And here comes your regular Writer's Block, where I once again assume the persona of some bloke posting stories on the net.
Hmm...an issue crept to my mind, one which I should bring up before someone else does. I've noticed that my stories have all so far been VERY Western-influenced, and that can't be altogether a good thing. Blame it on a steady diet of Enid Blyton and R. L. Stine, but all of a sudden I feel ashamed that my definition of a good story this far has been how close it imitates the works of both authors. At certain points of "Ghostopia" I even cringed at how blatantly I was fashioning Darren's life after your run-of-the-mill all-American high school drama.
So what the heck, I will throw in some Malaysian-isque elements in my next story. (Hopefully this won't equate into the odd bunga raya here and there, baju kebaya, wau, congkak, and the like.) 'Cos I sure don't fancy myself as one of those who sees our homeland as a conservative Third World country festering with greedy Chinese, lazy Malays, and Indian thugs. Nope. I might be a naive kid sheltered from the "real world", but I don't ever believe in hating something without understanding it completely. Of course, you'll never understand something completely, which is precisely why you shouldn't hate! HAH!
Brakes, please. We're supposed to be talking about the story, aren't we?
Again, Chapter 51 sees a new scene starting, with Nelson confronting Mortie. There's potential here for a ton of mysteries to unravel, and lots of light shed on characters. Kat's background should be looming near, possibly Mortie as well. Just figuring avenues of making that happen, rather than them getting faraway looks in their eyes and blurring into flashback mode. Without giving too much away, I've already woven some twists here and there to make things "fit". Nothing too spectacular however, don't expect a Sixth Sense bang.
Allow me to dish out a line I haven't used in ages: We're inching towards the climax. I haven't figured out the ending yet, but already there're plenty of paths leading there I can see. The character settings are still a teensy-weensy vague, but we'll soon find out who the good guys and bad guys are. Ooh, EXCITING~! And the sooner the better, I say. This story's been hogging my blog for near six months now and it isn't gonna stop anytime soon. As a result, readership has dropped - reCAPPENINGs or not, no way anyone new's gonna stay tuned to a story already 50 Chapters in progress.
No worries on a ham-handed ending though, it ain't happening. Even if by some chance it does, I've already planned on re-writing this story WHILE the next one is in progress. Many times I've run through the backbone of the story on my head, and it does impress me. Like I've said, the stories posted serve as drafts for better stories, and I'm gonna take this one and shine it up reeeeal nice.
Of course, some little flaws that'll have to be fixed:
a) Not having Darren die so quickly at the start. It was quite a waste, really, seeing that it could've served as an introduction to him of sorts. As a result, he limped all the way in the race of character development, and we're still having a hard time buying him and his thing for Emily.
b) Another option would be to switch back and forth between Darren's, Nelson's, and Kat's lives, eventually leading to their respective deaths. Downside: a lot of the intrigue of the new characters would be gone.
c) Doing away with the story told solely from Darren's point of view. Stiffling, monotonous, and makes it seem more like a narrative than a story. Not a major mistake, but I don't quite like it.
d) Something feels weird about the Ezisa so easily accepting Darren into their ranks, seeing that they're a secret organisation. Again, not a logic loophole, but things would be much better if it was made clear.
e) And, uh...still not really sure what this is about, but Nelson's too wimpy a name for a gangster. Maybe Francesco? Valentino? Giordano? Hahahahha.
And...we're done. Term breaks are here for me, technically, so stick around as I attempt to spend my time constructively! By rambling on with the exploits of Darren, of course. ;^)
Have a nice day!
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Whiner's Block
Aha...now a brilliant idea this is. I shall try regular blogging for once, in a brand-new column called the "Whiner's Block".
Regular blogging.
Right. Where you complain about the haze, exams, homework, parents, and friends.
First off: this month has been so unlucky for me that it's getting a little creepy. I mean, it's not just regular unlucky, but unlucky supersized with extra toppings and a cherry on top.
This tale starts two Thursdays ago when I was in Friend A's house using his computer to finish an assignment for Billboard Design. So blahblahblahblah, after several weird computer mishaps which left me in the grip of The Last Minute yet again, I was ready to save the work into my pendrive.
And then it happened.
"This file cannot be saved because the path is too deep."
Huh?
File, Save As, Save...once again, "This file cannot be saved because the path is too deep."
Oh, man.
So never mind, I burned it into a CD. Then later on in class, more freaky computer mishaps happened, but we needn't elaborate on that...'cos the best is yet to come.
Suddenly! For no comprehensible reason! My pendrive dies! Yeah, dies. None of the computers could detect it. Though I anxiously go around sticking it into every laptop I could find, the results came out the same every time: My Pendrive Had Ceased To Exist Functionally.
And you thought that was the "best yet to come"? Nuh-uh. Later on that very same night, My Pendrive Ceased To Exist Physically as well! It disappeared, I swear! One minute it was in my pocket, the next it wasn't.
So kind Friend B lent me his spare pendrive as a temporary stand-by, which I accepted gratefully. I went home, drained to say the least, and proceeded to take off my glasses to wash my face.
Snap.
Out of a random improbable chance, the frame of my glasses broke. Sigh. Thank God I wouldn't be needing them while sleeping.
But wait, that's just Day One.
Day Two (Sunday) kicks off with me shifting my whole computer to Friend A's house to finish up my a website project. So I slip Friend B's pendrive into my pocket, complete with all the neccessary files. Fast forward to said house, and voila! Now you see pendrive, now you don't.
*curses* This is beyond unreal MAN. Who in the history of humankind has ever lost 2 pendrives in 4 days? I should be in the record books or something. Oh well, the silver lining would be that Friend A's computer had my files too. In an unrelated incident, I bumped my car slightly into his gate as I was reversing. No damages done, which is why it's unrelated.
Moving on.
Monday, and fortunately my portfolio website didn't screw up or anything. Things went well classes-wise, apart from the fact that the exasperated Visual Studies lecturer claimed that our 80% empty class was the "worst Advertising class he had ever taught".
But here comes the unlucky-ish part. I was supposed to go straight home after class at 4.30 and start work on my assignment due Wednesday. However, as "luck" would have it, I ended up fetching a sick Friend C home in nearby Subang. Quite an innocent lil' trip, you might think.
Sadly, her directions for a shortcut back to Sunway were misunderstood by me, and I spent the next 2 hours wandering around in remote places like Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, Subang Airport and the like. Heck, I even watched the sun set with Friend A and D (who happened to be dragged along by me for the ride). Oh, and did you know that there IS a place called "Kampung Subang" and "Bukit Subang"? Now you kow. Suffice to say, I reached home extremely late and tired, giving way to an almighty rush on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And then came the killer blow just last night (Saturday). Penniless ol' me withdrew RM50 to pay for printing, and I clearly remember the guy at the shop giving me back RM42 change. Logically speaking, I would've put it back into my wallet. I'm pretty sure I did.
But if logic was the theme of this post, then the RM42 would still be in my wallet. Instead of me opening it to pay for a drink and discovering to my horror that it disappeared.
Disappeared.
Vanished.
Dematerialised.
Take your pick, but that was the final straw...it confirms the black halo floating above me that says "BAD LUCK". Did you watch Final Destination? Well, that happened to several people. This time, I'm taking all the shots. Curiously, this month coincides with the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, and I had a giant Chinese character of "Ghost" splashed on my desktop last week.
Grrr...on a brighter note, today's Fundraising For Graduation Campaign Flea Market At Amcorp Mall went off quite well for a first time. Raked in RM400, and a jumbo-sized THANK YOU to the 3 caricature artists who worked their butts off the whole day long. Not forgetting the Henna tattoo people, birthday girl-cum-president Xin and everyone else who helped out in one way or another (the category of choice for yours truly, hohoho). But the caricature artists were the ones who really made me go wow.
If things go well, we'll probably get to double that amount of earnings for the Sunway Lagoon activities next week or future rounds in Amcorp Mall. But all that aside, it was good to see Batch 26 working together, each contributing with their individual strengths. Everyone felt to me like a part of a massively talented and creative team, not students whom the committee had to "take care of". Good times, good times, I wouldn't mind seconds. =^) Just wish I didn't have to skip church for the next two Saturdays.
And ya lah, I'm studying in The One Academy, the draw-draw one ah. Art, you know? Next to Sunway Pyramid? No, not Sunway College. No, not Limkokwing.
So hehe yeah, it's been a pretty long post, but that's what you call value for money. Not that you're paying, but...you catch my drift. Will likely be posting a Writer's Block tomorrow, where we drown away all our sorrows and down ourselves with Ghostopia...
Till then, bye!
Regular blogging.
Right. Where you complain about the haze, exams, homework, parents, and friends.
First off: this month has been so unlucky for me that it's getting a little creepy. I mean, it's not just regular unlucky, but unlucky supersized with extra toppings and a cherry on top.
This tale starts two Thursdays ago when I was in Friend A's house using his computer to finish an assignment for Billboard Design. So blahblahblahblah, after several weird computer mishaps which left me in the grip of The Last Minute yet again, I was ready to save the work into my pendrive.
And then it happened.
"This file cannot be saved because the path is too deep."
Huh?
File, Save As, Save...once again, "This file cannot be saved because the path is too deep."
Oh, man.
So never mind, I burned it into a CD. Then later on in class, more freaky computer mishaps happened, but we needn't elaborate on that...'cos the best is yet to come.
Suddenly! For no comprehensible reason! My pendrive dies! Yeah, dies. None of the computers could detect it. Though I anxiously go around sticking it into every laptop I could find, the results came out the same every time: My Pendrive Had Ceased To Exist Functionally.
And you thought that was the "best yet to come"? Nuh-uh. Later on that very same night, My Pendrive Ceased To Exist Physically as well! It disappeared, I swear! One minute it was in my pocket, the next it wasn't.
So kind Friend B lent me his spare pendrive as a temporary stand-by, which I accepted gratefully. I went home, drained to say the least, and proceeded to take off my glasses to wash my face.
Snap.
Out of a random improbable chance, the frame of my glasses broke. Sigh. Thank God I wouldn't be needing them while sleeping.
But wait, that's just Day One.
