#I saw pumpkin spice cat litter one time

[firestarbb]

🍂🍁There is nothing that turns me into a more basic a$$ B*tch than Fall 🍂🍁

[swiftpng]

❥ — taylor swift’s fall netflix list // gettin’ deep & personal task.

Taylor’s a sucker for binge-watching a television show and ignoring the fact that she should be replying to emails about work, so what’s a better way to procrastinate than answering a bunch of fall related questions while watching a baking show? (click on the picture for hq!)

what’s your favorite part of fall? Everything. I know, I know… I might’ve said summer was my favorite season, but honestly? I love this time of the year so much. The leaves here are beginning to change colors. Soon they’ll fall to the ground in an array of golden-tones, stripping the trees bare in the process. We’ll all soon follow, wiping ourselves clean of the year’s hard times in anticipation of the better that’s sure to come. Pumpkin flavors can now be requested in coffee shops all over, and in just a couple weeks time, children will line the streets in costumes. There’s something in the breeze that heals. I can’t explain it, but I can feel it. Goosebumps litter my skin and at times I have to question whether I’m cold or whether my body is coming alive for the first time in ten months. Fall has arrived and so has my spirit. 

what about your least favorite? Hm, hard call. Maybe the colder weather? I don’t mind it, but I don’t really enjoy the feeling of my limbs feeling numb from the coldness.

what’s a song that always makes you think of Halloween? Thriller by Michael Jackson! If you don’t do the dance when you hear this song, we can’t be friends.

describe your quintessential fall outfit? Fall fashion is some of my favorite and, in my opinion, often the most creative! Usually, I’m always wearing fall colors with jeans, boots, and a sweater. Scarves, hats, and gloves can be found in my wardrobe during this time of year, too.

have you ever played with a ouija board? No, I wouldn’t do that. I’ve seen one too many horror films to know that it never ends well when you mess with those things.

do you feel that fall makes you happy or sad? Happy, most of the time! Although, it does make me feel slightly nostalgic, so that can always bring up unwanted feelings to the surface.

what’s your favorite Halloween-related movie? I always go for more light-hearted movies rather than all out scary movies, so I would have to say Hocus Pocus. But, I like Practical Magic, too.

now that the weather’s getting colder, what’s a go-to comfort meal for fall? Mac and cheese is my comfort food. It’s homey, warm, and so delicious. 

do you believe in ghosts & spirits? A little bit. I’m the kind of person to hear a mysterious noise and think “ghosts!” because that’s just who I am. I believe there are things we can’t see that exist, but I don’t really believe in the traditional ideas of what “ghosts” are. Maybe I’ll Buzzfeed Unsolved it one of these days and see if they’re truly real for myself.

favorite fall-related scent? Freshly made pumpkin pie from the oven is such a good smell, but I also love the smell of nature after it rains.

are you a generally superstitious person? I’m not overall superstitious, but I believe that there are things we can’t see or fathom. I believe there’s things we can’t explain, yet or ever. I believe that the number thirteen is my lucky number, and whenever it pops up randomly, I always believe it’s good luck for me.

do you rake up the leaves in your yard, or leave them fall where they may? I just leave them on the ground until I know it’s supposed to snow, and then I rake them up for them to burn. Fallen leaves make for a good bonfire.

if you were home alone and heard footsteps in your house, what would you do? I would probably check my security camera footage, and if I felt really spooked out, I’d call a friend to come over and stay the night!

hot apple cider or pumpkin spice coffee? Oooh, don’t do this to me. I love both, but a mug of hot apple cider is amazing when you’re at the window and reading a book.

pick a team of three people to go with you to a haunted house if you wanted to survive? Let me see… I think I’d choose Bill Skarsgård because he’s taller than me and I trust that he could protect the rest of the team; James McAvoy because he’s hilarious and I’m sure he could calm my nerves and lighten the mood; and Delta Goodrem since she’s my soul sister and I would need her for moral support. Bill, James, and Delta – those three would be my team if I had to go into a haunted house to survive.

do you use the pumpkin seeds once you’ve scooped ‘em from the jack-o-lantern? I usually save them! I roast them in the oven and eat them as a snack.

