_________________________________________ / -Ghost Story-telling Contest- \ | -June 20, 1998- | | Recorded & Edited by Aubrey McMichaels | \___http://pages.prodigy.net/aubreymcm/___/ **************************************** [Sacred Grove] Ancient elder trees stand their eternal watch, guarding the entrance to this sacred grove. You sense an ethereal power here, making you keenly aware of your surroundings. Every flower, every leaf, every woodland creature seems to radiate its energy to the depth of your soul. You catch a glimpse of your place in the universe and your connection to all living things, past, present and future. You also see a succulent skewered steak, a mug of apple cider, a ring of torches with a charred cauldron in the center, a Ghost Story storytelling list and a storytelling notice affixed to a tree. Obvious paths: north, south, east, west. 0%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%0 | Summer Solstice Ghost Story Contest | 0%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%/%0 Welcome to the second Annual Summer Storytelling Contest! A sign-up list will be opened at 9:00 pm EST this evening, and the contest will begin at 9:30 pm EST. All contestants will be heard in the order they appear on the list. If you are are not in the area at the time of your turn, you will be skipped. The Sign-Up list will close when the readings begin. Some Rules-Of-The-Road: 1* Ghost Stories, all types and varieties are acceptable. No songs or poetry, please. Just stories. 2* All entries should be no longer than 5 minutes in length. Contestants going longer than that will be cut off. 3* Keep entries tasteful. Any vulgarities will be cause for immediate withdrawal from the Storytelling and end of the evening for the contestant. 4* Obstreperous behavior by the viewers, including excessive movement will be cause for dismissal from the activity. 5* Entries will be judged by three adjudicants selected from peers attending the activity. Each judge will rate an entry from 1-20, and a composite score will be kept by GameMasters attending. All decisions are final. 6* The top three scores will be awarded with a special prize at the end of the event. Hope you can attend!! **************************************** Jade Crystal stands up to address the assembly. Jade Crystal says, "This is a true story...You see, when I was a just a little girl, we lived in West Virginia where my father was a coal miner. We had a nice happy life until the incident. Every day my mother would wake up and sing to me while she made my eggs and toast. My brother, Xavier, would go out and do his chores and then he would be off to school. I didnt get to goto school but my mother educated me at home. As I woke one day, I noticed that my mother was not singing while she made breakfast. In fa" Jade Crystal says, "In fact, she wasnt even awake yet. As I wandered into her bedroom, I saw her, lying limp, with her hand hanging over the side of the bed." Jade Crystal says, "I felt terrible" Jade Crystal seems dizzy. Jade Crystal says, "I ran upto her bed but when I tugged at her arm...she didnt move, she didnt wake up. Later that day, the doctor came. After he left solemly..The carpenter came with a measurement tool of some sort but I dont know what." Jade Crystal seems sad. Jade Crystal says, "The next day, we dressed in our best Sunday clothes. I couldnt figure out why!." Jade Crystal says, "Then I realized it. I saw momma, in her wooden box, with her fancy jewelry that was her prized possesions. Especially her rings...those were her favorite and were to be burried with her." Jade Crystal says, "As we rode to the graveyard, my father cried for the first time I had ever seen." Jade Crystal says, "I was very sad" Jade Crystal says, "As we left the ceremony, my dad lit his pipe and drank his ale. He wouldnt speak, wouldnt take, wouldnt move. He just sat there" Jade Crystal gets a book of matches from inside her beach bag. Jade Crystal lights her pipe. Jade Crystal puts her matches in her beach bag. Jade Crystal takes a puff of her pipe and inhales the long-cut tobacco smoke. Jade Crystal gets a mug of ale from inside her beach bag. Jade Crystal drains her ale! Jade Crystal says, "Suddenly, we heard a rapping at the door. " Jade Crystal recites: ""honey? somebody? let me in...please. As the door creaked open, momma fell in. I and my farther turned pale white. I couldnt belive it...Momma was alive..But pale..and she was missing fingers! She moaned and groaned as she stumbled into the house. " Jade Crystal says, "STAY BACK" My father yelled. But I rushed to my pale ghost form of my momma. But when I reached to touch and hug her, she was a solid person. She was real. "Is that really you Anne?? It is you! My father yelled" Jade Crystal exclaims, "No! No!!" Jade Crystal says, "My father woudltn belive it" Jade Crystal says, "He was too stunned to understand" Jade Crystal says, "As he reached for his rifle...Momma fell into his arms" Jade Crystal says, "He was mystified" Jade Crystal asks, "blood dripped all over him...so it had to be real, or was it?" Jade Crystal says, "You see...Grave robbers had dug her coffin up to steal her jewelery. When they couldnt get the rings off her fingers, they cut them off" Jade Crystal says, "My father accidently shot himself, beliving that his wife was haunting him" Jade Crystal