Stanzas 21-30 for "The Hunger Games"

At the cornucopia Katniss makes a dash.

She is at the backpack in the center in a flash.

Other opponents try to block the way,

But Thresh helps her and saves the day.

Katniss knew the backpack was a major save,

And with that thought she raced back to the cave.

She passed out soon, and woke up soon after,

Then the cave was filled with their laughter.

Katniss and Peeta soon see their chance,

To win some votes by starting some romance.

Eventually they set out to find some food on their own,

And accidentally kill a girl who was all alone.

Now there are three tributes left,

And Katniss and Peeta wait to battle to the death.

Finally they are the only two remaining.

The game should be over, but the gamemakers are sustaining.

Soon there is an announcement that makes them sick;

The two winner rule was simply a trick.

Angry and upset, they make up a trick of their own,

And Katniss and Peeta win the hunger games together, not alone!

The game is over and Peeta and Katniss have won,

But now that they have recovered, the real games have just begun.

The gamemakers a very mad that they were tricked,

And now Katniss must pretend to be in love to avoid conflict.

The interview in front of the capitol goes well;

Katniss and Peeta act as if they are locked in a love spell.

Finally, it is all over and Katniss can breath,

They can return home now, and that is something they cannot believe.

A half a year passes by in a breeze,

Way too quick for Katniss to believe.

Things have been far from normal since the hunger game.

Especially with Gale, he is far from the same.

Before Katniss knows it, it is time for the tour.

Her makeup crew shows up, who think she is truly a bore.

They dress her and make her look decently acceptable,

And Katniss’ nervousness was easily perceptible.

After they leave, Katniss is told that the president is there.

When she sees him, he looks at her with a menacing stare.

 He threatens her to do what he wants, with the life of Gale.

And now Katniss and her long lasting trick must prevail.

Hansel and Gretel Twisted

The days passed by as endlessly as ever. Each day I was lonelier and each day I grew hungrier. The hunger, and the yearning I had for little children, which I hated so much, never subsided. It was a horrible curse that had been cast upon me, and I have to live with it every day, alone in my little cottage in the woods. A gurgling sound awakened me from my miseries and I began stirring the large pot on the stove again. Baby goat would have to do for tonight; in the middle of the woods, it was as close to a kid as I was going to get.  I sighed out of self pity, thinking of how I was banished to the woods seven years ago by the town’s people. They thought I was cursed or something… I guess they were right, but it still sucks. I didn’t choose to be the way I was. I used to have a normal life until some crazy witch lady set a spell on me because I didn’t give her the right kind of herb or something one day. I remembered back to those glorious days when I could actually live with my children. Once again I was brought back to reality, this time by a soft thump from the ceiling. I froze, listening closer. I could distinguish muffled murmurings. Who the hell was on the roof?! Not a soul in sight for months, and now there were people climbing on my roof. I eased the door open and looked up to the roof to see two young children; a young boy and a young girl. They were eating the bread crumbs from the roof of the house that I had put there to attract birds so I could eat them. The strong forgotten scent of children wafted over me and my mouth began to salivate.

        “Children what are you doing on my roof?” I said.

        The two children jumped up at once startled that they has been caught. Then the young boy said, “Please ma’am, we’re so hungry. We have been lost in the woods for two days now. Haven’t you anything to eat?”

        “Why of course I do my dears.” I said in the sweetest voice I could muster. “Get down off the roof now and come inside and I’ll make something for you.”

        I was unable to resist the temptation of fresh children. The last time I had eaten one was so long ago. It was before I decided I would try and prevent myself from eating them. But now that they were so close… I just couldn’t resist.

        “Mmm that smells good,” said the young girl, “What is it?”

        “It’s kid,” I replied. When I received blank looks from the two children so I clarified myself, “It’s baby goat.”

        They both breathed a sigh of relief and began to meander around my little cottage, stirring up their delicious scent. I wanted to simply push them both into the oven and bake them up to eat so badly, but then I remembered my promise. I promised myself I would never eat a child again; they reminded me far too much of my children, whom I had to leave behind because of this curse. Suddenly without thinking, I grabbed both of them by the arms and dragged them over to the large cage, where I keep the birds that I eat every day, and pushed them in, locking the cage after. That would keep them away from me so I wouldn’t eat them.

        Each day I fed the boy and girl good meals and made sure they were nice and healthy. Sometimes I even let the girl help me with the cooking. I could deal with her around me for short periods of time. I just didn’t know what to do; I couldn’t just let them go, but something inside me just couldn’t eat them either. It was killing me. This curse that had been put upon me was killing me. Finally I chose to let the children out of the cage and I decided to make a nice last meal, before sending them off. We had begun to run low on wood so I asked the girl to check the oven to see if it was still hot enough.

        “I’m not really sure what to do,” she responded slowly and slyly.

        I knew what she was up to. But the fact that a child wanted to kill me what enough to make me want to kill myself. I didn’t want to live with this curse any longer. So acting along, I willingly bent over looking into the oven to show her what she already knew how to do. Sure enough I felt two hands pushing me forcefully from behind. I let the force of the push carry me into the oven and let the flames lick my face.

Stanzas 11-20

The fire causes Katniss to flee,

And she finds herself hiding in a tree

The others try to reach her there,

But can’t, so all they did was stare.

She decided to stay the night to rest,

Until she spotted a hornet’s nest

She was getting ready to run, she almost ran

Until she thought of a brilliant plan

The hornets worked as a distraction,

To get away in the midst of all the action

The hornets killed some of the others

But Katniss was attacked by some of their brothers.

