Sci-Fi/Dystopian/Horror Shared Universe Camp with Carolyn Cohagan 2020
We offered this camp for the first time this year. Campers were given the opportunity to work in groups not only creating the world for a story (the setting, the characters, the language, the government, the clothing and food, etc.) but also writing the story itself as an ensemble. I was delighted with the results. The kids divided themselves into three groups: horror, fantasy, and science fiction. They spent days sharing ideas and creating plots. They worked together much better than most adults I know and I suspect if the camp had been longer than a week they would have kept going. Please enjoy their unique stories.
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Science Fiction
by Olive Glenn, Dakota McDonald, and Ellie Cannon-Pitts,
30 years ago
January 3, 2020, 9;00 a.m.
Currently America
Peter Jones, a six-year old boy, ran around his tent and parents, giggling.
“I don’t think we should be here.” His mother glanced around the shady forest nervously.
His father, Jerry, flicked his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, Susan.”
Peter heard buzzing and clicking, and went into the tent. His little robotic owl, H.O.O.T, looked up at him with marble eyes. Peter’s eyes shone happily. He giggled with delight as H.O.O.T fluttered around the tent.
Susan and Jerry shrieked from outside. Peter ran out to see some men holding bloody swords, Peter’s parents slumped on the ground. Peter gasped as the men started walking towards him. Just as the puddle of blood and the men started to reach him, Peter felt claws grasping his shirt, as H.O.O.T. flew him safely to the top of a tree.
Peter had a front row seat to witness his parent’s murderers shake his dead parent’s bodies free of all valuables. He sobbed uncontrollably as the killers walked away. He survived in the forest by H.O.O.T. flying to town and getting food for him, and step by step, Peter created more robots. At age 13, Peter stormed the town with all his technology and killed everybody.
“I will get more revenge,” Peter vowed, thinking all of humankind was evil.
Gamora
February 26, 2050, 5:30 AM
Somewhere where Greece used to be
I woke up screaming. Good, it was just another nightmare. I mean, it wasn't good because it freaked me out, but I mean good it wasn't real. Anyways, I got up and got ready for the day. I looked out the window. Oh, how I hated this world. Everything was metal, and there was no real nature.
Apollo walked in and put his hand on my shoulder. “This world, I don't know why dad is doing this. Enslaving people and making them do work for no pay,” he said.
I nodded.
Jupiter walked in. “Siblings, come and eat some food,” he said groaning.
We followed him towards the dining room. Nachos and soda were sitting on the table. Dad was gone like every other morning. I sat down. Apollo's black hair was in his face. I started to eat when Apollo said under his breath, “Meet me in my room after breakfast.” I nodded, not wanting to draw attention. Apollo looked at Jupiter.
Just then a slave walked in in their dirty white uniform. “Peter would like to see you,” he said.
Me, Apollo and Jupiter headed 5 floors up. When we got to his office he was standing at the door. “Ugh, I didn't ask for them.” We all walked out the door when Peter said “Jupiter, stay.” Jupiter walked over to him.
Me and Apollo headed to Apollo’s room. Once the door was shut he said, “We need to call Tone now.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked and Apollo replied grimly, “Jupiter went over to the dark side.”
What? I always thought of Jupiter as the annoying one, but not the evil one. “Wait, WHAT!?!” I replied.
“I-I just know it.”
I thought, “Well, I have to believe you, since you are my brother.”
He nodded. I tapped my snake bracelet.A hologram appeared of Tone Laufeyson. She had platinum blonde hair with brown highlights and deep blue eyes.She wore a snake bracelet identical to mine. “Hi, Tone.” I said, trying to look happy.
“Gamora Jackson, haven't seen you in awhile,” Tone replied.
“Well . . . um . . . there hasn't been anything I needed to tell you,” I muttered.
She glared at me. “You could’ve at least called me to TALK!” We stood there in silence for almost a minute.
“Okay, well I need to tell you something, Jupiter has gone to the dark side,” I said.
I could see her trying to decide how to act. You see, a long time ago, Tone had fallen for Jupiter, HARD, and she got rejected, HARD. She finally spoke. “W-w-what?”
I nodded.
She started to cry (she might’ve still had feelings for him). Okay, this was rare. She was full on one of those people who never cried and kept all their emotions inside ‘till they were going to sleep. I looked at her in shock.
“I am coming there NOW.” She started to look for something. She grabbed an infinity bag (a bag that could hold anything and everything no matter the size) and pulled out a laser gun and a dress that looked like the one that Taylor Swift wore to the 2018 AMAS (she likes to copy looks from celebrities). “I am ready, I think,” she said.
“Go to the base, okay?”
She nodded. I turned the hologram off and grabbed my bag. Inside were a laser gun, a hair brush, my extra snake bracelet, memory spray, and some soda. I set off for the base. Just as I was about to open the door, Jupiter walked up. I thought fast and sprayed him with memory spray, then I opened the door and bolted to the base. When I finally got there, Tone was nowhere to be seen, and Apollo was already there. “Where's Tone?” I asked.
“I thought she was with you.”
I shook my head.
“I’m going to call Tone.”
To Be Continued . . .