says, "My momma slumped over, crying in his arms as he died" Jade Crystal says, "I didnt know what was happening." Jade Crystal says, "To this day, my mother and I cant figure out why he belived she was haunting him" Jade Crystal says, "But he thought it, and he died because of his scare." Jade Crystal says, "Thank you" **************************************** Hank Monjin stands up to address the assembly. Hank Monjin smiles. Hank Monjin says, "This story is en-titled "The Young One" And it is of course a true story..." Hank Monjin exclaims, "There once was a young lad of 21.... One fine morn this laddy found himself stuck on THIS SAME ISLAND WE ARE ALL ON!" Hank Monjin says, "This lad really didn't know what to do so, He found his way to a place called "the pub". At this pub he found many people, some nice , some scary." Hank Monjin says, "He asked one of these fine people for some help- saying "help me please?...I'm a newbie!"...Of course some of these people laughed..." Hank Monjin exclaims, "He really didn't think anyone would help him as he had heard they usally don't!" Hank Monjin says, "But one of them actually did do something, they said "hello son! my name is HANK.... What i'm gona give you, is a very special little toy...I think you'll find it very usefull in life. "" Hank Monjin says, "The man then proceded to give the lad a .22 Caliber pistol, he instructed the boy how to use it, and then told him that if he rubbed the handle-Hank would be there to help him...."" Hank Monjin exclaims, "The boy thanked the man, and then went on his way- -off into the wilderness...Trying to do what people had told him when he asked for money...HUNT!" Hank Monjin says, "The boy thought he was doing pretty good, untill he heard about a thing called RENFAIR, people on the communicatior where just whirring about it-how great it was...." Hank Monjin says, "But the lad didn't know where it was...so he thought "hey i remember the handle bit..."--so he got the pistol-and rubbed the handle. " Hank Monjin says, "He really didn't think it would work-so he kept on going trying to find his way to the "Renfair"...When he finally found the there, he look at the bonfire- and there was HANKS face....Hank was laughing at the boy-and saying "Why did you leave boy, you made me die trying to find you!"" Hank Monjin says, "You see, on his frantic search to help the boy, Hank had stumbled into a hold up at the pawn shop, and was shot in the stumach bye a 12-gauge." Hank Monjin says, "The boy thought hmph...It was real.... Hank was getting pretty agitated bye now...the boy was also getting pretty darn scared...so he shot the bonfire..." Hank Monjin exclaims, "It really had no effect, untill later when he left the island...he turned off his computer, changed his clothes , and settled peacefully into his bed-Then he saw Hanks face!!-Hank was still laughing , a moment later a .22 caliber bullet hit him in the head... A few days later a county corner came to his house, and found him dead on the bed-cause of death unknown....And the case was closed-UTILL NOW!" **************************************** Sean Connor stands up to address the assembly. Sean Connor says, "Ahem... ahem... ugh... allergies. Uh... anyway. Tonight I'll tell a stor of one of the jobs I was sent out on. More fitting for TV than real life..." Sean Connor says, "Well, it started out like any other mission. Someone stole something or other and I was sent out after 'em." Sean Connor says, "Lemee think... Ah yes... He snuck into Nerodine Labs. Never heard of it? Good... Anyway, he stole some experimental formulas, most of which the scientists did't even know the uses for." Sean Connor says, "He was a biological terrorist. Beats me why. Criminals are all alike anyway. Wackos." Sean Connor says, "Well, I managed to tail him to the Amazon Jungle where he had a small compound of rinky-dink shacks." Sean Connor says, "Being the super-cool studly guy that I am, I burst right through the front gate, my trusty magnum at the ready." Sean Connor says, "But... there was nobody there. "Oh well, makes it easier," I figured." Sean Connor says, "I slipped from shack to shanty, shanty to shack until I got to the largest building, which was smaller than Dexter's Shoe Shop." Sean Connor exclaims, "I peeked in the window and oh joy of joys, there was someone to arrest in there!" Sean Connor says, "I kicked in the door, pointed my gun at the guy and shouted "Freeze, you're under arrest." He just sat there, his back to me, not moving." Sean Connor says, "I figured he was just cooperating, so I turned around the chair and stared in his face... which wasn't there..." Sean Connor says, "Needless to say, I beat it out of there, and ended up here. Bet my boss is mad..." Sean Connor grins. **************************************** Angela Bond stands up to address the assembly. (Angela Bond glances around the people sitting around the fire and smiles evilly to herself.) Angela Bond exclaims, "My story is called. . . The Horror of Oklahoma!" (Angela Bond looks scared as spooky music plays.) Angela Bond says, "Once upon a time...not too long ago. Infact, maybe just like 3 days. . there was an easily scared man, desperately trying to get home in a rainstorm. He passed what he thought was an abadoned house." Angela Bond says, "And by the looks of it, he was probably most