Hello lovelies! It’s that time again! You may as well get comfortable, you’re going to be here awhile!!!

Back at Easter time, I had a writing contest, and the prize was a Zombie Easter Bunny, there’s a page that has all the stories, you can go back and read them. I loved each and every one of them. I decided that I’d do another contest, THIS TIME, for something other than a zombie. I enjoy making them, but I’ve branched out a bit and wanted to give something else away. I asked folks on my page whether I should make a stylized Frankenstein’s monster, one of my favorite monsters of all time, OR Sam from Trick r Treat, who I also adore, and well is kind of a Halloween Ambassador. Frankenstein’s monster won the vote, and so here is my monster~

In the movies, Frankenstein’s monster is always made of several men, you see all the bodies, and he’s got stitches all the way around his wrists, and his head… In MY head, he’s made up of several different guys, maybe he should look like it. So I went a bit further. Not only does he have different skin, but one of his legs is longer and bigger, and one arm is definitely bigger, and stronger, and the other, well, you can tell it was the Doctor’s first arm… So, without any further gilding the lily, I will give you the cool part, the stories written by some very wonderful people, in order to win my monster…

The official winner is Fatima of Saysell Crochet:

The Outfit

By Fátima Saysell

The Greens were so excited about their annual autumn holiday in the

forest, packing clothes, food, toys, fishing gear, etc into their motorhome

that they hardly noticed the postman approaching their front door. Little

Alfie was the first one to notice and called for his mum, who was busy

struggling to fit all their holiday paraphernalia in their small wardrobe

in the back of their R.V.

– “ A parcel for you, Mrs Green”, announced the postman. And did he

look slightly so uneasy about the delivery?

– “Thank you, Mr Roberts”, replied Mrs Green, unable to prevent a

shiver as she picked up the parcel. Winter was approaching fast and

it wasn’t even the end of October yet.

– “Where are you off to this time?” inquired Mr Roberts, still looking

nervous, as if expecting to be caught in some sort of misdemeanour.

– “Only to Black Lake in the Old Forest. It’s great for fishing and

little Alfie is very keen to learn the sport with his dad this year and

do some night-time fishing, as he’s old enough now. He’s been asking

for weeks. I’ll be busy making his Halloween costume and this little

package here is just to complement the outfit. I know he’ll just love

it!” Added Mrs Green excitedly”.

– “Well, I hope you have a wonderful time and that the weather will

hold for you. You never know this time of year… Bye for now”

And with that, the worried-looking postman continued his delivery round

down the street. Had he really heard faint grunts and thuds coming from

the small box he’d just delivered to the Greens? Was the parcel shaking in

his hands as he took it out of the postbag? Was he imagining things?

Did he need a holiday too? After all, he hadn’t had a proper break since

the Easter holidays back in April. Maybe it was just stress.

“Bye”, called the 3 Greens at the same time, “Have a creepy Halloween”.

After a careful check on their ‘to pack’ list, the Green family were ready

to set off for their autumn break at their favourite holiday spot, only a

couple of hours down the road.

Amanda Green had been waiting impatiently for that delivery all morning,

hoping it would arrive before they left on their trip. She had decided to

make little Alfie a Frankenstein fancy dress for the upcoming Halloween

party at their community hall and she had commissioned a small crocheted

figure of the said monster from a very talented local artist with a

penchant for the gory and the macabre. Amanda had seen these little

monsters on the artist’s website and thought them the perfect

accompaniment for her 7-year-0ld son’s costume.

As for Alfie himself, he had shown from an early age a worrying and

even unhealthy interest in anything to do with the dead and the afterlife,

from dead flies on the windowsills to cemeteries, even the gravestones at

the local funerary parlour’s window. She often had to drag him away

from the window display and wished they didn’t live so close to it, as it

was impossible to miss on her daily walk to the local grocer’s. But he

would invariable stand there, transfixed, as if the gravestones were

talking to him. She could only hope he would grow out of it in time.

She was still thinking about how delighted Alfie would be with his

especially commissioned Frankenstein doll when Dave Green took the

turning into the Old Forest and the long and windy road to Black Lake

just after midday. No-one really knew why it was called Black Lake, as

it mainly reflected the green of the surrounding trees and the blue or the

grey of the sky, according to the weather, although legend had it that in

the depths of winter, on moonless nights, it was nothing but a pitch-dark

hollow in the ground where no-one ventured any more after a few nightfishermen

seemed to have drowned to their deaths trying to pull out their

heavy catch. But only the old folk remembered these stories and nobody

took any notice of such nonsense. The Greens loved the peace and quiet of

this perfect paradise so near their home and no stupid spooky tale was

about to put them off their so much longed-for autumn break.

Dave Green found a perfect pitch for them to park for the next 7 days,

before they were due back home for their community Halloween party and

then work. It was an ample flat area not 5 metres away from the

water’s edge, with plenty of room for their picnic table and chairs, as well

as the fishing bivvy (should it rain) and 3 low fishing chairs. Amanda

got busy getting lunch ready while Dave and Alfie enjoyed putting the

fishing rods together, baiting the hooks and setting up the bivvy, nets and

landing mat. After lunch, Amanda decided to put some finishing touches

to Alfie’s Frankenstein outfit and left her husband and son to bond,

baiting the lake and swapping stories.

Alfie was really enjoying being taught how to fish by his dad and copied

exactly what Dave showed him: how to tie the rig on the line, how to cast

out in the dark, the setting up of the bite alarms and where to put the

torches for easy reach when needed should they get lucky with a fish. He

just couldn’t wait for a big carp to take the bait. Dave, for his part, felt

tremendously proud of his son and delighted with his quick wit and

ability to learn. They both felt it was going to be the best holiday ever.

As the evening approached and darkness set in, Amanda called them for

their meal and they all sat outside at their picnic table enjoying the cool

evening air, the rustle of the trees and the reflections of their beautiful

surroundings on the lake.

When dinner was over, Amanda asked Alfie to come inside their motorhome

to try on the Halloween outfit. She was very pleased with the look and

how well it fitted her son, who was then a bit reluctant to take it off.

– “Oh, Mum, do I have to take it off? Why can’t I keep it on for a

little while?” Pleaded Alfie.

– “I don’t want it getting wet and dirty while you night fish with

Daddy, but you can have something special instead I bought for you

to go with your outfit.” Replied his mum soothingly and she quickly

fetched the box Mr Roberts had delivered earlier on in the morning.

– “What is it, Mum?” Asked Alfie impatiently.

– “Open it and see.” Encouraged Amanda with a loving smile.

Alfie ripped the wrapping paper as fast as his small fingers would allow

him and opened the box excitedly, taking the weird-looking figure out of

its prison and looking at it with wondrous eyes.

– “Oh my!” Cried Alfie with joy. “Mum, this is so cool! I bet no-one

in the whole world’s got something like this. It’s Wicked”. Can I

really keep it with me while I fish with Dad?”

– “Of course”, said Mum cheerfully. “It’s all yours now, so take good

care of it”.

– “Wow!”, exclaimed the child, “I won’t let if off my sight!”. And he

ran out of the motorhome to join his dad at the lake’s edge ready for

their night-time fishing session.

Alfie was mesmerised by all the evening activity around their camp and

swim in the last remnants of daylight. First it was the blackbirds flying

home to roost, then the swans settling on the bank for the night as well

as small mammals scurrying about for a last bite to eat before slumber

took them. He watched all this with the kind of fascination only a young

child on his first night in the great outdoors can show, all the while

holding his crocheted Frankenstein doll, cradling him like a baby. Every

now and then he would look down at his toy’s face and admire the details

on its tortured green face: the scars, the bolts, the far-away look, like not

belonging on this world, and, most scary of all, the twisted smile and

broken teeth. Was there a tiny splotch of blood on those teeth? Or was it

just some discarded red thread that got caught in its mouth while it was

being made? Maybe it was just the poor light as night was fast

approaching and his eyes were getting tired.

The first night fishing was pretty uneventful and without success, as no

fish took the bait, and little Alfie fell asleep in the stillness of the night,

while his dad kept vigil over the fishing rods. He didn’t even hear the,

cackles of the pheasants or the barking of the foxes and the hooting of the

owls, noises that could make the wisest of city-folk shake in their skins.

But Dave was accustomed to all these hair-raising sounds after a life-time

of night fishing and he too managed a few minutes of sleep here and

there.

Morning came and with it the sweet sound of robins followed by

blackbirds that woke Alfie up. He felt sore after his first night on hard

ground, but happy for having stayed out all night and not calling for his

mum. But best of all, he had his new toy still cradled in his arms.

It wasn’t until they were having breakfast that Amanda noticed the

marks on Alfie’s wrists.

– “Did you scratch your arms on that bramble?” She inquired.

– “What do you mean/?” Answered her son.

– “those marks on your writs. How did you get them?”

– “I don’t know, but they don’t hurt. Maybe I just fidgetted on the

ground while I was sleeping. I can’t remember getting them”.

– All right, then. We’ll clean them after breakfast.

The rest of the day unfolded smoothly with walks in the forest, picnics

and ball games until it was time to fish again. Alfie carried his doll

with him everywhere, like he’d promised his mum, either in his arms or in

his pocket during the ball games and would look at it every now and then

to reassure himself it was still there. If he had looked closer, he would

have noticed a distinct patch of blood around its mouth and under its

fingernails that had not been there before.

At nightfall again, Amanda went back inside the motorhome to read and

relax and Dave and Alfie resumed their night fishing. They’d been talking

and telling stories when a sudden pull on the fishing line made Dave stand

up quickly and rush for his fishing rod. Whatever was at the other end

of the line must have been big and powerful, as Dave had to stride into

the water in order to bring it in gently. Alfie followed suit, but in doing

so dropped his precious doll in the lake and. being so light in weight and

dark in colour, it didn’t make a sound as it hit the water, nor could it be

seen in the night. Somehow the doll glided along the water and

disappeared under Dave’s trouser leg without being noticed.

– “AAAAAUCH!” Screamed Dave in agony. “What was that?” He

reached for his right shin, still trying to hold on to his fishing rod

and rubbed it hard, desperate to ease the pain.

Luckily, he managed to retain control of the struggling fish at the end of

the line, being more important than the pain in his leg, and slowly but

surely and with great effort brought it into the net that Alfie was

holding for him. After removing the hook, they weighed their mighty

catch and were delighted to see that it went over the 20Kg mark and took

photographs of each other holding the carp before releasing it back into

the water. No wonder it had been such a struggle to land it!

