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    Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin
    Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin
    Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin
    Ebook158 pages1 hour

    Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin

    By Erika M Szabo and Joe Bonadonna

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    About this ebook

    Golden Book Award Winner. Spooky and funny, a heroic fantasy adventure for middle-grade children. Nikki and her impish cousin, Jack, find a mysterious black pumpkin in the forest on Halloween. A wise talking skeleton, Wishbone, tells them that the ghosts of the Trinity of Wishmothers are trapped inside the pumpkin and can’t be freed without their wands. The children offer their help, so the skeleton takes them on a journey to the world of Creepy Hollow to retrieve the three wands he hid long ago in Red Crow Forest, the Tower of Shadows, and the Cave of Spooks. Ghoulina, the beautiful vegetarian ghoul, and Catman, who was once a man, join them on their quest. They must face danger and conquer evil every step of the way as they search for the Wands before the wicked Hobgoblin and his henchman, a Tasmanian Devil, can get their hands on them. This is a fun, humorous and touching story for kids, with plenty of character interaction woven into a backdrop of scary danger, heroic action and lessons to be learned.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherErika M Szabo
    Release dateMar 16, 2017
    ISBN9781370421527
    Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin
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    Author

    Erika M Szabo

    Erika became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to her dad who introduced her to many great books. Erika writes magical realism, alternate history, epic fantasy novels as well as fun, educational and bilingual books for children ages 2-17 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them.

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      Book preview

      Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin - Erika M Szabo

      Prologue

      Hobart T. Goblin looked out the open window of his chamber high atop his castle of Crag Heap. Far below, he could see his courtyard, his servants and soldiers, and beyond that, the entire town of Goblin Acres. He watched his subjects performing their duties and going on with their little Goblin lives.

      All this is mine, he thought. But I want more and I will have more. I will have it all: Gnome Town, Gremlinville, Troll Haven, Impburg, Pixieland, Ogre Mountain…the whole world of Creepy Hollow will soon be mine!

      Standing only four feet tall, Hobart was nonetheless an imposing figure. His large, floppy ears fanned his face as he walked, and when his ears flopped forward his long beaklike nose stuck out between them like a pointing finger.

      His thin lips broke into a grin, showing his sharp fangs as he jutted his pointy chin forward. Once upon a time, he murmured under his breath, I was just an ordinary Goblin, but look at me now! I am great, I am powerful, and I am Hobgoblin, the Master of Goblin Acres.

      He turned from the window and lifted his skinny, green leg and huge foot to take a proud step forward. His boney knees bent and cracked as he took another step toward his favorite chair. He put his hands, with their claw-like fingers, on his hips when he saw his henchman standing on his chair.

      Ebenezer, get off my chair this minute! Hobgoblin growled angrily. Did you find the Wands?

      Not yet, Master, said Ebenezer Rex. He didn’t show fear and remained in the chair despite his master’s angry words.

      Hobgoblin let it slide because he needed him to do his dirty deeds.

      Ebenezer was once a man, a very cruel and sick-minded man, who liked to hurt young children. When he was finally captured by the good witches known as The Trinity of Wishmothers, who rewarded good deeds and punished evil, Ebenezer was tried and convicted and turned into a Tasmanian Devil as punishment for his crimes. Although he served Hobgoblin faithfully, first and foremost in Ebenezer’s cold heart was his desire to have his revenge on The Trinity of Wishmothers.

      Why didn’t you find them yet? Hobgoblin demanded. His big, floppy ears trembled with anger.

      As wicked and mean as he was, old Ebenezer Rex was also cunning. He knew he had to pretend to be afraid in the presence of Hobgoblin if he, for his benefit, wanted to stay in his castle. Forgive me great and powerful Hobgoblin, he said in a submissive tone of voice, although the mocking expression on his face betrayed him. I went back to Celestria and searched all over, but all I could find, all I could locate, and all I could—

      "What did you find?" Hobgoblin interrupted, ignoring Ebenezer’s mocking tone, for the time being.

      I found the thief who snuck into your castle and stole the three Wands, and then escaped right under our very noses, Ebenezer replied. He turned to a pair of Gnome soldiers standing guard at the entrance to Hobgoblin’s chamber, and then snapped his fingers.

      Nodding their little heads, the Gnomes vanished before Ebenezer could say lickety-split. Ugh! They didn’t wait for me to say my favorite word, again! He fumed because he always wanted to say the word he made up, lickety-split, before the Gnomes disappeared because he hated to say as fast as possible.

      The Gnomes reappeared in a jiffy and between them stood a tall, silver skeleton bound with iron chains.

      It took twenty Gnomes and ten Goblins to capture and render him powerless with those iron chains, Master, said Ebenezer.