The stings made her body swell

Which way was she going? She couldn’t tell

She began to feel dizzy, as if she wouldn’t make it away

But then Peeta Mellark came to save the day!

Katniss soon recovered, good as new

And soon got a new partner, named Rue

The two of them planned to destroy the enemy’s food

And when they succeeded the enemy was screwed

Rue is lost in the middle of their plan

And Katniss’ ear hurts so much she can barely stand

 Later Rue is attacked, and breathes her last breath

And Katniss fights on to avenge her death

Katniss can barely move she is in such shock,

But new information comes that stops her on the clock

A change to the games that has never been done;

Two players can win the games, not just one!

Katniss sets off to find Peeta Mellark,

And when she does he is covered in bark.

He has to hide himself because he was hurt

But despite his pain, he still managed to flirt.

Katniss realized that if she continued this act of love,

She would continue to receive gifts from above

Gifts from Haymitch that would help them survive,

Gifts so helpful they knew they could stay alive.

As Peeta’s condition grew worse however,

Katniss knew that it was now or never.

Katniss drugged Peeta with some berries

And with that set off, en route. 

Adaptation of "The Damned Thing"

I



The hideously terrifying clown stared down upon the lifeless body, smiling at its many deformities. His smile stretched across his face from one ear to the other, dripping with blood. His red and purple jumpsuit, torn and frayed at the edges, was emblazoned with a badge bearing the name Morty the Clown. By his foot was the head of the 19 year old girl; eyes wide, mouth open and a large gash across her throat. The blood that had flowed from the girl’s neck had long since pooled around her and seeped through the cracks in the grainy wooden floor of the fun house. Morison’s Carnival of Horrors wasn’t known for its excellent care of its facilities. Neither was it for its care-takers; the Morison’s Carnival police, all three of them, stood in a small semi-circle around the body twiddling their thumbs. They were close enough to see the girl and observe her injuries, though the light was dim, but they still remained behind the yellow caution tape that encased the area around her.  Their brown uniforms, pants and a long sleeve button down, were made of a cheap stiff material that was meant to look official and expensive, but simply extenuated the fact that they were carnival workers. Finally one of the men, an extremely tall one, took a deep breath, wrinkling his nose at the stench hanging thick in the air, and daringly spoke the first words in a while:

“Well it seems we have a bit of a situation, boys.”

He clapped his hand together as he said this, and then looked around for a response. No one responded. He continued tentatively, “Do any of you know of what happened down here?”

Finally, one of the other two men spoke up. The man was a nicely built and balding. He wasn’t quite tall but wasn’t short either. He stuck his hand in his pockets, and nervously shifted his weight from one foot to another as he spoke.

“Yeah, I do. Or at least I know someone who does. I called you guys because I was walking past the fun house just as a boy came running out, screaming at the top of his lungs. It wasn’t a playful scream; it was the type of scream that kind of sends a chill through you. Anyway, I went over the kid and realized that it was Johnny, the new boy who works here now. Turns out he’s the one who mans the fun house every night from six to nine with Annie.”

As he mentioned her name he looked down at the corpse mangled on the floor. It was Annie. He swallowed and continued.

“When he reached me he buckled over and threw up, then he looked up at me with his pale face and got out the words, ‘She’s dead,’ before fainting and falling onto the ground. I called the paramedics on stand-by and when they got there a minute later I came in here and found this. That’s when I called you guys.”

Once he finished, the third man finally said something.

“I guess we better find out what happened from that kid then.”

II

I’m still shaking pretty bad as the three officers come out to talk to me. I try taking three slow deep breaths to calm myself down some more, but it doesn’t help much. I had to be woken up from fainting by getting water splashed on my face as it was. I still can’t believe something like this happened to me. Just three hours ago I had been texting Annie like any other day. I looked at the last text she sent me, “See you at work.” It was time-stamped Fri. 13, 5:13, right before work. Wow, I didn’t even know it was Friday the 13^th.

I shake my head quickly as if shaking the water from my hair. I must have done this twenty times already now, trying to recall what had happened an hour earlier. I really didn’t want to remember, and just the notion that I was going to have to recall the events that had preceded Annie’s death made me want to heave again. I knew though as the officers approached that I had no choice.

“Hey Johnny,” said the balding one, “How are you feeling?”

It was the man who had seen me run out of the fun house screaming right before I fainted.

“I’m feeling a little better I guess.”

“Good. Well we’re going to need you to tell us exactly what happened in there.”

I shifted uneasily as I heard these words. Maybe it could have been because the back of the ambulance I have been sitting in for nearly an hour was digging into the back of my legs, but I knew that wasn’t the case. It was because I knew I was going to have to tell my story to the officers and I did not want to.

“I know,” I replied, “But… you have to listen to the whole thing and know I’m not making anything up, okay?”

The three men nodded their heads in agreement and shuffled around me to hear what I had to say. They were all looking at me with eyebrows raised, and one of them had his arms crossed.

Pausing, I took a deep breath, and began my story.

  *                                        *                                      *

Annie and I are working our normal shift from six to nine in the fun house tonight. It’s long and boring work and we just stand around for the majority of it. Every once in a while we make our normal rounds, checking the rooms for delinquents, and making sure people were moving along. Tonight things are exceptionally slow. After what seemed like forever, it was finally nearing nine o’clock and me and Annie began to shuffle the few people in the fun house out. After roping off the waiting line, we made our way back the center room to turn off the lights.  

