Pumpkins

Flash Fiction Theme – Halloween

A knife slices through the bumpy orange skin, following some simple lines. The knife cuts without hesitation, strings from the inside peeking out through the small cracks. A toothy smile emerges from the cuts. The piece of pumpkin drops out, leaving a gaping hole.

Sandy steps back and cocks her head to the side as she looks at what she’s done to her pumpkin so far. Nodding, she steps closer and cuts out the nose next. Her boyfriend, Leroy, sips his beer watching her. He hasn’t touched his pumpkin yet.

Sandy glances over at him and smiles. “No ideas, yet?”

Leroy shakes his head. “Naw. Besides, I’m enjoying the view.” He winks at her and drinks the last few drops at the bottom of the bottle. He sets it down and hops up off the chair. “Want anything while I’m getting another beer?”

Sandy shakes her head and picks up her wineglass. The red liquid swirls around the glass, dripping down the sides like blood. “No, I still have my wine. Thanks though.” She sips the wine, sets it back down, and returns to work on her pumpkin.

Shrugging, Leroy leaves the dining room where they are working and heads into the kitchen. Pulling the fridge open, he leans over and looks for more beer. Grabbing one, he shuts the door and grabs for the bottle opener. He hisses when he grabs the end of a knife for cutting pumpkins instead. “Jeez!”

Sandy puts her knife down and looks around the corner into the kitchen. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll be right back.” Sandy rushes through their kitchen and out into the hallway. She hurries into the bathroom of their small house and starts looking for their first aid kit.

Leroy keeps his fingers under the sink while he waits for her. In the dining room, he hears something fall. “Sandy?” His girlfriend doesn’t answer him. He turns the water off and uses the dish towel to wrap his fingers.

He walks to the dining room and peeks inside. The piece Sandy had been cutting for an eye had slid out and fallen to the ground. Letting out a slow breath and laughing at himself, he walks into the room. He carefully picks up the fallen piece and puts it on the table. Before he can stand up, the pumpkin topples over and stares down at him with its one eye.

Leroy stares up at it, frozen. It blinks at him, then rolls back into place. Leroy slowly stands and stares at the pumpkin. It smirks at him, spitting out a few seeds Sandy hadn’t gotten out. The seeds his Leroy in the face and he backs away.

“I’m surprised you’re still here, lover boy.”

Leroy coughs, his words stuck in his throat. He hears muffled noises and turns to see the pumpkin he had picked at the pumpkin patch is rocking back and forth.

“Cut my buddy a face, Leroy.” The first pumpkin eyes the knife. “Do it!”

Keeping his fingers tightly wrapped, Leroy grabs the knife and quickly cuts a mouth, nose, and eyes. They weren’t the best, but he did what he could with a shaking hand and an injured hand. He takes a step back and the pumpkin spits out the seeds, since Leroy hasn’t cleaned the inside out yet.

Once it is done, it turns its eyes on Leroy. “Are you going over to Mandy’s after this? You know, you’re other girlfriend?”

The pumpkins laugh while Leroy shakes his head. “No, no, you shut up. You shut up!” He lifts his hand with the knife still clutched in it and slams it down over and over in his pumpkin. “Shut up! Shut up!”

The other pumpkin laughs at him. Spitting out a few more seeds, it rolls away when Leroy turns his murderous glare at it. He lets out a growl and launches himself at the other pumpkin. The knife comes inches with the pumpkin, slicing its skin. It yelps but continues to laugh, taunting him.

Sandy finds what she needs and heads back to the dining room. “Leroy, I got the first aid kit. Let’s get…” She gasps when she steps inside the dining room.

Leroy turns and slams the knife down, not realizing it isn’t the pumpkin he is stabbing. Sandy screams when Leroy pulls the knife out and stabs her repeatedly. Sandy drops, staring at him in shock as she takes her last breath.

“Shut up…. shut up…. shut up…”

Leroy laughs and drops the bloody knife before looking around. The pumpkins sit on the table, neither of them having talked or moved. He picks up the pumpkins and throws them against the walls, watching them explode. The pumpkin rains down over Sandy and he walks out.

Across town, two smashed pumpkins lay beside another young woman’s body. On the wall sits a heart with the names Mandy and Leroy, blood dripping down it.