After all the excitement, they decided to have a little break from the

fishing and try to get some sleep. Alfie reached for his pocket thinking

his doll was still there and cried out when he realised it was missing.

– “Dad, I’ve lost my doll. Can you see it anywhere?”

Dave grabbed one of the torches and started looking around. He

approached the shore of the lake and true enough, there it was, face up

and arms spread out, as if trying to breathe and stay afloat.

– “Here it is, Alfie, he announced happily. It’s a bit wet, but I’m sure

he’ll dry in the morning.

– “Thanks, Dad! Exclaimed Alfie with glee, relieved to have found his

new best friend safe and sound, and followed his dad into the safety

of their motorhome.

Neither of them had noticed the smudges of blood running from its mouth,

down its chin and onto its chest due to the dark night and their tiredness.

As they were sleeping in the warmth of their motorhome, with the

Frankenstein model perched on the edge of Alfie’s pillow, the night chorus

of the nocturnal forest animals could be heard, got louder and louder, with

a particular nerve-wrecking howl in the distance.

Dave’s eyes suddenly opened, all blood shot and mean as if dehumanised,

and a most gut-wrenching grin disfigured his face. He got up silently

and stealthily walked towards Alfie’s bed. The now hellish-looking doll

was staring right back at him and with some effort sat up by Alfie’s

head. He then whispered something into its friend’s ear and Alfie also

sprang into life as if summoned by some overwhelming power. The look

in his face when he saw his father’s eyes piercing right through him was

of sheer terror and the maddening scream that he was unable to stifled

woke his mother up.

With a start, Amanda jumped up on the overhead bed above the driving

area and hit her forehead on the ceiling, screaming in turn. She quickly

climbed down the steps onto the living area of the van and ran to her son’s

bed. There, she was confronted by her demonised husband, who swatted

her across the face, sending her reeling backwards and hitting her back

against the oven handle at the far end of their holiday home. Sore, she

stood up and stumbled back towards her still shrieking son, who was

trying to free himself from the grip of his father’s hand beginning to

close around his neck. Amanda looked around trying to find something to

help her son and found a saucepan on the drying rack. She lurched for it

and launched herself against her husband, holding the saucepan high above

her head. The saucepan found its target on the back of Dave’s head, who

plummeted down like a sack of potatoes.

Amanda quickly grabbed Alfie under his arms and carried him out of the

motorhome, running as fast as she could muster, leaving his beloved doll

behind. Dave came round just as quickly and followed them into the

night, with evil designs that only he could know, not noticing little

Frankenstein had got hold of his pyjamas’ leg during his struggle with

Alfie, where it hang for dear life.

Amanda put Alfie down behind a large tree and they both hid there for a

moment hoping to give Dave the slip, but they were soon alerted by the

crunching of leaves on the ground and his heavy running steps.

Amanda and Alfie set off again on a wild run only intuiting where they

were going rather than seeing in this darkest of nights. She was trying

to head for the windy road and ran in what she thought to be the right

direction, holding Alfie’s hand all the while. In their panic, they didn’t

notice the low branches bowing from the trees and she ran right into

them, scratching her face and blinding herself momentarily, falling to her

knees. At that moment, Dave Appeared from out of nowhere and snatched

Alfie from her hand, giving her a few kicks on her back, torso and head

before disappearing into the darkness with a limp Alfie hanging from his

arms. Dave seemed to be making his way back to the lake when Alfie

noticed his doll’s legs protruding from his father’s pyjamas’ pocket and

pulled it out.

Little did he know that his newest friend had turned into a devilish

creature and there was no denying it now: there was blood trickling down

his chin and between his teeth and the look on his eyes was of an

unnatural, fiendish and perverse nature never witnessed by a human

before. As Alfie brought it closer to his face to have a better look, the

demonic doll jumped to his neck and bit him hard, piercing through his

soft flesh. Alfie shrieked out in pain and slung the doll as far as he

could with whatever strength he had left in him. The doll hit a tree

branch and was immediately impaled through where its heart should have

been.

Almost immediately, Dave stopped running and collapsed to his feet,

dropping Alfie as he hit the ground. Alfie, quick on his feet, wasted no

time in returning to his mother, who still lay unconscious on the forest

floor. Alfie called for her repeatedly and shook her as much as his

exhausted body would allow, but to no avail. He was terrified to hear

what sounded like his father’s heavy steps approaching again and hid

behind the nearest tree once more. But what he saw wasn’t a monster

any more, but his dad, who had miraculously returned to his former self

and was lovingly picking his mother up into his arms, walking away back

to the water’s edge. Alfie followed at a self distance and watched his

father walking into the lake, still holding his mother in his arms, going

deeper and deeper until they completely disappeared.

Alfie waited and waited for his parents to return from the black depths

of the lake, but his wait was in vain. Exhausted, he fell to his feet and

into a deep slumber, only to awaken just before dawn with the call of the

early morning birds. As he opened his eyes, blood poured out of their

corners and a demonic grin tore his face apart. Nearby, a chuckle could be

heard coming from one of the trees.

I have to admit to loving stories that don’t end up all neatly tidy. The next story I absolutely adored, is Linny’s, again, because it didn’t quite end all “happily ever after…”

The knock at the door was the one I was waiting for, I was sure of it. Poppy bounced up and down with excitement. The dogs barked and started bounding around.

“Is it for me?” she yelled.

I answered the door in my dressing gown, stumbling over numerous toys, a tricycle and a cat as I made my way there. It was raining. The postman thrust the small parcel into my hands with a mumbled “morning love”. I signed with a sympathetic smile, then closed the door, almost trapping a cat in the process.

Poppy was falling over the same obstacles trying to get to me. “Is it for me mummy?” she said over and over again.

“Yes I think so. Shoo boys!” I yelled at the dogs.

We sat in the living room and I opened the parcel whilst Poppy climbed over my legs and the dogs tried urgently to sniff the package. Suddenly they both started to bark and whine.

“What’s the matter with you?” I asked, irritated. “Stop it!”

As I got the wrapping off and opened the box they backed away, whining, and laid in their bed, eyes transfixed on the box, heads down. “Stupid dogs,” I muttered.

“Mommy mommy! It’s a Frankenstein’s Monster!” Poppy yelled with glee. She loves monsters. I took the crocheted doll out of the box, examining its meticulous and particularly beautiful creation. We have some zombie dolls of Kim’s, and Poppy loves to play with them. But this was something else. It was so lifelike. I couldn’t even see the stitching.

“Wow,” I said.

“Give it to me mummy!” Poppy said and she snatched it from my hands, her fingernails scratching my fingers, drawing blood.

“Ouch. Careful love.”

She took the doll and ran off into her bedroom.Strange, I thought, she rarely plays alone. Relishing the rare quiet moment, I put my feet up and picked up my phone to write out a thank you note to Kim. Then I Facebooked for a few minutes. Poppy was being very quiet. Quiet when you have a three-year-old is always concerning. I tiptoed into the room to see what she was up to, anticipating scribbles on the walls, something in pieces on the floor, or at the very least her climbing something she shouldn’t be. But she was silent. Her new Frankenstein’s Monster doll was in her hands. She was just sitting there looking at it.

“You okay love?”

“Yes mummy,” she said without looking up.

“Do you want me to play?”

“No mummy.”

“Okay, well… I’ll be in the front room then.”

“Okay mummy.”

Once in the front room I picked up my latest book and started to read. Time always passes quickly when I’m reading. It was probably half an hour before I put it down and went to check on Poppy. Her silence was starting to become deafening.

But she was just sitting there, in the same spot, turning the doll around in her hands, looking at it.

“Poppy? Are you okay? You’re very quiet.”

“Yes mummy,” she said, stroking the monster’s hair.

“Well I think maybe that’s enough time with Frankenstein’s Monster. Let’s play with something else now.” I reached for the doll. But Poppy’s hand reached out and grabbed my wrist, hard. Her vacant eyes stared, as if right through me.

“Don’t touch him. He’s mine,” she said, malignantly.

“Let go! You’re hurting me!” I squealed. She’s only three! How could she be so strong? “Poppy, ouch!”

“Go away,” she growled. Really concerned, I stood up to call her dad. As I stood, I glanced at the doll in her hands. What the hell is going on?! And that’s when I saw it. The doll had definitely had a plain expression on his face when I took him out of the box. Now I could swear he was smiling. Creepy, I thought, …it must be my imagination.

Poppy’s dad was fishing. I picked up my phone and called him. There was no answer. Strange, I thought, he always answers. I tried him again… Still no answer. I left him a message, asking him to call me back urgently.

I looked at the dogs. They were still in their bed. They hadn’t moved. Suddenly I noticed all the cats were out of the house. Very odd. We have eight; there are usually a handful mooching about. I tapped my phone in my hands as my thoughts wandered. Poppy has been under the weather for a few days. Maybe I should take her to the doctors tomorrow, just for a checkup.

I went back to her bedroom to see what she was doing now, expecting her to be sitting in the same place.She really likes that doll, I thought with a slight chill. But she wasn’t. The doll lay discarded on the floor. Poppy was standing in the corner of her small room, facing the wall. I went over, “what are you doing?” I asked as I put my hand on her naked shoulder (she’s always naked). Her skin, under my hands, was icy cold. I turned her around, falling backwards in terror as I saw her face. Her eyes, like sunken holes, had turned up into her head. A look of sheer horror distorted her face. I screamed and fell onto her doll’s house, bruising my thigh painfully.

“Poppy!”

As I turned my head away from the horrifying spectacle of my daughter I saw the doll laying there. Its face, once a smiling mask, was now frozen in a terrifying grimace. Its mouth held dagger-like teeth. Its eyes seemed to be hungry.

I screamed, picked it up and threw it across the room. Then I went to my daughter. She was like a statue in my hands, frozen and silent; her mouth a drooping hole in her grey face; her eyes empty. “Poppy talk to me!” I yelled as I shook her. “Poppy!”

Then I felt her hands, crawling up my back like spiders climbing a wall. Fingernails dug into my flesh. Suddenly her eyes snapped into life. Her mouth opened, unnaturally wide, and the most horrifying, piercing scream I have ever heard came out of her. Only it didn’t seem to be coming from her… more through her, from somewhere else.

This can’t be happening! Think rationally! I yelled inside my head. But I couldn’t think straight. All I could do was stand there in horror and look into my precious daughter’s face, now a mask: empty and hungry. That screaming pierced my mind.

