A to Z Challenge

I had decided to do the A to Z blog challenge earlier this year. Last year was my first time participating, and in truth I had only started my blog then. It was a great way to break into it all and get some viewers. That being said, I have went back and forth on my decision this year. I have too many commitments I say one day, and the next day I will say but it was so much fun! It is a bit addicting, so I’m back.

This year I will focus on horror and science fiction movies. Some of them you might recognize, others maybe not. Either way I hope it will be a good time and that you all enjoy what I bring to each post.

Let’s get started, shall we…

A

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Alien

Director Ridley Scott brought Alien to the screen in 1979. A multiple award winning film, Alien broke the mold with a female protagonist, Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver. A transmission has been located on an alien planet, and the crew of Nostromo must go check it out. From the beginning, tension builds until we see the terrifying aliens. Right out of a panicked nightmare, the alien and other elements were designed by artist H. R. Giger. The alien’s particularly violent and gruesome attacks on the crew are horrifying. Eventually it comes down to Ripley and the alien going head to head. A wildly successful movie, it inspired many sequels and products. 

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A Nightmare On Elm Street

When Freddy burst onto the scene in 1984, audiences flocked to the theatre to see what all the fuss was about. The story centers around a group of high schoolers who are plagued with nightmares about a burned man wearing a striped sweater, who had long knives for fingers. The catch was if Freddy Krueger killed you in your dream, you were dead in real life. A hit, the movie spawned many sequels. It’s hard to forget the old rhyme, “One, two Freddy’s coming for you…”

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An American Werewolf in London

John Landis wrote and directed this film in 1981. Two American men go backpacking through England. One night they end up in a strange bar and are given the cryptic warning of, “Keep off the moors” as they get ready to leave. Chalking it up to local superstition, the two men use the moors as a shortcut and have a tragic run in with a werewolf. Part horror, part comedy, this is the first movie to show a full transformation of a man into a werewolf. The special effects were highly regarded, and won several awards. Its now cult classic classification invokes respect and cult classic love.

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The Amityville Horror

 Another movie coming from 1979, The Amityville Horror was based on a bestselling novel. The story is supposed to be about the real-life experiences that the Lutz family went through when moving into a house in Long Island. A year before, a young man had killed all of his family. Once the Lutz’s move in, strange events start to take place. Firmly rooted in paranormal events, The Amityville Horror is based on the subject of demonic possession. After requests to film in the actual house were denied, the movie was made in a look-alike home. 

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Army of Darkness

 The third installment in The Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness brought back fan favorite Bruce Campbell as Ash, the loveable, goofy hero. Written and directed by Sam Raimi, this installment is particularly filled with comedy. Released in 1993, it chronicled Ash in his attempt to get back to the current time period. More on the mild side of this trilogy, it is also one of the most quotable of the series.

Virtual Reality

I'm back with another flash fiction post, thanks to the ever present, force of nature that is Mr. Chuck Wendig! The guy inspires and can wrench some serious creativity out of me. 


This week his challenge was presented by giving us 20 words. We had to pick 10 of them and incorporate them into the story. 


The 10 words I chose were: 
Beast 
Dinosaur
Brooch
Finger
Moth
Scream
Tornado
Cape
Fever
Gate

And now I give to you...

VIRTUAL REALITY

His breathing was hard but quiet. Crouched in the dark, his long cape trailed behind him like a scarlet river; the golden, oval brooch in his hand glowed. Its crimson stone filled with fire.

Keeping low, he poked his head slowly around the rock. The night was an obsidian wash over a silver landscape that allowed his eyes to see the details with shocking accuracy.

It was still.

Glancing back at the large stone edifice behind him, he clutched the brooch tight.

From the left came movement.

He could see the large beast was scanning the terrain, its armored head lifting and lowering alternately, as it attempted to focus in the dark. Vision was obviously not its strongest defense.

The dinosaur long tail slid across the ground as it walked, gouging trenches into the soil.

The area was filled with thick vegetation. He moved between the large leaves with stealth and silence. The brooch’s glow warmed his fingers almost uncomfortably, yet he gripped it tighter.

The wind began to blow sending a hissing sound through the lush forest.

Readying himself to run to the next tree for cover, he froze when the dinosaur looked in his direction. He pressed tight to the tree’s narrow trunk. Sweat formed on his forehead, tickling his temples. In a few moments the beast went back to the familiar bobbing motion, turning its head away.

Clouds were forming quickly, thick and roiling with flashes of lightning and thunder. His time was running out.

Lightning lit up the sky and he could see the gate at the far end of an open area. The dinosaur pawed at the ground, licking where he had been only moments before. There was no time to stop. In order to get to the gate he would have to cross it in one bold sprint.

Taking a deep breath, he bolted from the safety of the tree. The dinosaur roared in anger as it saw him and charged. With his cape flying behind him, he pumped his legs harder to gain speed. His boots kicked up clods of dirt behind him.

The ground shook with the dinosaur’s footfalls. The gate was still far away. The dinosaur, jaws snapping, would catch up soon.

The closer he got to the gate, the hotter and brighter the brooch became. It was burning into his flesh with an unforgiving fever, scorching his skin. Pain shot up his arm.

Lungs burning, he ran ever faster.

CRACK!

The dinosaur’s great jaw snapped shut, missing him by inches. He could feel the warm breath on his neck. He wasn’t going to make it.

Broad white wings appeared in front of him. He felt his feet leave the ground as his body was lifted. The world below was becoming smaller.

The enormous moth screeched as the dinosaur leapt into the air after it. It flapped its wings harder and they both rose quickly into the sky.

The wind had become brutal, whipping at the two of them. He clung to the moth’s spindly legs. He could see that it was taking him away from the gate.

Suddenly a different noise filled his ears. Turning his head he could see that the rumbling roar signaled the approach of a large TORNADO. 

The moth began to tilt and beat it’s wings faster. He was struggled to hold on, all the while keeping the brooch clasped in his hand. Behind them, the dinosaur was snatched up in the strong winds and tossed out of view. The tornado bore down on them.

The moth’s giant wings were ripped from its body as it beat against the gusts, and the two of them plummeted toward the ground, turning and tumbling.

The man opened his mouth and a scream was pulled from his body, lost in the sound of the storm.

Just before they slammed into the ground, the funnel snatched them. The moth let go and they were thrown in separate directions.

He was thrown from the tornado, flying fast through the air. When he landed, the carcass of a large, dead dinosaur beneath him lessened the impact. He rolled off and saw that the gate was in front of him. His hand sizzled from the intense heat of the brooch.

He ran, sore and bruised, and crossed through the large, iron passage. A bright light blinded him and he shielded his face with his arm.

There was no sound. His body felt weightless.

In an instant, he fell back into the familiar cushioned chair.

“What a ride, hey?”

The helmet was being lifted from his head. He blinked to adjust his eyes in the dimly lit room.

“So… was it worth the money?” The assistant didn’t wait for him to reply, leaving the room with the helmet.

His hand was aching. Bringing it up to his face he saw the red, angry oval mark.

“Yeah. Yeah it was.”