The Legend of Hangman's Gorge

Thomas sat at the kitchen table eating a bowl of beefy vegetable soup, while his mother was busy pulling the guts out of a pumpkin with her bare hands. Frankie, who was slurping his soup, looked up at Thomas and grinned.
“I know a secret,” sang Frankie.
“Frankie, eat your soup!” said his mother.
Thomas creased his brows together. “What secret?”
His mother continued to pull the orange sloppy mess from out of the pumpkin.
“Your father and I were chosen today to be judges at the pumpkin contest. It will only last for a couple of hours, so I need you to watch Frankie until then.”
“But..,” began Thomas.
“No buts about it Thomas. Your father and I will be busy. You know Frankie will only get bored. He can’t sit still for very long.”
“But...he’ll ruin my night,” huffed Thomas.
“Only if you let him,” said his mother, as she began carving an eye out of the pumpkin. She glanced back at Thomas and smiled. “You’ll be fine.”
“No I won’t,” said Thomas.
He frowned down at the table, and then glared over at Frankie who was still slurping his soup. Frankie always slurped his soup, but it never seemed to bother him as much as it did now. The noise seemed to be getting louder, and he wondered if Frankie was doing it on purpose.
“Mom will you tell Frankie to stop slurping his soup?”
His mother stared back at Frankie and gave him a look of disapproval.
“Frankie Lee, stop slurping your soup.”
Frankie looked up at his mother with wide eyes and gulped. He knew that when his mother used his first and middle name, she meant business.
His mother turned her attention back to the pumpkin, and then began carving out the other eye.
Frankie scowled over at Thomas, and then stuck out his tongue. Scooping up a spoonful of soup, he began slurping even louder.
Thom...

... middle of paper ...

...ldron of dirty pond water. Once the potion is made, they put the potion in a witches bottle.
“Yuck!” said Thomas. “That sounds disgusting.”
Thomas fluffed up his pillow, and then curled up on his bed. He then turned the page and began reading about the spells.
In an old book, they keep a list of all the spells. Choosing the right spell is very important to a witch. If they choose the wrong spell, it could cause the spell to have no affect, and they would have to start all over again.
Once they chant the spell of their liking, they sprinkle a drop of potion on their victims forehead. The victim slowly begins to change into the night creature. The spell can be reversed by simply saying the spell backwards, and washing the potion off the skin with slime from a snail. It is wise to keep a small vial of snail slime hanging around the neck, when in the company of witches.