short story/poem contest

[Scouser]

"The deadline is November 5th 2012, at 23:59 PST.

The Ubisoft/Blue Byte team will be choosing the twelve winners, and they will be announced on November 9th on the forums."




The forum now says the competition is closed. from my understanding of the different time zones, it is currently 15:03pm PST.

wtf?

[BB_Katealyst]

Good catch!

We have re opened the event threads.

[Scouser]

Good catch!

We have re opened the event threads.[/QUOTE]

thanks, bb_katealyst

[Scouser]

.

[SirRobert-]

"I bid you well, folks far and near
"Settlers on our island dear"
A skip and a tip, 'though he had no hat,
A flourish, a bow, a light leap o'er a cat.
"Rise up! Rise up! Let us shout! Let us cheer!
"It's Halloween eve. Halloween's almost here! Hear hear! Hear hear!"
Elliot! Elliot! Hurrah! Hurray!
Tell us more! Tell us more of Halloween day
And the night before when "evil" does play.
He tumble-rolled and sprang to his feet,
Cartwheeled to a porch and there took a seat.

Tells us, oh tell us, 'bout pumpkin pies
And jack-o-lanterns with scary eyes!
And the wicked priests who come to yield
Up their prayers o're there, right there, in the pumpkin field.
That story gives me a shiver, no doubt, no doubt
But that's half the fun - you better look out!
And those who, at that, glanced over to look
At the pumpkin field saw only pumpkins - round, ready-to-cook.

And the pumpkin man - don't leave him out
He's my favorite, the scariest, a lad did shout.
Elliot told and he told while the eve'n did run
And they laughed and they laughed knowing all was in fun.
And the pumpkins lay there, still warm from the sun.

Finally Elliot stood, brushing off his behind, said I've pumpkin seeds roasting
We've a party tonight, I'll be there, so will you, for toasting and boasting.

Walking home, a bit later, with her pa, Alice Grace
Clung to his trousers, breaking his pace.
"Hey now little muffin you can't ride my leg
"We've too far to go and you've gotten to big."
"I don't like that man papa," Alice Grace said with a frown.
"What's that? You mean Elliot? But he's just the town clown!"
"I'd think you would like him. He's not fair of face
"But he was here when we got here and taught us this place.
"He taught us especially where each thing would grow.
"We'd never have thought to plant pumpkins, that's so -
"'though his knowledge elsewhere is surprisingly shallow.
"His head is quite large, his complexion's quite sallow
"Really more orange than red is his hair. It's a study!"
"But if you ever need anything, he's there; he's your buddy."
"Still," Alice Grace looked up and said in low tones,
"I like stories 'bout princesses not pumpkins on bones!"
He ruffled her hair and he tossed her up high.
"You'll have fun there tonight. You'll see. So will I."

Cymbals and noise-making crackers and poppers
Blind bluffing players and three legged hoppers
Ciders and spices and pumpkin dishes all sorts
Oldsters pipe smoking and pumpkin bomb forts
And Elliot leading the games every one
Ensuring that all and every has fun
In his high stepping boots with a sword at his side
And a deftly carved pumpkin with his head there inside.
"Who wants to toss pumpkins and see them go splat?
"Who wants to race o'er them; tripping on one too fat?
"If the Pumpkin Master says it, that's me yes-siree,
"You've got to go do it before I can count three!"

At a quarter to midnight with all running riot
Elliot sat in a shadow, just sitting there quiet.
"Hoy, Elliot there! Man, what's the matter?"
Said farmer McGrudder, "Have you run out of patter?"
"Come sit here beside me, McGruder my friend.
"I'm thinking it's time these festivities end.
"I've been having dreams of peculiar sort
"That the stories I've told might just not be for sport
"Like dim memories I've lived and now dream
"And whispering voices I hear 'til I scream.
"I'm hearing them now, I think, do you hear them?
"I don't understand them but I really do fear them."
"Baugh! Whispers and dreams! There'd be nothing ruder
"Than stopping this party or my name ain't McGrudder!"
Elliot forced out a chuckle and slapped on his knee
"Of course, friend McGrudder, that's how it must be.
"I'm off to the cellar to get some more brew!
"I'm off to the cellar to get some more brew!"

