To create that unsettling, yet whimsical and festive, oops-I’ve-dropped-eyeballs-in-the-drinks-again- vibe, make these creepy Jell-O shots. Slurp them down in front of all of your favorite guests/victims at your next virtual Halloween party. They will howl with delight as they realize that there is always room for Jell-O—and random gummy body parts. They will be stunned and mesmerized as they ponder: Is the scrumptious gummy eyeball from Target the trick or the treat? (Here’s a hint: It’s both. The trick and the treat are one and the same. In other words, this is a drink to meditate upon.)

Making this drink couldn’t be simpler. It consists of four ingredients:

–a three-ounce package of Jell-O flavored gelatin (any flavor)

–water

–vodka, and

–gummy eyeballs—any variety. (I found mine at Target.)

Then, just remember the number four. Imagine the number four as a circle that’s cut into slices—like a pizza. Three slices are water, and one slice is really high proof alcohol, like good quality vodka.

Basically, just bring one cup of water to a boil, pour it into another bowl, whisk in the gelatin, and then pour in one more half cup of cold water. Continue to whisk. Then, pour in ½ cup of strong vodka. Divide the mixture into shot glasses and drop a gooey, ghastly, gummy body part in. Let the whole mixture set up in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

When you open the fridge, be prepared for an eerie sight, especially if you sampled a lot of vodka and forgot that you made Jell-O shots with gummy eyeballs. Here’s an example of a conversation that I had with my husband, when this very same thing happened to me:

Me: Nate! Please tell me I didn’t rip out the neighbors’ eyes and stick them in Jell-O for safekeeping!

Nate: No. You started to make Jell-O shots, and you said, ‘Look, Nate, no Jell-O,’ and then you ‘sampled’ the vodka to make sure it was good.

Me: Ah, yes. Now I remember. It was good.

But so were the Jell-O shots—delightfully innocent and child-like in flavor, except for the wallop of vodka at the end. The eye is fruity.

Nate and I polished off the whole lot pretty quickly, and we even thought of a fun game to play while enjoying them. It’s called: Guess what the eye is looking at now. It’s kind of like the game, “I spy”—but from the perspective of the eye that’s trapped in the shot glass. Oh, what that eye has seen!

Cecilia Kennedy once taught Spanish and English courses in Ohio for many years. She now lives in the Greater Seattle area, and writes horror stories. Her blog (Fixin’ Leaks and Leeks: https://fixinleaksnleeksdiy.blog/) chronicles her humorous (and perhaps scary?) attempts at cooking and home repair.