Blood
Pumpkins
“Jimmy, someone is knocking on the door.”
Bella said quietly.
“Bell, calm down. I’ll be back. Maybe it’s
the Mailman.” Jimmy said.
“We don’t even have a mailbox yet.” She
said with a concerned look on her face.
Jimmy leans down and kisses Bella on her
forehead.
“It’s okay, baby.” He whispered.
Jimmy steps high and walks over Pumpkin
the cat. Pumpkin doesn’t move for anybody. She will just lay in the middle of
the floor and blend right into the wood pattern. Jimmy stops at the mirror in
the hallway just before the front door to check if he has dirt on his face.
Twisting and pulling the rusty door knob a few times, the door swings open.
“I watched you two move in yesterday. I’m
sure you’re busy getting settled in and doing the whole unpacking thing, so I
won’t take up much of your time. Just wanted to drop off this fresh Pumpkin Pie
I made this morning for you two.” The old man said.
“Yea. We have tons to unpack. Bell! Come
meet…”
“Winston.” He said.
“Winston! He brought us a Pumpkin Pie!”
Jimmy shouted.
“Come inside, Winston. Have a slice with
us. We have whip cream in the fridge. She can’t live without it.” Jimmy said.
“Some other time. I have to check on my
pumpkins soon.” Winston said.
“Please, come in and tell us about the
people that used to live here. We found boxes upstairs we have yet to open. I’d
feel more at ease if you told us some history of the place.” Bella said.
“Maybe some other time, Darling. Bell.
That’s a unique name.” Winston said.
“Yea. Jimmy calls me Bell. Which is short
for Bella, which is short for Isabella.”
“Look how deep orange this pie is. Almost
blood red. This is just pumpkin?” Jimmy asked.
“My one of a kind pumpkins, yes. Special
seeds from 1,000s of years ago. They keep me alive and healthy.” Winston said
with a wide yellow smile.
“What’s that awful sound?” Bella asked.
“Sorry, Youngins. Those are my wolves.
They must have caught themselves a Coyote. Coyotes been having a feast on my
chickens these past few nights.” Winston said with sharp eyes.
“Go check on your dogs. I’d hate for them
to get hurt.” Bella said.
“Wolves, darling. They can take care of
themselves. I don’t want them to get sick from eating the Coyote. Speaking of
eating. You kids eat up! That pie is as fresh as it will get. Your whip cream
would be great on there.” Winston said as he walked away.
“Thanks for the pie!” Jimmy and Bella said
in sync.
“That was nice of him. Seemed like a
polite man. I hope he comes by, or we can make him a casserole to take to his
house? I would really like to know who lived here before us, babe. This place
feels, off.” Bella said.
“Off? What happened to being in love with
this old house?” Jimmy asked.
“I do love it. I do, but, I just have a
feeling is all.”
“You and your feelings…” Bella looks at
him carefully, “…which I respect and love, but have been wrong in the past,
baby. That’s all I’m saying.” Jimmy said leaning in for a kiss.
“Let’s get a slice of this pie. Get the
whip cream.” Bella said as she pulled away and walked towards the kitchen
table.
“Baby. You sure we can trust this pie? He
seemed nice, but I don’t know…” Jimmy said.
“It looks and smells delicious. Plus, we
don’t have food in here yet and I didn’t see any fast food places around.”
“I guess it looks okay… It does smell
great.”
“Well, get me a plate! You want me to eat
it with my hands?” Bella said wrinkling her nose at Jimmy.
“I’d love to see that. Here you go, baby.”
Jimmy said leaning in for a kiss, finally landing on her forehead.
“There has to be some Beets in here. It’s
so dark.” Bella said as she put a forkful into her mouth. She watched Jimmy get
a forkful in his mouth and waited for his reaction.
“Pretty good fucking pie.” Jimmy said.
“Yes, Sir.” Bella said with her mouth full
and whip cream on her lip.
“I still have room for some more pie after
this…” Jimmy said with a smirk.
“I’m sure you do, cowboy.” She whispered.
*
“Rise and shine!” Winston screamed.
Opening her eyes one at a time, “Jimmy.”
She whispered.
“I hear y’all snoring all the way from the
Pumpkin Patch! Come give an old man a hand or 4!” Winston said with a belly
laugh.
“What fucking time is it, baby?” Jimmy
asked.