      Ah, the famous Wishbone Jones, said Hobgoblin, gloating over the capture of his prisoner. I had a pretty good idea it was you. The Trinity of Wishmothers always favored you, but they no longer watch over you and the other inhabitants of Celestria. The Realm of Spirits has no guardians now. The magic of the witch who turned your charred flesh to silver is of no use to you now. She cannot save your life this time.

      Wishbone Jones stood over six feet tall. His right arm was slightly scratched, but the rest of his body was flawlessly covered with silver. One year ago, when he fought in the war against the Trolls, his body was badly burned. The Healing Witch found him barely alive when the fight was over, but all she could do to save his life was to turn his burned body into three inches of solid silver in order to protect his flesh and bones. Ever since that day, he became known as the Silver Skeleton.

      Wishbone shook with anger as he took a step forward, pulling on the chains and dragging the Gnomes with him.

      Hobgoblin’s eyes flashed with fear until his minions yanked hard on the chains and forced the skeleton to his knees. He smiled defiantly in the face of his captor. "Do what you will, Hobart. Do your very best. But you’ll never find those Wands and will never be able to use their power. You and that stinking henchman of yours will be punished for the murders of the Wishmothers. And that you can count on."

      Ebenezer laughed. Hobgoblin is great and powerful, boneman. You don’t even know how to free those ghosts from the pumpkin or where it’s hidden!

      Careful, Hobgoblin hushed his henchman quickly. Don’t give it away. Don’t give him any ideas.

      Ebenezer slapped his own mouth angrily and mumbled, Oops, I almost did.

      But Wishbone knew much more than his enemies thought he did, for the Healing Witch had told him everything she knew. Trust me, I’ll find a way, Hobart, said Wishbone, refusing to call him Hobgoblin. I’ll bring you both to justice and see to it that Creach Gillman is restored to his rightful place as the Mayor of Goblin Town.

      Good luck with that! Hobgoblin said with a laugh. He’s in the Deep Dark Dungeon, where you’ll soon join him. He turned to Ebenezer. Have the Imps and Ogres torture this bonehead. Make him talk and then dispose of him. But don’t stop searching for those Wands. Halloween is only thirteen days away and I must have those Wands before the chimes of midnight announce the first of November.

      Yes, Master. What about the black pumpkin?

      Don’t say another word, you fool! I’ll take care of it.

      Wishbone Jones gave a hearty, metallic laugh. I know all about the black pumpkin, Hobart. I know what you’ve done. You won’t get away with it, I promise you that.

      "My name is Hobgoblin, you walking bag of bones! roared Hobgoblin, his face turning red with anger. Ebenezer, take him to the dungeon and begin his torture at once!"

      Chapter 1

      It was an unusually warm autumn day, and Grandma Sweet opened the front door. She loved it when the fresh, morning breeze flew through the rooms. The sun hung high in the eastern sky, big and bright yellow. The silver wind chime hanging from the roof next to the entrance made a strange but pleasant sound each time a gentle breeze touched it. Grandma found the wind chime hanging there almost two weeks earlier. Thinking it was a surprise gift from one of her friends, she named the wind chime Mister Bonejingles, because it looked like a jingly human skeleton.

      Grandma Sweet felt the strange, quiet buzzing and humming in the air that hinted at the magic and mystery that comes only once a year on the morning of Halloween.

      You kids better not go too far from the house! she called out on her way to the kitchen as she spotted Nikki and Jack rushing toward the back door. The smell of cookies baking in the oven was mouth-watering, and Grandma Sweet wondered why it didn’t stop the children, as it usually did, from rushing out of the house.

      The screen door flew open with a bang. Nikki Sweet and her cousin, Jack Brady, charged from the house, across the back porch, down the steps, and into the big backyard. Beyond the white picket fence lay Weeping Meadow, and beyond that, the small town of Diddlebury.

      It’s Saturday, said Nikki, adjusting the backpack she carried with her everywhere she went. No school!

      Jack had his favorite messenger bag on his shoulder, just in case he found some weird things to bring home. He thought wearing a backpack made him look childish, but the shoulder bag made him look cool.

      Better than that, it’s Halloween! Jack said. Let’s get out of here before Grandma changes her mind. He winked at Nikki playfully.

      Nikki tugged on her left earlobe three times. Okay, let’s go. Ready? she asked, leaning forward, getting ready for their usual race to the front gate.

      Why are you doing that? Jack asked, staring at Nikki.

      Doing what? Nikki asked, surprised.

      Pulling on your ear like that.

      Nikki laughed. "Once I was nervous about a hard math test and Grandma told me to tug on my ear for good luck. I passed the test but I know it wasn’t because I pulled my ear. It was because I studied hard. Now it’s just something Grandma and I

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