
Halloween Larks
A rusty knife glistened through jagged broken glass. Laboured breathing and an unearthly screech as a monstrous hand reached around the door. The door slowly creaked open….
“Bed!” Dad bellowed. “Switch that Halloween rubbish off!”
Click! The living room lights blared, but no Dad visible. Yet, he continued moaning like sour vinegar. This reminded me that last 31st October, I cunningly put tart cooking apples in the dunking booth. The twins also swapped out the sweetest apples for the sourest in Mum’s homemade toffee apples. Hilarious watching people’s grimaces! What prank would I play today?
Halloween decorations danced in the draft from the open door. Orange lights winked on and off illuminating the giant skeleton on the lawn.
Like actors leaving the stage after being booed off, we six siblings walked dejectedly. A cat with flattened ears, a witch dragging her broom, a slump-shouldered Dracula, a monster with downcast eyes, a scarecrow losing his straw, and a ….tittering teddy bear. Looking back at the youngest, we saw her laughing at Dad, who had suddenly appeared wearing both a tutu and a pink candy floss wig over paint strewn overalls. Laughter exploded from us.
“Why are devils and ghouls always together?” Dad asked in a silly Frankenstein voice tickling the teddy bear.
“Give up?” Dad asked this time pirouetting around like a demented ballerina.
After a dramatic pause, “Because devils like ghouls around!” said Dad trying to stand en pointe in heavy work boots.
Groaning, we all traipsed up the stairs. We all kicked the Creepy Doll, a Halloween take on the Christmas theme of Elf-on-the-Shelf. Our parents daily placed it in different locations.
Admittedly, finding Creepy at 2:00 AM on the toilet seat in an ill-lit bathroom was scary.
Suddenly, a giant spider dangled before our noses and we shrieked in unison. A Mum-trick because we heard her chuckling.
Inspiration came suddenly! I ducked screaming, “Bats!”
Among shrieking, dodging and swatting siblings, I smirked like a demented jack-o’-lantern. A prank well done!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleMargarida, your story brilliantly captures the joy and zest of children enjoying a fun Halloween together and especially good the parents were in on the mischief making as well. The image of the dad in work boots trying to do ballet moves made me laugh out loud ?
You have to love parents who enjoy pranking their children! Personally, I remember hiding in the dark and scaring my youngest; I guess a part of me fortunately never grew up. Cheers for reading “Halloween Larks” and your kind feedback.
A fun and engaging story, Margarida. An enjoyable read, well done.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThanks a lot for your kind words Miss Carrie. So important to hook the reader in the first few lines. Had so much fun writing this Halloween story.
Wow! It is a fun read, Margarida. I laughed. You really captured my tickle. I love it.
So glad that you reconfirm that I achieved my goal in writing an entertaining humorous story. Thanks, as always Lotchie for investing your precious time by reading my “Halloween Larks.”
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleYou’re welcome, Margarida.
‘Halloween Larks’ hooked me from the very first line. Fabulous Margarida!
So happy that you enjoyed “Halloween Larks”, Dipayan. It was fun showing the other side of Halloween and focusing on the silly “trick” side.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleWonderful Margarida, you’ve captured the fun spirit of Halloween and I’m guessing this family has fun all year round! My grandson and I have a toy snake awaiting granddad’s return from his fishing trip on the weekend. Our snake has lots of hiding places throughout the year 🙂 And, your story has given me a few more ideas – well done!
Thank you Miss Sandra, for your complimentary remarks, I was wondering if Voice.Club would accept a Part II of this story.
You have given me another idea, so cheers again. I could write about this family having larks at other times of the year. What fun you must have with your grandson, pranking his Grandpa with a snake!