*Complete* March Writing Contest: Horror in the Rain

[Stanistani]

This month's writing contest: Horror in the Rain
Write a horror short set in a heavy rain, no more than two characters (not including monster/antagonist).

Length of your entry must be more than 2000 words, and less than 5001 words.
I prefer entries to be standalone works, not part of another story cycle.
Please keep the content 'safe for work.'

Only one entry per person.

Entries must be received by midnight of March 22, 2010 PST.

Author of winning entry receives US$50 by PayPal, or if unable to use PayPal the equivalent in an online gift certificate which will be emailed to the winner. No other payment options, please.

The author of the winning entry sells us first publication rights on this website and its allies, and in a printed collection, all editions if we desire.

Winner must be a registered member of this forum.

==>Register Here<==

Post your story or any questions in this topic thread. If you do not want your entry indexed by search engines during the contest, place your entry in the Private Work subforum and link to it in this topic thread.

Extra points given for realistic description, gloominess, and the creative use of hard rain and its soul-sapping effects.

It was a dark and stormy night. <- Pro tip: do not use this phrase as an opening sentence.

[RevBonestripper]

Extra points given for realistic description, gloominess, and the creative use of hard rain and its soul-sapping effects.

Been listening to some Nick Cave lately, and I couldn't help thinking of Tupelo. And when you're looking to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for horror story inspiration, you can't help but think of Red Right Hand (It's also a major trope!). But for my offering in this contest, I've found a thoroughly inspiring gem in Murder Ballads, though what you'll find on that album is only half the story. I'm starting it right now. I know there are some horror-writin' fiends out there, so bring on your best nerve-meltingly horrifying stories, and let that black rain hammer down!

[RevBonestripper]

A few questions...

...set in a heavy rain...
Does it have to be a heavy rain through the whole story, or can that be limited to the appropriate scenes?

...no more than two characters (not including monster/antagonist)...
Just how strict is this? What if everyone is an antagonist? What if there are three people who take turns at being the monster/antagonist? Do victims count as characters? How about a horde of zombies, cannibals, snakes, lawyers, or libertarians - would that count as a collective monster/antagonist? What if the antagonist is in league with a horde of vicious critters whose only lines of dialogue (if they had any) would be something like "Blarg, Rar! Chomp, crunch, slurp, growl"?

Does it have to be scary, or can it be funny/whimsical, like the monster being a libertarian zombie cannibal lawyer snake who sings and dances in a little ditty titled "Screaming in the Rain" along with a horde of his zombie buddies?

...It was a dark and stormy night. <- Pro tip: do not use this phrase as an opening sentence.
What if we can pull it off? It can be done.

Yes, despite the less-than-completely serious way some of these questions are put, they are serious questions, and for the record, not all of them are pertinent to the story I'm writing. Just in case you were wondering, here's my not dark and stormy first line:

The dress was magnificent, beautiful, perfect; it concealed the slight expansion of Eliza's belly and made her almost as beautiful as Henry's beloved Deirdre.

Now I don't believe in divorce; every marriage should begin with a ring and end with a shovel. There won't be a divorce in this story, but there might be a shovel.

[Stanistani]

A few questions...

...set in a heavy rain...
Does it have to be a heavy rain through the whole story, or can that be limited to the appropriate scenes?

...no more than two characters (not including monster/antagonist)...
Just how strict is this? What if everyone is an antagonist? What if there are three people who take turns at being the monster/antagonist? Do victims count as characters? How about a horde of zombies, cannibals, snakes, lawyers, or libertarians - would that count as a collective monster/antagonist? What if the antagonist is in league with a horde of vicious critters whose only lines of dialogue (if they had any) would be something like "Blarg, Rar! Chomp, crunch, slurp, growl"?

Does it have to be scary, or can it be funny/whimsical, like the monster being a libertarian zombie cannibal lawyer snake who sings and dances in a little ditty titled "Screaming in the Rain" along with a horde of his zombie buddies?

...It was a dark and stormy night. <- Pro tip: do not use this phrase as an opening sentence.
What if we can pull it off? It can be done.

Yes, despite the less-than-completely serious way some of these questions are put, they are serious questions, and for the record, not all of them are pertinent to the story I'm writing. Just in case you were wondering, here's my not dark and stormy first line:

The dress was magnificent, beautiful, perfect; it concealed the slight expansion of Eliza's belly and made her almost as beautiful as Henry's beloved Deirdre.

Now I don't believe in divorce; every marriage should begin with a ring and end with a shovel. There won't be a divorce in this story, but there might be a shovel.

A maximum of two main characters (majority of dialog) and you may have one antagonist as well, which may be collective or individual.
The rest may be accommodated. You just have to do it in a talented fashion. You are more than capable.

[bravebluemice]

A few questions...

Does it have to be scary, or can it be funny/whimsical, like the monster being a libertarian zombie cannibal lawyer snake who sings and dances in a little ditty titled "Screaming in the Rain" along with a horde of his zombie buddies?

That depends. Are the zombie buddies also lawyers?

[Stanistani]

The unrelenting downpour thudded and crashed on the roof. There was, I mused, almost a rhythmic quality to it. Drum, drum, drum, boom, boom, boom... whoosh... my mind stopped as the drumming became more clear... there was something outside. Drum. Drum. Drum. Boom Boom Boom. Kaboom, kaboom, kaboom. I heard a slowly pounding drum, and something dread beneath.

I grabbed my shotgun, walked to the front door, and listened carefully.

Voices. Singing? Or screaming for help? I could not discern the words or context in the constant rushing booming sound of the ceaseless downpour.

I flung the door open in a mad whimsy.

The figure capered and danced, a parody of a human being, eyes loose in bare sockets, torn scalp hanging from a bashed-in skull. A torn but still coherent pinstripe suit, putrid flesh hanging over a fine pair of shoes. Its rotten face turned smiling towards me, and it sang, waving a briefcase in one bony hand.

I cocked my shotgun and watched.

"As a lawyer, as a lawyer, I often dealt in human flesh...
now a zombie, now a zombie, brains are now my soup du jour
no more taxes, no more taxes, spending needs to be much less
as a reptile, as a reptile, human morals are no more..."

Dark, shambling figures swayed and moaned in unison behind ...

I pulled both triggers and blew it to shreds.

Damned door-to-door solicitors.

[RevBonestripper]

Awesome. Thanks.

[RevBonestripper]

Completed my story yesterday. Finished the first edit pass today. Should have it all polished up and ready to post very soon.
Starting to wonder if there's anybody else here. I know there's other folks who enjoy writing horror way more than I do, and who can produce something at least as scary as anything I can imagine. Please post, people, before I start naming the crickets and writing down the strange things they've been telling me.

[Stanistani]

Completed my story yesterday. Finished the first edit pass today. Should have it all polished up and ready to post very soon.
Starting to wonder if there's anybody else here. I know there's other folks who enjoy writing horror way more than I do, and who can produce something at least as scary as anything I can imagine. Please post, people, before I start naming the crickets and writing down the strange things they've been telling me.

Nothing wrong with your hearing. The board has entered a real dead patch. However, I have a personal message that another member is preparing an entry.

I may have to change the rules so that three people have to enter in order for a prize to be awarded. If I do, that will take effect in the next contest, not this one.

[Evie]

Another great prompt, it's just a matter of actually getting my story done in time. I keep meaning to enter these but don't come up with something I'm happy with in time. Life gets in the way. Stupid life.