Focusing on the clock for a few seconds
until the red numbers became clear, “5:00 AM.” She said.
“I know y’all awake. I don’t hear anymore
snoring. Get your spring chicken legs down here and help an old geezer out! Be
but a few minutes!” Winston yelled from the yard.
“What do we do?” Bella asked.
“Fuck. Doesn’t sound like he’s asking. Shit.
We only been in bed for a few hours. Let’s see what he wants and we’ll come
back to bed. Okay?” Jimmy said.
“Okaaaay.” Bella moaned.
Both got out of bed throwing clothes at
each other and getting dressed. Shirts inside out and slippers half on, they
went downstairs and out the front door into the cold morning breeze.
“Y’all normally sleep so late?!” Winston
said with a sneer.
“If we’re up all night unpacking, yea.”
Jimmy said.
Slapping Jimmy on the shoulder, “Great
pie. We snacked on it all night. Now what can we help you with, Winston?” She
asked.
“I have a huge pumpkin I need help moving
onto my lift. I can’t roll it on there.” Winston said.
“Lead the way.” Jimmy said monotonously.
“Great! This one got big! Haven’t had one
this big since my wife was alive. She helped last time. Just follow me, it’s
just down a few rows.” Winston said.
Following Winston’s hunched over, slow
frame, “I am going RIGHT back to sleep after we get this pumpkin where he wants
it. So don’t start any chitchat about the house’s history. Okay? We can do that
later tonight.” Jimmy whispered.
“I will ask him over for dinner.” She
smiled.
“Here she is!” Winston yelled. “Just put
your hands high on er’ so she doesn’t get hurt.”
Jimmy and Bella looked confused, “Hurt?” They both asked.
“Well, yea. Pumpkins can bruise and get
all tore up if you’re not careful. She needs love, this one.” Winston said with
a yellow smile.
Jimmy and Bella start pushing on the large
pumpkin until it started to roll.
“That’s it! Keep going. Just a few more
rolls. Make sure she stops right side up on that net and I’ll use the forklift
to take her the rest of the way.” Winston instructed.
“Why not just use the forklift from the
start?” Jimmy asked.
“She needs to be on that net before I can
lift her. She’s too fragile to push with equipment, Son.” Winston said.
“Jimmy.” Jimmy corrected him.
“Oh no!” Bella yelled. “I’m sorry,
Winston. It cracked on this side.”
“What did you do to her?!” Winston’s whole
body language changed and his voice sounded younger. “I told you to be
careful.”
“I didn’t mean to. It happened on the
final push. It, she is where she needs to be. Maybe you can glue her back
together?” Bella asked.
Looking down at her hands she sees they
are covered in blood.
“Bella! Are you okay?” Jimmy asked while
taking his shirt off to clean her hands and look for the cut.
“I think so. I don’t feel any pain.” Bell
said.
“You don’t, my dear. But she does. You
caused her real pain. Please, leave. I’ll finish up here. I hope I can save
her.” Winston said.
“Baby, I’m not bleeding. It’s from the
pumpkin. This can’t be blood. Maybe it’s rotten?” Bella whispered in Jimmy’s
ear.
“Sorry about the pumpkin, Winston. Can we
have you over for dinner tonight to repay you?” Jimmy asked.
“Dinner? Yes. But now I need to tend to my
baby.” Winston said with concerned eyes.
“It will be done around 6. I hope you like
meatloaf!” Bella said bubbly trying to lighten the mood.
“That’s fine.” Winston barely said.
Walking back into their yard, “Was that
pumpkin bleeding?” Jimmy asked.
“It felt like blood. When it cracked, I
noticed the white flesh under the orange skin, then the red liquid came oozing
out. He did say they were special pumpkins.” Bell said.
“Special, huh? Especially creepy.”
“Well, we have his time tonight to ask
about his special pumpkins and the history on this house.”
*
“He’s here, Jimmy.” Bella said bouncing as
she watched him walk across the field into their yard.
“Okay, okay. Calm down. Go in the kitchen
and I’ll bring him in there.” Jimmy said.
Looking at him with wincing eyes and a
scrunched up nose, “Go to the kitchen, huh? Nice.” Bella said.
“Bell, baby. You know I didn’t mean it
like that.”
“Mmhmm.” She hummed as she walked away
with a playful smile on her face.
Waiting by the door, Jimmy waits for the
old man to knock. After a few minutes of silence, he opens the door.
