The Garden Wall

One night as I was walking through the woods,

I saw something flicker in the night,

I thought that it was someone up to no good,

Someone who might want to give me a fright.

I held a dim-lit lantern in my hand,

My brother holding on to me with glee,

We slowly treaded across the dry land,

“Oh Wirt, look at this frog I’ve got, I’ll name him Kitty!”

We traversed through the brush and through the weeds,

I started to get weary and unsure,

I heard a crack and look around with speed,

But all I saw around were big, thick firs.

But then the air grew quiet, and I swear,

I heard something right behind my back,

I knew something else was in the air,

Waiting, wanting, hiding, ready to attack.

“Wirt, where are we going?”

Was the question he did ask.

My heart was pounding, anxiety overflowing,

Getting away would not be an easy task.

And in between the trees I see a pair of glowing eyes.

The ground shakes and there’s a grating boom,

As the creature becomes larger in size.

I start to run away and yell, but Greg stands frozen in fear,

My hand slips out away from his,

My eyes form a single tear.

I don’t know what to do for him,

As the beast begins to charge,

I cry and yell and call for him,

Overwhelmed by a beast this large.

This ending is the story that they don’t want you to hear,

Of how my greed and self-centered need channeled my awful inner fears.

I left my brother behind in the woods when I should’ve stayed by his side,

So if there’s any moral, please, take my advice, put your family before your pride.

Art by quezify on Tumblr. (https://at.tumblr.com/quezify/tis-the-season/ttk10aluke00)

The Natural Way of Things

There is a natural way of things in the world, even when magic was real and fairy godmothers roamed the land. The natural way is change. Decomposition. It happens to us all, one day.

In some way or another, at least.

There is one woman who does not follow the natural way of things. Not like everyone else does, at least.

You can still find her. You find her when you’re at your lowest, when you wander with no destination. You find her when you pick the darker path, when you walk until your senses scream at you to turn around. You find her when you push your way through the brambles, skin torn by thorns, called forth by something you do not understand.

Her skin was once beautiful.

It chafes against the sharp edges of her bones like a tarp stretched over a frame. Her cheeks flutter in the breeze like curtains.

Her chest rises and falls, but it is not with breath. It is with necessity.

The worst of it is her eyes. They have long since lost the strength to stay closed. And why should they? That was never part of the curse. So she stares with what looks like eyes. They should be eyes. They were once eyes. Eyes that might have even been blue long ago, but are no longer.

She smiles.

Bares her teeth.

With what should be lips.

And littered at her bedside, for all these years …

It is at this point that you realize that Sleeping Beauty was never cursed. The curse was really for the poor souls that tried to kiss her. Like in the old fairy tales.

Curses last a long time.

“Sleeping Beauty” by Tang Maohua, 2020.

Blog prompt 7: due Monday, Oct. 31 by 5 p.m. (surnames A-Z); comments due Wednesday by 5 p.m.

In honor of Halloween, a prompt inviting spooky creativity (with a second option in case the first prompt does not resonate)

Prompt 1: Fall into the uncanny valley in this week’s post! As we discussed in class, the uncanny can be both weirdly compelling and terrifying. Write a post inspired by our collective readings or discussions in some way, with the goal of making your readers experience those uncanny shivers.

Prompt 2: If horror/terror isn’t your style, how about humor? Laughter is a great way to celebrate our differences, enabling social critiques to connect rather than isolate us. Again connecting your post to our class readings or discussions in some way, craft a comedic take on any issue related to our class (fairy tales, impenetrable academic writing, literary theory in general, English majors, college students, the academic bubble. . .so many possibilities).

NOTE: as you all know, there is a fine line between funny and offensive; please make sure you don’t cross that line and offend or alienate any of your readers!
As usual:
Keep your posts to 300-500 words;
Include digital media, as appropriate;
Include links to related pages, as appropriate.