Bearing a Wish

 Nestled between the mystical Hallow forests and rolling hills lay a land of abundance. Rural villagers thrived growing wheat and pumpkins, lovingly tended by the diligent hands toiling the fertile soil with sweat and hard work.  Among the farmers, Hexing and spellcasting to achieve the fruits of their labor was deemed disgraceful, a direct contradiction to the village's cherished motto of integrity. 

However, during challenging times when drudging hands went unrewarded, witches lurked from the forbidden forest to tempt unfortunate villagers. They cast curses on pumpkins, promising to grant wishes, but at dire costs tailored to one’s desire. The witches carved the most malevolent smiles onto the ripest pumpkins and excavated chambers for lighting a candle inside. With their sinister grins, these pumpkins lured in many throughout the years. Only the most virtuous resisted their allure, diligently tilling the earth in deference to the cycles of abundance and famine.

 Among those who held integrity were Adam and his wife, Evelyn. Beloved by the villagers for their frequent feasts, they wouldn’t leave anyone with a growly stomach. The generous pair shared harvests despite yields. The two ensured their neighbors were well provided, with food and shelter for the colder months.

"We can't thank you enough for what you've done for us," said a villager, cradling a pumpkin.

"How can we ever repay you?" 

"You don't have to do anything," replied Adam, holding his wife close. 

"I was this close to using the Pumpkin," chimed in another villager, "but boy oh boy, I remembered the Adams were there to help.”

“Bless you two, and that little one, for your generosity."

"We'll gladly accept all the blessings," Evelyn added with a warm grin, looking down and gently rubbing her belly. 

 Adam and Evelyn looked forward to a promising future. They prepared better than an overbearing mother could, choosing the softest baby’s cabin, a crib with a gentle rocking motion, rearranging their home for kid-friendly living, and cushioned sharp edges. They were fully prepared for the midnight feedings, diaper changes, and the whole package of parenthood.

However, they were unprepared to face the harsh season that had arrived. Fields that had thrived for generations were now on the brink of ruin. The North wind shifted its direction away from the hill, blowing directly over the farm fields and leaving the crops cold and sterile, making it impossible for any produce to grow.

As the chilling wind swept through, Adam succumbed to a cold that confined him beneath the bed sheets, battling a runny nose. Not only was it difficult for him to provide for the community, but even more so, it was difficult for him to support Evelyn. Lacking the strength to aid the expecting mother, too ill to pick up the fallen items, Evelyn was left exhausted and burdened.

"You should rest, love," Adam said, a hint of guilt in his voice, as he observed Evelyn tending to the housework. 

"It's alright,” said Evelyn with a tired smile, “you don't have to worry about me." 

"What about the villagers? Are they bothering you?" he followed up. 

"Occasionally,” she sighed, “they've even started stealing the cursed pumpkins." 

Adam's disbelief was evident. "They've gone mad! The village is no longer safe." 

"Yeah, not like it used to be,” she said, adding dry wood to the fireplace, “and I worry about the little one. I don't think we can raise our baby with people who believe in using the cursed pumpkins to solve their problems. They will end up wishing for more, hoping to undo their mistakes."

 Adam felt he had to act before it was too late for the town. The goodwill of the people was at stake. As he gazed at the roaring flames, fear stirred a sense of desperation he hadn't felt in a long time within him. For the first time, he understood that he had nothing to lose and was willing to risk it all. 

Staring into the fire, an idea sparked– something he could control, a light that could reverse everything to how it used to be, to the days when Adam had enough grain to share with those in need and was cherished for his abundance. The glint in Adam's eye caught Evelyn's attention, and with hesitation, she approached the bed where Adam rested. Carefully, she knelt and leaned toward him. 

"Promise me something," she implored tenderly, placing her hand on his forehead. "No matter what happens, don't light those pumpkins, for the little one's sake. Promise me." 

Adam nodded solemnly and replied after a pause, "I won't. Now get away from me before you get the plague, too."

Ignoring his words, Evelyn took her time to adjust and slid into the bed next to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, assuring him that it was all worth it. As she leaned her body on Adam, she felt the baby kicking in her stomach, bringing smiles to both of their faces. The time drew near. 

 Adam caressed Evelyn's belly, soothing her until she drifted into sleep. His eyes never left the fire as he wondered what would become of their little one. It was too early for their child to enter a world plagued by hunger and temptation. Evelyn risked getting sick to be with Adam, for she knew how much he loved her. The more he stared into the brightening flames, the clearer it became what Adam had to do.

 Slowly, he untangled himself from Evelyn's embrace and slipped out of the bed, ensuring he hadn’t woken her up. He carefully tucked the blanket around her, with the hope of completing his task before she awoke. Footsteps traced a path through the home, navigating around standing objects and tiptoeing over the creaky floor panels, and eventually slipping through the back door with a swoosh.