“God Damn, boy! Scare the fuck out of me,
won’t ya?!” Winston said as he was mid-knock.
“Shit. Sorry, Winston. Come in.” Jimmy
said.
“Oh, you brought another pumpkin pie?! We
loved the last one” Bella said from the kitchen doorway.
“Made it from the one we harvested
earlier.” Winston said with a yellow smile.
Winston walked through the living room
looking at everything carefully as the couple talked at him in the background.
He was in his own head thinking about the objects his eyes were fixated on.
“Winston!” Bella said loudly.
“Huh. What? Yea, sorry, darling. My
hearing isn’t so great anymore.”
“It’s okay. Come eat, I said. It’s getting
cold.” Bell said with a pretty smile.
Jimmy led the way to the kitchen and sat
down next to the empty seat where Bell will sit and Winston sat at the end of
the table.
“Stay seated, boys. I’ll bring the food to
ya.” Bell said.
She walked over to Winston first and put a
big slice of meatloaf on his plate, along with mashed potatoes, gravy over the
mash, corn, mac n’ cheese and a biscuit. Jimmy got the same.
“I hope you don’t mind me putting ketchup
on the meatloaf already instead of gravy; it’s the way I was taught.” Bell said.
“Just the way I like it. Thank you,
darling.” Winston said.
“Sorry about the double starch, she’s from
the Midwest.” Jimmy said.
“Nothing wrong with mac n’ cheese with
mashed potatoes… What’s that sound at the door?” Bella asked.
“Those are my companions. They tag along,
if you don’t mind. I like to keep them close.” Winston said with a mouthful of
meatloaf.
“As long as they don’t scratch at the
door. I just put that up today.” Jimmy said.
“It’s just a door, honey. Winston, tell me
something about this house.” Bella said with curious eyes.
“No one really stayed in this house. A
couple would buy it and leave town a few nights of being here.” Winston said as
he shoveled another spoonful of meatloaf in his mouth.
“What do you mean, leave” The couple asked
together.
“Well, they would always be gone after a
few days. I would see cops out here weeks after people left asking if I saw
them. Of course I noticed people moving in.”
“Wait. So they would move in and leave
once they move their belonging inside? That doesn’t make sense.” Jimmy said.
“I know. Eat that Pumpkin Pie, kiddies.
Don’t want it to sour.” Winston said.
“I could go for a slice. How about you,
baby?” Bella asked Jimmy. He nodded in agreement. “How many people have
disappeared?”
“Shit, lost count. I been here for 50
years. My main focus is on my pumpkins. Always on my pumpkins. They need blood
to survive…”
“Blood?!” Bella asked loudly.
“Baby, don’t move.” Jimmy said softly.
Bella
hears loud growling behind her left ear. Both of the wolves sat on the kitchen
floor by the sink with their teeth showing. Blood oozing out of their mouths
and eyes pure white as they watch the couple.
Bella lets out a loud scream and jumps up
to run when Winston cut her off. “I wouldn’t do that!” He roared. Winston’s
voice was deep and youthful. Standing tall and strong, he lifts Bella right
before one of the wolves have a bite.
“This was supposed to go smoothly. Why
can’t you be like the other couples and just eat the fucking pie without
question?” Winston said.
Jimmy kicked his chair at the wolves and
jumped the table at Winston. Slipping on the pumpkin pie, Jimmy found himself
on his back with one of the wolves’ mouth around his throat.
“Hold him there, boy. Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy;
you have some fight in you, son! I think I’ll let him turn you, I need a third
wolf to keep my extra pumpkins safe. Bite down, boy.” Winston said with a
sharp, toothy grin.
The wolf bites down on Jimmy’s neck and is
thrown to the corner of the kitchen. He hits the floor and curls into a ball
clutching his stomach. He locks eyes with Bell and opens his mouth to talk but
nothing comes out but blood. With wild eyes his skin turns grey and his eyes
milk over.
“What are you doing to him?!” Bella cries
out.
“He is going to be a new companion for
me. I think he will do a great job, don’t you, honey?!” Winston said. Although
it wasn’t so much Winston by this point. Standing 6’6’’ with tufts of coarse hair
all over his body. Eyes bright green with a wide, sharp, yellow smile, the
Monster said, “You… my dear, will make for a sweet pumpkin pie. The finest one
yet!”
The
End