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FANTASY
by Mark Carlson and Taliya Williams
Part I
by Taliya Williams
The revenge of the Evil Enchantress
3 Months Ago
In the darkest room of the Center Kingdom was a dungeon. The cells were packed with magical creatures who did unspeakable deeds but in the last cell was the most dangerous person of them all: The Evil Enchantress. She wore a dark purple and black cloak that covered her body. Under the old cloak was a black dress and black boots, the Enchantress was completely covered and eerily still. All the prisoners and guards feared the lady and didn’t dare to glance nor speak to the enchantress, instead they left her alone in peace and silence. That all changed one day.
A guard slowly walked over to the enchantress pretending to be brave but on his inside, he was trembling with fear. “You have a visitor,” the guard blurted out as he approached the cell. Meanwhile he was still brewing with horror on the inside.
The enchantress shifted a little and finally looked up. Her face was as pale as snow, she had long black hair with blue streaks and her lips were dark purple. She was very pretty but dangerous. The guard stood by the cell as he signaled the visitor to come, the enchantress could already tell who it was, this was perfect for her. When the enchantress heard the last footstep she looked up grinning wickedly at her sister, the noble Fairy Godmother.
“Hello Evanora,” said the Fairy Godmother in a soothing voice. The guard outside the cell raised an eyebrow in confusion and surprise, he has never heard the enchantress' real name. “Hello Diana,” responded Evanora in disgust trying not to make eye contact, she never really liked her sister because she would always get the attention. Diana always thought that that was why Evanora became a vindictive vicious enchantress. Now everybody speaks of Evanora but for a negative reason.
“I know what your thinking Evanora, you can't escape, no matter how many times you try and try something will stop you,” said the Fairy Godmother strictly. She knew that Evanora wanted to make people feel bad so she could escape but instead of Evanora pouting she smiled, not kindly but cruelly.
“Well Diana you just let me escape,” whispered the enchantress. She laughed diabolically as she transformed into purple dust, which instilled instant fright into the Fairy Godmother. She came to recognize how much more powerful and evil Evanora had become. And now she accidentally aided her escape because her cell was open.
The guard ran for help as the enchantress flew past the jail cells. Evanora was determined to immediately cast a curse on the fairy tale land. The spell turned the landscape dark and stormy. The enchantress elevated from the earth and floated in the air, adoring the power growing inside her she felt growing in her bit by bit.
“You won’t win, Evanora,” said the frightened Fairy Godmother. “Just remember the prophecy, two wonderful heroes will stop you!” she shouted.
Evanora glanced back at her sister and screamed, “Nothing will stop me!”
Chapter 1: James and Alice
James and Alice were at home with their mother feigning an illness.
“Mom I can’t go to school! I am --cough-- I a-am SICK! --cough--” murmured James from the sofa.
James’ mom smiled at him and rolled her eyes in a way that translated to, “I know you are not sick now please get up, eat your breakfast and go to school, child.”
James did not like to be called a child, he fancied himself a “young adult” and he no longer wanted to be recognized as a child. By this time, Alice already stopped acting as if she was sick. She pretended to be ill so that it would appear as if both of them got sick from something together. Once the farce was discovered Alice got up, happily ate breakfast, got her school bag ready and stood next to the door to wait for James. It was now up to James to stop acting and go with his twin sister to school. James and Alice are 12- year-old twins that love each other and their family. The twin’s birthday was coming soon and they both were excited to celebrate and to go to the museum . . . the popular Beatrix Crystal Museum! The twins always loved the idea of celebrating their birthday, but instead, they had to focus on school and keep on doing HOMEWORK. James was disappointed that his being sick act did not go well and he ended up in school afterward.
Alice and James went to class quickly as soon as they heard the bell ring, they sat down in their assigned places and took out all their daily supplies. Alice adored school and was the best student, her teachers loved her. James’ adventures at school were very different. In fact, the school staff were always surprised that such a marvelous student’s brother was James. Alice was never pleased with that notoriety because, after all, James was her brother. At the same time, it was a double edged sword because James’ attitude was also a source of embarrassment. Although she was a straight-A student her brother was not, and that would pull her down and make her slightly miserable. James disliked school and did not get the best grades, he did not like school lunch, P.E made him exhausted, math lessons made him sleepy, and teachers gave him too much homework.
Luckily for the twins, it was not a full school day so they got to go home early without homework. Alice and James were very excited because the next day would be their 13-year-old birthday and they would go to the Beatrix Crystal Museum.
Chapter 2: A painting portal
It was finally the twin’s birthday. Alice and James woke up with smiles on their faces. On Saturdays they usually got up and out of bed by 7:15 am. They did all the regular stuff to get the day started: they showered, changed, and greeted their mother. For the trip to the museum they packed a bag with a few supplies. The twins came out of their rooms all packed and ready and then rushed downstairs to get the trip started.
Their mother, Carol Willer, was downstairs with breakfast already prepared. She had the breakfast meal prepared for her two children: french toast with orange juice. The two kids smiled warmly as they enjoyed the mesmerizing smell of cinnamon coming from the french toast. They gladly sat at the table and received their delicious breakfast. Once the twins and their mother finished the last remaining crumbs of their morning meal they caught a taxi and left for the museum.
Finally they arrived, and the three passengers stepped out of the taxi and thanked the kind driver for his service. They gazed up at the immense building in awe and happily walked towards it. This was it, the twins would finally get to go to Beatrix Crystal Museum.
