WEP October: In My Pantry

 IN MY PANTRY

Image by Benjamin Balazs from Pixabay

Three things you'll always find in my pantry are garlic salt, garlic bulbs, and granddad's handgun loaded with silver bullets.

I don't trust the garlic salt by itself, but those garlic bulbs are too cumbersome to wear by themselves, even this time of year. I just don't see them hanging around my neck. So, I keep my garlic salt handy, right behind my old-fashioned breadbox, the one that Clem threw at me before he left. He didn't listen. He made it all the way out past the front picket fence before they got him.

I mostly stay inside now. Neither the TV nor the radio works. I'm thinking I may have to make a run to the city. Not sure how I'll make it past the front yard unless I wire the car up with garlic. 

I'm worried about my sister. She lives in a high rise with five cats. Clem never cared for her that much, so I haven't seen Sissy for far too long. Last time I saw her, she was telling me to remember granddad's stories about when the moon turned red. That's when I started cooking with garlic salt.

Have you ever had oatmeal with garlic salt? It's not so bad if you mix it with raisins and peanuts. 

Clem didn't like my cooking after I saw my sister. He said I should watch the cooking channel and make some changes. I just kept my head down and kept on with what I wanted. 

We didn't ever fight exactly. He just threw things around, and I kept cooking with garlic salt. And, of course, the entire front yard and back yard is planted in garlic. Nothing bad is coming in here.

Did I say this all started the week before Halloween? I attribute it to the blood moon we saw all through September. Can't say I'm going to have much for those trick and treaters this year. Not even candy corn, my favorite. I'm keeping it for myself. Though this year, it tastes a bit salty. You know, like garlic.

And then this morning, I heard knocking at the door. I recognized Clem’s knock, but I didn’t answer.

This flash fiction is in response to WEP's October 2024 Challenge, and also inspired by my daughter who always says I use too much garlic salt! Happy Halloween! 

Pantry staples, like garlic salt, take on special meaning at Halloween.
362 words.
FCA

Welcome to the WEP Halloween Flash Fiction Challenge

 

1. SUBMIT your Direct Link between October 1st and October 16th
2. POST your edited entry, making sure 'WEP' is in the TITLE along with the badge.
3. STATE feedback preferences
4. READ other entries, giving positive feedback. Refresh on WEP Critique Page.
5 SHARE THE CHALLENGE on social media. 

PLEASE NOTE: ENTRIES CLOSE October 16th (NY Time - check WEP blog clock)

ALL GENRES WELCOME except erotica - 1,000 words maximum 

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