Tell Me a Story - Halloween Version

I asked several AC writers to write a story using the following 8 words and phrases:

Vampire

All Hallows Eve

Cauldron

Ghoul

Warlock

Double, double toil and trouble

Eye of Newt

Salem, MA

I hope you enjoy the following unedited stories in honor of the season! Beware of the ghosts, vampires and warlocks! Great job one andall!

Joan Haines

"Double, double, toil and trouble," say I, but it's not what you think. Yes, on All Hallows Eve, the aroma of eye of newt creeps from my cauldron, but it is to be ready to wreak havoc against the evil vampire, ghoul, and warlok. For it is I who keep Salem MA safe on Halloween night. Woe to any forces of darkness that cross my path. I whip out my handy spray bottle of potion, and zap them with a small spritz of "Spray of Goodness," which neutralizes all evil intent. I start my crusade at midnight, October 30, and do not rest until Noon on October 31.

Last year, I stopped 42 fiends from inflicting evil fates. Every year, I hope I've mixed just the right concoction that will work. Every year, it's worked well enough. Every year, I stop evil in its tracks, but wonder who will keep my work going? I must capture an apprentice. Will it be you?

Tresa Patterson

"I married a vampire," Margot thought to herself, looking at her snoring husband, Rich, on his pillow, dressed only in his warlock cape now. Slipping into her camisole, she walked to the bathroom, and stared in amazement at her gnawed neck in the mirror and winced with the tinge of soreness in muscles that had not been exercised this much since their honeymoon. She hadn't even wanted to go to that ridiculous party-- it was only the Morrison's cute little three-year-old kid dressed as a sweetheart ghoul, delivering those invitations in that coffee can cauldron that caused her to cave! Just because they lived in Salem, MA, didn't mean they had to do everything All Hallows Eve-related. "What was in that homemade witches' brew?" she wondered. She only knew that Rich started to do a whole lot more than sashaying during Monster Mash. "Is Eye of Newt even around anymore?" she quizzed herself. Whatever it was, she wanted more. " Double, double, toil and trouble" she whispered going out the door on her way to the party store. Never too soon to plan next year's party!

Linda Rogacki

I have lived in Salem MA. all of my life, and never paid too much attention to all of the scary stories that have come to be known around the area, that is until last year on All Hallows Eve. I was home alone when all of a sudden, the power went out, it was late, dark, and raining, and I will admit I was a little scared. Grabbing my flashlight and heading for the basement, I stopped dead in my tracks when a flash of lightning lit up the sky, through the window on the kitchen door I thought I saw a dark figure standing directly on the other side. As my flashlight fell to the floor, I felt a breath on the back of my neck, I turned to see what I could only describe as a ghoul grinning at me. All reason left me as it led me out the door and into the dark woods behind my home. We were headed for a strange orange glow when I began to hear the words double, double toil and trouble, repeating over and over again. As we got closer to the sound, I saw a man, or was it a warlock, bending over a cauldron tossing things into the bubbling liquid, saying something about eye of newt, wing of bat. When he lifted his head, I saw that he didn't have any features, just a black space was where his face should have been under the hood of his robe. He slowly raised his arm and pointed in my direction, I again felt the breath on my neck, turning to look at the ghoulish thing behind me instead of a fiend I saw the fangs of a vampire ready to sink into my skin. I write this by the light of a candle as a warning to those of you who don't believe the stories you hear, I will never see the light of day again, but I might see you when the lightning cracks and I am standing at your back door.

Kathy Minicozzi

There was a loud hiss as the contents of the cauldron came to a boil and splattered over the burner on the stove, putting out the gas flame. "Damn!" exclaimed Herman Warlock, the portly chef of the trendy, witchcraft-themed Eye of Newt restaurant in suburban Salem, MA. It was All Hallows' Eve, and the restaurant was even busier than usual. "This really is double, double toil and trouble," muttered Herman as he gingerly lifted the cauldron from the stove and re-lit the pilot light. He hoped that that ghoul Gordon, who owned the restaurant, and his vampire-like wife, would not notice that the bouillabaisse was a little bit thicker than usual tonight.

Dan Reveal

It was All Hallows Eve and Vinnie the Vampire pulled his Volkswagen into the parking lot of the "Double, Double Toil and Trouble."

Being the local night club for monsters, ghouls, and warlocks, the ol' 'Double, Double' had seen its share of good times and bad times. Lately, however, as the newly-elected mayor of Salem, MA, Vinnie the Vampire decided to keep a closer eye on the happenings at the club.

He walked from his Volkswagen to the front door, only to be accosted by Sam the butcher who became famous on the Brady Bunch. "Get out of my way," Vinnie the Vampire said. "As the mayor of Salem, MA, I have to right to see if the ghouls are behaving themselves tonight."

Unfortunately, Sam the butcher pulled the old eye of newt trick. That's where you hold the eye of newt with one hand while punching the other fellow in the nose with the other hand.

Vinnine the Vampire reeled and almost fell into the cauldron of chicken noodle soup. He! was saved at the last minute by Abby Greenhill who was stopping in for a beer.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to never trust a butcher who played on the Brady Bunch.

Mary Oberg

It was 2010 All Hallows Eve in Salem, MA. The warlocks and witches were getting ready for this most auspicious day of their year. The head witch, who lived at the edge of the woods, retrieved her magic cauldron from closet storage and was dusting off her incantations book. "Ah, this is the special one for tonight!"

The campfire was lit in the woods clearing before sunset in preparation for the yearly children's party that evening. As the full moon rose, the local coven of witches stood over the cauldron in the campfire. Each offered their favorite magic potions and the oldest witch offered the rarest ingredient of all, Eye of Newt. The witches chanted the following incantation as these magical ingredients were poured and dropped into the cauldron:

"Double, double toil and trouble
Make the cauldron boil and bubble
Let this be a fun and scary night
For the children's party tonight"

The children all agreed this was the best party the witches ever held. The costumes voted best dressed were a ghoul and a vampire. The favorite game was being blindfolded to retrieve foil wrapped chocolate eyeballs from black cherry cold slimy jello. As the parents picked up their children, the sound of laughter and screams were heard as the children ate the chocolate devil food cupcakes with gummi body parts baked inside.

Cathy Montville

Salem, Ma - All Hallows Eve

You will be scared by what you see

A vampire lurks with blood-shot eyes

The cauldronswirls - the warlock flies

Eye of newt, the witch brew bubbles

Double, double toil and trouble

The grungy ghoul in threadbare clothes

From the grave tonight he rose

Happy Halloween to my fabulous AC friends. Special thanks to Abby, for taking the time to promote our work and inspire us through all these fun writing prompts!

Thank you all for participating!! If anyone would like to be part of the next 'Tell Me A Story' please send me a message and I'll add you to the list.

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