The place was packed! They grabbed their tickets and went in admiring all the stunning paintings. Alice wrote down the names of paintings she saw that caught her attention the most, and James would take pictures with his camera. The twins ran around everywhere admiring the paintings and drawings. Alice was enjoying this the most but she saw something very peculiar, there was a hidden painting that nobody was paying any attention to. She called James over, he saw it too, the twins started walking towards it, nobody seemed to have seen them but once they arrived at the painting they stayed there admiring it.
It was a beautiful painting with all the bright colors, there was a large forest and a gingerbread house, wolves, castles and little figures. The twins looked around. They could not seem to find their mother or anybody but instead of looking for their mother, they were too focused on the painting. They turned around and touched the painting. Alice gently leaned over to touch the beautiful painting and James was behind her leaning against her back. Alice felt a weird feeling passing by her fingers, she quickly lifted it and inched closer to the painting very carefully. She ignored the feeling. James leaned even harder on Alice and all of a sudden they both collapsed. James tumbled on top of Alice, he expected her to be very mad but instead he heard her screaming hysterically. Alice expected to land face-first on the painting but she kept on falling. At this point both kids were not holding or standing on anything, they just kept on falling and falling in darkness.
Chapter 3: A New Land (The Fairytale world)
Alice and James were still falling into darkness, they were screaming and shrieking in horror. Finally they landed, but it was not a pleasant landing. James landed hard on his stomach and Alice landed on her back, both groaning in pain. The twins tumbled and rolled but finally stood up dizzier than ever. The pain disappeared once they saw they were somewhere they had never been, seen, or imagined. Above them was a massive beanstalk that reached until the clouds, they saw a gingerbread house nearby, and a stunning palace in the distance.
“Uhh A-Alice where are we?” whispered James. He turned his head in Alice’s direction.
“We must have f-fallen i-into the painting and g-gone to another dimension” stuttered Alice. She was surrounded by tall trees. She walked towards them admiring the fresh smell of nature. Alice looked up at the sky. She gasped, it was full of dark stormy purple clouds. She could tell that was not a good sign at all.
“Let’s go find shelter” said James ignoring the horrible storm.
“What? How? Why? Look around, we are in a never ending forest!” cried Alice in disappointment.
James looked around, she was right there were tall trees in all directions. Shortly thereafter, James ignored her complaints and pulled her toward him as he walked. James was panting and wheezing, this short adventure and Alice’s grumbling had already exhausted his patience. It was time for Alice to get herself together and help out. The twins ran as far as they could and walked to recover. The twins tried to find a way out of this mystery.
They spotted a small house connected to a mountainside. The twins approached the house cautiously but once they arrived James knocked on the door aggressively.
A beautiful woman with bouncy blond curls, black leggings, and a thin gray sweater opened the door. She curiously stared at the twins. “Who are you children” asked the women with curiosity.
The twins did not respond, their jaws were wide open, they knew very well who this lady was.
“I am sorry but you look so familiar and we have not met. Who are you?” asked Alice.
“Well kids, my name is Goldilocks,” said the lady with the blonde curls.
She seemed surprised that the twins did not know her. Alice and James blinked and stared at Goldilocks for a long time. It could not be possible. They loved her story and read it countless times since they were little. And now she was real to them. Even though it was the twins birthday and they were thirteen year old they knew this lady was not lying . . . she was Goldilocks!
“Do you kids want to come inside to rest?” asked Goldilocks to the twins. The two kids nodded and before they knew it they were sitting down in very odd chairs. Goldilocks joined them and asked them a few questions even though the twins were still too shocked to talk.
“So why are you living down here?” asked Alice.
Goldilocks looked at Alice quizzically as if she was joking. “I am hiding from the evil enchantress. Well actually I am gathering weapons and honing my warrior skills.” She went on to say that she intended to face the Evil Enchantress in a fight. “Let me tell you something” whispered Goldilocks as she signaled the kids to get closer. “The Enchantress is the most dangerous vicious creature in the whole fairytale land, she has done horrible things here but for the first time she got captured. Soldiers from the Center Kingdom found her and captured the enchantress and put her in the most protected cell of their dungeon About three months ago I heard the enchantress escaped but she is more powerful than ever. If you look up in the sky you will notice it is stormy and cloudy instead of warm and sunny, you see, the enchantress cast a curse on the fairytale world. Everybody is hiding while I prepare to fight. I won’t let Evanora the Evil Enchantress stop me. I will protect my land. Everybody in the fairytale world knows the enchantress and heard of her escape, now everybody calls it one thing . . . the REVENGE of The Evil Enchantress.”
The twins felt a shiver go down their spines. They could not believe what they just heard. It was a mind blowing story, an enchantress who escaped a dungeon and is getting revenge to all the people for trapping her.
“But there is more,” resumed Goldilocks. She went on to say that there is a prophecy that two wonderful heroes will save the land. She had a strange feeling that James and Alice may just be the heroes within the prophecy. James and Alice did not know what to say, Thank you? Cool? I am not sure? They certainly did not consider themselves to be heroes, especially in a world completely unfamiliar to them.
As much as they loved meeting Goldilocks it was time to go before things got more weird. On their way out Goldilocks handed them a bag full of supplies and useful books. The bag included: apples, slices of pie, and warm porridge in a small container. The twins thanked her and waved goodbye as they turned toward the endless deep forest.
Chapter 4: The heroes of prophecy.
