Previously: “The Perfect Video Game.”

Note: Click here for content warnings.

This week, a tale that’s not terribly long, but that’s terribly effective all the same: “Lake Of Pumpkins,” a creepypasta that’s ultimately about memory. It does involve, as you might expect, a lake and some pumpkins — but there’s also ritual, and community, and family, and tradition. But although those might all seem like wholesome, heartwarming themes and ideas… well, this is a creepypasta. That should give you an idea of where it’s all going.

“Lake Of Pumpkins” is a pretty recent story; it was written by Creepypasta Wiki user Gloomara and uploaded in August of 2025. And although it might seem from its title that it’s more appropriate for the Halloween season, don’t be fooled; the tradition here involving the lake and the pumpkins happens every month in the world of this story — which, honestly, raises the stakes even more: Have you ever tried to find a good pumpkin in winter? Or spring? Or summer? They’re… not exactly plentiful at those times of year.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

If your town has a weird tradition that everyone has to undertake when they reach a certain age…

…I’m sorry.

I enjoyed this one immensely. Find an excerpt below, and read the whole the story over at the Creepypasta Wiki.

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Every month, on the same day, at the same time, we were told to feed a pumpkin into the great lake at the edge of our town. This must be done, no matter what, and when someone turns the age of 13, they must participate. That’s what my father told me. And that’s why we were going to the lake on my 13th birthday.

I asked him why we did this. He told me that it is because it rewards our town. Rewards our life. I asked for clarification, but he didn’t say anything further.

I normally wasn’t this inquisitive with other topics. But, as it was my turn to give a pumpkin to the lake, I didn’t want to mess it up.

Keep reading…

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Bluesky @GhostMachine13.bsky.social, Twitter @GhostMachine13, and Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And for more games, don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photo via StockSnap/Pixabay]

*Content warnings: Parental loss.