Day Two (Sunday) kicks off with me shifting my whole computer to Friend A's house to finish up my a website project. So I slip Friend B's pendrive into my pocket, complete with all the neccessary files. Fast forward to said house, and voila! Now you see pendrive, now you don't.
*curses* This is beyond unreal MAN. Who in the history of humankind has ever lost 2 pendrives in 4 days? I should be in the record books or something. Oh well, the silver lining would be that Friend A's computer had my files too. In an unrelated incident, I bumped my car slightly into his gate as I was reversing. No damages done, which is why it's unrelated.
Moving on.
Monday, and fortunately my portfolio website didn't screw up or anything. Things went well classes-wise, apart from the fact that the exasperated Visual Studies lecturer claimed that our 80% empty class was the "worst Advertising class he had ever taught".
But here comes the unlucky-ish part. I was supposed to go straight home after class at 4.30 and start work on my assignment due Wednesday. However, as "luck" would have it, I ended up fetching a sick Friend C home in nearby Subang. Quite an innocent lil' trip, you might think.
Sadly, her directions for a shortcut back to Sunway were misunderstood by me, and I spent the next 2 hours wandering around in remote places like Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, Subang Airport and the like. Heck, I even watched the sun set with Friend A and D (who happened to be dragged along by me for the ride). Oh, and did you know that there IS a place called "Kampung Subang" and "Bukit Subang"? Now you kow. Suffice to say, I reached home extremely late and tired, giving way to an almighty rush on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And then came the killer blow just last night (Saturday). Penniless ol' me withdrew RM50 to pay for printing, and I clearly remember the guy at the shop giving me back RM42 change. Logically speaking, I would've put it back into my wallet. I'm pretty sure I did.
But if logic was the theme of this post, then the RM42 would still be in my wallet. Instead of me opening it to pay for a drink and discovering to my horror that it disappeared.
Disappeared.
Vanished.
Dematerialised.
Take your pick, but that was the final straw...it confirms the black halo floating above me that says "BAD LUCK". Did you watch Final Destination? Well, that happened to several people. This time, I'm taking all the shots. Curiously, this month coincides with the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, and I had a giant Chinese character of "Ghost" splashed on my desktop last week.
Grrr...on a brighter note, today's Fundraising For Graduation Campaign Flea Market At Amcorp Mall went off quite well for a first time. Raked in RM400, and a jumbo-sized THANK YOU to the 3 caricature artists who worked their butts off the whole day long. Not forgetting the Henna tattoo people, birthday girl-cum-president Xin and everyone else who helped out in one way or another (the category of choice for yours truly, hohoho). But the caricature artists were the ones who really made me go wow.
If things go well, we'll probably get to double that amount of earnings for the Sunway Lagoon activities next week or future rounds in Amcorp Mall. But all that aside, it was good to see Batch 26 working together, each contributing with their individual strengths. Everyone felt to me like a part of a massively talented and creative team, not students whom the committee had to "take care of". Good times, good times, I wouldn't mind seconds. =^) Just wish I didn't have to skip church for the next two Saturdays.
And ya lah, I'm studying in The One Academy, the draw-draw one ah. Art, you know? Next to Sunway Pyramid? No, not Sunway College. No, not Limkokwing.
So hehe yeah, it's been a pretty long post, but that's what you call value for money. Not that you're paying, but...you catch my drift. Will likely be posting a Writer's Block tomorrow, where we drown away all our sorrows and down ourselves with Ghostopia...
Till then, bye!
Friday, August 12, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 50: Lucas And Andrea
"WHAT?" Darren squawked. "You have an ExorPrism too?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's with the big reaction, pal?"
"Erm, well...Mortie has one too. He used it to Exorcise those Spooks in the Lower Level Office."
Nelson's eyes widened. "Mortie has an ExorPrism? The very same as this?" He twirled the prism in his hand for Darren to see.
Darren nodded.
"Did it turn white when he Exorcised the Spook?"
"Umm...yes it did."
"Holy cow," Nelson frowned. "This can't be good. Someone must have figured out how to make them again. This was the only one we managed to save from destruction."
Darren started putting two and two together. "So you and Lucas survived the trip to living world, then you cam back, and both of you were the ones who created the ExorPrism?"
"Correction. There was another girl too - Andrea."
"Andrea...and Lucas. Where are they now?"
"I don't know. After the authorities cracked down on us, we just parted ways. They were devastated, to say the least, that there would be no second chance at escape. I, on the other hand, was resigned to the fact that the dead should stay dead."
"Wait," Darren said. "That figures. Isn't it likely one of them is the one making new ExorPrisms?"
"Impossible. The authorities destroyed all the recipes as well."
"But what if they rediscovered the recipe, or made them from memory?"
Nelson muttered something inaudible. "I doubt it. There is just no way you can make an ExorPrism from memory."
"Well, maybe they somehow got luc-"
"There's only one thing for me to do," he cut him off. "Darren, when is the next meeting?"
"Tonight."
"Good. Count me in. I'm going to confront Mortie - and hopefully talk some sense into him."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's with the big reaction, pal?"
"Erm, well...Mortie has one too. He used it to Exorcise those Spooks in the Lower Level Office."
Nelson's eyes widened. "Mortie has an ExorPrism? The very same as this?" He twirled the prism in his hand for Darren to see.
Darren nodded.
"Did it turn white when he Exorcised the Spook?"
"Umm...yes it did."
"Holy cow," Nelson frowned. "This can't be good. Someone must have figured out how to make them again. This was the only one we managed to save from destruction."
Darren started putting two and two together. "So you and Lucas survived the trip to living world, then you cam back, and both of you were the ones who created the ExorPrism?"
"Correction. There was another girl too - Andrea."
"Andrea...and Lucas. Where are they now?"
"I don't know. After the authorities cracked down on us, we just parted ways. They were devastated, to say the least, that there would be no second chance at escape. I, on the other hand, was resigned to the fact that the dead should stay dead."
"Wait," Darren said. "That figures. Isn't it likely one of them is the one making new ExorPrisms?"
"Impossible. The authorities destroyed all the recipes as well."
"But what if they rediscovered the recipe, or made them from memory?"
Nelson muttered something inaudible. "I doubt it. There is just no way you can make an ExorPrism from memory."
"Well, maybe they somehow got luc-"
"There's only one thing for me to do," he cut him off. "Darren, when is the next meeting?"
"Tonight."
"Good. Count me in. I'm going to confront Mortie - and hopefully talk some sense into him."
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 49: Skeletons In The Closet
So it was possible. Hearing Nelson talk about how he once escaped from Ghostopia made Mortie's cause seem less far-fetched now. More so when Nelson was the one who'd planted the most doubt in him.
"Once we had all four records, it was just a matter of taking care of the gatekeeper. Good thing he was smart and joined us at last. Otherwise James would've had him killed."
"After we went through the other side of the bookcase, we could each see the places where we died. It was like being in a dream; you can just see it, but you're not really there. The final thing to do then was to look for fear."
"Fear? Why fear?" Darren asked.
"That's how Ghosts come back to the living world - it's a gateway of sorts. Once someone in the group comes across fear, everyone focuses on it and boom! Welcome back to life."
Nelson stopped, nodding his head repeatedly. Something was troubling him.
"You know how the rest of the story goes, don't you?"
"Uh-huh," Darren nodded. "You couldn't make yourselves human again, and almost everyone got Exorcised."
"That's right," he murmured. "Just three of us. Lucas, me, and another girl. But there's something else you don't know."
He paused again, as though for dramatic effect.
"We killed someone."
Darren frowned, trying to fathom the impact of the sentence. "You mean, in the living world?"
Nelson stared at the ceiling for several seconds. "Yes. In the living world."
"But...how? Weren't you powerless as Ghosts?"
"Come," he stood up. "Let me show you something."
Darren followed him out of the room to some attic downstairs. He rummaged through a few neatly-stacked boxes, finally stopping at one which was heavily taped up. He carefully removed the sealing and opened the lid. It was filled with blank papers.
"Ah, still there sitting pretty," He smiled, peering into the box after he took out the papers. "I don't think I've seen it once in three years."
"What's it?"
Nelson carefully held up a glowing green prism. "Say hello to my ExorPrism."
"Once we had all four records, it was just a matter of taking care of the gatekeeper. Good thing he was smart and joined us at last. Otherwise James would've had him killed."
"After we went through the other side of the bookcase, we could each see the places where we died. It was like being in a dream; you can just see it, but you're not really there. The final thing to do then was to look for fear."
"Fear? Why fear?" Darren asked.
"That's how Ghosts come back to the living world - it's a gateway of sorts. Once someone in the group comes across fear, everyone focuses on it and boom! Welcome back to life."
Nelson stopped, nodding his head repeatedly. Something was troubling him.
"You know how the rest of the story goes, don't you?"
"Uh-huh," Darren nodded. "You couldn't make yourselves human again, and almost everyone got Exorcised."
"That's right," he murmured. "Just three of us. Lucas, me, and another girl. But there's something else you don't know."
He paused again, as though for dramatic effect.
"We killed someone."
Darren frowned, trying to fathom the impact of the sentence. "You mean, in the living world?"
Nelson stared at the ceiling for several seconds. "Yes. In the living world."
"But...how? Weren't you powerless as Ghosts?"
"Come," he stood up. "Let me show you something."
Darren followed him out of the room to some attic downstairs. He rummaged through a few neatly-stacked boxes, finally stopping at one which was heavily taped up. He carefully removed the sealing and opened the lid. It was filled with blank papers.
"Ah, still there sitting pretty," He smiled, peering into the box after he took out the papers. "I don't think I've seen it once in three years."
"What's it?"
Nelson carefully held up a glowing green prism. "Say hello to my ExorPrism."
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 48: The First Escape
"Lucas was all worked up, jumping and yelling, telling me how he couldn't believe he had found something so amazing. So I decided to follow him there the next day to see what the big deal was. Of course, we dragged that reluctant Greg along as well."
"Before I continue, let me ask you something," Nelson stopped suddenly. "How was your first Ezisa meeting like?"
"I told you about it, didn't I?"
"Not in detail. How did you feel?"
"Um...it was totally weird. I had no idea what was going on, and then boom! I was part of a secret society."
"That's it? No sense of joy, relief, or maybe even accomplishment?"
"Not at that moment."