certainly right." Angela Bond says, "He carefully walked up the path to the house. There was no moon out, which sent chills running down his spine. Something moved in the bushes. He jumped up and landed on the ground, trembling like a child" (Angela Bond glances around, not moving. Suddenly you feel an ice-cold hand clamp down on the base of your neck! You shriek suddenly and look over at Angela who gives a short, innocent grin to you.) Angela Bond says, "The man laid there, curled in a fetal position. After a few moments, he crawled to the door and shakily opened it up. Crrrrrrreak! He stepped up into the dark entryway. No signs of life. But he felt" Angela Bond says, "like half a dozen eyes were staring at him. Imagine that! Look around you, try to feel as that man. 6 eyeballs boring into the back of your head and you don't know who they belong to. Eyes that watc" Angela Bond says, "Eyes that watch your every move..." Angela Bond says, "The man, shuddering with fear, slowly made his way up the staircase. Suddenly, he stopped and listened. He heard a horrible wailing like this:" (Angela Bond throws her head back and begins to wail in a scratchy voice.) Angela Bond says, "His shoes squeaked as his walked, and the floorboards groaned under his weight. The lightless upstair hall seemed like an inviting place for goblins, ghosts and other such evil spirits. Squeezing his eyes shut and shuddering, he tried to erase the thought of the eyeballs that seemed to be watching him, following him. " Angela Bond says, "Again, he heard those horrible wails. They become louder and louder and louder. The man uttered a cry and he felt his heart pound faster and faster and faster.. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.. " Angela Bond says, "He could practically hear his own heartbeat. He heard footsteps approach him, and he ran blindly down the dark hallway and thrust open a door. He raced inside. The wailing was just outside this teeny closet that he took refuge of. The doorknob turned. The man gasped, sweat pouring down his face." (Angela Bond wriggles her fingers around her head as to imitate the pouring sweat.) Angela Bond says, "Then.. the door flew open and there stood.."" Angela Bond glances around. Angela Bond gasps. She looks rather startled. Angela Bond exclaims, "Hanson!" Angela Bond screams! Angela Bond collapses in a heap on the floor. Angela Bond says, "The End." Angela Bond stands back up. Angela Bond bows. **************************************** Marty Conner stands up to address the assembly. Marty Conner says, "I thought I was going to tell some stupid story, but then I realized." Marty Conner says, "I had a perfectly good story right in front of me, throughout my lifetime me and my family have been witness to a ghastly mystery." Marty Conner says, "I know what your thinking." Marty Conner says, "Oh know, not another "True story"" Marty Conner says, "Well, thats the way it is. I hope you notice there is no real punchline to this story, because thats the way it is in real life." Marty Conner says, "A long time ago, when I was 12" Marty Conner says, "My parents needed to move into a house to make room for me" Marty Conner says, "They were seeing my house for the very first time, and my father walked into the owners alter room without shoes." Marty Conner says, "The owners warned my father, and he was cursed." Marty Conner says, "He had disrespected them." Marty Conner says, "Anyway, we moved into the house eventually" Marty Conner says, "They took their alter with them." Marty Conner says, "But the curse stayed." Marty Conner says, "My mother, the most spiritual, had been seeing a ghost in her sleep." Marty Conner says, "It whispered, I am abu." Marty Conner says, "Abu was the ghosts name." Marty Conner says, "Anyway, in the following evenings another incident happened." Marty Conner says, "My mother ran to her room, but she was the only one that heard it." Marty Conner exclaims, "A whispering, rachel RACHEL RACHEL!" Marty Conner says, "Anyway, she went to see her friend, a psychic." Marty Conner says, "The psychic said that the thumping was abu" Marty Conner says, "And the whispering was my dead grandmother warning her that she was going to be possessed." Marty Conner says, "My mother had scared her away." Marty Conner says, "The psychic told my motther to sprinkle salt around the "haunted" room" Marty Conner says, "It worked" Marty Conner says, "We never heard from the ghost again for another year" Marty Conner asks, "When another ghost came in and said, 'where is he?" Marty Conner says, "My mother pointed away" Marty Conner says, "And that was the end of our problem" Marty Conner says, "THank you" Marty Conner sits down. **************************************** Julie Green stands up to address the assembly. Julie Green says, "The name of my story is The Haunted House. I'm not telling if it's real or not. You figure it out." Julie Green winks. Julie Green recites: "About a year ago, I came to Morada ready to tackle anything that might come my way. I was convinced that delivering packages were part of an elaborate drug ring. I tried for hours to figure out how to rent a bike at Bob Bergone's. I thought Shreve Tassis was the best thing since cricket bats. I actually took the bus to get to places cause I thought it would be faster than walking." Julie Green smiles