Finally I drew my gaze away. Far off I could hear the dogs going ballistic; barking and whining. I managed to pry those fingers from my back and threw Poppy back into the corner with as much strength as I could find. I turned to run, but tripped over a toy, banging my head sharply on the corner of her wardrobe. Suddenly everything seemed far away. As my eyes struggled to focus I could see that doll, standing there; its eyes now alive. Its hands reached for me; its mouth dripped with saliva. Those dagger-like teeth sparkled in the sunlight coming from the window. I couldn’t scream. I laid there, immobile, and then passed out….

….I came to in stages. At first all I was aware of was the pain in my head; a throbbing, dull ache that seemed to pulsate. I didn’t seem able to move. Everything was silent. Gradually I managed to lift my head, and my vision started to clear. I dragged myself to my knees, a considerable effort, and managed to crawl into the hall.

Blood. A trail of it led from the bedroom to the living room. My pulse drummed so hard I thought I would pass out again. I felt along the wall to steady myself as I managed to get to my feet and make my way to the room where the trail finished. I tried to prepare myself mentally for what I would see in there, but it was useless. The dogs… they were laying in the middle of the floor, their insides now on the outside. I screamed in horror. And in the middle stood Poppy, covered in blood, entrails dripping between her splayed fingers, that vacant look still in her eyes. She was covered in bites where the dogs had obviously put up a fight before their final, grizzly end. The Frankenstein’s Monster doll lay on the floor at her feet.

“It was that thing,” I heard myself say. As I pointed at it, its head turned towards me and it started to laugh: an unearthly, gurgling sound that seemed to penetrate my head, rather than ring in my ears. “You’re still you Poppy. That thing did this!”

But she just stared. Then the doll, now coming to life, started to drag itself across the floor towards me. Its body moved in a jerky motion; its arms stretched in unnatural angles as it seemed to stumble on its belly… head up, its eyes fixed on mine. I couldn’t stop watching it. THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING! my mind screamed. But still it came. Then Poppy let out that unearthly scream again as she too came towards me.

“My child,” I trembled as I felt a woollen hand touch my bare foot, “my precious child.”

Finally I kicked the doll across the room. It bounced against the wall, landed on the floor with a sound I can only describe as a squelch, and then resumed its jerky movement back towards me. Poppy reached me at the same moment, her teeth sinking into my thigh. I tried to scream but no sound would come out. The pain was excruciating. In desperation I tried to drag her off, but she was like something possessed… I couldn’t make her let go no matter how hard I tried. Now I was screaming, as the doll reached me again and sunk its shark-like teeth into my toe. It seemed to grow stronger as it tasted my blood; its arms closed around my ankle. Like a rabid rodent it eviscerated my toes, making a screeching sound like something from a nightmare. And still my precious daughter gnawed through my flesh.

To my horror I started to hit her in the face as hard as I could. I roared in pain and terror as I pummelled her nose to shards. And still she tore at my leg.

Then I fell to the floor. Either through shock or pain or fear, I couldn’t put up a fight any longer. And the last image that flashed through my mind as I died was of holding my precious daughter in my arms that very morning, before this whole nightmare began. She had been smiling. She had…… been…………….. happy. She had…. been………. alive………………………………………………………. *creepy evil giggling* Wasn’t that awesome! Ok, so the next one was written by Dreamcatch Mealla, and it is admittedly less creepy, but I also love the idea of my creation, well, making friends… It was an ordinary fall day as Meaella pulled into the post office parking lot and screeched to a stop. She was secretly hoping there would be a small package from Kim Sticks and Strings. You see she had recently won a one of a kind Frankenstein from a contest Kim had held. She ran through the swirls of leaves that blew gently in the autumn air. Quickly she turned the key in the lock and the metal box squeaked open. YES!!! There it was in all it’s glory. She grabbed it greedily and quickly scampered back to her car. Not able to contain her excitement any longer she quickly opened the perfectly wrapped package and peered inside. WOOHOO! she thought as she saw the most perfect work of creepy yarn art she had ever seen! Kim always had a way of making each piece of yarn art better than the one before it. After some time of soaking in the creepy awesomeness, Meaella realized she had tons of stuff to get finished that day. She would have to enjoy her coveted prize later. What was that! she thought as she slid the lid to the box closed. Surely he didn’t just wink at her did he? Oh wow! There goes my crazy imagination again she thought. Once back home she placed the box on the coffee table and hurried off to finish her chores. Hummmmmmm, laundry was not one of her favorite things to do, but then again, what chore ever was? She began sorting clothes tossing white in one pile, dark in another. What was that sound!? She paused and listened, … there it was again! SCRAAATCH, SCRAAATCH, THUMP! Meaella rolled her eyes, now what was that cat up to? One load of laundry started and moving on she thought! She quickly walked past the coffee table and glanced over at her prized box that HAD BEEN sitting there, when she froze dead in her tracks! …The box was on the floor and Frankenstein was no where to be seen! Oh no the cat must have it! She ran around the house like a mad woman searching for the cat hoping she would find it before Frankenstein could be shredded to bits. Why had she left him there, she should have known better by now. When she found Kitty, she was laying there in a deep sleep. How odd Meaella thought. It was then she heard more odd sounds. Rattle, crinkle CRASH! A ball of pale green yarn came rolling across the floor in front of her. Her heart was thumping hard against her chest as she peaked around the corner and into her craft room. To her amazement, THERE was Frankenstein on the floor among many skeins of yarn. How odd she thought, how did he come to be there? Had she maybe put him in the craft room instead of on the coffee table? As she walked over and picked up her wonderful creepy prize and looked over it to make sure it didn’t get damaged from the fall she noticed it was even more amazing than at first glance. It had tiny sculpted teeth. How awesome is that! Her heart bursting with happiness as she carefully sat Frankenstein down on a soft chair and continued on with chores. Half way through washing dishes she thought she heard a loud thump! Noisy neighbors! she thought to herself. Then without a doubt she heard something small and metal, (almost like a crochet hook falling) hit the floor in the craft room. Holding her breath, she quietly tip-toed to the craft room and peered in. Nothing looked out of place, but she could swear Frankenstein was grinning like the Cheshire cat. Meaella shivered and began to wonder if maybe Kim had made him just a little too realistic. Oh well, much to do, so off she bounced to continue on with chores. Oh how she did want to finish so she could settle in for some nice relaxing crochet time! As the day went on, so many strange sounds and Frankenstein mysteriously moving from place to place in the craft room had made Meaella weary by the time she sat down to crochet. Now we all know that every crocheter makes mistakes now and again and has to frog some of their work. But Meaella was different, she never frogged her work. If she made an arm or leg wrong, she would just keep it, secretly hoping she would be able to use it later to make another project. These body parts were kept in a paper bag next to her chair. As she sat in her comfy chair resting her eyes for a bit before she began her new project, she was startled as the bag began to rattle. Catching her breath her heart began pounding as she slowly gathered enough courage to peak over the arm of the chair and into the bag of body parts. Then came a quick sigh of relief, it was Kitty playing with the bag. Wait a minute, there was Frankenstein in the bag of body parts. This creepy little guy was starting to make her crazy! He seemed to never stay in the place she put him! At first she thought she was just being forgetful of where she had placed him, but now she was beginning to worry just a little he may really be alive! But then again she did seem to have a wild imagination, everyone always told her so. She slowly leaned back against her cozy chair and daydreamed about how she was going to arrange all of her wonderful collection of crochet items she had been collecting from her awesome yarny friends. Reaching over and grabbing her favorite crochet hook and the yarn she was using for her newest project she began to crochet. Squeak, squeak, clickety clack, squeak, squeak, clickety clack went her crochet hook, weaving in and out of the yarny piece of art she was working on. She was so focused on her work and the constant rhythm it was making, she paid no attention to anything else around her. If she had she would have noticed the paper bag of body parts began to rattle loudly and rock back and forth. With a loud sound as though someone had wadded up a piece of paper into a ball, the bag crashed onto it’s side. Frankenstein was free to go about his way but instead he just sat there amongst the lovely body parts. Oh what to choose! All around him were such lovely goodies! Green yarny arms with tiny little fingers, orange legs with little pink toes, half finished wigs in any color one could want, bodies, hair, arms, legs and heads made out of every color of beautiful yarn you could think of. Frankenstein cautiously climbed the cord of the brightly shining lamp all the way up to the table top. Walking about he found the wonderful shining needle he was hoping for and pushed it over the edge. It made a tiny metal clanking sound as it hit the floor, he froze in place looking at Meaella. No, she hadn’t noticed a thing. So he jumped from the table top and landed with a soft thud on the pile of body parts. It was now time for his work to begin. He sat about collecting the perfect arms and legs, body, head and hair. Stitch by stitch he wove the yarn needle through the gathered pieces. PERFECT he thought to himself as he watched the pieces slowly come together. The sound of rain began to patter on the window panes and every once in a while a bolt of lightning would light up the evening sky and a loud clap of thunder would roll across the room. Perfect weather Frankenstein thought as he continued to stitch. And then, there she was in all her glory. THE PERFECT WOMAN!!! Her eyes were rather large for her face he thought, but that just added to her beauty. He was very proud of what he had accomplished giving he only had limited options to choose from. Her hair had been sculpted out of two incomplete wigs, one of white the other of black which he thought complimented her light lavender dress beautifully. The dress looked like it had been sculpted out of a large morning glory and he had stitched it here and there to make the perfect fit. Her tiny pale green fingers and pretty baby pink toes made her the most beautiful creature he had ever seen! But she lay there lifeless which made him rather sad. As he sat on the floor next to her he gazed out the window at the flashes of light and listened to the pitter pat of the falling rain and to the rolling thunder, and an idea entered into his thoughts. Little by little he slowly drug her across the room. He began climbing the curtain dragging her up with him, but alas he lost his grip and she thudded to the floor. Meaella wiggled in her chair as she heard the thud. She blinked and rubbed her weary eyes. Oh how she loved listening to the sounds the rain made. She stretched and slowly rose from her chair and began to walk towards the window to have a better look at the storm, when her foot bumped against something on the floor and it slid to a stop a few feet in front of her. To her surprise, it was Frankenstein again. This was something she was coming to expect. As she leaned down to pick him up she saw something sticking out from under the curtains edge. She quickly picked up Frankenstein and rushed over to the window to see what was there. Little pink toes lay there. She quickly moved the curtains back and there she was… glorious, beautifully made, but how Meaella wondered. She looked at Frankenstein as she picked up the wonderfully stitched female doll. Did he just flash a grin full of teeth at her again? To much imagination for one day she thought still wondering where the beautiful female doll had came from. She lay them both down on the windows edge and scurried off to get ready for bed. Then exactly at midnight a loud rolling clap of thunder shook the house rattling the windows and brilliant flashes of lightning lit up the sky…. and there on the windows edge, the female doll slowly sat up and looked around and flashed a smile at Frankenstein with her lovely pale green teeth. Early the next morning Meaella ran to the craft room and to her amazement there on the windows edge sat Frankenstein and his lovely bride that she had made for him out of the bag of body parts. They are the perfect pair she thought as she reached for them to take them to the shelf she had specially made for them. But right before she picked them up she froze with her hand still outreached. Did they both just wink at her? She shivered because they were now both grinning at her showing their teeth. It was then the phone rang loudly and startled Meaella. She opened her eyes and looked around the room and realized she had fallen asleep in her chair. The phone rang again and startled her again. She quickly grabbed the phone before it had the chance to ring again. It was Kim wondering what Meaella thought of the lovely Frankenstein and if she had noticed anything odd about him. She quickly glanced toward the window but Frankenstein was not there. Meaella told Kim just how awesome and creepy he was but decided to keep Frankensteins adventures to herself for fear Kim would think she was completely insane! It was always a nice way to start an early morning, good conversation with a lovely friend, Meaella thought as she hung up the phone. She quickly made herself a nice cup of steaming coffee and began preparing to run her morning errands when the box on the coffee table caught her attention. Did you just rattle? Holding her breath she opened it up and there was Frankenstein laying inside, all neat and perfect, just as she remembered him looking the day before in the parking lot at the post office. As she stared at his perfect creepiness she wondered if she had just imagined everything that had happened the day before. She took him out of the box and placed him on the shelf she had made for him and as she turned to walk away he fell forward just a little bit and hung his head over the edge of the shelf. Had he done that on his own? Maybe…. maybe not, only Meaella knows! But for now, she must get to work on his beautiful bride…. That story totally makes me smile! A bit weird, a bit creepy, but he gets a BRIDE!!! LOVE!!! The next story is by a lovely hooker named Amguruthi, and has a different twist… enjoy! The woman in the next window was whistling ‘I don’t like Mondays’ this week. Last week it had been ‘Rainy days and Mondays’. Next week it would probably be ‘Manic Monday’ or some other pseudo-appropriate jingle. Week in week out, it was the same. An inane musical interlude, stuck in my head for the rest of the day, no matter how many times I tried to think of other songs. She must look up a new one every week. Surely there can’t be that many left now? “I’m going to take this bin down to the warehouse,” I mumbled to the Americas Got Talent hopeful, getting up from my stool and escaping as quickly as I could. As I gave the big, metal container a mighty shove to start it moving, the top package fell off, clanging against the side and skidding to a stop by the wheel. “Grab some more large padded envelopes on your way back up, Frank,” someone called to me. I turned to respond in the affirmative, grabbing for the fallen package at the same time. My hand hit empty air and I scrabbled around blindly for a few moments, before sighing and looking back to where I’d thought it had landed. The package was a couple of meters further over, sitting perfectly still, but not at all where I’d expected. “Wow, you really jumped there,” I laughed, slinging it back inside and continuing on my way. The bin was pretty heavy – I was glad I’d been driven away by the whistling now, while I could still move it. Yeeeessssss…. The pipes were hissing more than usual today. Wiggling a finger through the wax in my ear, I ignored the dissonance the noise caused and entered the goods elevator. I hated the goods elevator – a rattling, wobbly, slimline tube, just enough room for me and the bin and a little bit of oxygen. A necessary evil though if I wanted to get the packages down to the boys in sorting and delivery. I tried to whistle cheerfully as the cage began its creaking descent, but I got the oddest feeling that someone was laughing at me, so I let the notes die out. Silence crept back in. Which meant I could no longer ignore the squeal of metal scraping against metal, and the ominous clank of chain links being fed over the turning wheel. The entire elevator felt like it was vibrating, a humming I could feel through my toes and all the way up my spine. “Comeoncomeoncomeon…” I whispered. “Makeit, makeit, make…” CLANK. “…it.” The cage shuddered to a halt, the lights going off briefly before a stark, red emergency light clicked on. The bin rolled over my foot as inertia kicked in. Three or four packages fell to the floor. Swearing like a soldier, I knelt down to gather up the spillages, looking round for the emergency call button as I did. From the way the other workers talked, this happened to everyone at least once, but so far in my career I’d managed to avoid it. I slammed the red button with an angry fist and sat myself down for the long wait, starting to feel hot, sweaty and more than a little annoyed. The cage creaked alarmingly, and I imagined snapping sounds coming from the cable holding it up in the air… “Stop it, Frank,” I scolded myself. As I wiggled my body into the gap between the bin and the wall, my boot glanced off a missed package. Unwilling to wiggle back upright to put where it should be, I kicked at it with the toe of my boot, trying to manoeuvre it against the wall so I could drag it to me for a slam dunk style throw back home. The package flipped up into the air, a cartwheel of incredible yet unheard of skill I felt, considering my only soccer experience had been aged five, when I had made it out onto the pitch, been kicked in the shins by a bigger boy three minutes in, and then spent the rest of the ninety minute match sobbing on the bench. It landed in my hands, just as the pipes gave off another long hiss. Yeeeeeeeesssssssssss… It was an odd package. Very light, and on the small size. A hole had been bashed in one corner from its various trips to the floor. I turned it towards the light, looking into the hole. An eye was pushed against the gap, glaring out at me. Hiiiiiya Fraaaaaanky. Screaming, I threw the box against the doors of the elevator, thrusting my hands over my face. It hit the metal full force, and burst open at the top. A toy fell out, a patchwork creation in a variety of greens. Peering out from between splayed fingers, I appraised it carefully. It lay on its face, still, unmoving. Untalking. Of course. “Just a doll,” I laughed. “Just a doll. You’re just freaking out.” I rested my head back against the wall of the elevator, eyes closed, and took a few deep breaths, laughing in relief. “Just a…” The words dried up in my throat. The doll had gone. I looked up at the bin, and back at the empty box, back at the empty spot of floor. No longer empty. The doll was stood there, grinning at me. A woollen mouth, twisted into a macabre grimace, embroidered eyes glinting horrifically, a spot of congealing blood splashed across the forehead. A barbaric looking icon, rendered in yarn. “You’re imagining it,” I gasped, screwing my eyes closed and burying my fists into my eye sockets. “You’re claustrophobic, you’re freak out and you’re imagining it.” Slowly, I lowered my hands and opened my eyes. The doll was gone again. Fraaaaaaanky… All the hair on the back of my neck was standing up. The voice was coming from above me. Sluggishly, I craned my head upwards, incrementally, moving millimetres over the course of what felt like hours. The doll pounced…