"Well, maybe that's because you haven't been dead long enough. You don't want to go back to the living world badly enough yet."
"You're wrong," Darren snapped back. "I didn't at first, but last night I had a dream. I was at my graduation ceremony all over again, hanging out with my friends, about to ask Emily for a photograph. You know, moments before I died."
"Ah, flashbacks to your final scenes of life," nodded Nelson. "That's what usually happens after the novelty of being dead dies down."
"You can imagine what great hope discovering Ezisa brought to me," he continued. "You see, just like you my life was taken away from me at the worst possible moment - my mother had become sick and I'd found myself a job to pay for her bills. Too bad the gangster life caught up with me before I got out of it."
"And there we were - me, Lucas, Greg, a few others, and the Ezisa leader, talking about how being dead sucked enough without the discriminating policies in Ghostopia. This leader was a tremendously bright lad, the sort you could see becoming famous in the future. This guy, James, had enough connections to know where exactly the four records were and how and when to steal them. Incredibly, we carried out all four operations in the same night. All four were successful - the Spooks were really lousy back then. By the following night, we were ready to make the big jump."
"And you did it?" Darren asked disbelievingly.
"We did it. We re-entered the living world."
"Before I continue, let me ask you something," Nelson stopped suddenly. "How was your first Ezisa meeting like?"
"I told you about it, didn't I?"
"Not in detail. How did you feel?"
"Um...it was totally weird. I had no idea what was going on, and then boom! I was part of a secret society."
"That's it? No sense of joy, relief, or maybe even accomplishment?"
"Not at that moment."
"Well, maybe that's because you haven't been dead long enough. You don't want to go back to the living world badly enough yet."
"You're wrong," Darren snapped back. "I didn't at first, but last night I had a dream. I was at my graduation ceremony all over again, hanging out with my friends, about to ask Emily for a photograph. You know, moments before I died."
"Ah, flashbacks to your final scenes of life," nodded Nelson. "That's what usually happens after the novelty of being dead dies down."
"You can imagine what great hope discovering Ezisa brought to me," he continued. "You see, just like you my life was taken away from me at the worst possible moment - my mother had become sick and I'd found myself a job to pay for her bills. Too bad the gangster life caught up with me before I got out of it."
"And there we were - me, Lucas, Greg, a few others, and the Ezisa leader, talking about how being dead sucked enough without the discriminating policies in Ghostopia. This leader was a tremendously bright lad, the sort you could see becoming famous in the future. This guy, James, had enough connections to know where exactly the four records were and how and when to steal them. Incredibly, we carried out all four operations in the same night. All four were successful - the Spooks were really lousy back then. By the following night, we were ready to make the big jump."
"And you did it?" Darren asked disbelievingly.
"We did it. We re-entered the living world."
Friday, August 05, 2005
Writer's Block: Starless Nights (A Very Strange Poem Indeed)
One day I went back
Under a starless sky black
Where we sat before
But she was there no more
I called out, sobbing
All was dark
All was still
What a terrible thing to happen
The angry men marched, marched, and marched
They shouted, shouted, and shouted
Terrified, she
Vanished into the night
We made too much noise, the men became angry men
They wanted us to be quiet
Somehow, she found them adorable
And laughed so hard that
I laughed too
I remember that night
When dawn broke she would disappear
Till the sky turned black
I knew I would be lonely
Under the gleaming moon we danced
Through the wet grass we pranced
She winked at me
I smiled back
She stuck out her tongue
And we laughed happily
A starless sky black
That was when I met Lullabelle
She was a long floppy bunny
Sometimes green, sometimes blue,
Sometimes pink
But never white.
Under a starless sky black
Where we sat before
But she was there no more
I called out, sobbing
All was dark
All was still
What a terrible thing to happen
The angry men marched, marched, and marched
They shouted, shouted, and shouted
Terrified, she
Vanished into the night
We made too much noise, the men became angry men
They wanted us to be quiet
Somehow, she found them adorable
And laughed so hard that
I laughed too
I remember that night
When dawn broke she would disappear
Till the sky turned black
I knew I would be lonely
Under the gleaming moon we danced
Through the wet grass we pranced
She winked at me
I smiled back
She stuck out her tongue
And we laughed happily
A starless sky black
That was when I met Lullabelle
She was a long floppy bunny
Sometimes green, sometimes blue,
Sometimes pink
But never white.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 47: It Happened A Long Time Ago
"She told me you've been dead for more than four years, even before her."
Nelson didn't say anything.
"Is that true?"
He just kept staring at Darren with unblinking eyes.
"So it's true. You've been here longer than both of us."
"Both of us?" he laughed. "So now you're gonna marry her?"
Darren could feel his face flush with both anger and embarassment. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've gone nuts. Or jealous. Or something."
"Jealous? What piece of you do I have to be jealous of?"
"You're jealous...because you can't get back to the living world like I can."
"You seriously think you'll live again?" Nelson scowled mockingly. "Just because you and your playmates had a good time taking candy from a baby yesterday?"
"Take a good look," he continued, pointing to a line in the article. "Security around the Main Offices in Protected and Unprotected Ghostopia has been beefed up. I know what you guys are planning next, and they know it too. No way you're getting in and out so easily this time - believe me, I've been there."
"You've been there?"
Nelson pondered for a moment, then sighed deeply. "Like it or not, I can't keep hiding this from you. Darren, what Kat told you was true. I was a member of the Ezisa four and a half years back, and I was involved in that infamous escape attempt."
Darren felt a lump grow in his throat. That escape had been orchestrated by the Ezisa? And Nelson was one of the survivors?
"I'm telling you this because I don't want you to do what I've done in the past."
"I had just arrived in Ghostopia and was feeling bitter over the way I died, like you. Mortie wasn't the Gatekeeper then, and that other guy wasn't as nice. He sent me straight out there without any idea what to do next - get a job, meet people, and all that. So I wandered in the marketplace for my first week, living off scraps like a common tramp. Unlike Kat, I wasn't blessed with her charm and quick wit to turn to full-time crime."
"However, it wasn't long before I got to know some of the other homeless guys at the marketplace. Eventually, three of us - what were their names again - myself, Greg, and Lucas, came up with the idea of setting up our own stall in the marketplace."
"That's where all the trouble began. The authorities refused to give us permission, closing down our stall time after time on the grounds that we were "too young". With the whole place being run by old hags, there was no way we the minority could do anything but live on the streets."
"And then, one night," He nodded proudly like a scientist about to reveal his latest invention. "Lucas told us about an organisation named Ezisa."
Nelson didn't say anything.
"Is that true?"
He just kept staring at Darren with unblinking eyes.
"So it's true. You've been here longer than both of us."
"Both of us?" he laughed. "So now you're gonna marry her?"
Darren could feel his face flush with both anger and embarassment. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've gone nuts. Or jealous. Or something."
"Jealous? What piece of you do I have to be jealous of?"
"You're jealous...because you can't get back to the living world like I can."
"You seriously think you'll live again?" Nelson scowled mockingly. "Just because you and your playmates had a good time taking candy from a baby yesterday?"
"Take a good look," he continued, pointing to a line in the article. "Security around the Main Offices in Protected and Unprotected Ghostopia has been beefed up. I know what you guys are planning next, and they know it too. No way you're getting in and out so easily this time - believe me, I've been there."
"You've been there?"
Nelson pondered for a moment, then sighed deeply. "Like it or not, I can't keep hiding this from you. Darren, what Kat told you was true. I was a member of the Ezisa four and a half years back, and I was involved in that infamous escape attempt."
Darren felt a lump grow in his throat. That escape had been orchestrated by the Ezisa? And Nelson was one of the survivors?
"I'm telling you this because I don't want you to do what I've done in the past."
"I had just arrived in Ghostopia and was feeling bitter over the way I died, like you. Mortie wasn't the Gatekeeper then, and that other guy wasn't as nice. He sent me straight out there without any idea what to do next - get a job, meet people, and all that. So I wandered in the marketplace for my first week, living off scraps like a common tramp. Unlike Kat, I wasn't blessed with her charm and quick wit to turn to full-time crime."
"However, it wasn't long before I got to know some of the other homeless guys at the marketplace. Eventually, three of us - what were their names again - myself, Greg, and Lucas, came up with the idea of setting up our own stall in the marketplace."
"That's where all the trouble began. The authorities refused to give us permission, closing down our stall time after time on the grounds that we were "too young". With the whole place being run by old hags, there was no way we the minority could do anything but live on the streets."
"And then, one night," He nodded proudly like a scientist about to reveal his latest invention. "Lucas told us about an organisation named Ezisa."
Monday, August 01, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 46: Stirring Up Trouble
"Huh? What morning news?"
"This morning news." Nelson flipped the Ghost Times to a page with a screaming headline: "SECOND BREAK-IN!"
Darren read on, much more awake now.
"Second Lower Level Office breach in three days, Spook Exorcised"
"The Level 94 Office was broken into late last night by a group of intruders who managed to destroy the copy of Records Of New Ghosts stored in the quarters. This comes a day after a similar attempt in the Lower Level Office of Unprotected Ghostopia.
The decapitated corpse of a Spook was recovered, also believed to be the work of the intruders. Authorities have yet to gain a lead on the identity of the group responsible.
Lester 61330, the head of security of the Level 94 Office said the group, consisting of seven members, had left their GIC cards with him.
"I refused to give them back till their leader filed a full report detailing their organisation. Which of course, he didn't do. However, all checks on their GICs have brought nothing up. It appears the cards have been blocked."
Sketches of the suspects are to be released soon, he added.
Meanwhile, security around the Main Offices in Protected and Unprotected Ghostopia has been beefed up, as they are rumoured to be the next targets."
Darren put down the paper, not sure what to say. Twenty years in the living world and he never made it further than the campus journal, and now he was in the news after a week in Ghostopia? "Hats off to you guys," Nelson smiled. Or was he smirking? "I never imagined you would pull it off so quickly. And kill a Spook in the process."
"It...it was a team effort."
Suddenly Nelson slapped his hand on the paper in anger. "You're feeling pretty good about this, aren't you? Two down, two more to go, is that it?"
His sudden change in emotion surprised Darren. "Hey...what's wrong?"
"You have no idea." he shook his head . "NO idea. You just got yourself in a whole lot of trouble, pal."
