Everyone knows what happens when you put a magic hat on a snowman. But what happens when you put it on something else?

It was almost Halloween and Gina, Robin and Daniel decided to find out. Robin carved the scariest face she could into the skin of a pumpkin, while the others stuffed hay into a large shirt and pair of overalls. The three of them lifted the hay body and sat it in a chair. Daniel brought his fathers old boots over and after cramming the overflowing pant legs down inside, laced them up tight. Gina filled garden gloves and carefully pinned them onto the ends of the arms.

When Robin finished scooping out the pumpkin seeds, they placed a candle inside and lit it. Daniel lifted the Jack-o-lantern and carefully set it onto the stuffed body.

All was set. Gina retrieved the hat and brought it near their creation. All three looked at it, and then at each other. Not a word was spoken. Gina hesitated for a moment and then reached up, gently placing the tall black stovepipe hat on top of the jack-o-lantern.

At first nothing changed. Then the flame from the little candle grew. And grew. It fanned out over the inside of the pumpkin. The toothy grin and narrow eyes filled with fire. The pumpkin head turned to face each child. The burning eyebrow slits tilted down more toward the nose and the sharp-toothed grin widened.

Slowly it stood, towering over the three. Awestruck by what they were seeing, they did not run. It picked up the knife Robin has used only minutes earlier to carve its face, which had since become so much more sinister. Hay rustled inside the glove as it balled into a fist around the knife handle.

A deep loud laugh erupted out of the flames as it raised its arm high into the air, knife blade pointing downward toward the children.