favorite Halloween costume that you’ve ever worn? Getting the chance to wear Ryan’s Deadpool costume was pretty cool. Didn’t think it would fit at first, but I’m glad it did!

what’s your favorite fall time activity? Going out at night and walking against the brisk air, warm coffee in my hand, feeling free and abandoned with my loved ones; sitting outside in the afternoons with a cozy sweater and writing/drawing; watching the darkening of the days, giving way to even brighter sunsets and sunrises.

graveyards at night: yay or nay? Uh, no. I don’t even like going to them in the daytime, so going to one during the night would not be for me.

do you enjoy baking during the fall season? Of course! Imagine if I didn’t bake almost everyday during the fall season? If you can name it, I can bake it. Cookies, pies, cakes, bread – those will fill my kitchen at all times.

are you more into Halloween parties or trick-or-treating? Since I’m older, I would say Halloween parties. Though, now that I’m living in Bayview, I’m hoping to get a chance to pass out candy to kids. Seeing little ones dressed up in their costumes is so cute.

what role do you play in a horror movie: the final girl, first to die, comic relief, the brain, or the murderer? Honestly? Depends on my mood. Kidding. Well, maybe. I feel like most people would assume that I would be the first to die in a horror movie and they might be right, but I feel like I could be the brain to come up with a plan to save us all. I’d be the comic relief if I’m nervous or feeling stressed during it all, the final girl if my plan goes like it should, and the murderer if I saw someone I disliked.

have you ever changed your appearance with the season? like dyeing your hair or doing different makeup? A lot of people dye their hair darker as the seasons change, but I don’t think I can pull off brown hair, so I just stick to blonde. I usually change my makeup to more darker tones.

after a scary movie… lights on or off? On, always. And I have to watch something more light-hearted afterwards otherwise I can’t go to sleep.

what’s your favorite candy that you look forward to getting around Halloween? Definitely Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s. You’ll never see me with candy corn, though. Whoever likes those are wrong. Very, very wrong. They have no taste, they’re boring, and they’re just not a good Halloween candy. Or even candy in general. Honestly, just don’t even talk to me if you like candy corn. Please. Also, if you have any in your presence, you should do yourself a favor and throw them away.

you’re a witch or warlock�� what’s your familiar animal? Would it be too predictable to say a cat? It would be cool if they could talk like Salem, too.

it’s an apple, and it’s coated with what: chocolate, candy or caramel? A chocolate M&M covered apple would be my pick. I never eat it from the stick, so I usually cut it with an apple slicer and then have my way with it.

do you believe in any urban legends like moth man or chupacabras? Can’t say I do, only because I’m not really familiar with either of those. I will say that I believe in Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.

are you more into the fall aesthetic, or just in it for Halloween? Both? I love fall because of the crispness of the air against the gentle warmth of sunlight, the reemergence of cozy dark clothing and boots, a fresh brew of coffee as the sun rises and the chill starts to nip at your nose and cheeks, the faint scent of cinnamon, shorter days in exchange for softer evenings and brighter sunrises, greenery turning over to bold reds, oranges, and yellows, a tangible feeling that you can do anything… I could go on forever, I just really, really love autumn, my soul feels so at home when it’s this time of year. But, I do love Halloween and I refuse to believe it begins within the plane of manmade time, and is not an atmospheric state that graces us mere mortals every year without fail, bringing with it an odd chilly peace and natural pleasantries and a sort of magic, all of which is willed by the Gods of Spook. Yes, I know, I’m weird.  

supernatural time: do you wanna be a vampire, werewolf, or zombie? I’ve been a zombie once, and let me tell you, sitting for six hours in a makeup chair is not fun. But in all seriousness, if I had to choose based off of what I’ve seen in TV shows and such, I think I’d go with being a werewolf. I mean, having to turn on a full moon and have every bone in my body break doesn’t sound like too much fun, but it does sound better than having to live off of blood and never actually dying (unless you get stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake). With how much the world is changing, I don’t think I would to live long enough to see how it all ends.

[the-novelwriter]

RED.