"What, the authorities are gonna imprison me now?"
"It gets much more complicated than that. Trust me, you have no idea."
A short pause ensued.
"Speaking of no idea, Nelson - I had no idea that you had a past with the Ezisa."
Nelson widened his eyes. "Me? Ezisa? Who told you that?"
"Kat did."
"Kat, that girl who conned you the moment you came here?" he rolled his eyes. "Sure."
"This morning news." Nelson flipped the Ghost Times to a page with a screaming headline: "SECOND BREAK-IN!"
Darren read on, much more awake now.
"Second Lower Level Office breach in three days, Spook Exorcised"
"The Level 94 Office was broken into late last night by a group of intruders who managed to destroy the copy of Records Of New Ghosts stored in the quarters. This comes a day after a similar attempt in the Lower Level Office of Unprotected Ghostopia.
The decapitated corpse of a Spook was recovered, also believed to be the work of the intruders. Authorities have yet to gain a lead on the identity of the group responsible.
Lester 61330, the head of security of the Level 94 Office said the group, consisting of seven members, had left their GIC cards with him.
"I refused to give them back till their leader filed a full report detailing their organisation. Which of course, he didn't do. However, all checks on their GICs have brought nothing up. It appears the cards have been blocked."
Sketches of the suspects are to be released soon, he added.
Meanwhile, security around the Main Offices in Protected and Unprotected Ghostopia has been beefed up, as they are rumoured to be the next targets."
Darren put down the paper, not sure what to say. Twenty years in the living world and he never made it further than the campus journal, and now he was in the news after a week in Ghostopia? "Hats off to you guys," Nelson smiled. Or was he smirking? "I never imagined you would pull it off so quickly. And kill a Spook in the process."
"It...it was a team effort."
Suddenly Nelson slapped his hand on the paper in anger. "You're feeling pretty good about this, aren't you? Two down, two more to go, is that it?"
His sudden change in emotion surprised Darren. "Hey...what's wrong?"
"You have no idea." he shook his head . "NO idea. You just got yourself in a whole lot of trouble, pal."
"What, the authorities are gonna imprison me now?"
"It gets much more complicated than that. Trust me, you have no idea."
A short pause ensued.
"Speaking of no idea, Nelson - I had no idea that you had a past with the Ezisa."
Nelson widened his eyes. "Me? Ezisa? Who told you that?"
"Kat did."
"Kat, that girl who conned you the moment you came here?" he rolled his eyes. "Sure."
Sunday, July 31, 2005
reCAPPENING: Ghostopia, Chapters 41-45
Darren tries to get them both out of the narrow shaft when Kat, being claustrophobic, suffers a breakdown. Suddenly Mortie appears with Amelia, much to their relief.
Shortly after that, the Spook which has been trailing them for a while catches up with the group, and Mortie confronts the Spook who is intent on arresting Darren and Kat. The conversation soon turns sour and Mortie reveals a hidden weapon - the ExorPrism. The glowing green prism gives off devastating effects to the Spook, eventually causing it to wither and die in agony.
When asked, Mortie tells Darren that the ExorPrism was created after the botched escape attempt years back. After the few remaining Ghosts who escaped Exorcism returned, they secretly created the ExorPrism which had great power over anything that wasn't a Ghost. However, the authorities put an end to production and destroyed the recipes after the prisms were misused to Exorcise Spooks. The original makers were never found.
After the explanation, Mortie leads them out of the building along with Todd, Fletcher, and Scarlet. Sure enough, Mortie confirms that the records were taken care of. Unfortunately, Lester demands a full report from Mortie tomorrow before their GIC Cards can be returned. Mortie obliges, and the group walks out to cheers of their first mission accomplished.
Fast forward to the next morning, where Darren is dreaming of his graduation day all over again. Suddenly, Nelson wakes him up with news that Darren is featured in the morning paper - leading us into Chapter 46.
Shortly after that, the Spook which has been trailing them for a while catches up with the group, and Mortie confronts the Spook who is intent on arresting Darren and Kat. The conversation soon turns sour and Mortie reveals a hidden weapon - the ExorPrism. The glowing green prism gives off devastating effects to the Spook, eventually causing it to wither and die in agony.
When asked, Mortie tells Darren that the ExorPrism was created after the botched escape attempt years back. After the few remaining Ghosts who escaped Exorcism returned, they secretly created the ExorPrism which had great power over anything that wasn't a Ghost. However, the authorities put an end to production and destroyed the recipes after the prisms were misused to Exorcise Spooks. The original makers were never found.
After the explanation, Mortie leads them out of the building along with Todd, Fletcher, and Scarlet. Sure enough, Mortie confirms that the records were taken care of. Unfortunately, Lester demands a full report from Mortie tomorrow before their GIC Cards can be returned. Mortie obliges, and the group walks out to cheers of their first mission accomplished.
Fast forward to the next morning, where Darren is dreaming of his graduation day all over again. Suddenly, Nelson wakes him up with news that Darren is featured in the morning paper - leading us into Chapter 46.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 45: Morning News
"Oh, lookie lookie," Robin elbowed Darren in the ribs. "Jonathan's hitting on that new girl again."
"Again? That's like the sixth time or something, man!"
Though he cringed mockingly, Darren felt an uplifting lightness in his heart as he watched everyone he'd known in his four years in university mingle. Boys and girls in robes hugged each other, smiling and crying at the same time. Some of the scholarship students were shaking their lecturers' hands furiously. Cameras went off everywhere like fireworks. At the far end of the field, he could even spot a group of guys tossing Thomas in the air, repeatedly singing some march anthem.
Darren smiled to himself, content to soak in the scene from afar.
Then she walked past.
Emily, her layered black hair bouncing in the slight breeze, giggling with her girlfriends at a joke one of them made. She gazed at him momentarily, then made her way to a circle of guys fiddling with an expensive camera.
"Hey."
"Dude," Robin nudged him, pointing at Thomas' group. "Let's go join them."
Darren's feet felt heavy. He should be making good of his chances - this was his last day being able to walk up to Emily and talk to her so easily. Reunions always bore the stigma of catching up and pleasantries. Phone calls required some previous goodwill. Internet messengers? Phooey. He didn't fancy being one of the five simultaneous conversations she was probably having.
Why yes, it seemed like the perfect thing to do. Take a picture with her, then maybe get her phone number. He'd figure out an excuse for calling, no doubt about it.
"Uh, why don't you go ahead first? I'll come by later."
"Hey. Wakey-wakey."
Puffing up his chest, Darren walked up to her. He might not look like the most suave guy on the outside, but inside he was brimming with confidence. He tapped her on the shoulder. Untimidly, you might add.
"Um, Emily...would you, er, mind taking a picture?"
Oh, no. It was starting again. He was sounding like a practiced nerd.
"Hold on, Darren. Right after these guys. CHEESE!"
"YO! I said, WAKE UP!"
The scene blacked out. Darren could feel his eyes blink twice. He was lying on his side on something soft, a lumpy pillow resting between his arms. He turned around to find Nelson standing by the bed, arms akimbo.
It had all been a dream. Darn.
But what was he, in the first place, doing here in Nelson's house? Darren tried hard to remember, but nothing was registering. It felt like a hangover without alcohol.
"You're lucky I was up late last night. Otherwise you would've freezed to death outside my door."
Oh yeah. There was some vague memory of Nelson letting him into the house.
"What can I say? Thanks." he mumbled groggily.
"Oh, you'll be saying a lot more," Nelson waved a newspaper in front of his face. "Congratulations, Darren. You made it to the morning news."
"Again? That's like the sixth time or something, man!"
Though he cringed mockingly, Darren felt an uplifting lightness in his heart as he watched everyone he'd known in his four years in university mingle. Boys and girls in robes hugged each other, smiling and crying at the same time. Some of the scholarship students were shaking their lecturers' hands furiously. Cameras went off everywhere like fireworks. At the far end of the field, he could even spot a group of guys tossing Thomas in the air, repeatedly singing some march anthem.
Darren smiled to himself, content to soak in the scene from afar.
Then she walked past.
Emily, her layered black hair bouncing in the slight breeze, giggling with her girlfriends at a joke one of them made. She gazed at him momentarily, then made her way to a circle of guys fiddling with an expensive camera.
"Hey."
"Dude," Robin nudged him, pointing at Thomas' group. "Let's go join them."
Darren's feet felt heavy. He should be making good of his chances - this was his last day being able to walk up to Emily and talk to her so easily. Reunions always bore the stigma of catching up and pleasantries. Phone calls required some previous goodwill. Internet messengers? Phooey. He didn't fancy being one of the five simultaneous conversations she was probably having.
Why yes, it seemed like the perfect thing to do. Take a picture with her, then maybe get her phone number. He'd figure out an excuse for calling, no doubt about it.
"Uh, why don't you go ahead first? I'll come by later."
"Hey. Wakey-wakey."
Puffing up his chest, Darren walked up to her. He might not look like the most suave guy on the outside, but inside he was brimming with confidence. He tapped her on the shoulder. Untimidly, you might add.
"Um, Emily...would you, er, mind taking a picture?"
Oh, no. It was starting again. He was sounding like a practiced nerd.
"Hold on, Darren. Right after these guys. CHEESE!"
"YO! I said, WAKE UP!"
The scene blacked out. Darren could feel his eyes blink twice. He was lying on his side on something soft, a lumpy pillow resting between his arms. He turned around to find Nelson standing by the bed, arms akimbo.
It had all been a dream. Darn.
But what was he, in the first place, doing here in Nelson's house? Darren tried hard to remember, but nothing was registering. It felt like a hangover without alcohol.
"You're lucky I was up late last night. Otherwise you would've freezed to death outside my door."
Oh yeah. There was some vague memory of Nelson letting him into the house.
"What can I say? Thanks." he mumbled groggily.
"Oh, you'll be saying a lot more," Nelson waved a newspaper in front of his face. "Congratulations, Darren. You made it to the morning news."
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Here's More Writer's Block
Hahahahhahahaha.
AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA.
Props to Jillie, she never fails to keep me on my toes...do refer to her post in the tagboard which goes as follows:
<jillie>: hmm, funny how i also realized that darren reminds me of your everyday generic bimbo, who wishes he could see emily, but not people like his parents/family. *sweat* is that on purpose? ahahah!
