There was always something about that house. I don’t know if it was the overgrown oak tree, with branches exceeding into the windows, smashing the glass, the tattered and worn down yellow paint, or the creepy doll lying in the top floor’s window. But it all started last year on Halloween night. Jason (JJ, as his friends refer him) was just a little boy, starting the second grade that year. He dressed up as The Tin Man, from The Wizard of Oz. JJ’s mother helped to camouflage him in, by binding very noticeable tinfoil from his head down to the last inch of his toes. Yet no one had noticed he had disappeared. 

     JJ went trick-or-treating with his older brother Will, just like any other younger child would. Nothing was out of the ordinary, just children receiving candy from door to door. What could go wrong? 

     JJ and Will were trick-or-treating, but as soon as they got to the end of their street, Will told JJ, “I feel so sick, from all the candy. I need to go home.” JJ knew Will was lying since they have not eaten a bit of their candy yet, but this did not stop JJ from continuing trick-or-treating.

     As JJ received more candy, he wandered further from his street until he came across a run-down house. A house with an overgrown oak tree, with tattered and worn down yellow paint, and with a creepy doll peeking out through the top window. JJ had never heard the rumors about this house. Now, it was too late. 

     Little JJ sprinted as fast as he could to the house, eager to see the house up close. When he rang the doorbell, a lady named Annabelle answered the door. Annabelle had long, black, braided hair, extending past her waist. Her skin was pale, almost an off-white, and her eyes were a rich shade of bright blue. Annabelle noticed JJ was alone, then she offered him to come inside her home. 

     Once JJ entered her house, he noticed piles of candy lying all over the ground. “Eat up! Eat as much as you want JJ!” said Annabelle. JJ was so excited. He thought he had hit the jackpot. Pounds among pounds of chocolate, swimming pools filled with ice cream and tubs filled with gummy bears. Annabelle brought out even more desserts. One dish after another.

     As JJ finished the candy and the other desserts Annabelle had prepared, he had approximately tripled in size without even knowing it. JJ took a nap on the couch, he fell asleep smelling the pleasant scent of pumpkin. It was strange, though, because Annabelle did not have a single pumpkin displayed. 

     JJ drifted to sleep, then he dreamt he had seen Annabelle preparing a jumbo pumpkin pie, the largest he had ever seen. But it was only a dream. Right?          

Once JJ woke up, that pumpkin smell had gotten stronger, scenting up the whole house. He started to suspect his dream might have been real. He asked Annabelle, “Are you making a pumpkin pie?” Annabelle responded with “Yes, yes. This pumpkin pie will be delicious, especially with my secret ingredient of never mind. You will see soon enough!”

     As JJ was walking around the house, looking at the different rooms, he came across many pictures and drawings of the jumbo-sized pies she would bake. Annabelle immediately came rushing up the stairs, bring JJ down into the spare bedroom. She told JJ, “I have spoken with your mother. We agreed it is too late for you to go back home, so would you like to spend the night here! With me!” JJ thought that would be so much fun, hanging out with Annabelle, so he agreed to stay the night. JJ had drifted off to sleep in the spare bedroom enjoying his last night.

     By morning, JJ had woken up lying inside a metal pan. Annabelle covered him in a tan dough of some sort and an orange powder that smelled like pumpkins. JJ soon realized the pumpkin pie Annabelle was making was him. JJ was the secret ingredient! “I see you are getting cozy inside of the pan! Mwahaha!” Annabelle screamed. Annabelle was slowly walking towards JJ, holding a pot of boiling water and oven mitts. As the hot water splashed onto JJ, his skin burned, melting him into the pumpkin pie. As the pie was entering the oven, screams of terror came from the remains of JJs lungs. 

Once his family realized the situation, they drove over to the house and burst through the doors, excited to see their little angel of a son, JJ. Instead, they found a smashed pumpkin pie and a creepy doll lying on the ground. As they walked around the house, hearing the screams and mourns of their son. His mother ran as fast as she could towards the sounds, just to enter an empty room. 

     Some say, to this day, you can still hear the screams of JJ, especially on Halloween night. You might even spot Annabelle, the doll. Who knows? Will you be next?