ok everyone, have fun at the party and be safe going there and coming home. Destiny, please call me before you leave the school?’ asked Destiny’s grandmother. ‘I will, grandma and we will be safe. I love you!’ 

As they left the building, Ty went into his Halloween bag to check to see if he had his camera. ‘Ok, guys. I have the camera, Sammy do you have the film?’ ‘Arrrggghh!’ shouted Sammy. ‘I guess that means yes, guys. So let’s go to Parkers’ Park and go see who’s afraid of the Pumpkin Man’ said Ty. 

‘Are you sure this is a good idea? What if we get caught by Officer Kevin? Doesn’t he watch the park at night so no one would get in?’ asked Sean. ‘That’s why we are going to have Destiny distract Officer Kevin while the three of us sneak in to see if there is a such thing as this Pumpkin Man’ said Ty. ‘Huh?! How am I supposed to distract Officer Kevin?’ asked a surprised Destiny. ‘Just talk to him about your costume. Make up anything.’ ‘Ok, Ty. I don’t like this. But I will do it only because I want to see the picture of the Pumpkin Man as well.’ 

So as they were heading closer to the park, they see Officer Kevin walking back and forth in front of the park. The three boys began walking across the street as Destiny walks up towards Officer Kevin. 

‘Good evening, Officer Kevin’. ‘Why hello, Destiny? How are you doing tonight?’ ‘I’m fine, thank you. You want to know who I am for Halloween? Take a guess’ asked Destiny. ‘Hmmm! Let me think’ said Officer Kevin. 

While he had his head up thinking of whom she was, Destiny waved her hand, signaling the boys to go into the park. ‘Is everything alright, Destiny? Why are you waiving your hand?’ asked Officer Kevin. ‘Don’t you smell that?’ she said as she was pretending that she had smelled something. ‘No I don’t….Wait! I do see someone in need of help. The lady across the street with her car. It seems like she needs help. Excuse me Destiny, could you wait here for a moment while I go help out the lady?’ ‘Of course, Officer Kevin’ said Destiny. 

As he went across the street to help out the lady, Destiny had ran right into the park with the other three boys. 

‘Destiny, how did you manage to get in here? Weren’t you supposed to keep Officer Kevin busy?’ asked Ty. ‘I was, but now he’s busy helping out this lady with her car. So now I can go with you guys.’ ‘Ok, so now that Destiny is here, our plans have changed. We are now going to split into two groups of two. Sammy will come with me and Destiny, you go with Sean. If the two of you see him, lure him to our side of the park, scream our names the minute you see him so we know where the two of you are at. Once we meet up, I will then take his picture. If me and Sammy see him first, then I will take his picture, shout your names, make a break for it out of the park and head straight to the party with the proof. We’ll be running so fast, Officer Kevin wouldn’t even think about trying to chase us’ Said Ty. ‘Great idea, let’s go.’ Said Sean as they all split up. 

Twenty minutes have passed by and so far, Sean and Destiny have not seen any sight of the Pumpkin Man. ‘Sean, what if he does exists? What if he comes and gets us?’ asked a scared Destiny. ‘Don’t worry, I’m sure that there is no such thing as the Pumpkin Man. We probably would have seen him already.’ ‘You know what, Sean? You’re right, maybe he doesn’t exist. Maybe this was Jimmy and Poppy’s idea to get us in trouble with Officer Kevin if we get caught.’ 

As Destiny walks in front of Sean, talking to him, a pumpkin begins to rise from the ground behind Sean to reveal the Pumpkin Man. He begins to tap Sean’s shoulder. He turns around to see that the Pumpkin Man is for real. ‘Destiny, Destiny, Destiny.’ said a shaken Sean. ‘What is it? Can’t you see that I’m in the middle of talking to you right now? How rude!’ ‘But Destiny, look in back of me right now and tell who you see?’

As Destiny turns around to see, the Pumpkin Man is right in her face. ‘BOOOO!’ shouted the Pumpkin Man. ‘Ahhhh!’ screamed Destiny. ‘Run!’ shouted Sean as they begin to run, trying to get away from the Pumpkin Man.

At that same time on Ty and Sammy’s side, they heard someone screaming. 