I was almost about to reply that yups, Darren did at times seem like a dumb blonde, what with his endless "Oh I see"s and inadequacy to hold an unfumbling conversation with Kat. However, Jill's perspective was something altogether new - I'd always figured Emily alone would suffice for all of Darren's cherished memories of the living world, and now there's talk of family. Sheesh.
Then it dawned upon me.
Of course!
The clueless guy persona, the loser with chicks, then now continuously pining for his "girl" (a very loosely used term here) but not his family? The pieces of the puzzle fitted perfectly! The blurred edges became crisp as a freshly baked cookie!
There could only have been one dude I was unconciously basing Darren on!
It was...
it was...
Fry of Futurama!
Hahah! Figures, doesn't it? And no prizes for guessing who plays the part of the orphaned-at-birth, kick-butt Leela! Now all we need to do is to get Nelson to start smoking cigars and downing beers like water.
Heck, it doesn't end there...you could even draw certain parallels between Mortie and Zapp Branigan, or the Spooks with those two annoying cop guys.
Oh, mannnnn....
I was, all the while, getting inspiration from a defunct cartoon series! A fabulous one, but nonetheless a cartoon series!
Well hey, that's creativity for you...fashioning something new out of stuff you've seen and heard before.
Going back to our beloved protagonist Darren, I do believe the ship can still be steadied with the suddenly-crucial next exchange between Nelson and him. So we now have one more item added to the "to accomplish" list there - establish a neat lil' story for Darren's past that extends beyond "American High School Sitcom". Remember how I said in my previous Writer's Block that Kat is the only one whose past we don't know about? Well, scrap that off. We need pictures on all their pasts.
At the end of the day, what our lead dude is lacking here still boils down to likeability. Something which there's no recipe for. I could blah-blah-blah on about how the story would be better, but that would just be that: blah-blah-blah. Let's instead be assured that the story will get better!
AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA.
Props to Jillie, she never fails to keep me on my toes...do refer to her post in the tagboard which goes as follows:
<jillie>: hmm, funny how i also realized that darren reminds me of your everyday generic bimbo, who wishes he could see emily, but not people like his parents/family. *sweat* is that on purpose? ahahah!
I was almost about to reply that yups, Darren did at times seem like a dumb blonde, what with his endless "Oh I see"s and inadequacy to hold an unfumbling conversation with Kat. However, Jill's perspective was something altogether new - I'd always figured Emily alone would suffice for all of Darren's cherished memories of the living world, and now there's talk of family. Sheesh.
Then it dawned upon me.
Of course!
The clueless guy persona, the loser with chicks, then now continuously pining for his "girl" (a very loosely used term here) but not his family? The pieces of the puzzle fitted perfectly! The blurred edges became crisp as a freshly baked cookie!
There could only have been one dude I was unconciously basing Darren on!
It was...
it was...
Fry of Futurama!
Hahah! Figures, doesn't it? And no prizes for guessing who plays the part of the orphaned-at-birth, kick-butt Leela! Now all we need to do is to get Nelson to start smoking cigars and downing beers like water.
Heck, it doesn't end there...you could even draw certain parallels between Mortie and Zapp Branigan, or the Spooks with those two annoying cop guys.
Oh, mannnnn....
I was, all the while, getting inspiration from a defunct cartoon series! A fabulous one, but nonetheless a cartoon series!
Well hey, that's creativity for you...fashioning something new out of stuff you've seen and heard before.
Going back to our beloved protagonist Darren, I do believe the ship can still be steadied with the suddenly-crucial next exchange between Nelson and him. So we now have one more item added to the "to accomplish" list there - establish a neat lil' story for Darren's past that extends beyond "American High School Sitcom". Remember how I said in my previous Writer's Block that Kat is the only one whose past we don't know about? Well, scrap that off. We need pictures on all their pasts.
At the end of the day, what our lead dude is lacking here still boils down to likeability. Something which there's no recipe for. I could blah-blah-blah on about how the story would be better, but that would just be that: blah-blah-blah. Let's instead be assured that the story will get better!
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Writer's Block
What, it's not time for a Writer's Block again so soon? You're darned right it isn't, so count your lucky stars!
Heheh, I distinctly recall a time when Writer's Blocks would come by no less than every 5 Chapters of the story. Perhaps with Ghostopia turning out into such a long story, it's inadvertently "stretched" everything. To prove my point, you might've noticed that, horrors, the whole of this month was spent on ONE SCENE. That break-in scene, in fact, has spanned NINE CHAPTERS. Which is almost as long as the final scene of "Blogspot", but that was updated more frequently.
But does updating more frequently count? People don't drop by the site everyday anyway. Hmm...
Moving on!
It's great that the break-in scene is done with, plus having left behind many interesting tidbits to follow through on. It was rather a wild shot in the dark, mentioning Emily's name out of nowhere in that last part - I just can't' believe that I've gravitated towards hints of romance here. HAH! Cringe at the sheer cheesiness of it all!
And Nelson, Nelson. The next scene will have to do wonders for his character depth, not to mention lay the groundwork for Ezisa's future. Scene-wise, that would translate into the break-in to the Main Office or them returning to the human world. Hope I'm not making anything seem too obvious here.
As with Nelson, Darren will benefit from the coming few Chapters, finally giving him a stand on the situations. Time to bring out the flashbacks.
By the way, is anyone still curious on the way he died? Remember?
Kat, on the other hand, already has a stand, but it would be cool if I could add some "twists" to her. Her past plays a very important part in shaping her character, and yet she benefits from us having ZERO knowledge of her past at the moment. She needs something unpredicatable to break through. Everyone does, actually.
Too lazy to touch on Mortie right now, basically it hasn't changed much from the views I pointed out in the previous Writer's Block. Oh yeah, musn't forget to address the ExorPrism.
Blearghh...is it just me, or are these Writer's Blocks getting dry? I mean, there're only so many times you can talk about character development and plot focus before they start becoming show-off gibberish.
Doesn't storytelling become so unromantic when you write not for yourself to see the world, but for the world to see yourself? Should it be both ways? Or neither? I dunno, I've been typing this paragraph for the past half hour.
My back aches, and my eyes hurt. Boo hoo hoo.
Heheh, I distinctly recall a time when Writer's Blocks would come by no less than every 5 Chapters of the story. Perhaps with Ghostopia turning out into such a long story, it's inadvertently "stretched" everything. To prove my point, you might've noticed that, horrors, the whole of this month was spent on ONE SCENE. That break-in scene, in fact, has spanned NINE CHAPTERS. Which is almost as long as the final scene of "Blogspot", but that was updated more frequently.
But does updating more frequently count? People don't drop by the site everyday anyway. Hmm...
Moving on!
It's great that the break-in scene is done with, plus having left behind many interesting tidbits to follow through on. It was rather a wild shot in the dark, mentioning Emily's name out of nowhere in that last part - I just can't' believe that I've gravitated towards hints of romance here. HAH! Cringe at the sheer cheesiness of it all!
And Nelson, Nelson. The next scene will have to do wonders for his character depth, not to mention lay the groundwork for Ezisa's future. Scene-wise, that would translate into the break-in to the Main Office or them returning to the human world. Hope I'm not making anything seem too obvious here.
As with Nelson, Darren will benefit from the coming few Chapters, finally giving him a stand on the situations. Time to bring out the flashbacks.
By the way, is anyone still curious on the way he died? Remember?
Kat, on the other hand, already has a stand, but it would be cool if I could add some "twists" to her. Her past plays a very important part in shaping her character, and yet she benefits from us having ZERO knowledge of her past at the moment. She needs something unpredicatable to break through. Everyone does, actually.
Too lazy to touch on Mortie right now, basically it hasn't changed much from the views I pointed out in the previous Writer's Block. Oh yeah, musn't forget to address the ExorPrism.
Blearghh...is it just me, or are these Writer's Blocks getting dry? I mean, there're only so many times you can talk about character development and plot focus before they start becoming show-off gibberish.
Doesn't storytelling become so unromantic when you write not for yourself to see the world, but for the world to see yourself? Should it be both ways? Or neither? I dunno, I've been typing this paragraph for the past half hour.
My back aches, and my eyes hurt. Boo hoo hoo.
Ghostopia, Chapter 44: Mission Accomplished?
The three of them followed Mortie down the stairs, constantly wary not to attract any more attention. Somehow, Darren didn't feel like the worst could happen with him leading the way.
Down one flight of stairs, and they reached the second floor without any further hair-raising encounters.
"Oh goodie, there they are." Fletcher, Todd, and Scarlet were almost waiting for them near the foot of the stairs. "Minus the rampaging Spooks."
Darren caught Kat hanging her head slightly in shame.
"So, did you get the records?" they asked him excitedly.
"Hoho, good thing you reminded me. I completely forgot about that, with all the thrill that was going on up there just now."
Whoops! Darren felt like an idiot for not asking that earlier. It was, after all, the sole reason they were there.
"We took care of it." Amelia said in a reassuring tone.
A collective smile of relief registered on everyone's faces before Mortie jolted them back to the situation at hand. "Come on now, the potion's not going to last longer than ten more minutes. Out, the same way we came in."
The group stepped confidently down to the first floor. Lester was standing with his arms crossed at the same spot they first saw him.
"Leaving so soon?" He cocked his head and beamed at them.
"Yup," Mortie replied. "Our GIC Cards, please."
"Oh yes, before I forget," He lay the seven cards on the table. "You're not getting these back without a full-filed report of which organisation you're from, and what you did here."
"That's impossible. Am I supposed to produce a report out of nowhere right here?"
"Send it to my office tomorrow morning. Here's the address." Lester handed him a hastily-scribbled piece of paper.
Mortie studied the address and frowned. "Okay. No problem. I'll drop by your place tomorrow with the report."
"Good. I'll be there with your card."
"Come on guys," Mortie grinned at the rest. "Let's go."
Once they stepped into the cold outside, the group laughed and slapped each other high-fives. "Well, what can I say? Mission accomplished!" Mortie punched the air.
"Ac-com-plished!"
"You can say that again!"