sheepishly at the crowd, a little embarassed to admit this. Julie Green recites: "Well, one day I found Rosita's Cantina. A wonderful place with a red door. That was the end of my bus trips, my pub parties, getting lost downtown..." Julie Green seems to be in a nostalgic mood. Julie Green says, "I found Home." Julie Green lets out a deep sigh of contentment that seems to come from the depth of her soul. Julie Green gives a blank stare for a moment, then snaps back into reality, looking a bit dumbfounded. Julie Green smiles with a little twinkle in her eye. Julie Green recites: "I met a lot of people at that Cantina. I was dazzled by the wisdom of Commander Edward Straker, endeared with the friendship of Dax Smulder and Cassie Rhodes, amused by the silent humor of Jim DiGriz, scared by the persistance of Trian McBien, thankful for the support of Henri Merisault, and taken by the intelligence of Miles Bukowski." (Julie Green puts her hands in her pockets and rocks back on her heels.) Julie Green says, "But that's not the story I'm telling tonight." Julie Green takes a deep breath of air. Julie Green releases the air from her lungs. Julie Green shakes her head. (Julie Green 's eye's grow large and she gets a scared look on her face.) Julie Green asks, "I'm sure that you all heard that the Savard Mansion is haunted, right?" Julie Green gulps. Julie Green says, "Well, it is. I saw it with my own two eyes." Julie Green nods. Julie Green recites: "Let me add here, that I didn't see it by my own choice. If it were up to me, I would have stayed clear of that Mansion. I would have never known it was there! But one afternoon, as I was innocently locking people in the vent... Miles decides to dare me to stay one night in the Mansion..." Julie Green recites: "ALL ALONE!" Julie Green fidgets nervously while cautiously glancing about the room. Julie Green recites: "Any one who knows me, knows that I can't back out on a dare. Any dare. I just can't let someone think I'm chicken. I'm no foul fowl! I pride myself on being brave enough to face perps with no weapon..." (Julie Green is an academian, ya know.) Julie Green grins. Julie Green recites: "So, I told that mean Miles Bukowski that I wasn't scared, and I went down to the Portmentau Club to get some things to pack. In my bag, I had...lemme see..." Julie Green searches an emerald bag. Julie Green recites: "I packed some old gym socks, a picture of my hero, Edward Straker, a flashlight, some matches, and some Sucrets." Julie Green coughs. Julie Green coughs. Julie Green clears her throat. Julie Green says, "You know how it is with the night island air. Makes the throat scratchy." Julie Green smiles. Julie Green recites: "I then proudly walked to the Savard Mansion and stood on that porch ready to go in." Julie Green says, "And there I stood." Julie Green says, "And I stood" Julie Green sighs. Julie Green says, "Until finally, I got up the courage, and I marched right in." Julie Green recites: "When I got in there, I was fine. No problems at all. I decided to just sit and read my magazine at the bottom of the stairs. I figured the closer to the door I stayed, the faster I could get out. " Julie Green recites: "But, I couldn't just sit for long. I get antsy. My curiousity began to stir up inside of me, and I just needed to go explore. Besides, I didn't hear any of that scary music that happens in the movies when something bad is about to happen. Nothing was going to happen to me. I shouldn't have let Miles Bukowski make me think this place was haunted any way. I mean, we are talking about a guy who plays with action figures." Julie Green smiles. Julie Green recites: "I decided to search downstairs for a while. I looked in a black basket. I toured the kitchen, disgusted by the insects. I was too afraid to venture down that staircase though. I went into the Grand Salon and pondered how it once may have looked. When the noxious odor was too much for me, I decided to head upstairs. I went to the bottom of the staircase, and looked up." Julie Green recites: "Lacy shreds of cobwebs ascended from the stairway to the bottom floor, blanketing portraits on the wall. I headed east to the Master Bedroom. All of a sudden, out from under the bed came a huge coffin! It had arms and feet and it was reaching for me!" Julie Green gasps. She looks rather startled. Julie Green lets out a blood-curdling shriek. Julie Green recites: "That coffin folowed me! I didn't know what to do! I started crying. It's ugly arms reached for me. It groaned and made noises I had never heard before." Julie Green begins to weep softly. Julie Green sniffles. Julie Green recites: "I took the dirty gym socks and hurled them in the direction of the coffin. The coffin didn't stop, it just kept coming... " Julie pants. Julie Green recites: "I ran into the nursery, but still the coffin followed me! I pulled out the picture of Commander Edward Straker and threw it as hard as I could at the coffin. The coffin picked it up, looked at it and cried out in agony! But it threw the picture down and still chased me!" Julie Green flails her arms about. Julie Green recites: "I climbed out the window on the tree limb! But still the coffin followed! I had only one thing left to do. I took my Sucrets and threw them at that coffin as hard as I could!" Julie pants. Julie Green glances around. Julie