Once again, a story where it’s not all tied up neatly, heeheehee, because sometimes creepy needs to be left to run amok!!! This next story comes from Jaynee Afloattoast, and just makes me smile–I love it when a mum decides to take a chance on a monster…

Stretch bright and early, time to get ready then check some e-mails. AH HA! I received the tracking number for Memphis’s Franky last night. Judging by the time line he will be here this afternoon. This means I will have to rush home and beat the kids to the mailbox. Normally I wouldn’t mind them checking the mail, but this lil guy is a surprise. Every year since he was a baby we have gotten him a new Frankenstein. He has always loved him, if they were stuffed animals or mini figures. BUT this year he is special, hand stitched in all his perfection. Oh I cannot wait to see him. It’s only the second week of Oct, so I will have to keep him hidden for a bit. Nevertheless I am excited!

I go to work as usual and leave just a tad early. The anticipation is killing me! There, a box in the mail, I just know it’s him. I snatch him up and head to the bedroom before anyone else gets home. I rip into the box to find a very kind note from the maker. How excited she was to make him and would like to know how Memphis takes to him. I shuffle through the box a little until I catch ahold what I think to be a leg, and just rip him out. Oh man is he awesome! He’s the perfect shade of green (like the original Frankenstein), and is made up of different people’s “body parts”. He does look a lil “dry” though so to say. Kind of like he is thirsty. How odd.

I put him in a smaller box on my vanity attached to my bedroom. I know the kids never search for things that are hidden in plain sight, so he will be safe. I head off to cook dinner and wait for their arrival. After dinner’s put away, dishes done, and the twins are in bed I tell William that I’d like to show him the Franky we are giving Memphis for Halloween. He almost seems as eager as I was, like a kid in a candy shop. When I get to the room I hear that the water is dripping in the sink, and give the handle a small twist to shut it off. I grab the box with Franky in it and notice the water droplets. Huh? Lifting the lid I see that he is a little damp now compared to his “dry” state earlier. I cannot help but think that somehow the twins found him and played with him. Sigh.

Rise and shine early as always, but the morning comes too fast. We didn’t sleep well last night. It sounded like things kept getting knocked off the vanity and pushed around. I figure it was just our cat messing with stuff. As I get out of bed I see the disaster that was a vanity. Makeup powder on the cabinets, everything knocked over, and eyeliner on the wall. Does that really say “hi”? Wow, how weird the cat was lucky enough to somehow accidently write a word on the wall. I wonder how he did it. Well at least that explains all the noises through the night. I check Franky just to see how dirty he is. Luckily the cat had set a washcloth over him, sort of like a blanket that protected him. Good day then!

The last week has been a bit of an annoyance. You see everything keeps getting moved around at night and all this noise being made. I think we will have to put the cat outside tonight. As I am shutting down the house I toss the cat in the backyard. He will be just fine out there for one night. He has blankets and pillows, food and water. So I don’t feel so bad in the long run. I head off to bed making sure everything is in its proper place. About 3am here comes the clinging and clacking. I get up and turn on the light by the vanity to be able to see in the sheer darkness. Ah Franky’s box is open and nowhere to be seen. I bet the twins are in the living room playing with him right now. Stubborn kids. I creep into the living room, making sure to step lightly so I don’t have to turn on any lights. Ah HA! I hit the light expecting to catch them giggling and playing but there’s no one there. I wonder and look around the room when I see the small dark figure running down the hall. How did the cat get back in? I casually walk to my room. As I put my hand on the light switch I look down to see him.