The twins trekked the deep forest until reaching a point near the beautiful palace. They assumed it was the Center Kingdom which the lady with the blonde curls and rosy cheeks mentioned. Before James and Alice reached the palace they decided to rest on a tree log. They opened the bag and took out one apple, one slice of pie, and a book. Alice munched on the slice of pie while reading and James ate the apple.
“Look!” shrieked Alice in delight. She pointed at a page that had important information about the Center Kingdom. The book flew out of Alice’s hand and magically floated by itself, the book would flip to random pages and while highlighting words in gold. Alice was shocked but stood up from the log and went to the book.
Alice focused on the words the book would highlight on every page. “Hello. I am Aslan. Every time you say my name and ask me what you want to read about I will flip to that page” read Alice. Each word was highlighted on a separate page. The book flipped itself over twenty four pages to highlight all the words. Alice smiled in amazement..
“Dear Aslan take me to the page were we can read about the Center Kingdom” said Alice in a very proper voice. James rolled his eyes.
“You don’t have to treat the book as if it was a king,” snarled James.
Aslan flew to James and smacked his cheek against the book cover.
“OWWW!” James moaned in pain. Alice laughed while the book flew back to her and gently laid in her hands. Aslan did as he was told, five pages turned gold which signaled that all of them had facts about the Center Kingdom. Alice was pleased. She flipped to one of the pages of the book and read aloud.
“The Center Kingdom is the biggest and prettiest kingdom in all the land. The queen is Laphana and the King is Noah. Inside the palace is the lovely Fairy Godmother who will help you, give advice and share wisdom. You can find her in the Kingdom but it is not easy, she can disappear into thin air. She is hoping to be able to speak with the heroes of the prophecy soon. She can be found in the room named Fairy Godmother."
“The heroes of the prophecy,” James whispered to himself. “We need to speak to the Fairy Godmother to help us get out and we have to stop the enchantress. Goldilocks thinks we are the heroes of the prophecy, right?”
Bewildered, Alice asked, “Aslan, what is the prophecy?”
Aslan’s gave the normal response by flipping to a gold-highlighted page. At that point Alice began to read aloud, “The enchantress will grow more powerful than ever and will put a horrible curse to the land. She will make everyone suffer. She has become more greedy than ever and more powerful. There is hope the two wonderful heroes will stop the enchantress. The heroes will never be forgotten, they are the heroes of prophecy.” When Alice finished reading she knew she had to see the Fairy Godmother. Alice was left with the question if her and her twin brother were the heroes of the prophecy.
Alice called James to let him know that they needed to see the Fairy Godmother. Before he could answer, Alice set off in the direction of the Center Kingdom Palace.
James and Alice finally arrived at the palace, they stood in front of the massive doors not knowing what to do. “Are we wearing good clothes to go inside the palace?” asked Alice. “How are we going to get in?”
James stood there not replying to her questions. He was thinking. Suddenly his face lit up and he was smiling. James pointed to a carriage nearby.
Looking toward the carriage, James thought there might be better, cleaner clothes in it. He glanced at Alice’s and his clothes and observed that they were filthy. After trekking through the forest they had picked up any number of stains, rips, and grime.
Alice and James ran over to the carriage trying to not appear suspicious. Fortunately James’ intuition was correct. There were piles of very nice clothes that fit both of them. Alice found a teal dress with black boots. There was a white blouse and a dark blue vest which may fit James. There were also a pair of black pants and boots which James could use in place of his dirty clothes. They didn’t fit well, a bit oversized but useful for this purpose. The twins took turns changing behind the carriage trying not to be seen.
When they were both dressed they found a window that led into the palace next to the carriage. Without hesitating, the twins jumped through the window toward the inside. Luckily none had seen them sneak in the palace, not even the guards near the front entrance. The room into where they landed was dark and it took a while to figure out that they had snuck into the kitchen.
“The queen wants tea with scones and jam, don’t you understand. She wants all of that in less than five minutes so get to work!” the twins heard a lady yell to someone. Next they heard footsteps approach the kitchen. Alice signaled James to hide behind the kitchen island while she turned off the lights. Alice ran over to James and hid with him.
The grouchy lady opened the door with a chef walking behind her. She turned on the lights and left the door wide open. Slowly and gently the kids crawled over to the wide open door and quickly scurried away.
“That was close” James whispered in relief. Thankfully they did not get caught.
Alice nodded, agreeing with James. She got up and walked to the closest door. She took out Aslan.
“Aslan, do you know which room the Fairy Godmother lives in?” asked Alice. Aslan went to a page that said the door that is titled Fairy Godmother. Alice thanked the book and spotted the room.
“We forgot the Fairy Godmother’s jam for her scones in the other kitchen,” the twins heard the grouchy lady from the kitchen moan. Their eyes grew wide and without another moment to lose they ran from the kitchen in search of the Fairy Godmothers room. They knocked three times and the Fairy Godmother opened her door. Even though they were elated to find her, they dashed inside the room and quickly closed the door. James and Alice were panting and seemed more content to evade the servants and guards.
“You y-you guys are the heroes of prophecy,” the Fairy Godmother smiled. The kids were happy to meet her but shook their heads no. “I am sorry ma’am but we aren’t heroes. We don't have any magic and we don't know how to beat the enchantress,” began Alice.