 There, he beheld the lingering sterile fruits of labor in the fields, the cursed pumpkins untouched and unpicked, with the full moon's gentle glow reflecting on their carved surfaces. Part of Adam wished the thieves had stolen them. "It's for the best," he whispered to himself as he drew closer. With every step that dusted away on the dry soil, his heart pounded. Drawing in closer to an arm's length, he took a better look at the twisted smile on the pumpkin's face.

Standing there, he couldn't help but feel an unsettling connection. The pumpkin seemed to give him permission to embrace his primal desires, liberated from the integrity he had modeled for his wife and the villagers. Realizing that perhaps authenticity, even in the form of a sinister smile, was truer than the facade of virtue he had long maintained. He began to question whether everything he did for the villagers was truly a selfless act or, instead, a deeper form of satisfaction for the power he held over the town.

Adam ignited a match in the dark field, shielding the flame from the frigid, gusty wind. The chilling breeze shook his hand as he reached into the pumpkin's core to light the candle. Its sinister smile grew brighter, momentarily blinding his surroundings and dimming the glow of the full moon. The world around him faded, and the choice lay squarely in Adam's hands.

 For a fleeting moment, he recalled the joy of sharing grain with the less fortunate and the happiness it brought to Evelyn. Her love welled tears in his eyes, and as he thought about the future with their child, and hopefully a second, Adam was breaking a promise he made for the right reason, sinning in hopes of virtue. He yearned for the farm in its former glory, where fertile soils were as bountiful as the ever-growing love within his family, and to reclaim his role as the provider for both the villagers and Evelyn.

 Malevolent laughter echoed through the Pumpkin chamber while the candle continued to burn. Adam took it as a sign that his wish would be granted. He closed his eyes, hoping for a better light to shine upon the fields he stood on, and took a deep breath. With a swift exhale, the pumpkin turned dark, and the scent of burnt remnants filled Adam's nostrils.

 With his eyes still closed, his heart pounded, uncertain whether his wish would be granted, troubled by the sacrifice the curse may have demanded. Uneasy sensations overwhelmed him until his foot sank a few inches into the soil beneath him. As he opened his eyes and glanced downward, the arid soil turned soft again, and the withered crops sprung back to life.

 The fields of wheat swayed back and forth in the same wind that had previously withered them, and he couldn't contain his excitement. Joy coursed through his veins, and a feeling of redemption surged with every sway of the renewed wheat. “The joy this news would bring to Evelyn,” Adam said to himself, to see her face light up with the same joy. The excitement that would bring her and the promising future the family has in the town.

 He walked through the grain field, feeling the wheatgrass gently brushing against his waist. As he drew closer to their home, his excitement turned to dread when agonizing screams emanated from the window. Panic gripped him, and he raced towards the house, determined to confront whoever intruded. He had a plan to drive them away this time. However, when he burst through the door, he found Evelyn alone, calling out his name in pain, her distress casting a dark shadow over his joy.

“What happened, love?”

“I don’t feel good,” Evelyn said, “I can’t feel the baby kicking!”

“It’s going to be alright,” Adam reassured her, “we’ll go to the healer for a check-up. I’ll help you get dressed.”

 Evelyn was too weak to stand on her own. Adam held her shoulder and assisted her off the bed. However, what he hadn't expected was the sight that awaited them on the bed – red stains covered the bedsheet. He understood at that horrible moment that the price for the fields becoming fertile had been his wife's inability to conceive again. 

 In a matter of seconds, she saw Adam’s gaze and turned to look in his direction. Evelyn broke out in pain at the sight of the trail she left behind, letting herself go and crying. Adam caught her in time, and she collapsed on the ground. He held her as she shed tears. He lowered his head and averted his eyes, out of the shame of robbing her of the future she had looked forward to.

 Weeping under Adam's arm, he was deeply anguished by his choice. Blinded by greed, he was desperate to make it up to Evelyn. It was unbearable seeing her sob in his arms with bloodshot eyes. He wiped away her tears, doing his best to provide comfort in this moment of shared pain.

 Left with the consequences of his wish, the fields outside swayed in the wind, with the cold slowly seeping into his home. Despite the chill his wish had brought, Adam sought warmth from the flickering fire within. Holding her close as she continued to sob, he drew her nearer to the heat. What he truly wished for was things as they used to be, a yearning for the days when Evelyn's eyes sparkled with the joy he took for granted. He longed to see that smile again, to recreate the feeling of home with its familiar warmth. Adam was willing to return that warmth, yet there he sat, uncertain, staring into the fire.