Franky is laying back down into his box and covering up with his washcloth as a blanket. “It’s you! This whole time it’s been you!” I yell. William stirs some in his sleep. I decide this is not the best place to have this conversation at this time of morning. I grab Franky up and head to the kitchen. I sit there and just stare at him. Waiting for him to move, to say something. Does he talk? Oh I know what I saw and I know that he can walk on his own. I guess I dose off because I am woken up by a dripping on my nose. But when I open my eyes it is no drip, it’s Franky tapping on my nose. “I knew it!” I am yelling again. I startle him, I shouldn’t have yelled. I apologize quickly, “Please do not run, I am sorry I scared you. You scared me a little.” We sit there and eyeball each other for a few minutes. Then I realize how rude I have been. “I know you’re name, Frankenstein, but Franky for short. Where are my manners, I am Jaynee,” I politely try to introduce myself. He just turns his head and looks at me. Maybe he can’t talk after all.

Franky hobbles over to a pen and looks like he is about to write on the table. I quickly jump up and grab a piece of paper startling him again. “Will you please write on the paper? We do not write on tables, or walls,” I cock my eyebrow at him and slide the paper over. He writes “hi”, in the same writing that was on my vanity wall. I exclaim, “Things finally make sense again. I thought it was the cat or the twins sneaking around at night. Yet it was you. Taking drinks and playing. Oh are you hungry?” My new found friend rubs his tummy showing that in fact he is hungry. What do toy monsters eat though? I gently pick him up in my friend and take him to the fridge. “Whatever you like, it’s yours,” I tell him. He hops out of my hand a grabs one of the Babybel cheese wheels. He will get along well with Memphis I think. Oh wait! Can I give Memphis a live toy? He is a “monster” after all, could he hurt him? I almost forget about Franky being in the fridge with all my new questions, and just shut the door. “Oops! Sorry about that, I have a lot of things running through my head right now,” I say as I pick him up. “I have never met a “real” monster before.”

“I have to be honest. I bought you as a gift for my son. He also has never met a “real” monster. I have a fear you could hurt him, and try to eat his brains or something,” I rationalize with him. As he eats his cheese he gets a crayon to write, which is much easier to handle then the pen. I watch his little arms form the letters, and spells “zombies”. “Zombies? You are not actually a zombie. I gotcha, so you won’t eat his brains. That’s good to know. Halloween is tomorrow night as you may know. That’s when I am supposed to give you to Memphis,” I explain wondering if he understands all of the words I am using. The crayon is moving again as he writes “friends”. A smile stretches across my face, “Yes you and Memphis will be friends. He has a twin sister also who may want to be your friend.” He’s not a monster at all. Just an odd little creature, who is very friendly.

I start to explain all of the rules of the house with him. He will have a regular bedtime along with the twins. Will have to take baths on occasion. We are not mean to the cat. Your manners must be minded. Even if we are bored we do not break things or move them. That he can only leave the house if William and I will be around because otherwise it is unsafe. He does not object to any of the rules, and seems to be fairly excited about meeting the twins. It’s still really early so we decide to go back to bed for a couple of hours. I tuck him into his box and crawl into bed myself. A couple of minutes later I feel a tug on the blankets. I look down to see him climbing up. “You can sleep next to me,” I tell him as I lift him up and put him under the blanket. I know it’s a risk if Memphis was to see him, but he’s so cold.

Halloween morning, YAY! The air is crisp and the house smells of pumpkin spice. I had the most amazing dream about having a conversation with Memphis’s new Frankenstein. I turn over to look out the door and see if the twins are out of bed when I feel something lying on my arm. I turn down the blanket and see Franky. It wasn’t a dream. It was real and here he is. “Franky, wake up. You have to go back in the box,” I whisper to him. “I will come in and get you shortly.” He nods and I take him to the box and cover him back up to sleep for a bit. I wake the twins and William. Halloween mornings may as well be as good as Christmas at our house. We have a big breakfast and start to get ready for the day. We all wear costumes throughout the day. It’s more fun this way and more of a tradition.

After our costumes are on we get the twins gifts. Kyleigh loves cats. So she always gets a Halloween cat stuffed animal. Half the time we have to let her pick it out and save it till Halloween, since she has so many of them. Memphis on the other hand has no idea. I decide to take William to the bedroom and quickly brief him on our new friend. He looks at me like I am crazy, so I decide to just show him. “Franky, it’s time,” I say opening the box. “Say hello to William.” Franky sits up and waves. William can’t help but smile and is so excited to show Memphis. We tell the twins to sit down in the living room. I carry him out sitting up in my hand. He has a huge smile on his face.

Memphis just lights up with joy when he sees him. “Mommy he’s perfect!! Can I hold him?” Memphis hops up to greet him. I decide it would be better to show then to tell. “Hold on, let him decide to come to you,” I tell Memphis as I sit on the floor. He just turns his head and looks at me as he sits back down. “Franky this is Memphis and Kyleigh, the new friends I told you about. Would you like to say hi?” Franky winks at me and I sit him on the ground. Slowly he stands to his feet and hobbles over to Memphis. He gives him a big hug around his foot. “Friends” I think. Poor Memphis is just dumbfounded with his jaw dropped. “How…? What…? But you…? Did he…?” Memphis shambles out. I explain to him that Franky is the most special Frankenstein I have ever found and that he is his new special friend. I told him about the cat and the vanity, even about how he told me “hi” on the wall. How we stayed up all night talking, and how he knows all of the rules I will explain to the twins. Memphis looks like he is about to cry. “Hun what’s wrong I thought you would be as excited as I am?” I say to him. “Mommy I am just so happy, thank you and William for my new best friend. I could never ask for anything more special,” he tells me as he picks up Franky and they hug each other. What an amazing Halloween.

I take pictures to share with his creator Kim. In the picture Franky is sitting in Memphis’s hand waving. His arms are not able to be posed. But I think surely she has to know how special this creature is. I look at the picture one last time before sending it to her, and see he is winking. “Oh she knows,” I say smiling.

I love that he can stay, there are just rules. Monsters CAN follow rules, especially when their new home is so cool!!! The next story was written by Candi, and I just love how sweet it is…oh and there’s some swearing!..

Luci was excited when the package came in the mail. It wasn’t addressed but she knew it was for her. Her Grand-mama, who was her favorite person in the world, had won a contest for telling stories, and this was the prize. It had been sent weeks before but mail had been interrupted in some places due to something that her Dad said was “not for her ears”. Grand-mama said some people were hurt at a post office but that police say they were bad people and no one knows who did it. Luci held the package close and hugged it. Then pulled it back and looked at the bold black writing on the front. It had been torn and taped together leaving a large scar in the middle, and Luci ran her hand across the smooth tape. Reaching up into the box she grabbed the rest of the mail and hurried back inside.

Luci peeked inside Dads bedroom to see him still sleeping. Then lay the mail on his desk in the kitchen. Getting her pop tart she sat on a chair and looked at the package sitting on the desk. She really wanted to open it. When it hadn’t arrived by the time Grand-mama left from her visit, she had said it could be Luci’s gift. Luci wanted to see it very badly but knew Dad would be upset if she didn’t wait. Luci felt as if it wanted her to open it! Looking again toward the bedroom, then back at the package, she realized she had gotten up. Luci didn’t remember getting up, but she stood right before the desk.

Running a finger on the corner of the yellow envelope she felt the soft fibers where it had been ripped and worn, and folded over to be tapped. Again her hand ran across the tape, and pressing harder she felt the lump beneath. She thought it pushed back but knew that it couldn’t, of course. Leaning in again she pressed it again, as she looked to the bedroom. Dad would sleep for a long time, and she had to be quiet. He worked last night and if she woke him, he would be cranky. She didn’t usually mind, but today, she wanted to open the package. She pressed on it again, feeling the lump, then whispered to it. “Your going to be my best friend” Luci imagined she felt it push back.

All morning as Luci read her books, and listened to Dad,s IPOD with the earplugs, she kept finding herself holding the package. She wanted so badly to open it!Finally Dad got up, but he was late for his other job, so he wouldn’t slow down, and listen. Luci kept trying to tell him it came, and he just said comb your hair, or get your shoes, or grab your bag. On the bus she thought about the package at home on the desk. When they got to the cafe though, she was distracted while everyone said Hello. Then she sat at the booth in the kitchen where employees got to sit, Emily was sitting there doing Homework. Emily was a teenager, and she worked afternoons, Luci liked her because Emily treated her like a big person. She didn’t talk to her like she was a baby.

“Hey Luce! How ya doin’ Sweets?”

“I’m OK. I got a package today”

“Really? Cool. What ya get? Oh hold the thought kiddo, I have an order up.”Luci watched as Emily stepped away to get an order, knowing she wouldn’t be back. It got busy this time of day. Slipping onto her knees she reached across and put Emily”s papers into the book and shut it, before sliding them to the side so no one would spill stuff on them. Then she got into her own bag for her crayons and color book. She was surprised when she opened the bag. There inside was the package. Luci knew she didn’t put it there.

She reached in and grasped the package, but didn’t pull it from the bag. How did it get there? Maybe Dad was listening. Maybe he had put the package in the bag for her. Maybe he was saying she could have it. Peering inside she saw it wasn’t open yet. Dad had said she could only have it if he approved. He didn’t always approve of Grand-mama”s choices. Like when she let Luci watch ‘reanimation’ on TV. Luci had woke up at night and didn’t like cats so much now. He would want to see the doll Grand-mama won. Grand-mama said ‘a creepy friend’ made it, and that kinda freaked Dad out. It made Luci happy. Dad didn’t know but Luci had watched ‘Reanimation’ again, she liked it. Kids at preschool sometimes called Luci creepy, because she liked bugs, so she was glad Grand-mama had creepy friends. Luci pushed the package back into the bag, and began to color, but she couldn’t forget it was there. At last orders slowed, so Luci climbed from her booth, and went to ask her Dad if she could have it now. As she neared him, he turned w a pan and almost ran her over!

“Dammit! Luci! Are you OK? You know you cant do that!” She felt him scoop her up and carry her to the sink, where he ran cold water over his hand. She could she it was all red where it had been burnt. “Luci, love, what were you thinking?”

“I’m sorry, I just wanted my doll, I didn’t mean to!” tears welled in her eyes and she tried to stop them but she couldn’t

“sshhhshhh Luci, love, Im OK Look!” he waved his hand around, and poked her tummy. “I was more worried you were hurt. Promise not to leave the booth anymore,” she nodded as he put her down in the booth. “Good. Now be good and I am going to go clear the board.”

“But.. Dad! Can I have my doll?”

“Sure Luci, love, and fries as soon as I’m done with the customers orders.” He was already back at the big stove shuffling things around, and glancing at the tickets hanging on the board.

