Casting a Grin

I noticed a warm amber glow humming softly from a small nightlight plugged right into the lower wall socket. After stepping across the smooth hallway floorboards, I guided my pumpkin bucket into the center of the beam. On the pale baseboard beside me, a giant jack-o'-lantern face stretched out, its triangular eyes and jagged toothy smile glowing across the white paint. I gave my bucket a gentle tilt to the left, watching the shadowy grin tip upward as if it were sharing a secret chuckle with the whole room. Sitting down with my knees out, I rested the bucket in place, thoroughly pleased with our cheerful bedtime shadow.