Green says, "That coffin stopped right there in it's tracks." Julie Green nods. Julie Green asks, "And do you know why?" Julie Green says, "Because Sucrets always stop the coffin." Julie Green giggles. Julie Green smiles at the audience. Julie Green bows. **************************************** Zane McCalden stands up to address the assembly. Zane McCalden says, "I have a tale for you from long ago..." Zane McCalden says, "It happened to my ancestor, Delan McCalden, in the year 1748" Zane McCalden says, "That tale has been in my family for generations." Zane McCalden says, "Delan was a sailor, he sailed the world's oceans many times over" Zane McCalden says, "He heard all the sailor's tales, believeing none of them" Zane McCalden grins evily Zane McCalden says, "Especially the one about the Banshee" Zane McCalden says, "If a sailor saw a Banshee, during a voyage, the ship was doomed never to return to port." Zane McCalden says, "Delan was sailing to the Americas when he remembered this. The ship's cook brought it up." Zane McCalden says, "He laughed, he thought they were all lies." Zane McCalden says, "One night as he settled into his bunk, he heard a faint sound" Zane McCalden says, "A whispered wail of some sort" Zane McCalden says, "He shifted uneasily in his bunk, eyeing the darkened room." Zane McCalden says, "The translucent form of a woman appeared, wailing." Zane McCalden says, "None of the other sailors were awake, and it somehow didn't wake them" Zane McCalden says, "he reached for the dagger under his pillow, and when he turned back to face the woman, she was gone." Zane McCalden says, "He settled into an uneasy sleep that night" Zane McCalden says, "He didn't want to mention anything to the other sailors, for fear they'd think he was crazy" Zane McCalden says, "he kept it to himself until it happened, three nights in a row" Zane McCalden says, "He told the Cook about it and the cook confirmed it happened to him too" Zane McCalden says, "It happened one last night and he still kept it to himself and the Cook" Zane McCalden says, "The ensuing day a violent storm ripped the ship apart." Zane McCalden says, "Delan saved himself by floating to port on driftwood" Zane McCalden says, "No other sailors survived..." Zane McCalden says, "So, the next time you're on the water, and you hear a wailing... Heed my tale." Zane McCalden grins devlishly Zane McCalden bows. **************************************** Shelby Mackenzie stands up to address the assembly. (Shelby Mackenzie waves to everyone.) Shelby Mackenzie says, "My story takes place in a small town in South Carolina" Shelby Mackenzie says, "In an old nursing home there was a room that three old men shared." Shelby Mackenzie says, "This tiny room had only one window, but to them, it was their only link to the real world" Shelby Mackenzie says, "Since all three men were bedridden, only the person in the bed closest to the window was able to see out of it" Shelby Mackenzie says, "Ted Conklin, who had been there the longest, had the bed next to the window." Shelby Mackenzie says, "When Ted died, the man in the next bed, George Best, took his place, and the third man, Richard Greene, took " Shelby Mackenzie says, "George's old bed" Shelby Mackenzie says, "Despite his awful illness, George was a cheerful man who spent his days describing the sights he could see from his bed" Shelby Mackenzie says, "even simple things like people walking by on the streets, and seeing a new automobile every now and then." Shelby Mackenzie says, "Richard loved to listen to George, but the more George talked about the life outside the tiny room, the more Richard wanted to see it for himself" Shelby Mackenzie says, "Yet he knew that only when George died would he have his chance." Shelby Mackenzie says, "He wanted to look out that window so badly that one day he decided to kill George" Shelby Mackenzie recites: ""He is going to die anyway, so what difference does it make?" Shelby Mackenzie says, "George had a bad heart, if he had an attack during the night and a nurse could not get to him, he had to take pills that he always kept in a drawer beside his bed" Shelby Mackenzie says, "So that night Richard took the pills and hid them from George, that night George had a heart attack and died" Shelby Mackenzie says, "so, as planned, Richard moved to the bed next to the window, finally getting his chance to see the world outside." Shelby Mackenzie says, "After the nurses had left, richard turned to the window and looked out." Shelby Mackenzie says, "But all that was in front of him, was a blank, brick, wall" Shelby Mackenzie bows. **************************************** Megan Mcfarlen stands up to address the assembly. Megan Mcfarlen says, "My story has something to do with a place back from my old home" Megan Mcfarlen says, "WEll along time a go there used to be a janiter named eddie then one day he dissapperd" Megan Mcfarlen says, "So there was this big water way in the creek and it was said it was to be haunted by eddie" Megan Mcfarlen says, "and if you seemed afriand in there he would come out and kill ya" Megan Mcfarlen says, "the end" Megan Mcfarlen sits down. **************************************** Morgan Whitney stands up to address the assembly. Morgan Whitney smiles. Morgan Whitney says, " Some of you may have heard this classic tale." Morgan