I reached for my flashlight from my pocket, and switched it on, standard routine. Annie did the same. Then, Annie walked over and looked at the clown as she reached past it to the wall for the light switch. “I don’t see why people would want to come and see that thing, it’s so scary.”

She flicked the light-switch off and the lights went out. Then suddenly a shrill, agonizing scream erupted from Annie. Her flashlight was aimed at the ceiling and then began flashing around to every corner of the room.

Her screams continued as I yelled, “What’s wrong?! What happened?!” but I got no response. The sounds pierced the darkness and made it seem as if she was in the most extreme agony. My hands shook as I fumbled clumsily with my flashlight to see what was going on. The beam from my light shook unsteadily on the area where Annie had been standing when she turned off the lights but there was no one there. I didn’t understand, she wasn’t here, yet the cries persisted. I frantically searched the room, and to my horror found Annie on the ceiling, held by some invisible force, her limbs twisted in the most gruesome angles. I froze with no idea what to do.

Before I could think of something, my eyes widened with horror. I looked at Annie’s neck as it slowly began to open as if someone was slicing it from left to right. Blood poured from the opening, splattering onto the floor below, inches from my feet, and Annie’s screams turned into gurgles. I feel queasy. I think I might pass out. My head was spinning and I barely made it out of the way as Annie’s body came crashing down from the ceiling. It landed with a thump on the floor, and I looked at it. Then I ran.

III

Johnny took a deep breath as he finished his witness account and slowly looked up at the three officers. “That’s when I ran out and you found me. Then I fainted,” he said.

The three officers looked at each other. One of them uncrossed his arms as another put his hand in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. All three of them exchanged weary looks.

Then the extra tall one reached over and put his hand on Johnny’s shoulder and said, “Listen kid, let’s call your mom now to come pick you up and you can go home and get a good night’s sleep. We’ll have you come in tomorrow afternoon for some questions to see if we can get a better understanding of what happened.”

Johnny’s face showed disappointment, but he just nodded his head and reached for his phone to call his mom. As he did this, the three officers turned around and walked to the front of the ambulance where they stood in a circle. One of them leaned on the side hood of the vehicle. He rubbed his chin with the arm he was resting on and sighed.

“That kid is in a serious state of shock right now. I honestly don’t know what to believe about this whole situation.”

He looked up at the others expectantly. The balding one replied, “We will definitely need to question him again tomorrow and record his answers and his story. I just don’t understand, Johnny’s a good kid… But if there really weren’t any other people in there like he said…”

“I guess we’ll just figure it out,” said the extra tall one.

Just then, Johnny speaks up. The three heads whip over to where he’s standing with startled expressions. Despite the looks on their faces, Johnny doesn’t miss a beat as he stretches out his hand with his phone and says, “I think you should take a look at these.”

“What are you talking about?” says the officer leaning on the car.

“The text messages. They’re from Annie the past week.”

IV

From:  Annie Morton

Did you hear that sound in the fun house tonight? It was like a howling or… a whining or something. It sounded like it was coming from the walls…

MON. AUG. 9 10:06

From:  Annie Morton

I dunno, whenever I walk through that center room with the clown now it gives me the creeps. It just doesn’t feel right.

MON. AUG. 9 10:11

From:  Annie Morton

I’m really starting to get sick of that place.

MON. AUG. 9 10:23

From:  Annie Morton

I have to tell you something that I haven’t told anyone else.

WED. AUG. 11 9:53

From:  Annie Morton

Last night I was walking past that clown in the center room and you know how I twisted my angle? …Well right before that, I felt an icy cold pressure around my ankle. It felt as though it was twisting my foot.

WED. AUG. 11  9:55

From:  Annie Morton

It has something to do with that clown. Every time I’m near it now something happens to me. Tonight a rush of cold air flew past me when no one but you was in the room. No one else but you is ever in the room when things happen.

WED. AUG. 11 10:15

From:  Annie Morton

I can’t stand it anymore. That place is driving me insane. I keep trying to tell myself it’s nothing, it’s nothing, but I know it has to be something!

THURS. AUG. 12  11:49

From:  Annie Morton

I can’t take one more night in that place!

FRI. AUG. 13  5:26

From:  Annie Morton

See you at work.

FRI. AUG. 13  5:13

Dark Fantasy Essay

There are many people whose favorite stories are in the Dark Fantasy subgenre. This is because Dark Fantasy has a sort of appeal to some readers, whether it is because of certain horrific events, or the fear that it creates in them. Sometimes readers are drawn to the fear that a character’s impending death brings about. The three short stories, Duel, Nightcrawlers, and The Raft, all clearly demonstrate qualities of horror, fear, and impending death, with The Raft taking the cake as the epitome of Dark Fantasy. Furthermore, while Nightcrawlers and The Raft both clearly demonstrate qualities of the supernatural, Duel comes up short without any sign of the supernatural.

