The Pumpkin Patch

This is a husband and wife's bed, she thought. And here we are, as good as a husband and wife. No, she thought: better. And to prove the point she twisted underneath him, turning her hips to one side and exposing the smooth curve of her behind, so that he was almost entering her sideways. A throbbing feeling stimulated everything below her waist. Yes, even better than real, she thought. She ran her nails up his back and gripped his forearms, pulling on him. She wanted to touch him as much as possible to make sure he was really real. There he was: his skin, his muscles, the real, tiny hairs on his body, and the smell of his sweat. This is it, she thought, arching her back. This is the moment when it all changes. Nothing will ever be the same--

Then he stopped. Confusion passed over his face. He looked like a man awakened from a particularly troubling dream.

"Sonia?" he said. "What are you...how did...?"

Sonia's heart stopped; the candle!

She bolted out of the bed and backed into the corner. Mr. Valeri sat dazed, like an accident victim. He had picked up one of his socks from off the floor and looked at it as if it might hold answers. "What happened?" he said. "How did we..."

She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. She tried again: "I...I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She began gathering her clothes in a hurry.

"Sonia," Mr. Valeri said. "You're...you're Sonia, right? I remember you. But why are you here? Why did we...?"

"I'm sorry," she said again. She was crying. He was too. "I didn't mean to...I'm just so sorry!" And she ran. She ran the entire way.

She found the darkened jack o' lantern right where she had left it. The hollow face stared at her. She fumbled with the matches, but the first one broke in her hand. Then she dropped the box and they scattered across the floor. She held the last one between her fingers, but as she went to light it a hand closed over her wrist. "That won't do you any good," Ms. Marzanna said.

Sonia screamed. The old woman grinned. Her teeth glittered.

"What are you doing here?" Sonia said.

"Finishing our bargain. You got what was yours, didn't you?"

"But the candle burnt out."

"It had to eventually. You knew he'd come to his senses."

"I thought... I thought things would be different after we..." Tears pricked her eyes. "I thought he'd change."

Ms. Marzanna laughed. "To be that young again. Now, hold still and don't squirm. This last part is important."

Sonia saw the knife but she didn't have time to scream again. The tip of the blade sank into her palm and hot blood ran between her fingers. A few drops dribbled into a bowl on the table, and then Ms. Marzanna let her go. The old woman plucked something from the red pool: It was a pumpkin seed, but it looked strange now. It had turned purple and unhealthy, and it seemed to throb. Sonia held her bleeding hand and backed away.

"What is that?"

"The last seed from the last pumpkin in the patch, seasoned with misery. It'll make a good harvest for me next Halloween."

The old witch tucked the seed away and shrank into the shadows. Only her eyes were visible, lit up like two orange candle flames.

"Don't take it so hard, dear," Jezibaba's voice said. "After all, if you want him again, you can always come back to me next year. The price is high...but you've already paid it."

Her laughter rang in Sonia's ears until sunrise.