Whitney says, " But I swear to you it true. For it happened in my own home town." Morgan Whitney clears her throat loudly. Morgan Whitney says, " Its a story about an unfortunate Nanny.." Morgan Whitney says, " After the kids were in bed the nanny saw on the TV that a serial killer just escaped from jail and that everyone should lock their doors and windows. She tought nothing of it because the family had a doberman pincher." Morgan Whitney says, " That night she had the dog sleep right beside the bed with her and every once in awhile she would put her hand down and the dog would lick it to reasure her that he was there. " Morgan Whitney says, " In the middle of the night she heard a dripping sound and thought nothing of it, because the kids would sometimes get up and get a drink. She just thought they hadn't turned the water off all the way." Morgan Whitney says, " When she finally couldn't stand the noise any longer she got up to go shut off the water, she discovered the dog hanging upside down in the shower and the sound was the blood dripping into the tub and writtin on the mirror was "people can lick hands, too."" Morgan Whitney bows. **************************************** Crimson Beauregarde stands up to address the assembly. Crimson Beauregarde clears his throat loudly. Crimson Beauregarde says, "Ohmeohmi." Crimson Beauregarde smiles nervously at the audience before reching in his haversack and pulling out a rumpled manuscript. Crimson Beauregarde says, "Well, I don't think any of you all know this, but i'm sorta kinda a write back on the mainland." Crimson Beauregarde says, "Nothing big published, but I love to write." Crimson Beauregarde clears his throat loudly. Crimson Beauregarde says, "The story I'm about to read is something I dug outta my portfolio today called "Minerva's Eclipse."" Crimson Beauregarde says, "I'm really proud of this story because it's gotten high criticism." Crimson Beauregarde clears his throat loudly. Crimson Beauregarde recites: ""Minnie honey, come on. It's going to start any moment now" Vivian Wiley tried to coax her reluctant daughter. She extended her hand, expecting little 7 year old Minerva to grasp it from the edge of her bed. "Don't you want to see the eclipse darling?" She waited for an answer from her child. With the venetian blinds closed and no light on, Vivian could barely make out her daughter's form in the dark. "No." Minerva replied flatly as she rocked back and forth on the edge of her bed with her favorite doll gripped tightly against her chest. She reminded Vivian of those asylum inmates she had seen in those psycho slasher movies. This frightened her. "We can't go out mommy." Minerva continued. "Or it'll get us." Vivian could see Minnie grip the doll even closer to her." Crimson Beauregarde recites: "Missy Mackenzie is what Minnie called it. Vivian remembered when she found it on the park slide last November. Sitting up straight at the very bottom, with the scariest stoic look on her porcelain face. It was almost as though she had come down the slide all by herself. Completely deserted, not as much as one life form around it. And that made her wonder about it. It looked pretty old, almost antique. Wearing a pretty lacy off-white dress. She could just remember seing old daguerrotypes and sepia photographs of her grandmother clutching dolls just like that in her hands. Minerva was too intimidated at first to even touch it. But hesitantly brought it home, and ever since carried it around like it was apart of her. Missy Mackenzie did look a lot like her. Maybe that's why she adapted to it so well?" Crimson Beauregarde recites: ""The sun won't hurt us, honey." Vivian reassured her daughter. "But...only if you look at it directly." she added after an unconscious thought. "That's not what I'm talking about!" Minerva snapped. Her voice was high with fright and sharp with warning. "We can't see th eclipse today, Mommy. *It* is gonna come. *It* is gonna get us. I just know it."" Crimson Beauregarde recites: "Vivian's face began to shrink as she became even more concerned and frightened than before. *I just know it.* The exact same words Minerva said before her grandmother die in her sleep. *I just know it* The exact words she said before her father fell off the roof while cleaning the gutters and broke his hip. *I just know it* Everytime she said that, something awful happened. Vivian got on her knee and searched her daughter's face for something she didn't know. Some kind of answer. "Who told you that?" She demanded, with something mysterious lingering in her voice. She waited for an answer from her daughter who continuously rocked back and forth and stared at the carpet. Minerva rested her chin on Missy Mackenzie's soft porcelain head, nestled in her soft auburn hair. She said nothing. 