Sam put on his silly witch hat. He was four years old. He was small and brave. He loved Halloween. He held a round orange pumpkin with both hands. The pumpkin was bumpy and warm from the sun.
"I must keep you safe for tomorrow," Sam told the pumpkin. He hugged it. He smiled. He hummed a little tune. The tune sounded like a soft drum. Tap, tap. Tap, tap.
Outside, the sky turned purple. The trees wiggled their fingers. Leaves danced on the ground. Shadows made soft shapes. Sam felt a tiny shiver. It was the kind of shiver that says, "Hello, night." It did not mean fear. It meant a small, happy thrill.
Mom put on a cozy sweater. "We must bring the pumpkin in," she said. Her voice was warm like hot cocoa. Sam nodded. He carried the pumpkin to the porch. The porch light made a round pool of yellow. The pumpkin looked like a small moon.
"Can I sleep with it?" Sam asked. His eyes were big and bright.
"Just for tonight," said Mom. "Tomorrow it will be ready for carving." She kissed his forehead. She tied his hat again. The witch hat bobbed when Sam walked.
Sam found a soft blanket. He made a little bed for the pumpkin next to his own. He made a pillow of folded socks. He told the pumpkin a bedtime story. He said, "Pumpkin, you are safe. You are safe with me."
Outside, something tiny tapped on the window. Tap. Tap. Sam sat up. A small shadow moved in a friendly way. A black cat with white paws peered in. The cat had bright eyes like tiny moons.
"Hello," said Sam. "Are you a Halloween cat?"
The cat blinked and rubbed its nose on the glass. It made a sound like a purr and a little meow. The sound was funny and soft. Sam laughed.
"Come in," he said. The cat slipped in like a ribbon. It sniffed the pumpkin. It sniffed Sam's hat. It nudged the pumpkin gently. The pumpkin did not roll. It liked the cat.
Sam gave the cat a crumb of cookie. The cat shared a purr. Sam learned that sharing makes new friends.
A soft wind whispered through the curtains. The curtains made ghost shapes that swayed. Sam watched the ghost curtains. He did not feel afraid. He felt curious. "Who is outside?" he wondered.
A rustle came from the garden. Tiny feet pattered near the fence. A small raccoon peeked over. He wore a leaf like a cape. He had a bandit mask made of dirt. His whiskers twitched.
"Hello," said Sam. "Would you like to see the pumpkin?"
The raccoon nodded. His eyes twinkled like two tiny lanterns. Sam opened the window a little. He shared a piece of his cookie with the raccoon. The raccoon ate it slowly, very politely. Sharing made a little party.
Soon, two fireflies blinked by the window. They winked and danced. "Come and sit," said Sam to the fireflies. The fireflies landed on the curtain, making soft starry lights. The room looked like a little sky.
Sam told a story about a brave pumpkin who wanted to glow tomorrow. He told the story three times. He liked to say it three times. He liked the sound of his own voice. "Glow-glow-glow," sang Sam. "Boo-boo-boo." The cat purred. The raccoon hummed. The fireflies blinked, blink, blink.
At bedtime, Sam tucked the pumpkin into its blanket. He tucked himself in too. "Goodnight, Pumpkin," he whispered. "I will keep you safe."
Outside, the wind sang a lullaby. Leaves clapped softly. The moon peeked between clouds. A soft, silver light filled the room. The pumpkin shone a tiny bit like a sleepy star. It was content.
Sam's eyes got heavy. He felt warm. He thought of the cat, the raccoon, and the twinkling fireflies. He felt glad he had shared his cookie. He felt glad he had friends.
"I will share you with the village tomorrow," he murmured to the pumpkin. "We will make a smile together."
His last thought was of the pumpkin's bright orange face, all ready to glow. He breathed out slowly. He closed his eyes.
In the morning, the pumpkin was safe. It did not roll away. It did not vanish. It waited like a happy friend. Sam woke up with a giggle. He hugged the pumpkin one more time. The day waited with candy and laughter, and Sam felt ready.
And the pumpkin was ready to glow.