By: Sherrieff Farrakhan

“MEOW.”

I looked up from carving my pumpkin to see what Mr. Drogo wanted. He always wanted attention when my hands were messy.

“What do you want now Mr. Drogo?”

“MEOW.”

He jumped up on the kitchen counter sniffing the innards of the pumpkin that I had just disemboweled, and that’s when I realized I hadn’t fed him yet and it had been almost twelve hours since the last time he had eaten. I walked over to the cabinet and took out a can of wet cat food. I remember when I first got him. He was the cutest little tiger striped orange kitten with blue eyes that I had ever laid eyes on. The rest of his litter had been sold and for some reason no one wanted him. He was my perfect pet though.

“Here you go baby, mommy’s sorry she’s been neglecting you today.”

I put the food in his bowl, gave him a pat, and resumed my pumpkin carving extravaganza. Halloween was one of my favorite holidays, mostly because I loved the smell of the crisp air and the mirage of colors produced by the annual death of trees. It was like the unofficial official start of Autumn. I also liked that I could be anyone but myself one day out of the year with no questions asked. It made being a plain Jane so much more tolerable, and the look on people’s faces when they saw me dressed in my sexy, insert profession here, costume was to die for.

Once I finished with my third pumpkin, an angry faced one, I took them outside and lit them. I took a deep breath and looked down at my works of art. They looked like a depressed boy band on the verge of a split. I giggled to myself and walked back inside, feeling my phone vibrating in my pocket. I washed my hands and checked it, almost missing the call.

“Hello?”

“Hey girl, me and Mark will be there in an hour at about eight-ish, I got the liquor and the Maryjane!” Nicki laughed, putting emphasis on the last word like I was too anal to know what she meant.

“Okay cool, let me clean this place up, I got pumpkin guts everywhere.”

“Alright, see you in a few!”

I hung up the phone and immediately got to cleaning. I hated having people over when my apartment was dirty, it was just a bit too small for extra people and mess. Four hundred square feet of space is just enough to have about two guests and a cat. I looked around my small apartment, the used brown couch and chair that came with it looking like they belonged to a grandparent from two generations ago. The cheap coffee table and end table set a little shinier than it should have been. It was a bit run down but it was mine. I had lived in it for two years now and I loved it.

“MEOW.”

“I know boy, just have to make sure everything is clean,” I responded to him. I hated making him uncomfortable, but sometimes I had too. He hissed and ran into my bedroom when I turned the vacuum cleaner on.

***

“Girl I cannot believe you got another picture printed out of you and that cat, we are in college and you’re already an old cat lady,” Nicki said.

“Oh, girl leave her alone, he’s the only male affection she has,” Mark chimed in. They both erupted into laughter. I don’t know if it was actually funny or if it was the weed, but we laughed for a few good minutes before I finally had a comeback.

“This is coming from a guy who hasn’t had a date since freshman year,” I responded with a sarcastic smile. “Your love life is about as dry as mine.”

He rolled his eyes and took another hit from the bowl. Me, Nicki, and Mark had been friends since freshman year of college, and we were now seniors. We had had our fair share of ups and downs but at the end of the day it made our relationship stronger. People always wondered how a black inner-city Chicago girl, became friends with me, an uptight white girl from Ohio, and Mark a flamboyant gay Asian boy from California. Nicki would defend our friendship with a ferocity whenever people asked her why she was friends with us. which happened a bit more often than I’d like to admit.  

“Because they are genuinely amazing people! It’s extremely small minded of you to think that I can’t relate to people of different cultures!” She yelled at one of her other acquaintances one day while we were out at a bar. His eyes got big and he made his way to a different crowd, not ready to face her wrath.

Me and Mark were quiet with awkward grins frozen to our faces. She looked over at us.

“I absolutely hate when other black people act like I can’t be friends with you guys because of my background, yes I’m a little hood but I am smart as hell…” She said to us as her eyes drifted to the floor. “I really care about you guys.”

