The Legend of Purple Hollow

I love a creative prompt.  A picture, a phrase, a list of items to include.  They stretch you and make you imagine things you wouldn't otherwise.  That's why I love these fun Twitter writing contests.  The piece I'm entering for #FallWritingFrenzy is definitely a departure from my usual.  You'll notice, too, it changed quite a bit from the original posting I did.  That's the value of critique partners and revision.  These contests are great practice, great fun, and great ways to make new author friends and encourage each other.  Thanks to Lydia Lukidis and Kaitlyn Sanchez for this great contest and to all the prize donors who will be reading stories for the winners or sharing copies of their books.  This is image number 3, at 199 words (the limit was 200), and this is The Legend of Purple Hollow:

Ike always won the costume contest, but this purple smoke powder would ensure this victory.  He hoped to make a grand entrance at the Halloween party, but when he got the pumpkin on, the smoke burned his eyes and nose. He tugged and pushed, but he couldn’t get it off!  He couldn’t see or hear, but he could smell  -- smoke and pumpkin.  He swallowed to avoid puking. He had started off the night as The Headless Horseman, but now wished he had gone with a little less drama than the story they’d read in English class..

A shudder rippled through Ike.. A chill enveloped him.  His head twisted under someone else’s hands until he was free from the pumpkin. His eyes began to clear and he saw -- a girl?   His eyes still burned, but it looked like a very old-fashioned dress -- like one Katrina Van Tassel might have worn.  She held a knife.  She was nebulous -- if she was even real.   But someone had freed him from the pumpkin head. He reached for her, but she grew more wispy and her flowing hair and flirtatious expression were the last thing he saw before he gave in to the nausea.

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