Carving pumpkins was always a joy to and something Mehitabel looked forward to each year.
As she carved, she listened to a story about California Condors having chicks without a male. Now that would be interesting, though she thought about how she couldn’t imagine that for herself. She also listened to a story about a photographer who took pictures of abandoned houses. These were houses she might have lived in at one time. Abandoned houses were not always abandoned, especially if one checked under the floorboards for shadow creeping Vampires, and of course ghosts.
Someone, or something pounded on her front door. Then she heard a car screech and speed off. Grabbing a large knife, she went to the front door. The sound of shrill laughing came from the sky. Mehitabel looked up to see two ugly creatures with wide leathery wings flying away.
“Damn Demons,” she said out loud.
Tied to the porch rail was a ferocious growling beast. Orange eyes glared at her, while yellow Sulphur scented smoke came from it’s nostrils. Its lips curled back showing large fiendishly sharp teeth. Scars covered it’s long snout and sides. One of it’s ears had a large, jagged notch in it. Next to it was a large cardboard box.
“Whoa, wait, what the crap? They left me a Hell Hound? Freaking Demons.”
Then she looked at the Hell Hound right into it’s orange eyes. “What am I going to do with you? You know, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m a Vampire not one of those horrible Demons. Poor baby. Are you hungry?”
‘The growl turned into a whimper and the Hell Hound started to wag its long powerful tail.
“What’s in the box?” She carefully opened the flaps. Inside were four tiny Hell Hound puppies, their eyes still closed.
“You’re a mama. Oh no. Are you hungry?”
The Hell Hound wagged it’s tail again and whimpered.
Mehitabel went back to the kitchen and grabbed a piece of pumpkin. “This was from where I carved out the eye. Try it. A lot of dogs like pumpkin.”
The Hell Hound grabbed the piece of pumpkin from her hand and swallowed it whole.
“Well, my dear, I can’t leave you out here.” Untying the rope, she led the Hell Hound into her house. It was a large beast, at least 150 pounds. She told it to sit, and it sat. Then she hauled in the box with the puppies.
After putting out a blanket for the Hell Hound, she carefully took each pup from the box and put it by the mother to nurse.
“You poor sweet thing. I can’t imagine how those Demons abuse their Hell Hounds. It is an absolute disgrace,” she said to the Hell Hound as she stroked it’s head. “Well, I can’t keep you. We already have two wolfhounds, and a couple of cats. Also, I’m sorry to say we are looking for a new house and would never get homeowners insurance with a Hell Hound. No offense, but, oh my goodness, not all Hell Hounds are as sweet as you are.”
There was only one thing she could do. She called the Northern California Demonic Beasts Rescue. They did wonders with homeless demonic beasts who only wanted to be loved. It took a special person to give one of these animals a forever home.
Lifting one of the tiny pups up, she held it close. It growled, showing small sharp teeth, then it licked her hand and nuzzled her neck. “Poor baby, don’t worry, they’ll find you a good home.”
About an hour later, after the pumpkins were carved, and the cats were calmed down the demonic animal rescue folks showed up.
She suspected the large man who said his name was William might have been a Werewolf. In fact, she was almost sure of it. The woman who introduced herself as Kate was a Vampire. Mehitabel said goodbye to the Hell Hounds and left a sizeable donation with the rescuers.
It was horrible how Demons abused their animals. She thought about how humans did the same thing with their animals. Halloween frights were nothing compared with what people could do to the beasts who depended on them. Demons were not the only evil creatures in the world.
Mehitabel swept her front porch, then put out the freshly carved Jack-o-lanterns. She looked in the sky hoping not to see anymore Demons. There was only a lone turkey vulture making circles looking for something to eat. The cats came out with her to explore.
“Come inside babies,” she told them. “It is almost dark and will be past your curfew. Darkness is safe for Vampires, but not for kitties. Not tonight. Not on Halloween.”
As little ghosties and ghoulies come out tonight, keep your cats inside, and keep your eye out for Demons. You never know what might show up on your front porch.
~ end
Thank you for stopping by for this new story I just wrote over a cup of coffee. Happy Halloween. Now it is time for me to sweep off my front porch, carve my pumpkins, and get ready for small visitors.
~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman
Vampire Maman 