“Girl we love you, fuck what small minded people have to say. We are sugar, spice, and everything nice honeeey,” Mark said to her with a level of sass that could only be topped by hers. We both laughed and gave her hugs to reassure her of our friendship. I knew she loved us, but I sometimes felt bad because her own community was a bit ostracizing

“Girl those pumpkins look like us when we’re mad at each other,” Nicki said interrupting my daydream.

“Can I hit that one more time?” I asked, reaching for the weed. “I didn’t think about it but yes they do!” I laughed almost choking on the smoke.

“Oh, I see someone is trying to get turnt up in here tonight,” responded Nicki with a smile.

“Well since midterms are over, I thought why the hell not?” I laughed. “You want me to make us some drinks?”

“Yaaaas!” Mark responded with his famous spirit fingers, the glitter paint on his nails sparkling in the dim overhead light.

“Just for the dramatics you get water,” I teased as I got up from the table.

“I have something to show you guys,” Mark said when I came back from mixing our drinks.

He was sitting there, holding his book bag with a big mischievous smile on his face. I never knew what to expect from him. He was the most unpredictable friend in our group, but it made things more exciting for the most part. Planning random road trips, throwing surprise parties, showing up to his friends’ houses without fair warning. He was the full package.  

“So, I went to visit a psychic yesterday to get my readings, and well I saw this old spell book and asked her if I could buy it from her, you know? Something spontaneous and creepy,” He reached into his bag pulling the book out. “She was reluctant at first, but after about fifteen minutes of warning me of ‘dark powers’ she sold it to me for $100. Of course, I had to convince her that I wouldn’t utter a word from the book aloud before she let me leave.”

The book was leather bound but looked like it had been through some rough days in its lifetime. He shuffled through it revealing missing and stained pages.

“You think my black ass is about to play with a spellbook?” Nicki questioned, moving her chair away from the small round table. “Especially one that you were specifically warned not to read from, Oh hell no!”

I laughed, finding myself drawn to the book. The alcohol and weed were really starting to kick in now and I felt in the mood for something spooky. I didn’t really believe in magic and spirits, so I didn’t care about the psychic’s warning.

“Let me see,” I said taking the book from Mark.

I flipped through the pages, not recognizing the language at all. I found a short spell and thought I would give Nicki a scare, I did owe her for making fun of me and Mr. Drogo. I recited the words in my head once before trying them out loud.

“Zü-rad fres-ah dor-ium khalê—”

“Oh, hell no bitch, stop!” Nicki tried snatching the book, but I moved away and stood up. I began again.

“Zü-rad fres-ah dor-ium khalê morti-ūn sherán”

I repeated it three times while running from Nicki, who unsuccessfully attempted to take the book. I eventually came back to the table and sat, out of breath. Mark had been laughing the whole time watching the two-woman production we had just performed. Nicki, on the other hand, looked visibly bothered.

“I’m sorry, I had to get you back for making fun of me and Mr. Drogo,” I said.

“Girl whatever, you know I don’t like that spooky shit. I need a shot,” She got up from the table and went into the kitchen to get more vodka.

“I wonder what it means,” said Mark, while looking over the page. “I’m going to google it.”

I suddenly started to feel uneasy and light headed. It was like the weed and vodka had started to hit me full force.

“I feel kind of light heade—”

***

“Shannon, Shannon,” I heard their voices calling out to me.

I opened my eyes and for a few seconds I couldn’t see anything. Eventually my eyes adjusted, and I saw Mark and Nicki standing over me.

“Girl what the fuck!?” Nicki half asked half screamed. “What happened?”

“I feel okay I just think I over did it on the weed,” I tried to explain.

I was a lot more scared than I let on. I had never passed out before, it makes your body feel so weak when you come back to consciousness. I was also nervous because smoking and drinking had never made that happen before.

“That has never happened to me before, maybe I shouldn’t have mixed the two,” I muttered. “I need some water.”

“Hold up Shan, I’ll get it for you,” Mark said, stopping me from getting up from the couch. Shan was a nickname they used every now and again.

“Did you look up the spell?” I asked him when he came back.

“I didn’t have time, you scared the shit out of me. You were only out for like 45 seconds, but still,” He said as he took out his phone to search the spell.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I can take you to the hospital, if you want?” Nicki asked.