Duel is the least exemplary of the Dark Fantasy genre out of the three short stories presented, but it still shows substantial evidence that it is in fact Dark Fantasy. In Duel a person named Mann is driving to San Francisco but runs into a problem along the way. A mysterious truck driver harasses him on the highway, and no matter what Mann tries to, the driver won’t give up. The author, Richard Matheson first presents an element of fear in the short story when the mystery driver passes Mann for the second time. He describes the, “Unexpected roar of the truck motor,” making his startled look, “jump to the rearview mirror.” Eventually, Mann’s fear faded to anger towards the truck driver as the passing road battle continued. Mann pulled off the highway and stopped at a diner hoping to calm his anger and lose the truck driver, only to realize that the truck driver had followed him into the diner. Once again, fear and anxiety start taking over as Mann doesn’t know what to do; “What was to prevent him from calling the local police and telling them the situation?” but then again, “What if the truck driver stayed to face him? Naturally he’d deny everything.” This argument Mann is having in his mind while sitting at the diner enhances the tension in the novel that the fear creates. It escalates even more once Mann returns to the road and the truck driver tries to kill him again. Not only is the truck driver obviously waiting for and following Mann, but Mann’s car is also slowly dying and will not be able to last much longer. The fear throughout the short story along with the notion of impending death makes Duel an acceptable example of Dark Fantasy.

Nightcrawlers is another fine example of Dark Fantasy showing elements of fear, impending death, and horror. The frightening mood of the piece is first established with the raging storm outside; “Lightning flared from west to east like the strike of a burning bullwhip.” It almost seems as if the storm with its huge booms of thunder, is warning the people in the diner of what is going to happen later on. Later, a man walks into the diner and the workers there soon discover all the problems that come with him. When this man first walked in, the narrator described him as, “a man who looked like walking death.” This clearly demonstrates an element of horror and obviously, impending death. One main component of Dark Fantasy is that the protagonist is trying to escape death. The man who walked into the diner had been driving all night so that he would not fall asleep. This is because if he fell asleep, his war-filled past would come back to life, literally. The man drove all night and was going to continue driving so that the war and death did not come back into his life. The fact that the man’s dreams come to life is an apparent example of the supernatural in this story. The appearance of the supernatural and the protagonist trying to escape death makes it a superior example of Dark Fantasy compared to Duel.

While Duel and Nightcrawlers both exemplify the Dark Fantasy genre, The Raft is the most fitting of the three. For example, the protagonist of The Raft, Randy, perfectly corresponds to the typical Dark Fantasy protagonist which is to escape death. He outlives all of his three friends who each get picked off one by one by “the monster”. In this short story the monster was what seemed to look like a harmless oil slick, but in reality was a human-hungry monster. Even after his first two friends are eaten, Randy is determined to keep his friend, LaVern and himself alive. Even after she gets eaten Randy stays awake all night and all days so that he will not become vulnerable to the will of the monster. Along with the protagonist’s impending death, there is most definitely an element of the supernatural in this short story. The “oil slick”, not only can take hold of people and eat them alive, but it does so by entrancing them with its colors. It almost hypnotizes them and draws them in so that it can eat the victim. The horror created when the monster kills each of its victims also greatly contributes the Dark Fantasy genre of this story. Deke’s death posed to be the most gruesome, as the monster pulled his whole body through one of the cracks in the raft; “Blood streamed from each of Deke’s ears. His face was a hideous purple turnip, swelled and shapeless with the hydrostatic pressure of some unbelievable reversal…” Stephen King, the author of The Raft is excellent with his choice of vocabulary and the impact that it has on the reader. The words he chooses put images in the reader’s head that are horrifying and perfect at generating fear within the reader. The Raft through King’s excellent vocabulary to create horrific imaging, along with his use of the protagonist’s pending death is an excellent example of the Dark Fantasy Genre. 

While all three short stories are considered Dark Fantasy, some are a greater part of the genre than others. Duel is the least exemplary of the three, as it only creates fear in the reader and shows the main characters impending death. However, Nightcrawlers is a better example because it also contains qualities of the supernatural. The Raft demonstrates obvious examples of fear and horror, along with the protagonist’s imminent death and the supernatural.  While Nightcrawlers and Duel are both clear examples of the genre, The Raft clearly is the best example of Dark Fantasy out of the three short stories.

Stanzas 1-10 for "The Hunger Games"

In a land that had rebelled before

The districts now live to settle the score

Katniss’ sister is chosen out of thousands of names

And now she must play for her in The Hunger Games

Katniss meets her opponent, Peeta Mellark

Then she recalls a day when all was bleak and dark;

Katniss and her family were starving and filled with dread

And Peeta had help them with some fresh baked bread

The two say goodbye to their family and depart for the train

If only they didn’t have to keep smiling through the pain

Haymitch, their mentor is a drunken fool they say

And he is the one who must teach them to survive the games day by day

He may be a fool, but Cinna their stylist is not

He dresses Peeta and Katniss so that they were hot

Not hot, as in a matter of desire,

But hot as in heat, because they were on fire

Haymitch began to assess their skills

And tells them exactly how to go about their kills

The two train and practice in the arena, but only as fakers

They wait to show their real talents later to the Gamemakers

The Gamemakers didn’t give Katniss much attention,

Which made her lash out, creating a lot of tension

She thought she would be killed, and then go to heaven,

But instead, on her scoring she received an eleven!

Practicing for the interview, was next on the list

Katniss didn’t do very well, she didn’t get the gist

Peeta however, sounded amazing out loud

And he aced it by declaring his love for Katniss to the whole crowd.

Both Katniss and Peeta are nervous for the games to start

And they bond over this topic through a heart to heart

Katniss learns that Peeta doesn’t even want to win

But she keeps her thoughts to herself, and just waits for the game to begin.

Katniss survives the initial fighting

Then finds a tree to sleep in, though it doesn’t seem inviting.