He had said she could have her doll though so she tugged it onto the table and poked at the corner where there was a small cut in the envelope. She wiggled a finger in, and tried to pull it open further. Luci didn’t think she was getting anywhere but she felt something grip her finger! She pulled her finger out and looked at the package. Slowly she wiggled her finger in again, and felt soft material inside, she also felt it move in there! It moved and used her finger to push the envelope up, she felt the hole get bigger, so she wiggled a second finger in. It took a long time but the hole was bigger. She and her friend couldn’t get it any bigger tho. Luci tried putting her eye to the hole but could not see inside. She tried pulling the tape off the huge rip across the front, but it was stuck.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out. I just don’t know how yet.” she whispered. A tiny hand reached out the hole and waved around. “Oh. Your missing a finger! You poor thing. Look how sloppy they sewed you up! Grand-mama could do better than that!” The tiny hand patted her finger, and she felt as if it was saying it was OK.

“Hey Luce, if ya gotta go pee, lets go, my boyfriend is coming to pick me up in 5 minutes.” Emily placed some fries on the table and gathered her books.

“I’m good.” Luci pushed the fries away and went to pet the hand again, but it was gone. She wiggled her finger into the hole, but couldn’t feel anything there either.

“Whats up, Luce?” Emily asked as she swung her bad over her shoulder.

“I cant get him out.”

“Him who?”

“I don’t know yet. Grand-mama gave me her prize, she said its a doll, but I cant get him out.”

“Then how do ya know its a He?”

“Don know, just do.” Luci replied as she stuck a third finger into the growing hole.

“want me to help?” Emily glanced to the front,”Give it up, kiddo, if I’m gonna help I gotta do it quick. John is here.”

“Um… OK.” Luci cringed as Emily snatched it up and grasping either side of the hole she tore the package. Tried to anyway. It had so much tape on it that it only tore part way. Straining Emily tried again, and was reaching for a knife when Luci, afraid her new friend would be injured, cried out, “I think I can get my hand in!” Emily paused, and shrugging handed it back.

“OK then, Luce. See you tomorrow.” Luci watched as she bounced out the door waving to everyone as she went.

“You OK in there?” Luci peered inside as held the hole open a bit. “I think I might be able to get you out.” She reached her hand in but he had slipped to the bottom and she could barely reach the very top of his head.

“Move over Shorty” Darrin dropped a big tray over silverware and napkins on the table with a clang as he dropped beside her. “Gwen, you going to help, or not?” he yelled across the kitchen. Several people told him to hush up, two using bad words. Luci smiled. This meant Dad would be done soon. He only worked the ‘rush’ “What happened,” he asked as he rolled a knife, fork, and spoon into a napkin “Manilla-man eat your hand?” He laughed loudly, and Luci joined in. She didn’t get the joke, but Darrin made her giggle anyway. Grand-mama said some people hid magic in their laugh. Luci thought that Darrin must. He made everyone laugh, even when they were mad at him.

“nope. Did you made ‘mad cash’?”

“Not bad, but not mad, Shorty” Darrin bumped her with his arm and she moved over further. “So whats hanging off your hand?”

“Oh!” Luci held her hand up and was shocked there was no package. There clutched in her hand was a little man. He had stitches on his hand and head, and one leg was larger than the other. A brown coat missing one sleeve, and a smear of red on it, and black pants. She was in awe. He was perfect!

“Man, that is one ugly dude.” louder he continued “Jimmy, dude, you gotta get this kid some real toys.” Darrin dropped the silver on the pile, and plucked him from her hand. “Kinda cool though, this dude looks to seen some trauma.”

“Thats Frankenstein.” Gwen dropped across from them in the booth, and took the small man. “I do some crafty stuff, but this is great detail.”

“Frankenstein was the doctor. This here is Frankenstein’s Monster.” Kay sat next to Gwen, as Gwen handed him back to Luci.

“He isn’t a monster, He is my friend.” Luci hugged him before looking closer at the details. When he winked, she smiled. “He is nice! Not a monster”

“We are all a little bit monster, sweets.” Kay rolled the silver as she talked. “It was the people who feared something different that said he was a monster. Doctor Frankenstein called him an experiment. You can call him friend if you want”

“lord knows we all need friends,” Gwen said around the fry she had taken from the basket. “but I think, Jimmy can do better than that for his girl. Its great work but not very pretty for a princess.”

“He is ugly, but so am I and she is my friend!” everyone laughed at Darrin’s joke but Luci stopped listening. She just held him, and thought, she did not care what he looked like, he was her friend, and everyone needed friends.” All week Luci took her friend everywhere she went. At night he sat on her night stand, He went to the cafe with her, and to the garage where Dad fixed paint jobs and dents. Once she thought she left him on the edge, of the sink, another time at the office where Dad talked to the bank lady. He always was with her though. He never was left behind, because she would find him in her pocket, or her bag, or on her pillow. Dad didn’t like him very much but he didn’t take him away. Twice He bit her, and while its true, he drew blood. It wasn’t much. She didn’t mind, it didn’t really hurt.

On Monday Dad had the day off from both jobs. Luci was very excited. That was a rare thing. Dad said if she was quiet in the morning while he slept, he would take her to the park, or to the science museum, where they had all kinds of stuff for kids. Luci and her friend, listened to Dads IPOD, and she let him pick the songs. She liked PINK, he liked OBLIDIAN. They colored, and he sharpened the crayons for her. Then she made lunch. He got a tiny curl of raw hamburg, and she had two slices of cheese on bread. She took extra time getting her hair up in a pony tail, and she took a jacket off her Ken doll so He could dress up. She told him all about the museum, where you can make bubbles bigger than Dad, and about swinging in the park. He couldn’t talk back, but she always knew how he felt, what he wanted. It was like she could hear him in her head.

When Dad got up, and dressed they started to leave. Since it was a pretty day Dad said they would go to the park. He wanted her to leave Him behind, but when she explained, He didn’t like to be alone Dad gave in. He told her to keep him in her pocket though, so He would not be lost. Luci agreed, but she knew, her friend would never be lost. He told her so.

At the park Dad pushed them on the swing, and the merry-go-round. Her friend liked the monkey bars best, He was a good climber if no one was looking. Her favorite was when Dad went on the teeter totter with them. As the sky turned pink and orange, Dad took them for chili and grilled cheese sandwiches. Dad told her to keep her friend off the table, but He snuck back up and hid behind the napkin holder. Luci was tired and could hardly think about the walk home. They had missed the last bus on this side, so they would have to walk back through the park, to catch the bus that stopped by the pet shop. Luci wished they could go in and see the lizards, but knew it would be closed this late.

They hadn’t gotten hardly to the gates when Dad picked her up, afraid she was walking too slow and they would miss the bus. Luci clutched her friend in one hand, and Dad’s color in the other, she lay her head down on his shoulder, and drifted off thinking One big, One small, but these were the two men she loved more than any one else.

“What you doing with that pretty little thing?”

“You don’t wanna mess with us, asshole.”

Luci woke as Dad jostled her in his arms, she was about to ask what was going on, when something bounced off Dad’s head and grazed her brow. Then she was falling. Dad curled around her as a man kicked at them, his friends shouting. She wasn’t sure what was happening but she saw Him on the ground, and Dad was rolling with her. Then Dad was grabbing at the guys leg, and shouting. It took her a moment to realize he was telling her to run! Luci gripped Him to her chest, as He was now in her hand, and ran, and ran. When she could not breath anymore she tried to hide. First behind a bench, but from there, she could see Dad on top of a guy knocking him into the ground. Then another guy hit Dad w a bottle, and Luci cried out as she started to run back to him. Her friend pulled on her hood though, and pointed to the tunnel that went to the jungle gym. She wanted to go to Dad, but He wanted her trust, so just like she obeyed Dad she would obey her friend. She ran to the tunnel and hid. Luci had not been so afraid, since they took Mommy to the hospital last year. Mommy never came home, and that made Luci cry even more. She reached up in her hood where He had been, but He was gone! Luci let out a whimper that she could not hear beyond the noise in her ears. Jimmy pulled himself up slowly from the damp ground. He knew he had taken quite a beating, and that it would be even worse later. He looked around the park in the early dawn. The street lights were still on, and the fog was still thick, but not so thick, he could not see the man laying bloody, and broken next to where he had been. Another lay, another % feet beyond the path. There had been 5 of them, and he had taken two. Those two? The one across the path, yes. This one? Maybe. Or not. It didn’t matter, only one thing did. “Luci. Luci!” he cleared his voice and tried again as he headed into the park. “Luci! Lucia Marie! Baby Girl, where are you?” Panic gripped his heart as he held his ribs and began a soft but painful jog into the direction he saw her run. He stopped, trying to get his bearings. He had seen her and that awful doll his mother-in-law had given her running down the path. He changed direction, coming up short. How could she have run with the doll if he remembered one of the attackers hitting him, and the doll had been on the mans arm, and then he had been fighting the one in the sweatshirt.

It didn’t matter. Only Luci ever mattered. She might not believe him, when he worked a 70 hour work week, or when he was too cranky to be nice, but she was his life!He almost had enough saved to move to a better place. Somewhere with safe parks. He stopped where the path forked, calling again, wondering where his Luci had gone. He started to walk on but something made him stop and peer into a patch of fog. Was there movement? He jogged into the fog and saw something scurry across the lawn, he followed. There he came across the tunnel sitting in front of it, was Frankenstein monster. He felt such relief, such hope as he stumbled to the entrance to the cement tube. Crawling into the opening, in the dim light of the new day, he saw a pink and white hood, and dirty curls in a messy pony tail. As he reached for her, he had to adjust the mini-monster where it was tucked under her chin. He would wonder about that later, but for now, he would hold her, and see her safe. As he climbed gently from the tunnel, she opened her eyes and smiling at him, shut them again. He looked up, to where the monster perched atop the tunnel, and swore he saw him smile. He reached for him, “You coming?” he whispered in a moment of relieved whimsy.

“Call me Frank.” He answered with a wink.

“Thank you, Frank” Jimmy whispered, as he exited the park.