"I wouldn't mind saying it all night," Mortie couldn't stop grinning. "But you guys are all probably dead tired now, myself included. Let's call it a night and catch up tomorrow night at The Haunt. Same time, same place as always. Great working with you, guys!"
Again they cheered like a stadium crowd. Darren hadn't felt this sort of rush since taking his class graduation photo. Of course, that was mere seconds before his death.
"Hey, Darren," Kat smiled at him. "Thanks for taking care of me when we were in that shaft. I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome," he smiled back.
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you too."
A quiet wind picked up and gushed dried leaves around his feet. Suddenly, Darren wished terribly he could see Emily again.
Down one flight of stairs, and they reached the second floor without any further hair-raising encounters.
"Oh goodie, there they are." Fletcher, Todd, and Scarlet were almost waiting for them near the foot of the stairs. "Minus the rampaging Spooks."
Darren caught Kat hanging her head slightly in shame.
"So, did you get the records?" they asked him excitedly.
"Hoho, good thing you reminded me. I completely forgot about that, with all the thrill that was going on up there just now."
Whoops! Darren felt like an idiot for not asking that earlier. It was, after all, the sole reason they were there.
"We took care of it." Amelia said in a reassuring tone.
A collective smile of relief registered on everyone's faces before Mortie jolted them back to the situation at hand. "Come on now, the potion's not going to last longer than ten more minutes. Out, the same way we came in."
The group stepped confidently down to the first floor. Lester was standing with his arms crossed at the same spot they first saw him.
"Leaving so soon?" He cocked his head and beamed at them.
"Yup," Mortie replied. "Our GIC Cards, please."
"Oh yes, before I forget," He lay the seven cards on the table. "You're not getting these back without a full-filed report of which organisation you're from, and what you did here."
"That's impossible. Am I supposed to produce a report out of nowhere right here?"
"Send it to my office tomorrow morning. Here's the address." Lester handed him a hastily-scribbled piece of paper.
Mortie studied the address and frowned. "Okay. No problem. I'll drop by your place tomorrow with the report."
"Good. I'll be there with your card."
"Come on guys," Mortie grinned at the rest. "Let's go."
Once they stepped into the cold outside, the group laughed and slapped each other high-fives. "Well, what can I say? Mission accomplished!" Mortie punched the air.
"Ac-com-plished!"
"You can say that again!"
"I wouldn't mind saying it all night," Mortie couldn't stop grinning. "But you guys are all probably dead tired now, myself included. Let's call it a night and catch up tomorrow night at The Haunt. Same time, same place as always. Great working with you, guys!"
Again they cheered like a stadium crowd. Darren hadn't felt this sort of rush since taking his class graduation photo. Of course, that was mere seconds before his death.
"Hey, Darren," Kat smiled at him. "Thanks for taking care of me when we were in that shaft. I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome," he smiled back.
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you too."
A quiet wind picked up and gushed dried leaves around his feet. Suddenly, Darren wished terribly he could see Emily again.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 43: The ExorPrism
Taken aback, Darren stared at Kat and Amelia. They shrugged back, equally clueless what was going on.
Mortie held the object even closer to the Spook's face. It bent over to the floor, still screaming in agony and trashing wildly. It tried desperately to snatch away what was in Mortie's hands, but he always kept it out of its reach.
Soon a grotesque thing happened to the Spook. It shrivelled and cracked up like a heated glass, lumps of jelly-like substance peeling off. Screeching like it was terrified for its life, it tried slithering away, leaving behind a trail of colourless goo, but Mortie's object glowed even more intensely.
"Amelia," Kat nudged her. "Do you think that's..."
She nodded slowly. "It...it...probably is. But where could he have gotten one?"
"What?" Darren asked. "What's that? Is he going to kill the Spook?"
Kat's reply was cut off when the Spook let off a beastly roar. In a crazed frenzy it started ripping apart its own face to shield itself from the green rays.
Mortie's lips quivered rapidly, as though muttering something. "Now you DIE!"
The object burned so brightly it became white. Gripping it tightly in his palm, Mortie drove it into the Spook's face. At once the Spook's screams became muted as its whole head disintegrated. Mortie muttered something again before turning to face them, forehead glistening with sweat.
"Cool, huh?" he grinned.
"Mortie," Kat said slowly. "Pray, tell me that isn't..."
"It is. One of the last few ExorPrisms remaining in Ghostopia. Quite an acquistion, this."
"But that's impossible! They were all wiped out!"
Darren raised his hand to halt the conversation. "Before you guys get carried away...what's an ExorPrism?"
"This," Mortie proudly held up the object which resembled a prism. "Is an ExorPrism. You might've heard there was a previous escape attempt years back. Of course, it was a disaster and only a few of them returned - the rest were Exorcised."
"However, the remaining ones, having seen the Exorcism process at close range, were determined to find a way to counter it. They launched a secret project and after two years, a small batch of ExorPrisms were made. The ExorPrisms would have devastating effects on anything that wasn't a Ghost, as you've just seen."
"Unfortunately, word leaked out on the project and someone started misusing it to Exorcise Spooks. The authorities stuck their noses in and the guy was eventually caught. He ratted on where the rest of the ExorPrisms were hidden in exchange for his freedom, and all of them were destroyed, along with the recipes. They never did, however, manage to catch the makers."
"Interesting." was all Darren could muster.
"Then how did you get your hands on one?" Amelia quipped.
"That story, my dear, will have to wait." Mortie winked. "For now, we've got to get the others and leave this place before the potion loses effect."
Mortie held the object even closer to the Spook's face. It bent over to the floor, still screaming in agony and trashing wildly. It tried desperately to snatch away what was in Mortie's hands, but he always kept it out of its reach.
Soon a grotesque thing happened to the Spook. It shrivelled and cracked up like a heated glass, lumps of jelly-like substance peeling off. Screeching like it was terrified for its life, it tried slithering away, leaving behind a trail of colourless goo, but Mortie's object glowed even more intensely.
"Amelia," Kat nudged her. "Do you think that's..."
She nodded slowly. "It...it...probably is. But where could he have gotten one?"
"What?" Darren asked. "What's that? Is he going to kill the Spook?"
Kat's reply was cut off when the Spook let off a beastly roar. In a crazed frenzy it started ripping apart its own face to shield itself from the green rays.
Mortie's lips quivered rapidly, as though muttering something. "Now you DIE!"
The object burned so brightly it became white. Gripping it tightly in his palm, Mortie drove it into the Spook's face. At once the Spook's screams became muted as its whole head disintegrated. Mortie muttered something again before turning to face them, forehead glistening with sweat.
"Cool, huh?" he grinned.
"Mortie," Kat said slowly. "Pray, tell me that isn't..."
"It is. One of the last few ExorPrisms remaining in Ghostopia. Quite an acquistion, this."
"But that's impossible! They were all wiped out!"
Darren raised his hand to halt the conversation. "Before you guys get carried away...what's an ExorPrism?"
"This," Mortie proudly held up the object which resembled a prism. "Is an ExorPrism. You might've heard there was a previous escape attempt years back. Of course, it was a disaster and only a few of them returned - the rest were Exorcised."
"However, the remaining ones, having seen the Exorcism process at close range, were determined to find a way to counter it. They launched a secret project and after two years, a small batch of ExorPrisms were made. The ExorPrisms would have devastating effects on anything that wasn't a Ghost, as you've just seen."
"Unfortunately, word leaked out on the project and someone started misusing it to Exorcise Spooks. The authorities stuck their noses in and the guy was eventually caught. He ratted on where the rest of the ExorPrisms were hidden in exchange for his freedom, and all of them were destroyed, along with the recipes. They never did, however, manage to catch the makers."
"Interesting." was all Darren could muster.
"Then how did you get your hands on one?" Amelia quipped.
"That story, my dear, will have to wait." Mortie winked. "For now, we've got to get the others and leave this place before the potion loses effect."
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 42: Can We Leave Now?
Darren's head jolted back in utter fear. A hoarse croak, intended to be a scream, escaped his trembling lips.
"Shhh. It's me."
Mortie! Darren felt like collapsing with the sudden rush of relief.
"Have I ever felt more glad to see you," Kat smiled. "We've got a bunch of Spooks on our heels, in case you don't know."
Amelia stepped out from behind Mortie. "Would that explain those footsteps?"
Darren, still rather out of breath, nodded.
Then to his horror, a silhouetted form came into focus down the shaft. With the methodical steps of a hunter approaching its prey, it half-lumbered and half-glided to them, never once letting up on the haunting thud thud thud.
Darren turned to Mortie, who had a stern look on his face. "Now this is going to be difficult. Let's see if we can talk things out."
And he turned back towards the approaching Spook.
"Mortie!" yelled Kat. "Are you mad?"
But it was too late. Mortie was already face-to-face with the Spook.
"Anything seems to be the problem?"
"I suppose those two are in your charge."
"All three of them." He beckoned to Darren, Kat, and Amelia.
"I am putting them under arrest for suspicious behaviour."
"Hah!" Mortie laughed. "Since when did 'suspicious behaviour' become a crime?"
The Spook drew its face so close to Mortie's they almost touched. "You wisecrack like that one more time and I'll have you arrested as well."
"Hey, hey, lighten up. No offense. But anyway, we're due to report back in ten minutes. Can I send you these two for interrogation later tonight? Just leave me your station address."
"No. They're coming with me right now."
"I told you, they can't. We have to report back immediately."
"I'll explain it to your officer. Bring those two to me."
"For the last itme, they're not coming with you - and that's it."
The Spook turned a scorching shade of crimson. "There's something about you four I don't like." It rasped. "You're up to no good, and I know it. I'm going to call the rest here."
A gaping hole opened in the middle of its face, forming a mouth.
"Wait!" Mortie called. "Before you do that, I have something to show you."
He fished some sort of triangular object, gleaming with an enchanting emerald glow, out from his pocket.
Before they even had time to react, the Spook howled shrilly.
"Shhh. It's me."
Mortie! Darren felt like collapsing with the sudden rush of relief.
"Have I ever felt more glad to see you," Kat smiled. "We've got a bunch of Spooks on our heels, in case you don't know."
Amelia stepped out from behind Mortie. "Would that explain those footsteps?"
Darren, still rather out of breath, nodded.
