Halloween flash fiction

Audience – years 7-9

Purpose- to entertain

Word count- 500

Mary had two shadows, Mary lived on her own. Mary lived down the end of the street. Mary was lost in a gaze.

 Her house derelict, sun light hidden, and guarded by a wall of trees.

 That was the story, the story I would use to frighten my brother back when Halloween was fun

  And there really was a woman called Mary who lived at the bottom of the street in an old house whom apparently lost her son due to an unfortunate event, she was the sort of women who made you feel cold, and there was nothing about her that made you feel either comfortable or safe. The only time you’d see her would when she’d let out her scrawny tattered looking cat. The cat made me feel just as cold. Shed then return back to her gaze and you wouldn’t see again until the same time the next day.

The detail about the possible ways Mary’s son could have gruesomely died was my favourite, which really made my brother shake. I thrived off his fear

My brother, 8 years of age was a curious boy which led to him spying on Mary’s house and I had caught him a couple of times, near the window sill peering between the superman themed curtains.  If I’m honest it wouldn’t surprise me if he still owned them by the age of 16 as he didn’t seem like ever growing up. There were three occasions of which I caught him, the first and second caused him to react similar with either a face of embarrassment or an immediate excuse, something rushed and ridiculous of course he would come up with. I’d always smirk and give him the satisfaction of thinking I believed him. 

Though the third time was different....  he didn’t defend himself with daft excuses or did he grow a face of embarrassment, in fact he didn’t do anything. The curtains wide open, his head still, drawn to direction of the end of the street.  He wouldn’t move, not an inch.

I got closer, he didn’t move

I got even closer, he still didn’t move

I shouted, he didn’t react

I screamed, he still didn’t react

His face blank staring out the glazed window

I was now close enough to see what he was staring at…

I saw Mary

Mary was staring up at my brother with a look of pain

I turned to pull my brother away but as I turned I hesitated.  My brother had two shadows.