The Fairy Godmother raised her hand as if to stop Alice in mid-sentence. “My sister Evanora, the evil enchantress, is trying to take over the world and I need to find the heroes. Until this point I felt only failure but seeing you two I have a feeling of hope.” She truly believed Alice and James were the Wonderful Heroes of the Prophecy.
“The Fairy Godmother may never be wrong but I am still not convinced we are heroes?” said Alice.
The Fairy Godmother nodded in a confident way.
Alice turned to James and he looked as shocked as her. They fell into the fairy tale world not by accident but for a reason.
“This is flattering! But your sister is the evil enchantress?” asked James to the Fairy Godmother.
She nodded up and down but her smile faded away. “I wish I could talk sense to my sister. I wish she could become her actual self,” said the Fairy Godmother with tears stinging the corners of her eyes.
“What is wrong?” said Alice. “What happened to the enchantress?” she followed her first question with a second question.
“She use to be the kindest person I know, she was there for me and always stood up for me but one day she felt left out, not wanted, and horrible, so because she felt envy and rage, she stole evil books and now s-she is the evil enchantress getting revenge to all the people”, said The Fairy Godmother. She went on to say that Evanora thinks that she will rule the world and wants revenge on those who she feels did her wrong. Alice felt sadness grow in her heart, she hugged the Fairy Godmother and whispered something into her ear.
“If I am, as you say, one of the heroes of prophecy I will stop your sister Evanora and talk sense into her,” Alice promised the Fairy Godmother. This brought a feeling of relief to the Fairy Godmother.
“Well my heroes I have two things to say: (1) Call me Diana and (2) You won’t defeat the enchantress without practice. Let’s get started,” said the now-cheery Fairy Godmother. Before anybody could say anything else, blue pixie dust filled the room and the twins and Diana disappeared into thin air.
Chapter 5: The Enchantress True Self
The blue pixie dust traveled by the air and to a nearby green meadow, the dust hit the ground. The Fairy Godmother was on her feet waiting for the twins who were laying down in the ground wondering how the Fairy Godmother landed on her feet. James was dizzy. He attempted to get up but fell straight down. When James focused and was finally able to get up he saw that Diana and Alice were already standing.
“Alrighty children, let’s get to work” said the over joyed Fairy Godmother. She could not wait, she finally met the heroes of prophecy.
“What should we do?” asked Alice, very confused.
Diana’s smile disappeared, she shook her head in disbelief.“Well you are the heroes of destiny, don’t you know what to do?” said the Fairy Godmother. The twins shook their heads no. The Fairy Godmother did not know what to say or do.
“I need to go, the queen will need me soon” said Diana checking her magical watch that suddenly appeared in her wrist.
“But we just got here,” complained James.
“I know children but I am sure you guys know what to do, best of luck” said the Fairy Godmother. She put her palm in front of her hand and blew little sparks of blue dust to the twins.
“WHOA WHOA” screamed James, he left with the blue dust and appeared in front of the village plaza. It is a big space with a fountain in the middle.
“What do we do now?” asked James. He noticed Alice’s mood or confidence had risen.
“I am not scared of the enchantress. Believe me. I know what I am doing. I will put a stop to this nonsense,” exclaimed Alice with a clenched fist and gritted teeth.’
“Enchantress show yourself I am not scared, I am fearless and you can't stop me,” screamed Alice. The people around the village fountain stared at her and then went to their houses to hide. She heard one voice say that the Enchantress can see and hear everybody. Alice waited a few moments and heard a diabolical laugh, and suddenly sensed purple smoke filling the air. It was simply the Enchantress making her appearance through the smoke screen..
“You think you can stop me, hero of prophecy” laughed the Enchantress. She did not know what was coming. Alice was about to begin her speech.
“I know you Evanora and you are kind and smart, everybody loved you, the town people adored you, they showed you respect,” said Alice
“Noooo THE PEOPLE SHOWED ME NO RESPECT I SHALL RULE WITH REVENGE!” screamed the Enchantress. She desperately wanted to ignore what Alice said. Yet, it may have been those few words which weakened Evanora. The enchantress threatened Alice by planting thick thorns all around her but that did not work.
“They loved you, you meant the world to everybody.” said Alice in a soothing voice. The enchantress stopped moving as tears rolled down her eyes. Alice could tell she was thinking about what she was saying, she felt like she was doing things wrong but was encouraging herself to not believe Alice.
“No no NOOOOOO I- i am evil, I need to be evil I was destined to be, nobody will stop me I am evil… right?” sobbed the enchantress. Evanora felt fear just hearing about her past.
“You were never evil Evanora you were wonderful everybody loved you and even your parents and friends, even your sister.” said Alice.
The enchantress glued her eyes to Alice, the word sister stung her. Evanora’s eyes grew wide, goosebumps covered her skin and she looked as if she had been stabbed through her flesh. The Enchantress loved her sister but despised her because she always thought everybody loved her and she got all the attention. Evanora has not talked to Diana for some time and did not like talking to her because she would feel a jolt of pain.
“Evanora… your sister loves you” finished Alice giving the enchantress a hug while she cried. The whole town watched Alice and did not fear the enchantress. Alice exposed that Evanora had feelings and just felt like she was not loved, she felt like her sister did not like her and she was not respected. But Alice told her the truth
“I love my sister. I really do, I don't understand why I was jealous when I should have been proud. I need to say sorry to everyone but especially my sister.”
