HORROR BITES CHALLENGE #20

Thanks to Laura Jamez, horror author, for The Horror Bites challenge #20. The rule is to write a 200-350 word flash fiction horror story inspired by this picture.

Check out all the creepy stories from the Horror Bites Challenge #20 here.

Enjoy!

Enid hooked her arthritic finger around the edge of the curtain and pulled it an inch to her right. She shouldn’t worry about being seen in plain daylight, but God knows she lived on a street full of busy bodies. She peered through the small slit at the house across the street. What a disgrace. Those horrid scarecrows were still scattered all over the Wallace’s lawn. The calendar said November fifteenth for goodness sake. Two doors down, Christmas lights flickered and Santa waved merrily to everyone who passed by.

She stepped back and the curtain drifted shut. “Sid,” she called to her husband. “Come here. The Wallace’s must be out of town. The house has been dark for days. Have you seen them? I haven’t.” She raised the volume of her voice.  “Sid, did you hear me? At least they could have asked me to get their mail and watch the house. And taken down those damn scarecrows before they left.”

This time when she pushed the curtain further open for a better view, a gasp lodged in her throat. It couldn’t be. One. Two. Three. There were six effigies, she was sure of it. She squeezed her eyes closed and calmed her frantic breathing.

Feeling better, she inspected the neighbors yard. “Oh, God, no.” One scarecrow lingered, twisting on its stick toward her house. Its arm reached out in her direction as blood dripped from the crudely slashed mouth in its paper head. Enid’s knees collapsed and she tumbled into her husband’s favorite chair.

“Sid!” A frantic yell escaped her. “Please, where are you?”

A loud thump echoed from the porch. Silence. Thump. Silence. The noise doubled and the pace quickened. The one-legged monsters danced outside her door.

Get up! Lock the door. Run! 

Terror paralyzed her.

Enid wanted to scream but the sound was stuck in an empty crypt in her head.

The door scraped open.

Were you still screaming if no one heard you?

327 words