Fall is back, and so is one of my favorite writing contests, the Fall Writing Frenzy! Here’s my entry for this year, inspired by the image below, and if anyone is curious to find out more, be sure to head over to Lydia Lyudikis’ blog to find the other entries!
Story by Meg Winikates, 199 words
Cara’s Costume Conundrum
“It’s awesome we’re going trick-or-treating together!” Cara told her best friends, Jules and Emily.
“Let’s make matching costumes!” Jules grinned. Cara remembered past Halloweens—sea turtle, fairy, ballerina, astronaut, roller-skating rockstar. So many possibilities!
“Yeah, something scary!” Emily added. Cara’s daydream crashed.
Uh-oh. Scary was not her favorite.
“Scary sounds fun.” Jules agreed.
Double uh-oh. Cara always relished fun, sparkly costumes.
Sparkly and scary didn’t mix. What if her friends thought her silly for being scared?
“Scary like…dinosaurs?” Cara suggested. She could enjoy a stegosaurus.
“Nah, like ghosts! Vampires! Zombies!” Emily grinned.
Triple uh-oh. Cara hoped Jules might help, but Jules had that ‘I like trouble’ look.
“Mom calls me ‘little devil’ when I go pranking—let’s be devils!”
Cara sighed while her friends planned.
Later, Cara stared at her costume box, wishing she could be one of her playtime creations instead, mixing up bits for a kitty-astronaut, turtle-dancer, or roller-skating fairy. Sparkly, funny, surprising.
She spotted a red tutu. What if?
Finally smiling, Cara got her scissors (and her mom’s permission!) and set to work.
On Halloween, Emily and Jules squealed delightedly when Cara appeared, bedazzled pitchfork, sequined cape, glittery horns, and all.
“Ta-da! Everyone beware…The Pitchfork Princess!”