“Don't worry let me help . . . Fairy Godmother, Fairy Godmother where are you?!” cried Alice. Slowly, blue dust appeared and the Fairy Godmother appeared.
“Hello children! How are you and what do you nee-” The Fairy Godmother stopped talking, she faced her sister.
“Evanora what do you want, don’t hurt me ple...-” The Enchantress stopped her sister and hugged her.
“I am sorry for everything,” Evanora apologized.
The Fairy Godmother turned to the kids, “You did it, you saved her,” as tears streamed down her eyes.
“All I ever wanted was to see my real sister again” said Diana to the enchantress. At that moment she noticed a lot of people watching. As Evanora turned back to her non-evil self, her previously gloomy clothes transformed into a cheery yellow dress and matching boots. Evanora’s cheeks turned into a comforting rosy shade and her hair lost the purple streaks. At that moment a magical wand appeared in her hand as she walked away to the palace with her sister. James did not do anything the whole time he just stared at his sister. Her sister turned to him not knowing what to say.
“I am so proud of you, you just saved the fairytale world” started James. He hugged Alice and she thanked him in return. It was a feeling of joy and happiness the twins had not felt before. “Now we just have figure out how to get back to the museum and enjoy the rest of our adventurous birthday, I can't believe we did so much!” James said.
His sister was thinking the same thing. Almost panicked she yelled, “We need the Fairy Godmother! How are we going back?” They immediately ran toward the palace in chase of Diana and Evanora.
Chapter 6: A goodbye but not for forever
The twins reached the sisters and interrupted their conversation. “Pardon us for interrupting but we have to get back home!”
“Don't worry dear,” said the Fairy Godmother. She opened a portal to the museum with two waves of her wand. The twins hugged the sisters happily.
“Oh no, will mom be mad that we were gone for so long?” exhaled James worriedly. Alice had the same face.
“Don’t worry kids, the time here is different. It has been at least five minutes that you two heroes disappeared over there” said the Fairy Godmother. The twins gave out a sigh of relief.
“Um, if either of you don't mind can you take this back to Goldilocks and say that we said thank you?” said James handing over the bag to the Fairy Godmother.
“Of course my dear” she said. Aslan, the book, flew out of the bag and over to Alice. He highlighted some words.
“May I go with you to your world” read Alice from Aslan.
“Of course Aslan, welcome to the world,” Alice said as she hugged the book. It was time, they had to go back to the museum, the twins' clothes turned back to their first ones but they were all clean.
“I wish I could stay but I had a truly wonderful time, goodbye!” said James and Alice as they hugged the sisters. They went in the portal and were now in front of the painting they fell in at the museum. James and Alices’ mom found them and hugged them tightly saying she got scared and could not find them but the twins just smiled. They had a huge secret and it all happened in one birthday.
Part 2
by Mark Carlson
House
A police car drives up to a leafy green and sky blue house. The officer gets out and is wearing a purple tuxedo and jeans.
“Well this is the place that George Piggy was last seen.”
OINK
“What was that noise?”
A sound of a window breaking is heard when Minitoon looks to his right he sees a bat come flying in front of his face he is knocked to the ground.
Minitoon wakes up on a bunk bed, the covers are scarlet blue. He has a bleeding arm. It starts to stain the bed red. He jumps out of there and looks around the house he is in. It is rustic and old with dents in the ground like they were hit by a metal bat. He goes downstairs to find a green key sitting on a kitchen counter. He looks around to find a door locked with a green lock. He puts the key in the lock and starts to turn it. The door opens. He sees a red key and a hammer. He tries to grab the hammer with his bleeding arm and it falls to the ground. His arm is too weak and too bloody to grab anything. He takes the red key all the way to the third floor and unlocks the red door. Just then he hears an old grandma-like voice.
“I SEE YOU.”
He thinks to himself “Uh oh i'm not alone.” He grabs a board of wood from the room and quickly places it down where it seems to be outlined to go. He slowly walks across trying not to fall because he would surely die if he fell. The voice calls out to him again.
“COME AND GIVE YOUR PIGGY A KISS ON THE CHEEK.”
“That's proof I'm not alone.” He feels something push him and slips. He is holding onto the plank with one hand. He slowly hurls himself back up on the plank. He finds an orange key and some lasers that look like he needs a wrench to de-activate. He goes down to the basement and finds a yellow safe and an orange locked door. He quickly unlocks the door as he hears footsteps coming to the basement. He runs inside the door closing it behind him. He heads downstairs to find a pistol and some ammunition. He hears footsteps coming down the stairs into the second basement where he is. He holds the gun steadily aiming towards the soggy footsteps that he hears coming downstairs.
It's a young child with a fluffy red dress and a Metal Bat in their hand. It looks like Penny from the pig family; it looks just like her but taller and with a bleeding red eye. They stand still looking sad. Minitoon let down the gun and walked towards her. He feels bad for her because she had lost her family to the infection. Maybe just maybe she hadn't gotten infected. But then she rushes towards him trying to hit him and kill him with the bat. He quickly grabs the pistol from his pocket and shoots. She looks stunned. He decides to leave her like that and try to escape the house. He goes running around the house and the backyard with keys and gears and wrenches and hammers. He eventually finds a yellow key and a white key. He puts the yellow key in the yellow safe and gets a code for the padlock door which is boarded up and locked with a code and lasers and a white lock. He punches in the code and the wrench and the lasers disappear. He grabs the hammer to break down the planks and then grabs the white key and breaks down the white lock. He quickly escaped through the door and went back to his police car to drive to the station.