Then next day, Katniss desperately needs water

Eventually she collapses on the ground, completely open to slaughter.

She was ready to die until she thought something new;

Haymitch was trying to give her a clue!

Just as she reached the water at the lake,

A wall of fire descended on her, once again putting her life at stake.

Dialogue with Commentary

            Cree stood tip-toed, arm outstretched above her head, straining to reach the liter of diet Coca-Cola on the top shelf. It didn’t help that Cree was abnormally stout, or that the six-packs of Orange Dry on the lower shelf were sticking into her protruding stomach. Cree glanced around hopefully looking for someone to help her retrieve the soda, but her eyes were only met with the rest of aisle twelve. She peered longingly at the salty snacks stacked high on the shelves at the end of the aisle, which were conveniently located right next to the carbonated beverages. Just as Cree began imagining her next gorging, she was broken out of her trance by a tall pink figure whipping around the corner.

Just as Cree was registering who the woman was she said, “Cree? Cree, is that you?”

“Oh, hey Serena. It's been a while,” Cree replied, glad she remembered who it was after so long.

“It's been at least two or three years at least. I think the last time we talked was at The Washburns' Christmas party, and they've been divorces for two years by now.” Serena thought back to that happy time when her family actually went to parties together.

“You're probably right, but I doubt it was a few years ago,” Cree said. “You look like you haven't aged a day.”

Serena smiled at the comment remembering how nice her old friend could be. She pushed her cart in the direction of Cree and replied, “It feels like it’s been a while. What have you been up to?”

“Just everyday life, ya know? Sonny just started first grade and he loves it. He’s doing soccer this year too.” Cree said as she began strolling with her cart alongside Serena.

“How’s that going for him?” Serena asked genuinely.

“Very good, he’s making a lot more friends,” Cree said as she made another attempt at the Coca-Cola liter. “How are Meredith and Kristen doing?”

Laughing at her friend’s attempt, Serena easily reached up to the top shelf and handed the liter to Cree. “They’re doing okay. I just got back from taking them both to the mall. Kristen is meeting her boyfriend there and Meredith wanted to get some supplies for her birthday party.”

Cree put the Coke in her cart and continued pushing it down the aisle alongside Serena. “She’s having a birthday party soon?”

Serena looked over, “Oh yeah, it’s the big thirteen. She’s inviting about thirty kids so that’s why I’m here; I need to pick up a lot of food.”

Cree wondered why Serena was letting a thirteen year old invite over so many kids for a party, but instead just replied, “Wow, thirteen already. It’s hard to believe they grow up so fast. Faith is 14 now.”

Shaking her head and rounding the corner of the aisle Serena said, “I know, it is hard to believe. How’s she doing?”

Cree struggled to make the sharp turn with her cart and accidentally knocked over a stack of tea-bag boxes. Flustered, she squatted to pick them up quickly and said, “She’s having some trouble adjusting to high school. I think it is kind of a shock to her.”

Serena leaned over to help Cree pick the boxes up and nodded as a sign for her to go on. “I don’t think she feels like she fits in and she doesn’t have that many friends.” Cree paused, “It’s just a bit hard for her right now, but I’m sure she’ll make some friends soon.”

Serena and Cree stood, stacking the boxes the way they were before. Serena replied with assurance, “I’m sure she will.” Then she continued, “Kristen is having some trouble in school now too. I guess there were some rumors going around about her, but she won’t tell me what they were about. She just wants to be with her boyfriend all the time now.”

A shadow of worry came across Serena’s face but Cree simply laughed it off, “Senior girls will tend to want to do that. Haha.”

            Serena attempted a smile but wasn’t convinced she quite pulled it off genuinely. Scrambling for something to say next, she was thankfully interrupted by the ringing of her blackberry, “I’m sorry I have to take this.”

            Cree nodded and Serena answered the phone, “Hey honey.”

There was a pause before Serena spoke again, “Oh… I see. Alright, I’ll get her.”

There was another short pause followed by a quick, “Yeah, it’s okay. See you tomorrow.”

            Cree looked up from her nails, which she had been staring at intently to see a hurt expression on Serena’s face as she said, “I’m so sorry Cree but I have to go pick up Meredith from her friend’s house. I thought William was going to be able to get her, but” she sighed, “he just told me he has to work through the night.”

            Cree replied cheerfully, “That’s okay! I’m just glad we bumped into each other. Give me a call sometime okay?”

            Looking over her shoulder as she hurriedly pushed her cart away Serena smiled and shouted, “That sounds great. I’ll make sure to give you a call sometime.”

            For some reason, Cree didn’t really believe she would be getting that call.

Pan's Labyrinth Movie Review

A Fantastical Escape from the Real World

Pan’s Labyrinth is not your average fairy-tale. Mexican Writer/Director Guillermo del Toro has thrown action, horror, and fantasy all in one ingenious motion picture. His expertise in the fantasy genre makes the fairy-tale seem more real than it actually is, and very believable as well. Don’t let the star, an 11-year-old girl, fool you; this “real-life fairy-tale” of a movie is not meant for the eyes of children, with its excess violence and brutality. It is definitely aimed at adults who enjoy an action packed film with a touch of magic.

