The wind rustles the leaves, just beyond the light's reach on the old wooden porch. They whisper and run with the wind...just beyond where you could what's moving out there. The smell of molding dead leaves and smoke let's you know the season of death is upon us....suddenly, like a jumping black cat or an orange and black smirking Jack O' Lantern that is deadly still. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Now's his chance.

Kathy

"I don't like him"

Kathy says pointing at the Jack O' Lantern her brother just carved.

John

"Oh come on. He's fun. His light will keep the goblins away."

Kathy

"He is a goblin. He's in with them."

John

"He's a pumpkin. You saw me carve him out."

Kathy

"He's made evil. He's evil inside."

John

"He's a big old vegetable inside...look."

John tilts the pumpkin over to show his sister the inside.

John

"See...he's a big old empty, pumpkin head."

Kathy looks at Jack O' Lantern.

Kathy

"You can't fool me. Bad made you."

John

"I made him. You saw me carve him with this knife we found."

John puts him on the railing of the porch and inadvertently the knife used for carving too.

John

"See. His light will keep the darkness away."

Kathy shakes her head "no". She backs up and sits on the chair...furthest from the Jack O' Lantern. She's so focused on him, she doesn't realize her back is to the edge of the porch.

John

"Hey, I know what we need."

John "A Halloween ice cream bar!"

Before Kathy can get up, John runs into the house.

John "B right back."

John says...making a letter "B" sign and runs into the house. Kathy's heart races as she realizes she's alone on the porch. She can't move. And even if she could, she'd have to walk past the evil. The grinning Jack O' Lantern.

Kathy

"I'm on to you."

Kathy thinks to the Jack O' Lantern but can't bring herself to speak. Behind her, footsteps coming across the lawn. If she turned her head, she could see who...or what it was. If she could move. She'd know. Now all she knows is...it's getting closer. So close now it could pull her off the porch...into the bushes...into the darkness...into it's mouth...into its teeth...ripping her apart.

Kathy

"Save me Jack O' Lantern."

Just as she utters the words. A gust blows the Jack O' Lantern. It turns as if to shake it's head "no" and faces her, smiling for a moment...before it's light goes out. It gets blown off the rail. Kathy feels it lunged at her. She sees the shadow of a man near where the Jack O' Lantern would have been to protect her. Protect her from this goblin. "I can't believe my eyes," Kathy thinks. "My God there is a fiend moving at the end of the porch." It is pitch dark and Kathy can only make out the edge of a hat....and is that a smile. He's enjoying this. She hears the creak of the first wooden step of the porch as it climbs. She hears the creak of the second step. She can't get up. It's coming onto the porch. She can't move. She closes her eyes. She sees light and shadows through her eyelids. Hears a voice.

John

"Oh, high."

Kathy opens her eyes to see John has turned on the porch light and a policeman is standing on the porch.

Policeman

"Is your mom or dad home?"

John

"We can't answer that."

Policeman takes off his hat and scratches his head.

Police

"You kids shouldn't be out here alone tonight."

John points at his sister and waves his hands at the cop as if to say "don't say that".

John

"No it's safe around here. Very safe."

Policeman

"Not really kid. A lady got stabbed just over there."

Policeman points off the porch...somewhere down the block.

Policeman

"We're looking for the knife now. You guys didn't see any knife laying around?"

John picks up knife he used to carve Jack O' Lantern.

John

"See that oak tree...I found this right in front of it...today."

Policeman looks behind into the darkness.

Policeman

"I'll take that."

Policeman looks around.

Policeman

"I'm sure everything will be fine. But you guys better go inside now."

The Policeman leaves. John and Kathy go inside.

Kathy

"told you the Jack O' Lantern was made bad."

John

"He's just a pumpkin."