Pumpkin Worship by MatryoshkaMiki

The little girl who often walks home She loves to take a shortcut So when she sees the sign by the side of the road She turns And walks on alone

She walks through the tunnel Into the night Where so many have wandered before The lanterns and candles that light the path Throw shadows flickering through the forest

The shadows that wander Cackle with delight “Come closer, little girl You’re in for a fright!” “No thanks, I’ll just go on home.”

She comes to a clearing Filled with what? Piles of graves Surrounded with pumpkins And in the center, on an alter, sits A jack-o’-lantern

“Little girl Are you Lost? I can help you find anything Are you Looking for the Way To your Home?”

“No thank you, kind pumpkin I can find the Way on my own But Sir, are you alright here? In this graveyard Aren’t you scared?”

“Little girl I am the Jack’O’Lantern that hides Nothing can harm me However, in this forest There are many evil creatures You should turn back”

It is now that she notices The shadows that turn and stare They belong to the people who were desperate And the monsters who devour your heart

“Little girl In these woods Bad things occur Such as that Curse You know the one”

She sees the ones who came before Who asked, and received The ones who fill the graves And who summoned the ravens

“I will ask for something then, Sir Pumpkin I will ask one thing”

“Yes, Little girl, what is it?”

“Do you know my name?”

“I should, but I don’t”

“My name is *********”

And with that, it vanished into the night

No one can find the Jack’O’Lantern anymore Not when they look However If you take the shortcut through the woods Then you might find

A path to the night