SUSANNAH STEWART | PUMPKIN JACK, BLOODY BONES, AND THE BAD CHILDREN, PART ONE

Pumpkin Jack Plans His Comeback

And meets unexpected resistance from Bloody Bones

Bloody Bones and Pumpkin Jack are our October companions, fright night friends who watch us as we come and go.

Sometimes, after I turn off the lights, before going upstairs to bed, I wait in the dark.

I hear them whisper, planning, and plotting. Slow, gloating chuckles echo into the night.

Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.

Stephen King

In her cottage garden, Penelope walked and pondered last night’s dream in the early morning sunshine. Here and there among the flower beds, chrysanthemums bloomed, orange and gold, like flickers of fire. Had there been burning in her dream, she wondered. Perhaps she should discuss it with Susannah Stewart. It portended trouble. That was certain.

High above, deep in the attic’s darkest recesses, Agatha and Phineas Greystone; Ambrose and Oscar Swopes, Jacky’O and Dracula unwillingly listened as the two newest members of the Halloween entourage quarreled.

Pumpkin Jack insisted his excellent idea would make them fearsome monsters once more. His lackey, Bloody Bones, disagreed.

Jack had resorted to in the face bullying and fast-talking wheedling to force his henchman to agree to his scheme. His face not two inches away from Bones’ skeletal visage, he declared,

“I tell you, matey. These children are our best chance for an escape. No more half-life as so-called decorations. No more hanging in this rotten place, surrounded by trinkets and knickknacks and trashy holiday ornaments. Just follow my lead, and we’re back to the good old days, mayhem, mischief, and wanton destruction.”

He had not convinced Bloody Bones.

“But Jack, I was thinking, maybe it’s not such a good idea. Might be we get in worse shape, I dunno, could be we should wait.”

Pumpkin Jack, furious that the toadying Bloody Bones should have the audacity to dispute his authority, shouted,

“Don’t you get it, numbskull? We terrify these children, maybe bring actual harm to them, and we are on the path to being our old selves.”

Seeing Bones about to respond, Jack insisted, “You don’t think. You’re just the muscle. I’m the brains of this gang. I’m the man with the plans.”

Quickly getting louder and louder, Pumpkin Jack was warming up to his two favorite things, bragging about himself and bullying someone weaker.

“I’m the leader. I decide.”

To Be Continued Daily Through Halloween

Today I looked at the calendar and counted 19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,then October 30, and at last, October 31, Halloween, All Hallows Eve.

My usual anticipation and joy were missing. COVID-19 will curtail our usual celebration with dozens of young trick-or-treaters. The disrupted Halloween plans left me feeling a little disappointed and lost.

Then I read two things on Medium where the writers had set themselves 30-day and in one case 100-day challenges. I immediately thought perhaps I can give myself a Halloween challenge. That would be thirteen days of writing which seemed serendipitous.

Then I found myself in a Goldilocks position. Thirteen stories in thirteen days seemed too big while thirteen poems seemed too small. Then I had an idea that seemed just right. I would do a serial story over thirteen days.

Every October when I bring Bloody Bones and Pumpkin Jack out of the attic, I look at them and think “I know there’s a story waiting for you two.” I have made up bits and pieces over the years just to tease them. I think I know their voices, especially Pumpkin Jack.

From the fiery depths, We come to welcome you. Here’s the door, Walk on through…..

The Boys Are Back

For many years, strictly for my entertainment, I have been writing longer bits and pieces about a headstrong young girl named Susannah Stewart. This year I incorporated her story with that of Penelope, the fortune teller who is the focus of many of my stories.

I will put them all in the story and we will see how it turns out. I am very much the devotee of the good versus evil plotline, and I am very disapproving of realistic endings where evil triumphs. Perhaps that offers a clue what type of story it will be.

Here are some Halloween poems that I have written this year. As you can see, the first one features my two favorite October villains.