'You have the right to remain silent," Vivian thought for no reason." Crimson Beauregarde recites: "Realizing she wasn't going to get an answer anytime soon, she stood up and grabbed Minerva's hand. "I'll make sure nothing will get us." Vivian smiled, pulling her daughter up from the bed. "But Mommy, it's going to get us. Mommy please, No. Let me go! Please, No!" Minerva shrieked in desperation and tears. She tried to pull back, but her mother literally dragged her thru the house and out the door. "Honey, it's going to be okay." "But it's going to get us." "No it won't." Vivian protested slowly. "Now, look!" Vivian opened the front door, just a few minuted before the eclipse. "See honey, there's nothing out here." She let go of Minnie's hand, which fell limply to her side. She went over to the shrubs and looked behind them. "See, honey. *It*'s not here.". She walked over to her daughter once more and knelt down to look in her eyes. "There is nothing here honey. Now come, watch the eclipse with me."" Crimson Beauregarde recites: "Minerva was silent. With her chin on her chest, she kicked gravel and stared at the ground. Minnie's foot slipped and shattered a milk bottle with a loud *CRINK!* and dropped Missy Mackenzie. She started to run back inside but Vivian grabbed her. "Honey, it's just a bottle. We can sweep it up later." She softly pulled her daughter to the center of the driveway, not far from the broken glass. And they waited. A few moments passed before Vivian broke the long silence. "Look honey, here it comes!", pointing toward the sky. Just then she felt a cold hand grab her wrist. Vivian gasped in surprise before looking at her captor. It wasn't Minerva. It was--" Crimson Beauregarde recites: "MISSY MACKENZIE! The little doll was balancing on her own two feet and craned her plastic neck to see Vivian better. In her other hand she held a large shard of glass. "MINERVA!" Vivian screamed, searching frantically for her daughter. "She wan back in shide." Missy Mackenzie spoke with a surprising toy lysp. The kind of lysp you could hear if there *was* a string to pull in her back. Vivian wanted to scream, but all she could do was squeal. "Never mind hur." The doll taunted. She looked up at the sky. "The ecwipse it boring. Let's play." And she raised the shard of glass to Vivian's wrist.... And no one knew but Minnie." Crimson Beauregarde coughs. Crimson Beauregarde recites: "The End?" **************************************** Gwen Manson stands up to address the assembly. Gwen Manson says, "This story was told to me by my grandparents, one Halloween long ago. " Gwen Manson says, "It was the night before Thanksgiving, and a young couple decided to go out on the town after spending several tiring months caring for their new baby." Gwen Manson says, "The couple was a bit worried when they met the baby sitter. She was dressed as if she was an extra in the movie Hair, and smelled like some sort of drug that the couple, even though not familiar with, recognized, in terms of the smell." Gwen Manson says, "In any case, the parents went out, in spite of their misgivings. (It's hard to find a sitter, after all.) During dinner, the young mother became so worried that she rushed to a pay phone and called home." Gwen Manson says, "The baby sitter assured her that everything was fine, in fact she had just preheated the oven to start baking the turkey." Gwen Manson says, "Back at the table, the husband asked what the baby sitter had said. When his wife told him, he frowned and said, "We didn't have a turkey in the fridge." Worried, they called for the check and rushed home." Gwen Manson says, "Their fears were justified. The baby sitter was crazed on drugs, and had just finished basting the infant with gravy--and was just about to pop her into the scalding hot oven." Gwen Manson smiles at the audience. Gwen Manson curtsies. **************************************** Joseph Severe stands up to address the assembly. Joseph Severe says, "It was a cold, dark night. A freshly fallen, silent, shrouded snow lay upon the ground. Usually I find such evenings very peaceful, but as I lay down to sleep," Joseph Severe says, "something just didn't feel right, and there was a very disturbing smell to the air. The phone woke me at midnight. The voice at the other end was utterly terrifing to me." Joseph Severe says, "It was the voice of a young boy, a child so frightened that he could no longer even attempt to form words into sentences, "Cold... hmmft hmmft Man... hmmft hmmft Scared..." Joseph Severe says, "Need Help... hmmft hmmft" I immediately recognized the voice as that as my next door neighbors' son, a very thoughtful intelligent young lad who I had become very fond of. In the summer" Joseph Severe says, "we played catch, and he would come across the street to my house often to share movies with me. I immediately got dressed and ran across the street, my boots crunching in the" Joseph Severe says, "snow. I was so scared for the boy's safety I didn't even think, and bulldozed my way through the door to find him crying, obviously terrified beyond belief." Joseph Severe says, "Lying on the floor near him were his the lifeless bodies of his parents, with no sign of any type of stuggle. I calmed the child down as best I could, and asked what had happened." Joseph Severe says, "He told me that a dirty, smelly, ugly-looking man with a beard had come into the house and hurt his parents. I quickly phoned the police and told them what had happened." Joseph Severe says, "After that, I called my sister to come take care of the boy. After all, she was a Mother and better suited at child care than I was. My sister arrived before the police, and the boy immediately responded to her." Joseph Severe says, ""Hold me, please, just hold me.", he replied to her in the softest, most frail voice I had ever heard. My sister embraced the child as only a