“Thanks, Nic, but I think I’ll be fine just have to let myself come dow—”

“It says here that the spell is one that Satanists used back in the day to conjure parasitic demons,” Mark interrupted. “What the fuck is a parasitic demon?” He asked to no one in particular.

“Can you please stop talking about it?” Nicki asked him with the utmost sincerity. I don’t think I had ever seen her look so scared and worried. She was not lying when she said she hated spooky stuff.

“Okay after this last thing. It says that parasitic demons possess their host and make them kill other living beings and then themselves as an offering to Satan,” He Informed. “How could anybody believe this shit?” He rolled his eyes and put his phone in his pocket.

“I don’t believe it, but it is very creepy,” I responded.

Suddenly, I felt my right eye starting to twitch. I excused myself to go to the bathroom to look in the mirror feeling slightly dizzy when I stood up. The way my apartment was set up the bathroom was located in my bedroom. On my way in I looked around for Mr. Drogo who I had not seen since my friends had arrived, he was probably under my bed. I looked into the mirror and noticed that there was a black speck on my eyeball. I blinked several times trying to see if it would move but to my surprise it gradually got bigger. Fear seeped into my chest as I watched the speck grow from the size of a pen mark to the size of a dime.

“You guys!” I screamed out to them. “Somethings wrong with my eye!”

They appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. They both shared similar looks of concern that immediately turned to surprise and fear when I turned to show them my eye.

“Oh my god, what the fuck is that?” Nicki whispered as she got closer. “It looks like its spreading.”

“Maybe you burst a blood vessel?” Mark tried to console.

“Blood is red Mark! This is fucking black!” I responded feeling myself becoming livid. Not at him just in general more than likely from the panic I was experiencing. I looked back in the mirror and noticed that most of the white of my eye was now black. It was even starting to spread onto the blue of my iris.

“Woah Shan, calm down girl, he’s just trying to help. I think we should go to the hospital now,” Nicki Said, “This looks serious.”

I watched my eye turn completely black and couldn’t help but cry. I sat down on the toilet seat and sobbed for a few minutes. They stood there like two concerned parents waiting for their child to get out of surgery.

“MEOW.” Mr. Drogo walked into the bathroom and brushed against my leg purring, also trying his best to reassure me that things would be okay.

KILL HIM.

“Did you guys hear that?” I looked up at them, startled.

“I know, his little purring is so cute,” Nicki responded with a fake smile trying to suppress her fear.

KILL HIM!

I looked at them just as confused as they looked at me. There is no way they didn’t hear that deep voice. Then it occurred to me that I was probably possessed. I didn’t believe in demons until the moment I heard that voice. My fear took over.

“I need to go to a church guys,” I said, “I’m hearing voices, and I think I may be possessed. What if the spell was real? Oh my god!” I let out another sob my body shaking from nervousness. I stood up and looked in the mirror again. My right eye was completely black now, and I saw another speck forming in my left eye.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Said Nicki, looking extremely uneasy her hands starting to shake as well. “I’ll get your shoes.”

Mark hadn’t said a word since I snapped at him, but his eyes said everything. Expressing fear and concern. I was shaking now profusely now. My fear turning to horror. The splotch on my left eye was now dime sized.

KILL HIM!!!

I let out a cry of fear. Not knowing what the hell was going on, my hand clutching my chest.

“Can we hurry up please?” I asked. “The voice is getting louder!” 

I looked down at Mr. Drogo who was looking up at me with his little blue eyes. I felt my face curl into a smile.

“Shannon, you’re smiling pretty hard, are you okay?” Mark asked.

“I will be once I please him,” I responded, but these were not my words. They came from somewhere else. I suddenly felt my consciousness shift as I became a bystander to the thing that began controlling my body. “He will be so pleased with my sacrifice,” I could hear the words leave my mouth, but I could not stop them. Mark’s eyes grew wide. 

“I found a church in the area that’s open this late, let’s go,” Nicki said appearing in the doorway.

“NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!” I felt the words come out. I tried with everything in me to fight this force, to get some of my own words out. I tried to move myself from my position in front of the mirror, but it was all in vain. It was very evident that I had no control. The most I could let out was a forced grunt.