Then to his horror, a silhouetted form came into focus down the shaft. With the methodical steps of a hunter approaching its prey, it half-lumbered and half-glided to them, never once letting up on the haunting thud thud thud.
Darren turned to Mortie, who had a stern look on his face. "Now this is going to be difficult. Let's see if we can talk things out."
And he turned back towards the approaching Spook.
"Mortie!" yelled Kat. "Are you mad?"
But it was too late. Mortie was already face-to-face with the Spook.
"Anything seems to be the problem?"
"I suppose those two are in your charge."
"All three of them." He beckoned to Darren, Kat, and Amelia.
"I am putting them under arrest for suspicious behaviour."
"Hah!" Mortie laughed. "Since when did 'suspicious behaviour' become a crime?"
The Spook drew its face so close to Mortie's they almost touched. "You wisecrack like that one more time and I'll have you arrested as well."
"Hey, hey, lighten up. No offense. But anyway, we're due to report back in ten minutes. Can I send you these two for interrogation later tonight? Just leave me your station address."
"No. They're coming with me right now."
"I told you, they can't. We have to report back immediately."
"I'll explain it to your officer. Bring those two to me."
"For the last itme, they're not coming with you - and that's it."
The Spook turned a scorching shade of crimson. "There's something about you four I don't like." It rasped. "You're up to no good, and I know it. I'm going to call the rest here."
A gaping hole opened in the middle of its face, forming a mouth.
"Wait!" Mortie called. "Before you do that, I have something to show you."
He fished some sort of triangular object, gleaming with an enchanting emerald glow, out from his pocket.
Before they even had time to react, the Spook howled shrilly.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Writer's Block
Fun Fact For The Day:
Did you know that if you search for "Twisted Comma" or "Ghostopia" in Yahoo, this beauty you behold before your eyes comes in second on the list of results? Same goes for "Ghostopia" in Google! Strangely, "Twisted Tales Blogspot" bears no fruit.
That was your Fun Fact For The Day, brought to you by Monday!
Moving on.
Sigh...another three weeks or so since the last story-progress Writer's Block, guess this'll be the rate I can muster at the moment. Story's really taking its own sweet time to unravel too - always a fine line away from draggy - but I'm betting on it being well built up.
And what has the cook served up since our last Writer's Block? I'm pretty pleased with the whole "break-in" scene - it didn't open up any logic loopholes, it had enough helpings of excitement to keep things going, and we got more insight on Nelson. Kat too, if you count the claustrophobia thing. You never know, it might be a major plot device later on. But FYI, the whole idea only came as I was writing it!
You know, the most difficult part of "slogging" (as opposed to blogging) is that it really "slogs". Already I have almost the whole skeleton of the story in my head, but I can't write it all in one shot. Of course, updating daily would be the ideal solution but nahhh...I have trouble even keeping to a schedule of brushing my teeth twice a day. So, I have no choice but to constantly further the story in little spurts, while the whole thing bubbles and boils in my head most waking moments. Seriously - most waking moments! I must be going crazy!
On the upside, the story can only get better after so much editing and re-editing. You could say slogging is the ultimate form of not rushing through a masterpiece. A classic example of a good story delivered prematurely has to be "Insanity". Hmm, hmm, hmm...a thought just crossed my mind. We are still lacking a fourth story, after all.
A little low-down on where the characters in Ghostopia stand now, from a character development point of view:
a) Darren - For a dude with the story told through his eyes, he's revealing fairly little. Yeah, he's timid around girls, he's clueless about Ghostopia, but there's gotta be more. Needs a serious tune-up after the break-in.
b) Kat - At this point, Kat's biggest selling point has to be her intruiging past - which leads to my utmost fear that it'll all be a letdown. Gotta be careful not to over-exaggerate her qualities, otherwise she'll turn into a caricature, not a character.
c) Nelson - A glimmer of hope came for Mr. Monotone Sidekick when Kat revealed that Nelson had old ties with the Ezisa. Needless to say, this history will be the cause of many conflicts of beliefs-slash-taking sides as the Escape From Ghostopia draws near.
d) Mortie - Gotta love his value as a "throwaway" character. He isn't so pivotal that the story can't do without him, but yet he has enough spice to become a very instrumental character. Meaning: I could kill him off to "create impact", or polish him into a powerful...I dunno, villain? Lots to explore here.
e) Fletcher/ Scarlet/ Todd/ Amelia - Also throwaway characters a few notches below Mortie. It would be very difficult to delve into the backgrounds of all four characters - if I were to elevate anyone, it would most likely be Fletcher or Amelia. Otherwise, they'd be good as props, "killing-for-impact" subjects, or anonymous followers.
f) Spooks - Probably need a Spook head honcho to give a face to the battle against Spooks. Throw in some incident that'll make the Spook community take notice, and we've got a bunch of dastardly antagonists nicely gift-wrapped.
g) Emily - Somehow I can't let go of her, eventhough I'm still scratching my head on how to get her involved in the story. Maybe it's because she could be the perfect key to adding more depth to Darren.
Yup yup yups, that's all my weary fingers are gonna dish up to your teary eyes. And one last thing...it's official! Barring a shocking end to the story in the next Chapter, Ghostopia will surpass Blogspot as the longest story yet!
A smiley, the only way fitting to end this edition of Writer's Block: %^)
Did you know that if you search for "Twisted Comma" or "Ghostopia" in Yahoo, this beauty you behold before your eyes comes in second on the list of results? Same goes for "Ghostopia" in Google! Strangely, "Twisted Tales Blogspot" bears no fruit.
That was your Fun Fact For The Day, brought to you by Monday!
Moving on.
Sigh...another three weeks or so since the last story-progress Writer's Block, guess this'll be the rate I can muster at the moment. Story's really taking its own sweet time to unravel too - always a fine line away from draggy - but I'm betting on it being well built up.
And what has the cook served up since our last Writer's Block? I'm pretty pleased with the whole "break-in" scene - it didn't open up any logic loopholes, it had enough helpings of excitement to keep things going, and we got more insight on Nelson. Kat too, if you count the claustrophobia thing. You never know, it might be a major plot device later on. But FYI, the whole idea only came as I was writing it!
You know, the most difficult part of "slogging" (as opposed to blogging) is that it really "slogs". Already I have almost the whole skeleton of the story in my head, but I can't write it all in one shot. Of course, updating daily would be the ideal solution but nahhh...I have trouble even keeping to a schedule of brushing my teeth twice a day. So, I have no choice but to constantly further the story in little spurts, while the whole thing bubbles and boils in my head most waking moments. Seriously - most waking moments! I must be going crazy!
On the upside, the story can only get better after so much editing and re-editing. You could say slogging is the ultimate form of not rushing through a masterpiece. A classic example of a good story delivered prematurely has to be "Insanity". Hmm, hmm, hmm...a thought just crossed my mind. We are still lacking a fourth story, after all.
A little low-down on where the characters in Ghostopia stand now, from a character development point of view:
a) Darren - For a dude with the story told through his eyes, he's revealing fairly little. Yeah, he's timid around girls, he's clueless about Ghostopia, but there's gotta be more. Needs a serious tune-up after the break-in.
b) Kat - At this point, Kat's biggest selling point has to be her intruiging past - which leads to my utmost fear that it'll all be a letdown. Gotta be careful not to over-exaggerate her qualities, otherwise she'll turn into a caricature, not a character.
c) Nelson - A glimmer of hope came for Mr. Monotone Sidekick when Kat revealed that Nelson had old ties with the Ezisa. Needless to say, this history will be the cause of many conflicts of beliefs-slash-taking sides as the Escape From Ghostopia draws near.
d) Mortie - Gotta love his value as a "throwaway" character. He isn't so pivotal that the story can't do without him, but yet he has enough spice to become a very instrumental character. Meaning: I could kill him off to "create impact", or polish him into a powerful...I dunno, villain? Lots to explore here.
e) Fletcher/ Scarlet/ Todd/ Amelia - Also throwaway characters a few notches below Mortie. It would be very difficult to delve into the backgrounds of all four characters - if I were to elevate anyone, it would most likely be Fletcher or Amelia. Otherwise, they'd be good as props, "killing-for-impact" subjects, or anonymous followers.
f) Spooks - Probably need a Spook head honcho to give a face to the battle against Spooks. Throw in some incident that'll make the Spook community take notice, and we've got a bunch of dastardly antagonists nicely gift-wrapped.
g) Emily - Somehow I can't let go of her, eventhough I'm still scratching my head on how to get her involved in the story. Maybe it's because she could be the perfect key to adding more depth to Darren.
Yup yup yups, that's all my weary fingers are gonna dish up to your teary eyes. And one last thing...it's official! Barring a shocking end to the story in the next Chapter, Ghostopia will surpass Blogspot as the longest story yet!
A smiley, the only way fitting to end this edition of Writer's Block: %^)
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Ghostopia, Chapter 41: Claustrophobia
Kat froze in dread. "Do you hear that?"
The rumble went up to a steady thud, thud, thud, not unlike that of ominous thunder before a downpour.
Darren could feel his heart knotting itself in fear. Those were the unmistakable footsteps of enraged Spooks after their necks. Was there any chance they could hide behind one of the doors? Already Kat was trying that, but it didn't seem like any of doors were opening.
Thud! Thud! Thud! They were sounding deafeningly close now, maybe even just round the corner.
"Run!" He grabbed Kat's hand to try and run further down, but she wouldn't budge. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, eyes shut and drawing long, controlled breaths.
"I-I'm afraid...of...small spaces."
Darren racked his brain for options. The thought of carrying her away in his arms crossed momentarily, but he quickly swiped it away. Nah, not him. He wasn't one of those buffed TV heroes who always had the situation in grasp.
Breathing so hard the veins in her neck throbbed, Kat forced a few steps. "I'm okay."
They shuffled through the strangely-wet shaft for a few more minutes. All the while, the footsteps sounded terrifying close, always teasing the chance of a Spook clutching them from behind.
Suddenly Kat stopped ahead of him.
"You okay?"
Her knees buckled for a moment before she sat herself down. She puffed her cheeks in and out and shook her head from side to side.
"Guess that's a no."
She smiled weakly at him. "I-I must look l-like such an i-idiot."
"Nah," he grinned. "I once had a friend who wouldn't take the lift, no matter how many floors up he had to go."
