Welcome! You probably just came over from reading Mishka Jenkins. Did she frighten you? Mwahahahaha. 😉
I confess, when Jo Richardson challenged us at Romance Writers Weekly to write a spooky story (real or fake) in 300 words or less, I took it personally. I mean, I love Halloween. No, you don’t understand.
I looooooooooooooove Halloween. Jack Skellington is my spirit animal. I have a trunk filled with decorations, makeup and outfits. Between the creative costumes, scary movies, and copious amount of candy, Halloween is my Christmas.
Only 300 words, Jo? Really?
That’s a challenge, but here goes. *cue creepy music*
When I was five years old, my grandmother passed away. She’d had a stroke when I was an infant that left her in a coma. So I didn’t really know her, but on our weekly visits I would sit at her bedside and tell her about my day. It didn’t seem odd to me to do the same at her viewing.
“I made a turkey with my hand, unci. It’s orange with purple feathers. Julie Lightfoot said it was stupid ’cause turkeys aren’t purple, but I told her to shut up.” Mortified, my mother shushed me and pulled me away from unci’s coffin.
After the funeral, we all gathered at my aunt’s house. The children were sent to cousin Libby’s room. I sat with her on her bed while our out-of-town cousins played on the floor. What did we know of death? We laughed and joked and monkeyed around, until Libby went very quiet.
“What’s wrong, you wet the bed?” Our oldest cousin teased.
Libby pointed over my shoulder. Turning briefly, I saw nothing but the expression on her face made me anxious. “What is it?”
There was a tickle on the back of my neck. As one, everyone else jumped up and flattened themselves against the wall. Only I was left with my back to whatever it was that had spooked them.
“Somebody’s…brushing your hair.”
Sure enough, I felt the gentle pull as the thick curtain of my hair parted, lifting and falling in sections. This went on for a minute or so; me with my back to the cold, empty space and my cousins all watching me with wide eyes.
It soon stopped and the cold dissipated. As I ran a hand over my head, my fingers caught on something.
Libby blinked. “W-what was that?”
I smiled at the purple feather in my hand. “Oh, unci just came to say goodbye.”
So what do you think? Not really scary, just kinda…creepy. A nice creepy, though. Did this really happen? Let’s float on over to JJ Devine’s and see what she has scared up. Til next time.
Boo!
Love it Xio! Halloween stories rooted in our childhoods are always the spookiest. When it was still fun to be scared. Love it & miss you!
Aren’t they, though? Thanks, Kim! I miss you too. *big hugs*
You see, we are brain twins. I adore Halloween, let’s swap costumes. Gave me goosebumps, sweetie
We are indeed. Thanks! Are you dressing up this year? I’m usually a vampire, but this year I’m going for something completely different. I’ll have to post some photos.
Oh, that one is a great story! It’s possible and yet we wonder…
Thank you!
While spooky, all right, I actually thought this was rather sweet, too. I love that her aunt came to say goodbye.
Thanks! Creepy can be sweet, right? =)
This was fantastic!!!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it, JJ. =)
So nice of the grandmother to stop by to say goodbye. I had a perfect visual of the scene. Well done!
Thank you, Gemma!
Very cool story. Creepy yet sweet at the same time. Nice.
Thank you! That’s what I was going for, ehehe.
XIO! this was so awesome. I hope that really happened and the way you said at the end that she just came to say g’bye was chills but sweet. I loved it. <3
Thanks, Jo! I have a vague memory of what really happened, but this is how I choose to remember it. =)
OH and Little Who LOVES JACK TOO!
Jack is awesome!
I think creepy can much more effective than total scary sometimes! Great story 😀
So true, Mishka. Thank you!
Really creepy! Well done! 🙂
Thanks, Elaine!