Station
A police car pulls up to the station
“Hello is anyone here at the station?”
RING the speakers go on.
“Attention a monster is in the station get to the garage now!”
“Not another monster,” Minitoon thinks.
Minitoon runs over to the garage and tries to open the door. It’s locked.
“Uh oh” he says.
Minitoon rushes around the station unlocking doors and finding batteries.
“Why batteries!?” He exclaimed. Just as he finds the second batterie he hears a distant voice.
“I'M COMING QUACKO LUST”
“Who says quacko lust?” Minitoon asked himself. He gets a glance at her before running and it looks like she is the mommy pig.
He breaks down the boards on the door and puts in the white key thinking that this series of unfortunate events is finally over. But when the door creaks open he sees officer doggy in the red car that he uses for emergencies.
“Quick find some gas for the car!”
Minitoon then uses the blue key to unlock the outside patio and finds the electricity gas pump is out of batteries. He grabs the batteries from earlier in the chapter and places them in the slots where they go to find that it brings up a platform with a bucket of gas on it. He grabs it and trying not to spill any, he rushes to doggy when he hears some humming from behind him. It's the mommy pig.
He rushes forward as fast as he can and walks straight into the security lasers burning the scar on his arm worse. He runs to the left now with the piggy on his tail. He gets too doggy and the car and quickly pours in the gasoline and jumps through the open window to get in the car. He starts screaming, “GO GO GO!!!” The pig is inching nearer and her sharp metal bat comes crashing through the back window. CRASH. Glass goes everywhere and causes some gas to leak out. Minitoon looks back to see six piggies now. He panics as they start walking and running closer. The chase is on but next they need to arrive somewhere else.
Gallery
The car comes into view and then soon do the pigs. OINK OINK OINK OINK OINK OINK OINK OINK OINK OINK. They are chanting. The motor of the car starts to stutter and stop, it slows and the car slowly gets surrounded. Here the oinking comes closer.
“Let's get out of here,” Doggy says.
“Looks like we'll have to go through the gallery,” said Minitoon. “Some of those monsters looked familiar.” The door they came in bust down and the daddy pig comes rushing in with all the others blocking the front door.
“Looks like we'll have to use the alleyway,” Minitoon thinks
They start running around finding keys when Minitoon steps on an egg like thing but it doesn't break. He grabs the green key while dodging the dad pig.
“TOP OF THE MORNING,” he thinks and yells as they run past the dad.
They soon find three pedestals and place the eggs on them. They grab the white key, break down the boards and then escape to run to the nearest forest. A vial of liquid half full is left on the floor and it is smashed to bits and pieces as the pigs oink mechanically.
Forest
4 weeks later.
“I think some of those monsters they were our friends,” Minitoon says.
“It’s getting late, we should get some rest,” Doggy says.
A noise of slurping is heard. Minitoon starts to have a nightmare about potatoes fighting a bear. He wakes up to see Doggy isn't at base camp. He gets up to find him, He sees doggy with a blood red eye and an axe in his hand. He has become infected.
“Doggy!!!!!” Minitoon yells as he gets a flashback of doggy following miss sheepy and her giving him a vial with a green liquid in it. Then he comes back to real time to see doggy next to him with an axe about to swing. He quickly goes to the way they came into the forest to see it barricaded and blocked off again.
“Not again!” Minitoon thinks to himself. He goes around the forest to find a yellow safe in a tree house then next to it a purple safe labeled “Gun.” He finds the purple key and unlocks the safe. Minitoon grabs the gun and some ammo to find doggy climbing up the tree house ladder. He shoots the gun only to miss. “Uh oh,” he thinks to himself with a frightened look on his face. Just then Doggy’s axe comes flying up and hits Minitoon in the right arm chopping it off while the axe comes back down to hit doggy in the face and stun him. Minitoon finds a torch the perfect thing to escape and burn down the door. He quickly runs to the campfire and lights the torch. Then he runs to the escape door to start to burn it. Just then Doggy comes by. Looking more infected and angry then ever. Minitoon without thinking throws the torch at doggy seering his cotter and rotten old leather clothes, a blaze knocking doggy to the ground to burn him alive. He thinks. He then runs through the escape door to find a walkie talkie.
“Hello, is anyone out there?” To be continued
__________
Horror
by Henry David Borham, Olivia Toteras, Sam Deterling, Lex Benton-Jonshult, and Ella McNutt
The Butcher
Side note: Please understand that in NO WAY is Carolyn responsible for how dark this story is. Intended for age 10 and over. Viewer discretion advised.
Davis was really happy with himself. He had scooped an answer to his proposal out of the most beautiful girl in the town, which was Alice, about a month ago. Of course every good girl came with a problem. Her mother in law. She was the meanest worst person ever. She was against it from the start. The lonely butcher had been against every marriage since her husband died. In fact, the circumstances in which her husband died were very odd. His hand had been caught in the industrial sausage maker. They buried a wiener.
Couldn’t she put her experience behind her and appreciate that her daughter was finally getting married? Either way, his parents were busy and he needed to get the food for the wedding. Of course, it was the day before the wedding so he suspected that something was up. His first stop was the butcher shop. When he went to get the meat, the door was wide open. A sign that said “my daughter is getting married tomorrow!” sat surprisingly cheery on the door. He cautiously pondered this sudden change of attitude.