‘Sammy, was that Destiny screaming?’ ‘Aaarrrggghh!’ shouted Sammy. ‘Let’s go find them, Sammy. They must’ve found the Pumpkin Man’. 

As Ty and Sammy turned around to go back, out of nowhere, this familiar creature with a pumpkin head jumps out of a tree and in front of them. ‘BOOOO! I’m the Pumpkin Man!’ he said with a deep echo voice. ‘Sammy, are you thinking what I am thinking?’ asked Ty. ‘Arrrggghh!’ said Sammy. ‘Let’s get out of here!’ said Ty as he drops his camera begins to run. Sammy picked up the camera and starts to run behind Ty. 

After five minutes of being chased, the four friends finally bumped into each other. 

‘Ty, we just saw the Pumpkin Man and he was chasing us!’ shouted Sean. ‘Impossible, Sean! Sammy and I saw the Pumpkin Man and he was chasing us!’ 

‘Correction! You saw us both! The Pumpkin Men! And we’re coming to get you!’ said one of the Pumpkin Men as they both jumped out of the bushes in front of them. ‘Let’s just get out of her and go to the party already!’ screamed Destiny. ‘I agree with you, let’s go!’ shouted Sean as they all made an exit from the park. ‘You will not get away from us, kids!’ shouted one of the Pumpkin Men. ‘The fun has yet to start!’ 

Across the street, Officer Kevin is still helping the lady out with her car. He hears a group kids screaming in fear. ‘What is all of that noise?’ asked the lady. ‘I don’t know, Miss. But I think that the noise is coming from the park.’ Officer Kevin then sees Destiny, Sean, Ty and Sammy running out of the park. ‘Excuse me for a moment, Miss.’ Said Officer Kevin as he stops helping her out to run across the street and stop the kids from running any further. 

‘Destiny! Sean! What are you all doing in the park?’ shouted Officer Kevin. ‘Sorry Officer Kevin, but we have to run. We’re going to be late for the party.’ Said Sean as the four ran around him to go to the school party. Over at the school, Principal Saunders sees the kids running towards him. 

‘Kids, why are you running so fast? The party is not going anywhere.’ But before he could get a response, they all right ran past him and straight into the school. 

‘I will never get kids these days.’ Said the confused Officer Kevin as he heads back over to help the lady with her car. Seconds later, he hears more noises coming from the park. ‘Who’s there?’ asked Officer Kevin as he enters the park only to find Jimmy and Poppy laughing in the grass holding two pumpkins and their costumes on. 

‘If you don’t want me to call your parents, I suggest that you both leave right now!’ shouted Officer Kevin. ‘We’re leaving, we’re leaving. Come on, Poppy’. Said Jimmy as they both leave the park.

At the party, the kids were having fun when Ty asked ‘Hey, Sean is it me or is someone missing? And where’s my camera?’ With that said, we now return to Jimmy and Poppy. 

As they were walking home, they were talking about how much they scared the kids with the Pumpkin Men costumes. 

‘Poppy, you saw the look on their faces when they saw me chasing after them?’ ‘Yeah!’ said Poppy ‘You should’ve seen the look on Sean’s face when I scared him out of his space boots. Ha! Ha! Ha!’ 

As they were walking home, they came across a trash can by the alley. Slowly, a pumpkin head rose from the trash can. ‘Oh, come on now. We did that trick a few minutes ago. You think that we’re going to be scared of a silly pumpkin head?’ said Jimmy as he went to knock off the pumpkin head only to reveal another head. Only it was green skinned, with an eyeball hanging from its head and green slime coming out of its nose. 

‘BOOGA! BOOGA!’ shouted the monster. ‘Poppy, look! It’s the real Pumpkin Man! Let’s get out of here! Mommy!’ cried Jimmy. As they both ran home, the Pumpkin Man pull out a camera and took pictures of them running home scared.

Little do they know was that the Pumpkin Man that they just ran from happened to be Sammy. Earlier while the kids were running towards the school, Sammy ran a different way, trying to beat Jimmy and Poppy to the alley so he could get his revenge for his friends. As Sammy was walked back to the party, he had let out a big laugh and a big ‘Arrrggghh!’