The Pumpkin Patch
Every Halloween, the old Miller farm opened its pumpkin patch — rows of orange orbs glowing under the moonlight. Nobody knew who ran it now. Mr. Miller had died years ago, and the land was supposed to be abandoned. But every October, the pumpkins still appeared, big and bright and waiting.
Tonight, Ella and her friends went to see if the stories were true.
They crept past the rusted gate, flashlights bobbing. The air smelled of soil and decay. Pumpkins stretched as far as their beams could reach — all perfectly round, all carved with faces that looked just a little too human.
“Creepy,” Jake whispered, kneeling by one. The grin on it seemed freshly cut, its eyes wet and glistening.
“Let’s take one,” Ella said, half-joking.
She picked up a small one from the edge of the patch. It was warm — pulsing, almost like it had a heartbeat. She dropped it immediately.
The vines around it shifted.
“Did that move?” she asked.
No one answered. They were all staring as the vines slithered, curling around the pumpkins. The carved faces twitched — frowns forming where smiles had been.
A deep sound rolled through the ground, like something exhaling from beneath the earth. One by one, the pumpkins began to turn toward them.
“Run!” Jake shouted.
They sprinted toward the gate, the vines snapping after their ankles, scraping their shoes. Ella looked back once — and froze.
At the far end of the field stood a scarecrow. It hadn’t been there before. Its sackcloth face had a carved pumpkin for a head, glowing from within. And in its stitched hand dangled a fresh human mask — pale and slack.
She turned and ran harder, not stopping until the patch disappeared behind her.
The next morning, the police found three sets of footprints in the mud.
Only two led back out.
It was almost midnight when Sarah heard the knock.
She frowned. All the kids had gone home hours ago, and the candy bowl was nearly empty. Still, she opened the door.
A child stood there alone—a little girl in a cracked porcelain mask. Her costume was old-fashioned, tattered lace and faded ribbons. She didn’t say a word, just held out a small, pale hand.
Sarah smiled uneasily and dropped the last piece of candy into her bag. “There you go, sweetie. Be careful getting home.”
The girl tilted her head. “I already am home,” she whispered.
Sarah blinked. The porch light flickered. And then she realized—the girl’s feet weren’t touching the ground.
The mask split down the middle, revealing an empty, black mouth stretching far too wide.
The next morning, neighbors found Sarah’s door wide open, candy spilled across the floor. The only thing left was the porcelain mask—lying on her doorst.
STAKE ID: Jalenbricee