2017: This year's story comes from Dan Foley. Thanks for the great story!
Download a coloring page of this image for your Halloween enjoyment!
“Oh, man, neat! Dad, look at this!” twelve year-old Billy practically squealed as he looked over the assortment of items in the produce bins at the Halloween Fair.
“Oh, gross!” fourteen year-old Suzie muttered, practically gagging at the selections.
“Dad, can we get some? Can we?” Billy begged before his father even had a chance to see what had grabbed his son’s attention.
“No way! Mom would have a fit,” Suzie shot back at him.
“Okay, what is it?” their father asked as he made his way over to the bins. Looking inside, he was both fascinated and repelled. They were filled with realistic looking body parts. Fingers with the bone sticking out of one end sat next to a pile of eyeballs.
Then there were a bunch of hearts and, last but not least, a bin full of brains. Dad had to agree with Suzie. Mom would pitch a fit if he brought any of those home.
“I don’t think so, guys. Let’s find something a little more . . . traditional. How about a few pumpkins? We can carve them and put them on the porch.”
“Aw, Dad, come on. Pumpkins are boring. Everybody has pumpkins. If we got these, we could really scare the trick-or-treaters.”
Dad thought for a second, then said, “No. Definitely, no.”
“How about some nice corn, then?” a voice from behind them asked. When they turned to look, a scarecrow was holding an ear out for them.
“Corn’s good,” Dad said, reaching for it.
“Careful,” the scarecrow warned as the husk peeled back and large, sharp teeth snapped at him.
“Nope, no corn. Let’s go, kids,” Dad said, pulling his hand back.
Billy was devastated, but as they left he heard the scarecrow whisper, “Don’t worry, Billy. We know where you live, and we deliver. But, I have to wonder, can you eat it before it eats you?”