Ghost Biscuits with Crooked Eyes

A plate of ghost biscuits stood on the little kitchen table. They had been baked earlier and were completely cool. Puschel had washed his paws. Now he looked at the white icing and the tiny, flat sugar eyes.

‘Eleven days until Halloween,’ he said. ‘Today our biscuits are getting faces.’

Flauschi set down a little bowl of icing. ‘Let’s try one first. Then we can see how it works.’

Puschel spread a little icing on a biscuit with his spoon. He placed two sugar eyes on top. The first sat quite high up. He wanted to put the second right beside it.

But the icing was still soft. When Puschel tilted the plate towards himself, the second eye slid down a little.

‘Oh!’ he said. ‘The ghost is looking in two directions.’

He gently pushed the eye higher with the tip of his spoon. As he did, the other eye slipped sideways. Now the biscuit looked even more crooked.

Puschel put down his spoon. ‘I think the eyes are playing chase.’

Flauschi leaned towards the plate. ‘Or it’s looking out for tall guests and small guests at the same time.’

Puschel studied the upper eye. Then the lower one. ‘Can a biscuit do that?’

‘In our party story, it can. This one could be our friendly doorkeeper.’

‘Does it have to frighten everyone?’

‘No. It makes sure everyone feels welcome. Even anyone who doesn’t want to hear a boo.’

Puschel smiled. With a tiny bit of icing, he gave the biscuit a little mouth. That turned out slightly crooked too.

‘Now it’s saying: Come in!’ Puschel decided. ‘But slowly, please. My eyes are still on their way.’

They both giggled. Then they left the plate flat on the table so the icing could become firmer.

Puschel used less icing on the next biscuit. Flauschi held the plate steady while he placed the eyes. This time they stayed side by side.

‘That one is looking straight ahead,’ said Puschel. ‘But I’ll recognise the doorkeeper straight away.’

They decorated a few more biscuits. Not every one needed sugar eyes. One got just a little dot of icing, and another stayed plain. Nobody had to like a ghost or taste a biscuit.

Finally, Flauschi moved the little bowl aside. There was room on the table again.

‘Where will it keep watch now?’ Puschel asked.

‘Here on the plate. The biscuits would only get in the way beside the real door.’

Puschel nodded to the crooked face. ‘Very good. Today you can welcome visitors to our cosy biscuit break.’

And before they took a break, they washed the sticky spoons together.