One Shot Stories

Pumpkin Candy

Denalia and Jaxson stood in front of Gage as they stared at the impossibly large pumpkin, so tall they had to crane their necks up to look at the top.

It was in the middle of an open field, past the suburban houses and small farms. They had followed the signs at the end of a block they were trick or treating on. It was a rickety old sign that pointed in a certain direction saying, "This way for candy!"

And like the dopes they were, they followed the sign. After several yards another sign had popped up, just as old and rickety with the same words sprawled on it with dripping white paint. This continued on for a good thirty minutes before they finally came upon the gigantic, orange pumpkin.

A new sign thrusted into the ground stood next to the pumpkin, right outside the tall gaping hole covered by a curtain made of pumpkin guts. This one was slightly nicer, but the paint splatter was still seen on it and also seemed to be still wet.

"Enter for candy," this one said.

"I do not like this," Gage mumbled. "We are too old for this shit, why are we even out on Halloween? We could be at Tasha's party, getting drunk and banging some girls in skimpy costumes!"

Denalia rolled her eyes. "Give it a rest Gage. No one wants to mate with you. Besides, partying till you get a horrible hangover the next day sounds awful. I would rather have a stomach ache from candy than booze."

Jaxson looked back at Gage who was waiting for his reply.

He shrugged, "I do what Denalia wants to do."

Throwing his hands in the air in frustration, Gage rounded on his best friend. "How much of a pussy could you be? For Fuck's sake man, stand up for yourself!"

Another shrug. "I don't mind. Most of the time I enjoy what she wants to do. And I have to admit, she has a point about you."

Gage clenched his jaw, the muscles bunching up so tight Denalia was sure his jaw was going to break.

Before he could release his anger, Denalia put up her hands. "Alright, alright. How about this? We go in and get the candy, then we go to my house. My parents are out of town so we would have the whole house to ourselves, and I will call my best friend, Kaci, to come hang out with us."

Jaxson nodded immediately at the plan, but Gage was not sure.

"How do you know your friend will hang out?" he asked skeptically.

Denalia smiled a sinister yet innocent smile. "She owes me a favor."

Sighing, Gage caved in. "Ok, fine. Let's just go in and get the stupid candy.

"WOO! FREE CANDY!" Denalia screamed as she ran right through the pumpkin guts, giggling happily.

Jaxson smiled at his girlfriend's childishness and ran after her.

Gage waited awkwardly outside, shifting his weight from one foot to the other nervously. The night was bathed in the full moon, making everything seem incredibly eerie.

Shadows from the far-off trees danced on the empty field, random animals darted in and out of the grass and bushes and trees, while the scent of the wilderness filled his nostrils. He breathed in greedily; actually glad it was not cigarette smoke or too-sweet alcohol or teenage body odor. But he would never admit that to Denalia, not the way she gloats when she's right.

After nearly ten minutes of his friends entering the pumpkin, they came out. Both of them were flushed in the face and laughing happily with each other. Their jacket pockets were stuffed with different kinds of candy, some were falling out they were so full.