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Kel
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 Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:18 pm Post subject: Halloween 2006 entry: The Scarecrows' March |
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The sky shed its slivered light upon the barren cornfield, stalks piled into stacks that reached up toward the sky with fibrous fingers. Scarecrows dotted the large fields, standing vigilant watch over the emptiness. Their tattered clothes were tugged and pulled at with the claws of the chill wind, pins holding their wide-brimmed hats upon their heads.
A cloud passed over the slice of celestial light, causing it to seem as if one of the scarecrows moved. When the moon revealed herself once more, the scarecrow moved again. Then another moved. One of them climbed down from his post to give a sharp jerk to his threadbare tunic with twiggy fingers. Reaching up, he tilted his hat before heading toward the road.
The other scarecrows followed him on a silent march to town. On the way, a lucky few found abandoned shopping bags and took them up, their fingers of hay snapping as they curled around the handles.
A small group of fifteen of them gathered in the long walk to the nearby town. It was like any other town, with costumed children frolicking through the streets, stepping up to the doors to ring the bells and beg for candy, jovial smiles on their faces.
The scarecrow with the crooked hat cracked and snapped his way up the steps of an old brick home. He rang the bell, readying his shopping bag. His face was as alight as a burlap sack could become, the smile a little faded from the sun, the button eyes worn.
When the door opened, he lifted his bag and said, in a crackly, rustling voice, "Trick or Treat." The mouth didn't move, as permanent marker often did not, though he did tilt his head just a little, a bit of straw dancing to the ground.
Candy was passed around from the nice woman inside, her tinny voice squealing at the creative costumes she thought were before her. The scarecrows shook with unheard laughter as their bags were slowly filled through the night.
House after house fawned over the group of scarecrows, marveling at the unique costumes and attention to detail, from the straw hats to the realistic way the hay inside moved like the very essence of autumn.
When the sun began to peek over the roofs of the houses, the scarecrows began their trek back home. Over the naked field they trod, laying the laden sacks of candy at the bases of their posts to climb back upon them.
Just as the scarecrows were settling down, the children of the farmer raced onto the field, going to their own scarecrow, one child for each protector of corn, to claim their sacks of candy.
Year after year, they thought it had been their parents that procured the candy. The scarecrows kept their watch over the happiness of their children, smiles of permanent marker fading in physical respect only. The joy they brought their little masters on Halloween kept them alive for the entire year. |
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Last edited by Kel on Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Wiggy
I'm singing and dancing in the rain...
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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I loved it! It had a great twist to it!  |
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Vernon
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| That great really in the sprite of Halloween heh well done Kel. |
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Kel
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you both! Too many scary stories already on Halloween. I'm a fan of the Halloweentown movies, Hocus Pocus, etc. I wanted to keep with the spirit of those rather than ... those others. |
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Sureal
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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Heh, I love it  . Sort of uses the typical feel of most Christmas stories, but instead applies it to Halloween. Tres cool.
Luck with the contest . |
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Kel
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| Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:23 am Post subject: |
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Why, thank you!  I'm glad you liked it. |
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Cassandra
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| Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:52 am Post subject: |
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| Aww! That was really great! I especially liked the imagery you used--your descriptions were beautiful. Like Sureal said, it had a lighter, happier feel, one that is not usually seen around Halloween, so this was a very fun read. Nice work! |
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Kel
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| Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:37 am Post subject: |
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Thank you, Cassandra. I really liked your comment.
Most light-hearted Halloween stories have to do with witches or vampires. But people still put scarecrows out on their porches. They need some love.
Your comment warmed me. |
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Sohini
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| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:03 am Post subject: |
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| Kudos to your work and congrats on winning! |
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