I love that Frank got to be a good guy, sometimes the monster is the good guy…sometimes… Kel’s story is the next one. Once again, we get to meet a cool mum who woudln’t mind having a monster as part of the family…

The box lay among the others like any normal box would. It rested. Perhaps it contemplated. It breathed. The other boxes failed to breathe, but this one took a big, deep, oxygen-hungry breath before snuggling in next to a box going to Indianapolis. The mail truck bounced along the road after it got off the highway, hauling the package with little care to what was inside. The box jumped around, hopped to and fro, wobbled over letters and parcels before it settled itself just nearest to the doors as it could go. With a grunt, the package settled in for the rest of the trip. *** It rested in a shady spot on the porch next to the potted ivy that was withering slowly in the remnants of summer heat. No one had answered the door when the mail carrier had delivered the parcel. No matter. It was adept at the waiting game. When the door finally opened, a pair of long-fingered, pale hands in need of a manicure lifted it from the welcome mat. It was brought inside as the hands shook with anticipation. She had just won a contest for writing short stories. It wasn’t something she was good at, but she tried. She was better at novels and poetry. Upon inspecting the box, she noticed there were some holes in the corners as if something had chewed through the cardboard. The shipping label was peeling just slightly at the corner, bits of the adhesive still stuck to the box itself. Settling down on the leather sofa, she took out an old WalMart employee box cutter and slid the small blade down the length of the tape. Inside was a little monster. Inside was a spawn. “Wow, this is really well-done,” she mused as she lifted the spawn out of the party of Styrofoam peanuts. Bits of Styrofoam fell off of the spawn like artificial snow. The monster was perfect in every way: his hair rested as if styled by one of those hair dressers on America’s Next Top Model; its eyes were cheery in a creepy sort of way; its jacket slid off of one shoulder in a rakish manner. She smiled and adjusted the jacket before setting it down on the sofa. Her daughter, little Athena, toddled over to the couch as her mommy broke down the box to put it in the recycling bin like any good person would do. The little girl picked up the monster and held it close to her inquisitive face. It winked. She giggled and ran off with it. Her mommy looked up from the kitchen and shrugged; if the child wanted it as a toy, that was fine. It was only crochet. In her room, Athena, not yet two years old, put the spawn next to Mickey Mouse and Twilight Sparkle, nestled amongst other toys from Disney Junior fame. Stuffy the Brave Dragon leant against the wall beneath the window while baby Cinderella lay nearby. Athena sat there with the Frankenstein monster, making it dance to a song she made up as she went. It was all ooing and ahhing as the monster flailed across the carpet. With a sudden thought, Athena popped the pacifier out of her mouth. It was swirly metallic pink with a cupcake on the button end. Smiling to herself she stuffed the pacifier into Franky’s open mouth. Had it always been open? She wasn’t yet two, so what did she know? Her mommy came in to check on her from time to time, content with having a little while to herself to finish some projects for people on campus at school. Athena put Franky into bed and covered him up with a sweet, “Nigh-nigh!” She patted him gently and leant down, giving him a kiss, “Mmm-ah!” She did not see the pacifier bounce up and down as Franky sucked on it greedily. Dinner time was always an adventure with a child who refused to sit in the high chair. Athena ate a little, ran off to play, came back, and ate a little more. This pattern continued. Franky was left forgotten in bed, chewing idly on the pacifier, waiting for the little girl to come and get him. When dinner was almost over, Franky shifted around and wiggled himself to the edge of the bed, rolling off to land on the floor next to a pile of MegaBloks. Using those, he hoisted himself up to his feet and shuffled across the rug. Instantly, he went immobile as Athena returned. She said something unintelligible as she grasped him by the head and took off into the livingroom. Dinner was bratwurst and fries. Grabbing a cut-up portion of bratwurst Athena stuffed it into Franky’s mouth after removing the pacifier. He ate it with gusto. Her parents did not notice that her new toy was eating everything she fed it: bratwurst, peas, fries with ketchup. This seemingly harmless crocheted prize swallowed it down. His stuffing entrails even digested it. At bedtime, Athena sat with her daddy in the chair as he rocked, hugging her new toy close to her chest. She hummed along with Twinkle Twinkle as she patted Franky with an attentive hand. Franky sighed beneath the loving touch and closed his yarny eyes. That night, Athena was sound asleep in her room. Franky stretched his single-crochet arms and sat up, looking over at the tiny person who cared for him so. She slept deeply, eyes shut against the Tinkerbell night-light, lashes creating gentle shadows on her puffy little cheeks. Franky smiled toothily and watched her dream. Athena woke once and sat up, face screwed up as if to cry out in fright. Franky, suddenly feeling attached to this tiny human, jumped up and patted her face with soundless comfort. Athena sniffled and watched him, his acrylic little face twisted into concern. Why did he feel this way? She lay back down and allowed her little toy to wipe away her tears. Soon she was asleep again. At breakfast, Franky shared eggs and hashbrowns with Athena. She happily shoveled forkfuls into and all over him. He tolerated it somehow. Mommy noticed that she didn’t have to scrape old bratwurst and eggs out of the spawn. What was going on with it? When Athena went outside to play with Daddy, Mommy sat down and stared at the spawn. It lay there like any crocheted creation would and collected dust. Pressing her lips into a thin line, Mommy reached over and poked the critter. It sidled crossways to get away from the prodding finger. Mommy furrowed her brows and picked it up, sticking her finger into its mouth. It bit down with yarny teeth, so it didn’t hurt. “Woah,” she breathed. “That’s awesome.” Removing her finger, she lifted Franky up close to her face, hell in her eyes and death on her lips as she hissed, “You hurt my daughter and I will tear you into so many pieces that no amount of stitching can save you. No whipstitch will put you back together. No single crochet will save you.” Her green eyes narrowed as she pulled him closer, touching her nose to his. “I will burn you to ash. I will rip out your stuffing as your polyfil mouth tries to scream in agony. Do I make myself clear?” Franky thought he was scary! Nodding, the spawn shivered in her soft grip. It was one thing to have a toddler screech into your ear, but it was another to see the flames behind her mother’s eyes. “Good. Now sit here and wait for my daughter to return. You can be the little pet she didn’t get to have.” Mommy smiled sweetly and replaced Franky on the sofa. He continued to shake. She wasn’t afraid of him? Well, he wasn’t very tall. Sure his inspiration had been part of a big franchise of horror films. Here, the real horror was an angry mom. Before he could delve too far into this train of thought he found a small bowl placed next to him. Inside were little star-shaped puffs. “Gerber,” Mommy said with a chuckle. “Apple cinnamon flavor. You eat what we eat, when we eat it. Lunch will be in a few hours.” She knelt down and offered him a Puff. “Just remember. If you so much as scare my daughter, I have enough matches to burn down this house and I will use every one of them on you.” Franky nodded as he munched on the Puff. It would be a good life here, he knew. Food whenever the little girl was fed. A warm bed with a little companion. All he had to do was watch out for for the cats. Yikes! I love someone who’s not afraid to let a monster live become part of the household…bet he likes Gerber puffs!.. This next story is a bit creepier… just so you know, at this point in his existence, he hasn’t hurt any cats… I heard the familiar sound of the mailman closing the door to his mail truck. I peeked out the window to watch his path of delivery, feeling embarrassed at the thought of being caught. Ten minutes went by before I saw him leave the neighbor’s house. He stops to chat with the old lady across the street. Every. Day. Impatiently, I waited for the sound of my mailbox being closed and the thud of a package being placed on the porch. Once I knew he was around the corner, I threw my door open with anticipation. There it was. My package. I’ve been waiting all week for it to arrive and it’s finally here! I gently but quickly opened the box and weeded through the tissue paper that was keeping my Frankenstein’s monster safe and sound in the comfort of his temporary home. I held him in my hand, fascinated by the craftsmanship it took to create him. His green skin, black jacket, scars and stitches suited him perfectly. I dropped Frank (named after his fictional

creator) on the table as the sound of my telephone filled the room. It was my friend Jamie. I excitedly told him about Frank. He said he couldn’t wait to see him at the Halloween party later that night. When I returned to the table, Frank was surrounded by torn paper and packaging. Was that blood on his head? I found the cat sprawled out on the back of the couch. He must have snagged a tooth while trying to chew on the head of my new toy. I banished the cat to his basement domain and placed Frank on the mantle while I got ready for the party. Funny, he almost seemed to be smiling at me. My guests began to arrive dressed in their best costumes. Zombie. Ghost. Charlie Chaplin. Michael Myers. Frankenstein’s monster! I knew Jamie was coming dressed as Mary Shelley’s demon and immediately led him to Frank. “Frankenstein, meet Frank,” I said. Jamie immediately scolded me, the way he does, for calling him Frankenstein. I know it’s a misnomer. I know the doctor’s name is Frankenstein and not the monster. But he forgot all about the name when he saw Frank propped up on the mantle next to a sparkly skull. Jamie was in complete awe of Frank. Just then, I received a text from Hal letting me know he was on his way. Hal was dressed as the hunchback to Jamie’s monster. By the time Hal arrived, the party was in full swing. Not long after, a loud noise came from the kitchen. Everyone crowded around to see what was going on but soon dispersed after learning it was nothing. When I returned to the living room, I saw that Jamie and Hal were in the midst of a heated argument. I couldn’t tell what they were fighting about but concern rose in me when I saw Jamie scream out in pain followed by a look of terror on Hal’s face. Hanging off of Jamie’s neck was Frank. Oh great. The guys were playing a Halloween prank on me. But Hal didn’t give in to my laughing. Jamie’s arms went limp and he fell to the ground. Frank was nowhere to be seen. A wave of screams rippled through the house. I was by Jamie’s side when I looked up to discover that no one was looking in our direction. What could they be screaming at, I

wondered? That’s when I saw Frank on someone’s face. His tiny little teeth were sinking into the cheek of girl I’d never met before. The next moments were a complete blur as everyone started running out of the house. I saw several people on the floor as I frantically followed my guests and then collapsed on the lawn. I awoke the next morning in a chair in Detective Novak’s office. It was then that I realized the events of the previous night were not a dream. They really happened. The detective informed me that 8 people were found dead inside my home. Including Jamie. The police were still investigating but as far as they could tell, a rabid animal must have entered the home and feasted on several of my guests. Distraught, I allowed an officer to escort me home. I wasn’t sure I could go back into my house but I gathered up my courage and cautiously entered. I found Frank on the mantle where I had placed him not 18 hours prior. I immediately wrapped him up in bubble wrap followed by a lot of packing tape. When I returned from the post office, I wrote Kim an email thanking her so much for the monster but, unfortunately, my cat just wouldn’t leave him alone so I had to send him back. Exhausted I climbed into my cozy bed and fell asleep. I stirred at the sound of my phone

beeping. I had a new email. When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by Jamie and the 7 others who died the night before. I rubbed my eyes, hoping they would be gone when I looked again. They were still there. Was it all a terrible nightmare? I wasn’t sure but something seemed different about them all. I called to Jamie. But their movements were unnatural and it seemed they couldn’t speak. Were they…undead? I grabbed my phone to call someone. Anyone. A return email from Kim had been open and waiting for me on the screen. It said, “You’re his now.” I DO love a good tagline…You’re all mine now!!! This next story is by Ellen, and is full of witches, strange happenings, and a dream… Amsterdamned! Oh yes, I love Halloween! I have it all year round in my living room, but I always try to make an extra effort when the day (and night) itself arrives.