In 1944 fascist Spain, a young girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) who is fascinated with fairy-tales, goes to live with her new stepfather, along with her pregnant mother (Ariadna Gil). It soon becomes apparent that her stepfather (Sergi López i Ayats), who is the captain of the Spanish Army is ruthless and utterly emotionless. The same night of her arrival, Ofelia meets a fairy who she follows into an old labyrinth on the grounds. In the center of this labyrinth she encounters an old faun (Pablo Adán) who tells her that she is a princess. He also tells her that in order to fulfill her princess destiny she must prove her royalty by completing three difficult tasks. Struggling with problems with her pregnant mother and evil stepfather, the girl deals with the harsh realities of the world while desperately trying to complete her three tasks on time.

Ofelia’s newfound world in the labyrinth may be a temporary escape from the commotion of the war and her family, but don’t be mistaken; her fairy-tale world is just as dark and gruesome as the real world. The only difference is that the new one has more to offer to a little 11-year-old girl. Who doesn’t want to be a princess when they are eleven? Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, does an adequate job acting out the part of Ofelia. She is innocent, as an 11-year-old should be, and she displays that curious quality which is so important to her character. At times, however, Ofelia is a bit boring and unresponsive to everything that is going on around her. Her stepfather and also the captain played by Sergi López i Ayats, does an excellent job acting out the temperamental and violent fascist leader that the captain needs to be.  The superior casting makes Pan’s Labyrinth everything that Del Toro wanted it to be. He says, “It's the movie I've done that I like the most, that most resembles the things I thought I would do when I began directing." All the thought and planning he put into the film shows in the well put together plot, which flows from one scene to another. The audience is kept curious and intrigued with the characters and ideas that Del Toro obviously put extensive thought and care into.

This movie is full of amazingly crafted visuals, thanks to Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro. It has everything from mythical creatures such as fairy’s and a gigantic human-sized frog, to the ancient labyrinth that holds the portal to the magic kingdom. The labyrinth seems to come to life for Ofelia, giving life and reality to her adventures. Consequently, her fairy-tail becomes so believable; the mythical world in which Ofelia throws herself is just as bleak and dangerous as the real world she is trying so desperately to escape.

As an “adult fairy-tale”, Pan’s Labyrinth is made to terrify and satisfy viewers.  As a regular fairy-tale, it is imperative that Ofelia make the right choice at the end. As a real life movie however, not everything works out perfectly in the end. The movie has a satisfactory ending leaving the viewer open to decide whether this fantasy world that Ofelia had been living was true or simply a young girl’s immature escape from reality.  Out of five, I rate this movie with four golden keys!

Pan's Labyrinth Plot Summary

                In 1944 fascist Spain, a young girl, fascinated with fairy-tales, goes to live with her new stepfather, along with her pregnant mother. It soon becomes apparent that the captain is a ruthless head of the Spanish army with no human feelings other than rage. The same night of her arrival she meets a fairy who she follows into an old labyrinth on the grounds. In the center of this labyrinth she encounters an old faun who tells her that she is a princess. He also tells her that in order to fulfill her princess destiny she must prove her royalty by completing three difficult tasks. Struggling with problems with her pregnant mother and evil stepfather, the girl deals with the harsh realities of the world while desperately trying to complete her three tasks on time.

My Top Dozen Movies

12. Knowing – Despite a whole flock of aliens coming to earth and taking two children, and then the whole world exploding right at the end of the movie, I found the movie very interesting. Finding the solution to all the numbers on the sheet of paper, dug up from many years ago was the most intense part of the movie for me. There was also an extremely cool graphic scene when Nicolas Cage is standing in the middle of all this commotion and an airplane crashes right over his head. This all occurred in the beginning of the movie, and the second half of the movie started becoming a little ridiculous. However, I’m always up for a good laugh so this made the movie that much better. It was simply the icing on the cake when the whole world exploded.

11. Spiderman – Spiderman is as real as any superhuman can get. He didn’t buy his powers, and he doesn’t flaunt them either. Spiderman is a regular kid who just wants to fit-in in his regular human life. The way he got his powers is believable, too. The action in this movie is thrilling as Spiderman saves the common people while fighting his enemy simultaneously. The twist that I love in this movie is the fact that Spiderman’s enemy is his best friend’s father and it eventually comes to be his best friend.  This adds to the drama of the movie as Superman is going through a battle internally while fighting crime and evil at the same time.

10. Harry Potter – Isn’t a magical school for witchcraft and wizardry what every child dreams of? It’s a place to get away from parents and study magic all at the same time. Every child can connect in some way to the Harry Potter movies. I myself cannot choose which one to write about as they are all equally awesome in different ways. From the first movie I loved Daniel Radcliff as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley. The three friends were perfect throughout the whole movie as they quickly tried to grasp the new magical world to conquer evil. At the same time, Harry was discovering his whole past and everything that his life could become.

9. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – Flying cars, laser guns, and light sabers? I would love to live in the fictional future world of Star Wars. The different worlds in this film were presented almost as if I was there too. Aliens from different planets just sitting around a bar talking in all their different languages made it seem familiar in a way. The battling in this movie is amazing especially with the light sabers, and you always have to love the droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO.

8. Jurassic Park – This has been one of my favorite movies since I was about seven years old. When my dad showed me this movie I was entranced by the concept that dinosaurs could be made in our modern world. The action and suspense in this movie always kept me holding my breath. Not only is it entertaining, but it also has a very nice underlying message relating to humans destroying animals’ natural habitats. My favorite part of the movie is how the dinosaurs are displayed as animals as opposed to monsters. The humans are commonly displayed as the “bad guys”, harming the dinosaurs instead of the other way around, giving a sort of respect to the dinosaurs.

