Night of the Cauldron: Part II, The Turnip Lanterns

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part I, The Cauldron

Night of the Cauldron

Part II

The Turnip Lanterns

Margaret pulled her skirt free as she slammed the car door closed. Chuck moved around to join her.

"I didn't get anything on my skirt, did I?"

"Nothing there." He said without really looking.  Margaret adjusted her bustier and secured her princess crown.  Chuck, her Prince Charming, lit a cigarette and took a long draw.

"Gimme some," she said.  He passed the cigarette to her and lit himself another, almost blowing his exhale in her face.  "Really?"  He turned away and examined the night sky.  They smoked in silence but for the occasional labored exhale.

"Why are we even here?"  He didn't look at her.

"We don't have to stay long.  Let's just get through this okay."  She pleaded.

Night of the Cauldron: Part I, The Cauldron

Night of the Cauldron
Part I

The Cauldron

Traci brought the freshly carved Jack o' lantern out of the house.  She set it upon the railing at the edge of the deck.  She moved the bowl of candy to the small table beside the steps.  Turning the Jack o' Lantern so that it fully faced the driveway, she paused to admire her handwork. She adjusted her witches hat and her black skirt, being careful not to knock off her fake fingernails.  She was ready for the trick-or-treaters.

Her father was preparing a fire bowl further back on the deck.  Suddenly there was cackling laughter behind her.  She started and sighed, glaring at the source.  Hanging from the fence at the deck's edge was a creepy mechanical grim reaper that cackled, lit up, and shook whenever there was movement nearby.  She hated it, but her father enjoyed how it scared the other kids when they came up the side stairs to get their treats.  She swiped at its tattered robe and stuck her tongue out at it.  The reaper shook its scythe in mock menace.

Exhumed: Autumn Winds

With the style of the original image for Autumn Winds I was alluding to antique Halloween images.  Keeping that impetus in mind for the color version, I used a muted color palette to make the final image look aged.

{8x6.05  Sharpie with tones and colors added in Adobe Photoshop}

From the Archives: Mummy Head and Spirit Crowd

Here are a couple of more recent sketches from some time spent waiting in a hospital.  I also got several excellent ideas for a zombie story during that same time.

{Ball Point Pen}

Featured Creature: Gentleman Death

Gentleman Death steals babies breath

and old men in their sorrows.

He takes our moments then and now

and all of our tomorrows.
He comes for those asleeping,

he comes for those awake,

he comes for all in their good time,

disruption is his wake.

His touch is sometimes sudden,

or gentle as falling snow
but never is the time of it
a thing that we can know.

When we hear his raspy voice
acalling on the wind

we know that he has come to take

an enemy or friend.

Sometimes his touch is a great gift

but many times a sorrow

when we see not the reason for

that taking of tomorrow.

{Digital Images created in Adobe Photoshop}

UPDATE 091014:  A permutation of this piece now available on a tshirt design and other cool paraphernalia at my Neatoshop!  Drop by and check it out! 

Psyche Delectus: The Manticore

If the forests of confusion he waits,
hungry for the flesh of men.