“Girl fuck this, I’m calling the police!” Nicki Snapped out of fear.

Mark still stood silent, his face flushed and his eyes still wide. 

My body pushed past them and ran into the kitchen. I tried so hard to stop my it from moving. I could see, feel, and hear everything. I just had zero control. I fought so hard for control physically that it began to hurt all over. The pain was like fire, it felt like my blood was boiling, but I couldn’t even scream out in pain. In the kitchen I watched myself grab the largest knife from my drawer. I immediately knew where this was going, and used prayer as a last resort. I prayed hard in my head as my body walked back towards my bedroom where I heard Nicki talking to dispatch. As I prayed the physical pain intensified. 

GOD CAN’T SAVE YOU NOW!

“She’s got a knife!” Mark screamed.

They both cowered in the corner of my room. My body approached them slowly. I could still feel the grimace on my face, it stretched further making my face hurt. Nicki pulled out her key ring that had a bottle of mace on it.

“Shannon please, the police are on the way. I know you’re in there!” Nicki pleaded. I felt my eyes burn as tears ran down my face. I tried with all my might to get a word out. The burning inside me intensified but I still fought hard. It burned so bad that I finally was able to let out a scream. My tears intensified as I struggled to get the words out. My chest heaved as I stood there with my mouth open.

“I-I-I’m s-s-sorry,” I managed to get out before the pain forced me to give in and remain silent.

KILL THEM NOW!!

I approached them slowly. Nicki raised the mace and sprayed me, tears running down her face. I felt the burn of the mace, but it didn’t stop the demon controlling me. I lunged at her first wrapping my left hand around her throat. Mark grabbed my arm with the knife and tried to get it from my grip.

“Shannon please! You have to fight this!” Mark screamed after he failed to get the knife. Whatever was in control had inhuman strength so all of their efforts to fight back were futile. I felt my arm drive the knife into Nicki’s stomach, she didn’t make much noise because the hand around her throat was gripped tight. The most she managed was a few grunts, and then she began to gargle as blood spilled from her mouth.

“NOOOO!” Mark screamed, tears running down his face. He tried to make a run for it but before I knew it, I had him against a wall too, in the same way that I had Nicki.

“You think you can escape the wrath of my father?” I heard the question come from my lips, but this time it was the same voice I had heard in my head, powerful and deep. Mark whined as he tried to escape my grip. I heard Nicki gargle her last breath and momentarily forgot what was happening. I remembered all of the good times we shared. The love, the laughter, the tears, the secrets, Nicki. I felt my arm move and in an instant blood was flowing from his lips too. My grip on his neck released and he slid down the wall. He gurgled for about three minutes before he died, and the demon in control of my body made me stand right above him and watch until he took his last breath. I felt more tears coming from my eyes.

“MEOW.”

My head turned sharply, and my body ran full speed in his direction. He hissed and tried to run under the bed, but my hand gripped his tail before he could get away. I wanted so badly for him to get away, but in a matter of seconds I was holding him by the scruff of his neck. I really tried to close my eyes when the knife slit his throat, but all attempts were in vain. I felt his blood splatter on my face. My heart broke, it felt like it literally broke, and all I could do was silently cry. My chest began to heave. I was sobbing but I couldn’t Let it out. I watched as the demon used my body to lay my dead friends and dead cat on my bed.  I watched as it forced me to lie on the bed next to their cooling bodies.

“Father will be so proud,” The words left my mouth.

YOUR TURN NOW.

I watched myself pick up the knife and walk into the bathroom and stand in front of the mirror. I was covered in the red blood of my friends and cat. I then heard a knock on the door.

“This is the police. Please open the door!”

I saw my face clearly for the first time since my eyes had started to turn and I looked like a demon. My eyes, an abyss of darkness. My mouth, curled in a grimace that didn’t look humanly possible. I tried to pray in my head again, but nothing worked, this thing had me, and it wasn’t letting me go until it had what it wanted. I watched as the arm, my arm, that once seemed so familiar lifted the knife to my neck and slid the blade across my throat.

RED.