Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie 2020: Scarlett Skeleton

Scarlett Skeleton

100 words

Scarlett Skeleton hid in the shadowy dark behind a shed, teeth click-clacking as she sobbed.  The shouts of trick-or-treaters echoed around her.

Footsteps crept close. A cat-masked face peeked around the corner.

“Hi!  I’m Casey.  Why are you sad?”

Scarlett sighed, showing her empty bucket.  “Parents shriek and throw hard candy at me, which rattles right through me.  I want treats; they think I’m the trick.”

Casey said, “That is sad.  Would you like some of my taffy? It's delicious and will stick to your ribs."

Scarlett nodded thankfully, happy to have found a sweet treat and a sweet friend

©️ 2020 Rebekah Hoeft

It's Halloweensie time over at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog! Here's what how she explains it:

"The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words), using the words skeleton, creep, and mask.  Your story can be scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!)  Get it?  Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people "

For more details on how to submit your own story or to read other entries, head to her Susanna's Halloweensie blog post.

Thanks. Susanna, for another fun prompt!

Susanna Leonard Hill's Teensie Tiny Halloweensie Story Contest - The Plan

Susanna Leonard Hill is hosting her 8th Annual Halloweensie story contest. Head to her site or to the bottom of this post for more information.

The Plan

100 words

by Rebekah Hoeft

Princess stirs the bubbling concoction.  In the flickering firelight, her tarnished crown and tattered dress look eerily royal.

Jester and Bear arrive as something howls in the dusky distance. The group shivers and huddles by the fire.

"All is as planned," Princess says. "None will resist."

Concerned, Bear peers into the cauldron.  "Will there be enough, you think?"

Jester cackles. "Of course! Princess plots perfectly.”   

A lone figure emerges out of the shadowed woods. 

“Look. It begins."

"Trick-or-treat?" Mouse says timidly.

Princess smiles kindly.  "Welcome. Come. Warm yourself.”  

She offers Mouse a cup of cocoa. “Nice costume, Keith.  Happy Halloween!”

© October 2018  Rebekah Hoeft

Per usual, Susanna's rules are simple:
1.  Super teeny tiny story:  100 words or less.
2.  Use the words cauldron, shiver, and howls.
3.  Have a main character and story arc.
4.  Tell a story that is clearly about Halloween.
5.  Write well, with readers age 12 and under in mind.

Head on over to her site  to join in as a reader or writer (stories due by October 31 at 11:59 p.m.).

Edit (Sunday, October 28):  This morning, I realized I hadn't read Susasanas whole blog post.

So I read it.

Gulp.

I found what I am sure every writer dreads most...that the story you wrote and slashed at and muttered over has already been written.  By someone else.  And worse, that someone else is the person you are submitting your work to. 

In a nutshell, Susanna's example 100-word story is about a group with a plan gathered at the edge of town (in the woods, maybe?) around a fire on a Halloween night with a cauldron filled with hot cocoa. 

Susanna's is a 20-line rhyming poem.  My original was a 16-line rhyming poem.  I liked it, but it didn't emphasize a character enough or feel like it had a story arc. So I canned it but kept the basic idea. 

Our stories ARE different stories.  A witch MC vs. a Princess MC.  Cocoa motives are different.  But still.  I cringe.   But leave it 'cause writing 100-word stories is darn hard.  Plus, it's report card, parent teacher conference week.   

So, Susanna, if you've read this far, my apologies for inadvertent plagiarism.  Great minds think alike?!