This year too. I got my little witch’s cottages out of their boxes. They have lights and sound in them and moving witches on broomsticks! And I’ve got some extra skeletons in ragged clothing I want to put up. There are also some pumpkins made of clay I can get out of the cupboard. But, first let me describe you my living room. It’s situated in a houseboat in Amsterdam. I have about 15 dragons, 1 skeleton, 20 cats, 6 wizards, 25 pigs and about 100 witches hanging around all year long. Statues that is, and dolls and pictures of…. And several pumpkins are allowed out and about. And then there are my amis. They occupy the rest of the space. Oh, and my Barbie-dolls! Some of them are a witch or in Halloween clothing. And my real life cat Queenie, I have to mention her as well. So, I’m surrounded by the things I love. But Halloween this year is going to be extra special. For my hooky fb-friend KreepyKim is holding a horrorstory contest and I want to participate. First price will be a Frankenstein Monster made by her, and he is a bit creepy himself, being her spawn. While she made him she wrote he’s got some droplets of her blood inside… And you never know what that will do to spawn like that! Certainly seen in the light of her wanting world domination and she’s trying to get that by making so much spawn that they will be of influence. Creepy future ahead! But still I hope I will win, of course… This I wrote a couple of weeks ago. The contest is over now and I haven’t won. But strange things are happening as I’m writing this. I will tell you some of the details.

As I had planned, I got all the pumpkins out and filled them with the e-candles. Very nice light they give and they’re safe. I also had some extra fairy lights put in my hearth – I have never used it other than with fairy lights, behind the iron curtain, put up the remaining skeletons around the hearth. And last, but not least, I put the three scenes of witch’s cottages and other Halloween stuff out on the tiles that are in front of the hearth. The shiny orange cloth replaced the usual purple one on the tiles.

It seemed to me the witches and other things looked happy to see their old buddies again. They had missed them for a whole year! And I got some new things as well, from the garden centre. Every year they have a huge part of the centre reserved for just Halloween things. And this isn’t even the US! If I was living there, I would get truly mad months before Halloween, I think! So many great things you can buy! I’m not buying them online, there would be no end to it!

And I would have to move as well. But I’m happy here, in my houseboat. So, I will have to do with the space I have. As I had put up the last skeleton on All Hallow’s Eve, I heard a splashing in the water under my houseboat. That is not unusual, there are ducks that like to nibble at the green stuff that grows on it and sometimes they quarrel. But the splash sounded a bit different, as if something was struggling. Could be a fish. I went on to make me a cup of coffee, when I heard a loud gurgling noise. It was like a huge sewer was emptying. There is an outlet of a sewer in the dyke I’m moored against, but that hardly ever spills and certainly doesn’t work at night. There it was again! I went to look through the window at the back, as this was nearest to me, but everything outside was dark. I went to the bathroom window and opened it carefully. At that same moment all the street lanterns went out! And I heard the gurgling again, very close. It was under the jetty that leads to the front door. I could make out some tiny waves and air bubbles. I hastily closed the window. Queenie was outside! It could be her, trying to fetch something (as she does sometimes). But she had heard me opening and closing the window and she came in through the cat flap, her tail all huge and bushy. She talked to me, and told me something scary was outside. At least, that was what I made of it. I got her something to eat to calm her and stroked her as she ate. Slowly her tail went to be its normal size.

I took my coffee and went to talk to my friends online, to keep my mind of the strange noises outside. My friends in the US understand the meaning of Halloween in the same way as I do, so it would be a nice time to share together, I hoped.

After a while, I read on my newsfeed that the woman who had won Frankie from KreepyKim had lost him. Poor woman, she didn’t know what to do! And Kim was also a bit flabbergasted, but I thought it wasn’t so strange at all. With her own blood inside. The box where she put him in to send to the winner, also had moved of its own account, so nothing strange there. Could he have decided he didn’t like it at hers and be coming back home? We decided to wait and see.

I got myself a beer after a while and we chatted about other things, like Movember and the moustaches we all could be making to celebrate. I almost forgot about the happenings when I heard a sound like something was being dragged out of a large pool of mud. All the witches looked to the front of my living room at the same time…! One of the large witches that has wings, LEDs in her eyes and a cackle, started to move her wings, cackle and flicker her eyes – of her own account! She had done that before, when my Mum had died, at the very same moment. But that was almost six years ago and the witch had hardly ever acted on sounds again as she was designed to. She has batteries inside, but they’re there for at least 10 years… And then I heard the cat flap and Queenie was laying in a chair, sleeping. But she immediately sat upright and her ears pricked forward, her eyes as large as I had ever seen them.

She was quicker than I was and won the spurt to the hallway. I always leave every door open, so this one as well. Nothing to be seen. It can happen a cat will come in, but it had been ages ago since the last that dared to.

I have two things standing on the hallway floor: a small cupboard to keep my shawls, scarves, hats and gloves in and a rack to keep my boots and shoes. Queenie headed for the rack and tried her paw underneath. Perhaps a rat had the courage to have climbed inside, looking for food, or worse, to give birth? She moved her paw very quickly underneath the rack. When she pulled it back, I could see something green stuck between her toes. She looked at it and started to gnaw and lick at it. But it stayed stuck.

And then, in a kind of flash, I saw a larger green and black thing move across the floor very quickly. I went back to the living room, all the witches were following the green and black thing. I tried to look closer. It was Frankie!!! And then I heard him say in a soft, almost hissing voice, “I want to come and live with you. I love you”. I woke up. I shook my head. It was all a dream! It was the morning of Halloween, none of this could have happened! I tried to remember my dream so I could write it down and participate in the contest.

I put on some clothes and went to make my morning coffee to really start the day. Still a bit baffled by the nightly fantasy, I sipped my coffee. At that same moment I saw a flash of green and black in the corner of my eye and very close to my ear I heard a soft hissing voice say “I want to be with you! I have come to live with you! Because I love you!!” Again, with lovely taglines! I really am enjoying all the shenanigans The Monster is getting up to. The last story was written by my friend Dan, and it appears he’s trying to get rid of me…we’ll see about that Dan, I’ll have another story contest, and maybe, just maybe, the spawn at your house will stage an uprising…oh, yea…his story… RETURN TO SENDER It was the sound of knocking that awoke him, but when he opened his eyes, it was pitch black. The air that filled his lungs was stale, dry, and tasted of cardboard and styrofoam. He didn’t know where he was and didn’t like the sensation of floating, tipping, even though he was resting on something definitely solid. And the stench that filled his nose was familiar although he didn’t know the right word for it. Wait, it was blood, somehow he knew it was called blood…. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The sound again, and suddenly voices. A high, giggly voice. “Oh my god, this must be my contest prize!” It squealed. Sounded like a she. Like another She who hovered just beyond his memory…. what was that She called again? “I won first place.” “Oh, congratulations.” A deeper voice, masculine. “Sign here.” He was in motion, hurtling closer to the she voice. He fell against the opposite side of his resting place, passing through many small, soft things. That’s the styrofoam, he thought. How do I know what styrofoam is? Suddenly his entire world shook rapidly, flinging him about and trembling the contents of his very skull. He thought he felt his bony cap rattle and lift slightly from the rest of his head. Not cool. “Oh I can’t wait to see it!” squealed the she voice. “I never win anything, this is so great!” The scent of blood rose around him as he felt his anger grow. He did not to feel so mistreated in the dark. He realized he was feeling pure rage. A blade pierced his world rather near his face and light came piercing through. The blade sliced open the darkness and right away he saw her face, her big blue eyes and curly peppermint hair, with a mile wide smile of hopeful anticipation. So different from the other She…. his Creator. He suddenly remembered the smell of Her blood, it was the smell that was all around him. The memory threatened to calm his rising anger. “Well aren’t you just the handsomest little man,” bubbled the happy female. She reached down and scooped him up and the rapid motion pulled him out of the scent he was starting to find comfort in. The very act ripped the comfort away as he was pulled to within inches of the contest winner’s face. “Would you like a kiss from your new mommy?” Her mouth went into full pucker and drew him ever closer. He was fully beyond the comforting stench and found none in the odor of this contest winner. He licked his lips, feeling the rage swell up like a balloon. The pucker filled his entire view, blocking out the rest of the world. Then came the pop. He bit that puckered mouth as hard has he could. Wait, he had teeth? He didn’t remember having teeth…. A shrill scream filled the air and he opened his mouth wide and heard the sound of his own rage pour out, vibrating his bloodstained choppers, harmonizing with the she that was most definitely not the She he wanted to see. “SHUT IT!” he bellowed. Her blood was weak and disappointing and smelled nothing like Her’s. “Why?” she mewled, tossing him back into his box. That wasn’t cool. He wasn’t about to be tossed around like a rag doll. “You have nothing here I want or need. Send me back. NOW!” He leapt back at her face and grabbed her throat with his over sized hand. “Or I will make you sleep forever.” **********************************************************************

Back in the box, back in the darkness, enveloped in the blood scent that pleased him. He realized it was the smell of his own blood, which She had given him. After a cycle of jostles, then rest, then jostles again, he rested peacefully until the next jostle stirred him again. This time, he heard a familiar voice and was intoxicated by a most familiar scent. “Can you believe it? RETURN TO SENDER. It was sent back. Fucking ungrateful prize winner! After all that hard work….I guess whoever came in 2nd place is gonna get lucky…” The voice faded. He realized his Creator didn’t want him back. She didn’t want him. She made him and sent him away without knowing anything of the world, alone. And now, after his glorious return home, he was tossed aside and left unopened, trapped in the darkness. Once again, he knew rage. His Creator would pay for this. *********************************************************************** I wasn’t long before he was out of the box and following the blood scent he knew as well as his own. He would confront Her, his beloved Creator, and give her one chance to live. He would demand She create a companion. A Yang to his Yin. A creature who would be like him who would be his partner, his new source of c