7. I, Robot – It’s nice to believe that there could actually be a world someday where everyone can have their own robot to help them out around the house and whatnot. However, in this movie the robots get a little out of control. Will Smith, takes a break from his normal comedy roles to take on this role as a wise-cracking cop with a dark past. He plays this role perfectly adding to the intense action scenes throughout the movie. The creation of Sonny, the robot with emotions, also makes this movie interesting and keeps you guessing at what the end of the movie will bring.

6. Inception – I went to go see this movie with a group of my friends who were seeing it for their second time. This was because it was a great movie, but also because it was one of those movies you really had to think about. It is all about exploring dreams and by doing this being able to change the actual world. However, the characters ran into many problems that added to the complexity of the plan involved and the movie itself. Leonardo DiCaprio, the actor of the main character also had a conflict of his own making this movie even more intriguing. After an extra amount of thinking and maybe even going back to watch the movie a second time, this movie is an extremely interesting and entertaining movie.

5. Zombieland – I have probably seen this movie seven times now since it came out. This is an extremely funny movie with an intriguing plot. The relationship that forms between what seems to be that last four people on earth is comic and at the same time heartfelt. At one point Bill Murray gets introduced into the plot, which is an extremely funny twist. The hilarious zombies throughout the movie have you laughing and being terrified of them at the same time.

4. I Am Legend – Will Smith is the driving force of this movie. His acting is superb as he kind of acts as Tom Hanks from Castaway, as he is the last person on Earth, except instead of a volleyball he has mutant zombie-like people to keep him company and try and kill him. The plot is kept interesting when he meets two other humans still alive and infection free towards the end of the movie. The end of the movie is very climactic and is a superior wrap-up for the plot.

3. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark – A classic action adventure film is what describes this movie. Whenever I was in the mood for some good old puzzle/mystery solving and running away from the bad guys I would pull this movie out. I also have come to love Harrison Ford as the main character with all his smarts and saving the day stunts. There is also the perfect amount of humor thrown into all the action, leaving you entranced and loving the characters.

2. Star Trek (2009) – I can honestly say that I have never seen the older Star Trek, and I still loved this movie. From the very beginning there is character development which makes you love Captain Kirk and Spock, along with McCoy and Uhura. The acting was superb, greatly contributing to the plot. I was upset when the characters were upset and shared in their excitement and happiness, like when they defeated Nero. Another main thing that stood out to me was the quality of the graphics. They made the film and scenes seem that much more real pulling the viewer into the movie closer to the characters they have come to love.

1. Avatar – This is a “must see” movie! The whole concept is creative and intriguing, giving the movie an extraordinary plot. The scenery in this movie was also absolutely beautiful and amazing. This covered up the obvious impossibility of making avatars and made the reality of the movie very believable. Although this movie was pretty long, towards the end of the movie I found myself so into the movie, my eyes were glued to the screen and I couldn’t speak.

Dialogue Assignment

Serena: Cree? Cree, is that you?

Cree: Oh, hey Serena. It's been a while.

Serena: It's been at least two or three years at least. I think the last time we talked was at The Washburns' Christmas party, and they've been divorces for two years by now.

Cree: You're probably right, but i doubt it was a few years ago. You look like you haven't aged a day.

Serena: It feels like it’s been a while. What have you been up to?

Cree: Just everyday life, ya know? Sonny just started first grade and he loves it. He’s doing soccer this year too.

Serena: Oh how’s that going for him?

Cree: Very well, he’s making a lot more friends now. How are Meredith and Kristen doing?

Serena: Oh they’re doing alright. I just got back from taking them both to the mall. Kristen is meeting her boyfriend there and Meredith wanted to get some supplies for her birthday party.

Cree: She’s having a birthday party soon?

Serena: Oh yeah, it’s the big thirteen. She’s inviting about thirty kids so that’s why I’m here; I need to pick up a lot of food.

Cree: Wow, thirteen already. It’s hard to believe they grow up so fast. Faith is 14 already.

Serena: I know, it is hard to believe. How is Faith doing?

Cree: She is doing alright. She’s having some trouble adjusting to high school. I think it is kind of a shock to her.

Serena: Really how so?

Cree: I don’t think she feels like she fits in and she doesn’t have that many friends. It’s just a bit hard for her right now, but I’m sure she’ll make some friends soon.

Serena: I’m sure she will. Kristen is having some trouble in school now too. I guess there were some rumors going around about her, but she won’t tell me what they were about. She just wants to be with her boyfriend all the time now.

Cree: Senior girls will tend to want to do that. Haha.

Serena: Yeah I know, she never tells me anything anymore either. I feel like she is rebelling sort of against me and William.

Cree: Yea. And how is William?

Serena: He’s… alright. It seems he’s become even more distant lately. His hours have gotten worse at work. But he still is around on the weekends which is good.

Cree: Yeah that’s good. Is he going to be around for Meredith’s birthday party?

Serena: He’s going to trying to get off work. So I hope he will be…

Cree: Ted’s been so busy with work lately too.

Serena: It’s hard when they’re away you know?

Cree: Yeah

Serena: I can deal with it, I just feel like its really getting to the kids and I don’t know what to do about it. I’ve just been trying to keep them extra busy; taking them to the mall and letting them have friends over. I don’t know what else to do.

Cree: Have you talked to William about this at all?

Serena: Of course, but it’s always the same conversation. He wants to spend more time with the kids but there really is nothing he can do about it. Those are his hours. And He can’t help when he is on call and has to go in for an emergency.