Mother can," Joseph Severe says, "and all signs of fear and loneliness left the expression on his face. A simple hug, and in my initial response to protect the boy, I had never even thought to offer him one." Joseph Severe says, "My sister and I had always worked well together, and she trusted my request to take the child to safety without even asking any questions. Just as I knew she was the perfect person to care for the lad. " Joseph Severe says, "She left the house, the child in her maternal embrace, and I decided to examine the bodies more closely. They were cold. Very, very cold," Joseph Severe says, "which should have been impossible since they hadn't been dead very long by my reckoning. Then I heard the voice... "Ssssoooo Coldddd." It was a voice every bit as desperate and in need of help as my young friend, only moments before." Joseph Severe says, "Then there was the smell, that awful terrible stench of death I recognized from earlier in the evening. I slowly turned and to my horror, I recognized the man's face. A bum," Joseph Severe says, "a deadbeat who had knocked on my door a week ago. He had asked me for money for a place to stay. I had refused, and turned him away from my home. "Ssssoooo Coldddd."," Joseph Severe says, "the man said again. "Pleasssse, hhhhold mmmmmeeeee." I remembered the wonderful moment I had just watched my sister share with the boy, and I couldn't help myself. Despite the stench, despite the man's ugliness, I reached out to him and gave him a hug. When we connected, I felt his pain, his lonliness, and realized in an instant that after I had turned him away from my home, " Joseph Severe says, "he had wandered over to my neighbor's shed, only to die there a short while later. He froze to death. All I could think to say was, "I'm sorry." His form started to fade, and a look of comfort came across his face. " Joseph Severe says, "I started to feel a strange warmth, the man smiled, looked at me and said, "Thank You." His form then disappeared. I have never turned anyone away from my door since." Joseph Severe bows. **************************************** Jason Kedar stands up to address the assembly. Jason Kedar blinks. Jason Kedar says, "Oh." Jason Kedar grins. Jason Kedar says, "Warning, this story contains, no plot whatsoever and may decrease brain cells...it's already started on me..." Jason Kedar says, "One night in a church in a very small town, a meeting was held. There had been rumors of a ghost haunting a nearby abandoned plantation. " Jason Kedar says, "The reverend stood at his pulpit and asked the townspeople questions about these sightings..." Jason Kedar says, " "How many people here, have seen a ghost?"...and one by one, hands slowly went up. He went on, "How many here, have touched...a ghost?"...and one by one the hands rose." Jason Kedar says, "He continued, "How many of you here, have kissed the lips of a ghost?"....and he glanced about, noticing one hand slowly go up...." Jason Kedar says, " The reverend glanced at the man, "You sir, have kissed the lips of a ghost?"...and the man's face was pale, his eyes were sunken back in his head....and the man says..." Jason Kedar says, " "Ghost? Oh I thought you said goat!"" Jason Kedar bows. Jason Kedar says, "The End." **************************************** Christoph Knight stands up to address the assembly. Christoph Knight smiles. Christoph Knight says, "ok this is kinda short, but its a totally true story" Christoph Knight says, "it happened about 2 years ago, and its the whole reason I ended up on this island" Christoph Knight grins. Christoph Knight says, "ok One day while vacationing on the nearby and former island of Moradaka" Christoph Knight says, "I was with my four good friends, Julie, Anne, Jason, and Kim" Christoph Knight says, "and we were hunting in the British section" Christoph Knight says, "ok anyways" Christoph Knight says, "we were hunting this perp named sue somthing or other" Christoph Knight says, "all I remember is she had purple hair and a really bad taste in clothing" Christoph Knight says, "Well after awhile she kinda mutated into a big 500 foot tall dinasour type creature called GOLLYZILLA!!!" Christoph Knight says, "So we ran for our lives to the Marina" Christoph Knight says, "and right before the entire island was crushed by Gollyzilla we got in a boat and drove to Morada" Christoph Knight says, "Luckily the ocean was too deep, and Gollyzilla sank never to surface again" Christoph Knight says, "the end" Christoph Knight bows. Christoph Knight grins. **************************************** Agnes Seton says, "Okay...we have our winners" Agnes Seton smiles. Agnes Seton says, "First we must say thanks to our judges..." Agnes Seton exclaims, "Lucy Ohara Keith Slingerland and Derrie Fields!" Agnes Seton says, "Okay...." Agnes Seton recites: "3rd PLACE WINNER IS....." Agnes Seton recites: "Shelby Mackenzie!!!!!" Gabriella Valdez offers a black plastic bodybag to Shelby Mackenzie. Agnes Seton recites: "2nd PLACE WINNER IS . . ." Agnes Seton recites: "Angela Bond!!!!" Gabriella Valdez offers a khaki transistor radio to Angela Bond. Agnes Seton recites: "AND THE FIRST PLACE WINNER IS . . ." Agnes Seton does the drumroll.... Gabriella Valdez hits the cymbals! Agnes Seton recites: "!!!!! Julie Green !!!!!" Gabriella Valdez offers a picture book to Julie Green.