Nightmares Six: Decorations

My Halloween decorations are killer. Lame pun, I know. Seriously though, my hanging corpses win the local Halloween decoration contest every year.

Nobody really questions what they are. They just assume they're dummies. Extremely well-made dummies. I tell people I do taxidermy as a hobby, and that taxidermy and making dummies are very related skills. I do indeed have a taxidermy hobby, but the idea that making dummies and taxidermy are a related skill set is a lie. Well, actually, I don't know that. I've never tried to make a dummy.

I may live in a small town, but I never source my bodies from where I live. I'm fortunate enough to live near a larger city. It's not New York or LA big, but it's big enough that nobody really notices you're gone until it's too late. It also has plenty of homeless. Honestly, I'm doing a service to the community by getting rid of these people. I don't always get homeless people, though. I'm an opportunistic killer. If I'm out and see somebody alone in a dark street at night, I'll take them whether they're wearing rags or the crown jewels. It's all worth it to get that Best Decorations award. Pretty fun, too, I must say. You may ask what I do with the bodies after October's over. I know I said I have taxidermy as a hobby, but while I do use some taxidermy skills to keep the bodies from stinking while they're out, I don't keep them. I have a nice furnace in the basement. All I have to do is stuff 'em, put a hood over their head, and hang them up on the oak tree in my front yard. I usually use two, though sometimes I've used three, and I had one particularly unlucky year where I only had one Then when Halloween's over, it's off to be cremated.

Unfortunately, I might have to change my rule on where I source my bodies next year. Paul Henderson down the street won this Halloween for his dolled-up graveyard. Bastard. It's okay, though. Next year, he'll be part of my decorations, along with some no-name homeless asshole. His wife and children might have to go, too. Hopefully not, though. I've managed to avoid suspicion thus far. One guy disappearing might not cause people to point fingers at me, but an entire family missing and a family hanging from my oak? That's just inviting trouble.