Cree: Yeah, that is difficult.

Serena: It’s the worst on Kristin with everything else she is going through at school as well.

Cree: High school is so tough on teenage girls.

Serena: I know.

Cree: I’m going to keep a close eye on Faith now that she’s starting.

Serena: That’s a good idea. I hope she doesn’t have to go through anything like Kristin.

Cree: Yeah me too. And I hope that if it does she’s comfortable enough to talk to me about it.

Serena: Remember back in high school when that rumor went around about me and that senior guy?

Cree: Which one? Haha…

Serena: Very funny. The really bad rumor that people teased me for for all of sophomore year.

Cree: Ohh! Right I heard about that…

Serena: Of course you did, the whole school did. It was so embarrassing.

Cree: I knew it wasn’t true though. It just couldn’t have been.

Serena: I’m glad you thought so. Anyway, that was so long ago. 

Cree: If only Kristen knew that if she talked to you about those rumors about her in school, you would completely understand what she was going through.

Serena: Yeah, maybe I’ll mention something to her, but I’m not really sure how I would bring something like that up.

Cree: Just bring it up in normal conversation.

Serena: That’s the thing though, she never talks to me.

Cree: Maybe you could mention something the Meredith to bring up the Kristin. That would at least put the thought in her head.

Serena: Yeah that’s a good idea maybe ill do that.

Cree: At least you can do that because Meredith and Kristen get along. Faith and Sonny do not get along at all.  

Serena: Really? I never would have thought that.

Cree: Oh yeah, they fight all the time and I haven’t heard either one of them say one nice thing to the other in a while.

Serena: That’s a shame. They’re at that age though where the kids always fight. I remember Meredith and Kristin went through that stage when they were younger too.

Cree: Well that’s a relief. I mean, I hope they grow out of it too otherwise I’m not going to know what to do.

Serena: Don’t worry about it they are siblings. It’s just what siblings do.

Cree: Yeah I guess your right. We should definitely get all of our kids together sometime don’t you think?

Serena: Definitely. What do you think we should do?

Cree: Maybe dinner sometime?

Serena: Sure, we can do it at my house if you want.

Cree: That sounds good!

Serena: You can even stop by at Meredith’s party if you want. We’re having a time for family to come over too, so you could come over then.

Cree: If were not intruding then sure. That sounds great.

Serena: Okay sounds good. I’ll email you with the date and time.

"The Ghost in the Cap'n Brown House" Open Response

            If you asked a classroom full of students if they believed in ghosts there would most likely be a mixed group of responses. Many people are uncertain in the reality of the supernatural and often do not believe fantastic stories. In “The Ghost in Cap’n Brown House,” Harriet Beecher Stowe elaborates on this concept that many people believe in the supernatural whereas many others do not. While Sam, the narrator is telling the story he explains the differing reactions from various townspeople. Some townspeople, such as Aunt Lois mentioned in the quote given, do not believe in the supernatural whatsoever. According to Sam this makes her “sort o’ stringy and dry”. To Sam, the fact that she doesn’t believe in anything simply because it can’t possibly be true, makes her boring and a total killjoy. This natural instinct for humans to not believe is what Stowe was trying to emphasize in this piece. Sam says, “There ain’t no ‘sorbtion got out o’ not believin’ nothin’.” In other words, why does everyone feel as though they aren’t allowed to believe? You don’t get anything out of that. Even when Cinthy sees the ghost standing right before her one night, she still convinces herself that it couldn’t possibly be real; it must have been a dream. I agree with Stowe’s idea that there’s nothing wrong with believing in something that may not actually be possible. I mean, there’s no fun in not believing is there?

Nothing in the Dark

“Nothing in the Dark” is a perfect example of the Dark Fantasy subgenre. The main character Wanda Dunn was terrified of death. Wanda wouldn’t even leave her house to get food because she was so afraid she would run into “Mr. Death”. This makes “Nothing in the Dark” a type of Dark Fantasy because a main focus of that genre is the natural and instinctive fear of death. Wanda Dunn also eventually encounters Mr. Death herself. This supports the Dark Fantasy subgenre because it is an example of humanity being threatened by forces beyond their understanding. Wanda does not understand why this ghost has come to her and at first she is extremely confused and frightened. Due to Wanda Dunn’s fear of death and her encounter with a non-human force, the episode “Nothing in the Dark” from “The Twilight Zone” series can be classified as Dark Fantasy.

Setting Excercise

             Descending the steps into the New York Subway Station gave me the feeling of walking to my own death. The long vast hall was pretty much empty, with the exception of a disheveled man lying on a bench in the middle. The graffiti lining the walls of the chamber was long since forgotten, reminiscent of the popular times past. I can only imagine what this place used to be like, but now everybody uses the newer safer subway station. Suddenly I tripped over a gaping crack in the cement, inhaling a gulp of the stale air as I did so. My hands caught my fall, covering them with a coat of dust, and a rat scurried over them. Even with the rats and my heavy breathing there was still an eerie stillness over everything. Just then, everything started to shake. Fragments of the ceiling began to fall as if the whole thing was crumbling and the air began to fill with dust. Then the train pulled in to the station.

My Sci Fi Blog Introduction

Mr. Bailey says that were using bloggs in his Sci Fi class to reduce the amount of paper we use. Were supposed to write now, about what we'll be blogging this semester. For the most part I'll be writing about the open responses given to us by Mr. Bailey with my clear opinion on the subject.