"L-lifts are okay," Her breathing became more regular. "But this ceiling...the walls..."
She inhaled deeply.
Kat pressed her elbows against the floor, again forcing herself up. "No time for talk."
Whatever glimpses of light there had been earlier were becoming dim as they ventured further in. On the other hand, the rhythmic thuds never ceased.
Stopping without warning again, Kat coughed and wheezed loudly.
So loudly, in fact, that Darren didn't hear a pair of arms approach him from the back.
And grab his stiffened shoulders.
The rumble went up to a steady thud, thud, thud, not unlike that of ominous thunder before a downpour.
Darren could feel his heart knotting itself in fear. Those were the unmistakable footsteps of enraged Spooks after their necks. Was there any chance they could hide behind one of the doors? Already Kat was trying that, but it didn't seem like any of doors were opening.
Thud! Thud! Thud! They were sounding deafeningly close now, maybe even just round the corner.
"Run!" He grabbed Kat's hand to try and run further down, but she wouldn't budge. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly, eyes shut and drawing long, controlled breaths.
"I-I'm afraid...of...small spaces."
Darren racked his brain for options. The thought of carrying her away in his arms crossed momentarily, but he quickly swiped it away. Nah, not him. He wasn't one of those buffed TV heroes who always had the situation in grasp.
Breathing so hard the veins in her neck throbbed, Kat forced a few steps. "I'm okay."
They shuffled through the strangely-wet shaft for a few more minutes. All the while, the footsteps sounded terrifying close, always teasing the chance of a Spook clutching them from behind.
Suddenly Kat stopped ahead of him.
"You okay?"
Her knees buckled for a moment before she sat herself down. She puffed her cheeks in and out and shook her head from side to side.
"Guess that's a no."
She smiled weakly at him. "I-I must look l-like such an i-idiot."
"Nah," he grinned. "I once had a friend who wouldn't take the lift, no matter how many floors up he had to go."
"L-lifts are okay," Her breathing became more regular. "But this ceiling...the walls..."
She inhaled deeply.
Kat pressed her elbows against the floor, again forcing herself up. "No time for talk."
Whatever glimpses of light there had been earlier were becoming dim as they ventured further in. On the other hand, the rhythmic thuds never ceased.
Stopping without warning again, Kat coughed and wheezed loudly.
So loudly, in fact, that Darren didn't hear a pair of arms approach him from the back.
And grab his stiffened shoulders.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
reCAPPENING: Ghostopia, Chapters 36-40
The guard, Mr. Lester, finally is convinced and lets them in in exchange for their GICs (Ghost Identification Cards). The plan - Darren and Kat will go to the fourth floor, while Todd, Fletcher, and Scarlet go to the second. Mortie and Amelia will then trick the Spooks on the third floor into going to the second and fourth floor, leaving them both free to work on the records.
As the plan dictates, Darren ends up on the fourth floor with Kat. While passing time, he finds out from Kat that Nelson has actually been in Ghostopia for over four years, and had connections to the Ezisa in the past.
Shortly, the Spooks sent by Mortie come up. Kat tries to deceive them by means of a "faulty security wiring". However, the bluff falls flat as both Kat and Darren say the wrong things. Things go from bad to worse when the two real Spooks on that floor appear, giving them away. Kat and Darren flee to the third floor in search of Mortie, eventually coming to a narrow shaft with many doors - one of which Mortie is behind. As the two, on their wits' end, try to figure out which is the correct door, Darren hears the thundering footsteps of the Spooks coming for them - leading us into Chapter 41.
As the plan dictates, Darren ends up on the fourth floor with Kat. While passing time, he finds out from Kat that Nelson has actually been in Ghostopia for over four years, and had connections to the Ezisa in the past.
Shortly, the Spooks sent by Mortie come up. Kat tries to deceive them by means of a "faulty security wiring". However, the bluff falls flat as both Kat and Darren say the wrong things. Things go from bad to worse when the two real Spooks on that floor appear, giving them away. Kat and Darren flee to the third floor in search of Mortie, eventually coming to a narrow shaft with many doors - one of which Mortie is behind. As the two, on their wits' end, try to figure out which is the correct door, Darren hears the thundering footsteps of the Spooks coming for them - leading us into Chapter 41.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Writer's Block: Borrowed Time
'Scuse me sir, 'scuse me sir,
Mind sparing a pinch of Time?
Of course not, you haven't given back
That chockful you borrowed last week.
Oh, that! I think Mr. Homework has it
I recall him saying he was running short.
But didn't that happen last month?
That was quite a handful I loaned you.
That was no fault of mine, no it wasn't,
Miss Friends came and demanded for it.
She couldn't have taken it all, surely!
There was more than your share.
Yes there was, but have you forgotten?
That Lil' Sleep came begging for scraps.
And you gave him more than he needed?
I couldn't say no to those tear-stained eyes...
Sigh...will you ever learn? What about
that gift-wrapped box I gave you on New Year's?
It would still be here, had they not come knockin',
Aunt Leisure and Uncle Laidbackness.
Those two, never up to any good,
What did they say to ask for it?
They needed to feed their hungry children
TV Junior, Compudear, all the rest.
That ladle, filled to the brim, while the holidays?
Oops! Left it in Grandma Family's home.
How about that cartful on Sunday?
Ack! Stashed it in Pastor Church's coat.
And that one glass I passed you over the fence?
Hmm...don't know, don't know where it went.
Truth be told, I think you got it all wrong
They told me there was a prowling thief
He might've sneaked your Time off
Oh well...here's a last pinch I can spare.
Why, thank you, kind sir!
I'll manage this one the best I can.
Mind sparing a pinch of Time?
Of course not, you haven't given back
That chockful you borrowed last week.
Oh, that! I think Mr. Homework has it
I recall him saying he was running short.
But didn't that happen last month?
That was quite a handful I loaned you.
That was no fault of mine, no it wasn't,
Miss Friends came and demanded for it.
She couldn't have taken it all, surely!
There was more than your share.
Yes there was, but have you forgotten?
That Lil' Sleep came begging for scraps.
And you gave him more than he needed?
I couldn't say no to those tear-stained eyes...
Sigh...will you ever learn? What about
that gift-wrapped box I gave you on New Year's?
It would still be here, had they not come knockin',
Aunt Leisure and Uncle Laidbackness.
Those two, never up to any good,
What did they say to ask for it?
They needed to feed their hungry children
TV Junior, Compudear, all the rest.
That ladle, filled to the brim, while the holidays?
Oops! Left it in Grandma Family's home.
How about that cartful on Sunday?
Ack! Stashed it in Pastor Church's coat.
And that one glass I passed you over the fence?
Hmm...don't know, don't know where it went.
Truth be told, I think you got it all wrong
They told me there was a prowling thief
He might've sneaked your Time off
Oh well...here's a last pinch I can spare.
Why, thank you, kind sir!
I'll manage this one the best I can.
Ghostopia, Chapter 40: You Get What You Give
He tried to nudge Kat, but she was too occupied to take note of him. "My superior is downstairs. I'm whisk him up here to explain the situation to you guys."
Darren watched in horror as the other two Spooks noticed the small crowd and swooped over. He whispered through gritted teeth, "Kat...the real Spooks are here. We have to go."
She looked where he was looking and a lump stuck itself in her throat. What in the world were they doing here? She wouldn't know what to say if they revealed themselves also to be Spooks guarding the fourth floor. "W...we'll be back up in a few minutes."
She hurried down the stairs, two steps a time, not even bothering to make sure if Darren was behind. He was, of course.
"Idiot," Kat muttered to Darren. "You didn't know Spooks have no gender?"
He shook his head sheepishly.
"Well, keep that in mind next time. For now, I think we have to get Mortie and leave at once."
Before they could even make it to past the tenth step, a slight commotion played itself out upstairs. It didn't take too long for the Spooks to figure out something was terribly amiss with the two 'Spooks' they'd just seen and give chase.
"Shoot, they're coming after us."
They sprinted down the last flight of stairs, straight to the third floor in search of Mortie.
"Those two had better be done with the records." Kat muttered again - Darren wasn't sure to herself or to him.
A terrifying march of footsteps rang out above them. For such seemingly lumbering beings, the Spooks could move frighteningly fast.
"Here! Stop!" Kat took his hand and dashed through a crevice between two yellowed walls, so small an untrained eye would have passed on it. It led them to a claustrophobic shaft with an array of doors.
"ARGH! The map never mentioned so many doors! How am I supposed to know which one they're in?"
She seemed on the verge of pulling her hair out. Darren, feeling a little headache creeping in, didn't know what to do.
Meanwhile, the low ceiling quivered with a distant rumble of footsteps.
Darren watched in horror as the other two Spooks noticed the small crowd and swooped over. He whispered through gritted teeth, "Kat...the real Spooks are here. We have to go."
She looked where he was looking and a lump stuck itself in her throat. What in the world were they doing here? She wouldn't know what to say if they revealed themselves also to be Spooks guarding the fourth floor. "W...we'll be back up in a few minutes."
She hurried down the stairs, two steps a time, not even bothering to make sure if Darren was behind. He was, of course.
"Idiot," Kat muttered to Darren. "You didn't know Spooks have no gender?"
He shook his head sheepishly.
"Well, keep that in mind next time. For now, I think we have to get Mortie and leave at once."
Before they could even make it to past the tenth step, a slight commotion played itself out upstairs. It didn't take too long for the Spooks to figure out something was terribly amiss with the two 'Spooks' they'd just seen and give chase.
"Shoot, they're coming after us."
They sprinted down the last flight of stairs, straight to the third floor in search of Mortie.
"Those two had better be done with the records." Kat muttered again - Darren wasn't sure to herself or to him.
A terrifying march of footsteps rang out above them. For such seemingly lumbering beings, the Spooks could move frighteningly fast.
"Here! Stop!" Kat took his hand and dashed through a crevice between two yellowed walls, so small an untrained eye would have passed on it. It led them to a claustrophobic shaft with an array of doors.
"ARGH! The map never mentioned so many doors! How am I supposed to know which one they're in?"
She seemed on the verge of pulling her hair out. Darren, feeling a little headache creeping in, didn't know what to do.
Meanwhile, the low ceiling quivered with a distant rumble of footsteps.
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