Chef Pumpkin was a popular Scarecrow. He made all the food for all the Creepies in Pumpkin Patch Land. He knew the favorite foods of every Creepy by heart. He knew that Bonkers the Bat loved Frosted Bat Flakes; he knew that Blackie the Cat loved Black Licorice Gummy Scotty Dog Candies; he knew that Spooky the Raven loved Candy Corn. Chef Pumpkin knew it all!

One cold and windy Halloween, Pumpkin Patch Land found it had a new Creepy: Ecto the Ghosty. Ecto wasn't like other ghosts in Pumpkin Patch Land. Ecto was blue and Ecto was mean! Ecto didn't say "Hello" to other Creepies; he just glared at them with a mean, mean look. Ecto carried a pitchfork and all the Creepies were afraid.

Chef Pumpkin was in his kitchen making Black Cotton Candy for Spiffy the Spider when Ecto floated in. Chef Pumpkin was scared; he was scared of Ecto and he was scared of that pitchfork.

"What can I do for you?" Chef Pumpkin asked, frightened.

"I want Ghost Toasties", Ecto boomed. His voice was very, very loud and it echoed off Chef Pumpkin's kitchen walls. "I want five pounds of Ghost Toasties and I want them tonight!"

Ecto turned and floated out of Chef Pumpkin's kitchen. Chef Pumpkin was scared, and he knew he had best make those Ghost Toasties. He didn't know what would happen if he didn't, but he was afraid to find out. So, he got busy right away making those Toasties!

All through the day, Chef Pumpkin worked on those Toasties. Creepies from all over Pumpkin Patch Land came to see Chef Pumpkin and to watch him make those Toasties. They all had stories to tell about the new Creepy. Ecto had yelled at Spiffy the Spider and said he was going to squash him. Ecto had smashed Spooky the Raven's Candy Corn. Ecto had taken the candle out of Jacko the Lantern. Woe is Pumpkin Patch Land! What horror has come to Pumpkin Patch Land and all the Creepies!

Nightfall came and Ecto floated into Chef Pumpkin's kitchen. "Do you have my Ghost Toasties?" he boomed.

Chef Pumpkin was shaking with fear. He looked at Ecto, then at that pitchfork. He handed Ecto the five pounds of Ghost Toasties and said, "Here they are."

"How much do I owe you?" Ecto asked, his voice echoing off the walls.

"It's...it's...it's free today because it's Halloween," Chef Pumpkin stuttered.

"Thank you," said Ecto and floated out of the kitchen. All the Creepies that were in the kitchen were glad to see him go because they were afraid of Ecto and that pitchfork.

Things got back to normal in Chef Pumpkin's kitchen. He pulled a pan of Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies with Chocolate Chips from his oven. He got a pitcher of cold milk out of the refrigerator and all his Creepy visitors were enjoying the goodies. Suddenly, Bonkers the Bat flew into the kitchen all excited.

"Ecto is in the graveyard! And he's got Jacko the Lantern and Jacko's wife there with him! And he's got that pitchfork. We've got to help them!" Bonkers yelled, flying about the kitchen.

All the Creepies in the kitchen were frozen with fear. They knew they had to help Jacko and his wife, but they were really, really scared. That pitchfork was in their minds and that was all they could think about. But, friends are friends and they knew they had to help.

Bonkers the Bat flew all over Pumpkin Patch Land and rounded up all the Creepies to meet in the graveyard. They needed all the help they could get! Friends needed them!

All the Creepies met at the graveyard gates. All were silent and all were waiting for somebody to say something. They didn't know what to do, but they looked to their leader, Chef Pumpkin, for advice.

Suddenly, out of the cold, windy night there came laughter from the graveyard. There was the laughter of Jacko the Lantern and the giggle of his wife; all the Creepies recognized that. There was loud booming laughter that they didn't recognize. Was that Ecto? Could it be Ecto? What were they all laughing about?

All the Creepies followed Chef Pumpkin slowly into the graveyard. There atop a grave was Jacko, his wife and Ecto laughing and having a good time. Not knowing what to make of this, the Creepies were very quiet. Soon, Ecto noticed the newcomers. He waved his pitchfork in the air and his voiced boomed out: "Hey, come on in! We're having a Halloween party here!"

The Creepies jumped back, frightened of that pitchfork. Finally, Chef Pumpkin was able to speak and he asked Jacko what was going on. "Are you safe?" he asked.

"Sure he is," Ecto said. "I've had my Ghost Toasties and I went and made Jacko and his wife brand new candles. It was the Ghost Toasties that made me my old self again. A Wicked Witch put a curse on me and made me mean. A Good Witch told me I had to eat five pounds of Ghost Toasties in a graveyard to be nice again. I came to Pumpkin Patch Land because all througout the Creepy World everybody knows that Chef Pumpkin makes the best Ghost Toasties."

Still uncertain about whether or not Ecto was really a nice ghost now, Chef Pumpkin asked, "Why do you need the pitchfork?

"Oh, that!" laughed Jacko the Lantern. "He makes candles and he stirs the pot of wax with the pitchfork! That's how he made the new candles for me and my wife!"

All the Creepies laughed and laughed and laughed. Ecto became a beloved member of Pumpkin Patch Land and he kept all the homes filled with beautiful candles. He and Chef Pumpkin became the best of friends. And Chef Pumpkin made sure Ecto never ran out of Ghost Toasties.

Story Written and Copyrighted
by Beverly McCarty