He wondered, “Why would she be so excited all of the sudden. Something is definitely gettin’ saucy.” He thought, “Dang it, I left my gun at the station”.
He walked into the shop. He found his friend, Jeff, who was the best man. They had known each other for a long time. Davis asked “What are you doing here?”
His friend sighed and said, “I was going to try to pick up the meat for you, but I guess you didn’t get my text.”
“Nah bruh. Whoops. But I appreciate the thought. At least you won't have to see my mother in law alone.”
Jeff laughed. “Oh sure. Like I’m scared. What about you? She did threaten to kill you when you proposed to Alice. Also do you know what's up with the strange stuff on the door?”
Davis shrugged. “No, it seems like she had a weird sudden change of attitude.”
“Oh, like the grinch?“
“You can’t argue that they share some of the same physical characteristics.”
His mother in law popped up behind the counter. “I can hear you, ya filthy maggots.”
Just then the door shut behind them. Davis jiggled the handle. “Oh snap, it's locked.” said Jeff.
“Great, now Drizelda likes is scaring us to death,” sighed Davis.
“I’m in the room you filthy little squirts!” hissed Drizelda
“So what do you want with us?” Davis asked.
“My husband beat me regularly, so I ran him through the sausage machine and ate him! The sausage that we buried was pork! The meat of revenge was so good, and now you want to marry my daughter. I don’t want her to have the same experience I did. I think some ribs would go nicely with blood pudding!” The place was plunged into darkness.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!’ Jeff screamed.
They ran as fast as they could around the butchers shop. Jeff stopped and grimaced. There was a small knife in his side.
“Jeff, are you okay?” Davis whispered quietly.
“No,” Jeff whispered back.
“Okay because I am an officer, I know how to do basic surgery. ”
"Really?” Jeff questioned.
“No, you idiot. Just pull the knife out and put a towel over the wound. Keep pressure on it.” “Okay” Jeff said weakly.” I think I might be able to get some string and I can try to tie up the wound.”
“I don’t think so!” said Drizelda. She raised a cleaver high over her head and brought it down cleanly on Jeff’s skull. It split open, scattering blood, bones, and brain tissue. Drizelda scooped out the brains and ate them right in front of Davis. His instincts kicked in and he ran for his life.
“After I finish this tasty morsel, I’m coming for you!” Davis watched in horror as Drizelda cut open Jeff’s midsection with the cleaver. She scooped out the intestines and whatever else she could hold, and took them over to a huge pot. She dumped them in, and turned up the heat. “Yummy yummy yum yum! I will let that stew for a while, and get those ribs I wanted!”
She walked over to her knife cabinet, and pulled out, wait, was that an axe? She dragged it behind her. It looked too big for the feeble old hag, but Davis didn’t want to take any chances. He hid behind the counter, crouching in a ball. Apparently Drizelda was a cannibal. Maybe it would have been worth it not to get married and just remain really good friends with Alice.
“Come out come out wherever you are! I have this really nice recipe for some good ribs. I would hate to waste some good meat! Yaah!”
Suddenly, the axe head protruded from the counter right next to Davis. He scrambled out of the counter and ran. She chased after him, but the axe slowed her. “Darn! I need something lighter!” She walked over to the knife cabinet and found a machete. “Here we are!” cackled Drizelda.
Davis' life flashed before his eyes. He remembered the day he proposed to the woman of his dreams. It was in a beautiful field, and the sun was setting. He knelt down on one knee and opened up the box. Inside was a beautiful silver band with a diamond sitting pretty in the center. “Yes!!” she had said, before he even had the chance to say the words. “OH NO YOU DON’T!” Drizelda had screamed, running out from behind a tree. Davis didn’t like remembering what had happened next. Drizelda had ripped the ring off of Alice’s finger and thrown it as far as she could into the field. They had only had so much time before dark and couldn't find the ring. He took Alice back home, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. They didn’t need a ring. It was one of the best nights of his life, except for when Drizelda had intervened and cost him thousands of dollars. He suddenly came back to the present.
Drizelda was by the big pot with Jeff’s guts. She was putting in different spices. The real question was, how did Drizelda know how to season human stew? The smell in the meat shop had gone from pleasant to terrible so fast. “Put in some carrots and some onions and some leeks and some meat stock and stir it till it’s hot. Oops.”
Drizelda had cut herself with the knife. She put the injured finger in her mouth. “And now to find the filthy maggot who was going to beat my daughter!” shouted Drizelda, the words coming out wrong with the finger in her mouth.
Drizelda started chewing on her finger as she walked around the shop. She took the hand out of her mouth, and the finger was gone. She stuck her other fingers in her mouth and kept on chewing. She was wincing slightly with every bite. She stuck more and more of the arm in her mouth. She brought the arm over to the industrial sausage machine. She lifted up the machete, and chopped it off. She dropped the big knife, shoved the arm into the sausage machine, and licked her lips. She was bleeding a lot where she had cut off her arm. She started to collapse. She put her good arm on the nearest thing to steady herself. That thing was the sausage maker. She screamed as the machine whirred to life again. Davis averted his eyes as Drizelda was pulled into the machine.
He looked around for a phone. He called 911 as he glanced pitifully at the sausage that was his mother in law.
THE END
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