The Pumpkin Man

“Don’t forget to bring back those herbs, fer your brother, now.” She stared at her daughter, hands on her hips.
“If yer brother weren’t so sick, I wouldn’t be sending you at all, but I need those herbs” she continued, shaking her head “….and I know how imaginative ye are….I swear your fanciful ways, do worry me child”
“Mother I’m 13 now, I’m not a child” She answered back.
“I don’t know?? I don’t have a choice….do I…..okay, get along with you, and keep yourself wrapped up, it’s getting bitter cold, and don’t take the short cut, ya hear me child.” she turned and grabbed a small hamper, she handed it to her young daughter, “and give her these preserves, I’ve been promising them for weeks, and mind yourself.”
“I’m just going up past the schoolhouse, it’s not so far”
“Watch out fer the ghosts and goblins!” a voice shouted out from  the back room, laughing, which quickly turned to a slight groan of pain. Stephen had tripped the day before, and a large cut had become infected.
“Never you mind that nonsense” their mother hollered back shaking her head. “ I don’t know why he has to put such fanciful things in yer head.”
“I’m not afraid,” she retorted, but shuddered slightly, and pulled her shawl about her even tighter.
“I don’t know…” Her mother, eyed her suspiciously but before she could finish Abigail snatched up the basket, and spurted to the door.

The Stranger’s Dilemma continued

Beginning of story here:
http://intheshadowedgloom.wordpress.com/the-strangers-dilemma-from-the-beginning/

        It took me a moment to realize how much quieter it had become. I turned cautiously to look around, and my eyes finally fell on the apparitions that had entered the establishment. I sat rooted in absolute horror, and revulsion. There walking in the door, or should I say shuffling, was an old man, and woman. They were both dressed fully in black, and I was sure for a moment that cobwebs hung from the womans cloak. The mans face was so pale, in fact, they were both very white as if they hadn’t seen sunlight in a while. The skin of his face, looked as if it had been pulled back, and what was left of his nose, was a scar. The skin on his neck hung in ripples and his neck was elongated, and stooping. When he opened his mouth to speak, there were just rotting stumps for teeth, and what was left of his hair was sprouted on his scarred scalp. The woman stooped slightly, and her hair was scrunched up into what used to be a bun, but now was just a tangled mass. Her eyes, which were barely visible, were just two piercing orbs. It was not necessarily their physical appearance that caught me off guard, for I have seen disfigured people, it was something else. It was as if there was a darkness about them, as if their own shadows were attached to them. Everybody seemed to have sensed it. Suddenly I heard a low whisper from the stranger.
“I want you to walk outside quietly, do not look back at them….now.” It took me a lot to turn away from the couple, and just as I was about to, the old woman turned and stared right at me. My heart skipped a beat. Her stare was like nothing I had ever encountered, and I remained riveted, but the stranger whispered something in my ear, very quietly. I could not quite hear him, but it was as if I had come back from a very deep darkness, and I was able to turn my head. The stranger just looked at me intensely and then got up and walked casually towards the door. He nodded to the barman, but did not look at the couple. I was sure for just a second he made a tiny nod, towards the men in the corner, and then turned, and left.