Official writing contest thread: September

[Creamy Goodness]

Contest runs from September 1st through September 27th. Judges will have the 28th and 29th to decide on a winner with the results to be announced on the 30th. A second and third place will be announced if we have enough entries.

Please post your entries in this thread rather than making a new thread for your entries. Having them all in one place makes it a little bit easier on everyone.

Current theme: Halloween

Since we spent so much time talking about this competition, the surprise for the theme kind of vanished a long time ago. It doesn't have to be solely related to just the holiday though. It could revolve around pumpkins, show the origin of candy, or be about the fall/autumn season. As long as its something that will remind people of this time of year. If you're unsure whether your idea qualifies for the competition, shoot me a PM or feel free to ask away here in this thread.

Random item: football

As part of these competitions, I like to try and throw something in there that's a little challenging. The random item is something that needs to be squeezed into your story somehow. It doesn't have to play a pivotal role in your story, but it should be featured in some capacity.

Word count: 3,000 words

We'll start small. Entries should not exceed 3,000 words.

You can post your entries as you finish them or you can wait until it's closer to the deadline. It's up to you.

NO FANFICTION! No remakes, reboots, or sequels to your favorite movies or novels. Original works only, please.

[Scarecrow]

Ok, I'm in.

[Daylight Yet Unseen]

i'll enter!

[Creamy Goodness]

Hot damn. There's hope for this yet.

[Dr. Briggs]

Nice to hear, Scarecrow! You know I'll give this a shot

[Creamy Goodness]

Alright, so [MENTION=16059]LolliePop[/MENTION] and I look to be judging for sure. What about [MENTION=17207]Chainsaw Brutality[/MENTION]? Are you still interested in being a judge, Jamie?

[Scarecrow]

I mean't i'll be a judge.

[Creamy Goodness]

If Jamie says no, you'll be the first person I come to.

[Chainsaw Brutality]

Alright, so @LolliePop and I look to be judging for sure. What about @Chainsaw Brutality? Are you still interested in being a judge, Jamie?

Absolutely, Chris. I'm still in, man.

[Creamy Goodness]

Absolutely, Chris. I'm still in, man.

Very cool, man. Thanks for responding.

[Chainsaw Brutality]

Very cool, man. Thanks for responding.

You're welcome.

[CarolinePar]

I'm going to write a story!

but I just know you all are going to give me crap for it ;P

[Creamy Goodness]

Alright, so here's an updated list of who's entering the contest:

1. DragonBlues
2. CarolinePar
3. Sobriquet
4. Mr. Briggs Inc
5. Daylight Yet Unseen

Fish told me earlier tonight that he probably wouldn't be able to enter and I haven't seen Dodgson around in awhile. So this looks like it for the time being. Still have another 22 or so days left to enter though. Plenty of time for a few more people to jump on board.

[CarolinePar]

The Ball, The Bore and the Ghoul__
“Go long !”
I turned just in time for the football to painfully bounce off Adrian’s letterman’s jacket, my now sore right shoulder and my failed attempts to catch it in time. Though he had mastered the art of a downward spiral to a receiver on the other end of the field, my boyfriend had yet to inspire me to caring more about the game that his initial involvement in the team.
“My bad. Sorry -”
I picked it up and threw it into the backseat before he got to the other side to let himself in.
Okay so most of the other players were dating cheerleaders.
And his girlfriend was in the mascot costume
I was two thirds on he field or within shouting distance at all times.
Still, I’d have had just about enough of the sport and insisted we take a night off from the scrimmage and the team antics to go to the town amusement park. They had set up a darkened area in lots of twists and turns and cheesy special effects and dressed up costumers…

Well with a name like Christine you don’t grow up appreciating tea parities and lacy dollies.
So I had to finally talk him into going with me.

A late October evening was special for a number of reasons. Least of which neither of us was being harassed or pummeled from either side of the same mates that sought to reform any waking moment towards the benefit of countless exercises, drills or money making schemes…

Was it too much perhaps that we be alone, together for once? Still we weren’t really.

From the time he closed the door to the car he had kept going over the last few games of the season and even a few highlights of previous ones. “It‘s the change in the weather in the air that affects the projector of the ball. You see a ball will travel much different in the later autumn than during a scrimmage of touch football in mid summer…”

I nodded only half listening.

The park had gone all out as if it was afraid the event was celebrating an end of a great season and if this event wasn’t successful then the location would have to be closed until the following school break.

The place was dressed in various shades of orange and black and accessories that it was likely more bargain bins across the parishes were cleaned out of at least their stretchable cotton spider webs and various sizes of pumpkin in realistic to pitiful plastic resin.

The webs themselves would easily have snared a victim or two if anyone was so careless as to not look where they were going.

“Some people will even suggest the flavor of the powder that mixes with the ice will make a difference between the spread. Now I like orange over green but….”

Green would be a good color for a jack o’ lantern smile.

Course how would you be able to do that with the candle light most traditionally seen? That’s an idea - edge the borders in a dark emerald green glitter so that the light from within would flicker against it…

“It‘s kind of dark like this too when we get to the fields - sometimes you can still see some stars…”

When he took my hand a moment later I realized we had already walked into the first steps of the Haunted Walkway.

“It gets foggy most mornings before practice while we do our warm up laps…”

It had piped in ambiance music and mists like from an insane amount of dry ice and time of year made it very difficult to see too far on either side much less a few feet in either direction.

“Our sweats are soaked with the dew before we get halfway through the first half of sprints -”

Still, my beloved had not shut up about his favorite subject.

Even if it had been about me I would have gotten tired of that too with the length of the dissection he had taken it. I squeezed his hand - hard - in a not so gentle nudge to be quiet and enjoy the moment.

With me.

“You keep that mascot training up you’ll be better aligned when cheering us on!”

I turned in every which way trying to orienteer myself. While at the same time looking around - trying to absorb the efforts of a professional themed haunted pathway.

In the corner of my eye I could see a figure lurching towards us.

He was easily just under the height of a regulation basketball hoop. His outfit smelled worse than several degrees of decay or my older brother’s delayed attempts to learn any useful domestic craft beyond ordering for another round or the misplacement of the remote.

The eyes were pure bits of eerie light atop a gaping toothy mass of irregular dental work its fangs only as piercing as the draconian fingers reaching towards us…

Arms raised as if to attack …..

I had tried to ignore Adrian pre game, halftime, overtime prattle long enough

“Would you just BACK OFF AND LEAVE US THE @#$% ALONE ALREADY ?!”

The creature turned his head - gave a is-she-serious look to my boyfriend - he could only nod …and it faded into the mist of the swamp.

Adrian still plays football but at least one Saturday per month is spent with only me.
I had shown who had the real balls in our relationship.
Trick or Treat.

[Sobriquet]

ACK! I just now saw this! I'm a week behind! *scoots off to brainstorm*

[Creamy Goodness]

Just twelve more days to get your entries in. How's it coming along? Have you started yet? Better get on it if you haven't already.

[Sobriquet]

Fuck.

Life is not good for this right now.

*gets a move on*

[Creamy Goodness]

The story I had been working on when I first started this thing is finally nearing completion. It's all typed up. I just need to proofread.

[Creamy Goodness]

One week left and we only have one entry so far.

[Dr. Briggs]

Typing with broken arm and have lots of schoolwork due at the same time. I'm trying here...