Down in that cellar with her friend Mary Margret Magrew
Little Alice Grace was making mud pies with that very brew.
If their fathers could see them they'd be apoplectic
And wash out their mouths with a nasty antiseptic.
So when the cellar door opened they hid, at the back,
As Elliot came down and coughed with a hack;
Then moaned and bent over holding his head
Well, the pumpkin upon it, of course, in its stead.
He sat down with a thump on the bottom most stair
Writhing and kicking about everywhere.
Then straining to pull off his pumpkin head screaming
He stood with his pumpkin eyes now brilliantly beaming.
He staggered about throwing limbs that way and this
With his screams dieing down to a whimpering hiss.
Then with legs apart shaking he started to still
And after a moment, turned, walking out with a will.
Mary and Alice sat frozen with eyes wide as owls
Then turned to each other, whimpers turning to howls.

"Come everybody it is almost time.
"To the pumpkin patch all, we'll chant out a rhyme
"To raise up the stories I've told you about
"It'll all be great fun - of that have no doubt."
"Look momma at Elliot. His face is now glowing."
"Of course, he's the pumpkin man! She winked all knowing."
"Where's Alice Grace?" said her ma; said her pa, "Don't worry she's good."
And Alice Grace watched them from deep in the wood.

"Hey Meesh! Did you have the coders prank my system again?" Katealyst called out.
"My population just went to zero."
"Hey, it wasn't me." protested Meesherbeans.
"Well take a look at this then."
"What's that Kate? Zoom in."
"It looks like a huge pumpkin graveyard. And there is another over there.
"Meesh, look at that. The pumpkins have vines - and they are growing."
"Wow, Kate you must have hooked into some coder's experimental server."
"The URL says I'm on the Zeus server. I suppose Andy could have spoofed it.
"He's always trying to get my attention. Whoa, look at that! It looks like he's
experimenting with 3D. Those vines almost look like they are coming out of
the screen."
Leaning on Kate's shoulder Meesherbeans reaches out toward the screen. His
grip on Kate's shoulder suddenly tightens as he is washed with vertigo - the
direction of the screen suddenly seeming to be down as he feels a light touch
of rough vines on his finger.

"I don't know what happened." said the Ubi spokesman to the detective with his
notepad out. "I mean, I hear that Meesher, Meesherbeans, - I know that isn't his
name but I gave you that and Meesher is what everyone calls him - I, I'm babbling,
I'm sorry. Anyway, I hear that Meesher wasn't exactly sober before this job but he
has been all his time here and Kate, well, as near as I can tell she's never been
near any of that stuff. So I just can't see it but I just can't explain this. We
found them both unconscious at Kate's desk. Meesher had a cut on his head but it
looked more like a consequence of passing out rather than the cause and Kate doesn't
have a mark on her."
"Thanks. I'll have more questions. Could you wait in your office please." said the
detective.

"Oh! Ow! Ow! Ow! My head. My head."
"Thank ***, Kate I thought you were dead."
"Meesh! I can't move. What the **** have you done?"
"Oh, yea, really Kate. Do I look like I'm having fun?
"I'm buried up to my chin in a pumpkin patch for crying out loud!"
An acrid stench from a black black cloud
A drumming a thrumming both in ground and in air
A whispering chant barely heard brings despair
The swirling black cloud breathed in, swirls the mind
Enhances the fear. No clear thoughts can they find.
"What's happening to us Meesherbeans, Meesherbeans?
"And why are we talking in rhymes like we're teens?
"And we're rhyming quite badly
"I must confess sadly.
"And some of our words come out quacks like we're ducks!
"*** **** what is happening! This really ****."
"It really does Katealyst but I want you to hear
"That I've been infatuated with you for many a year."
"You're an idiot Meesh or knocked on the head.
"I'm buried here wondering if we might be dead.
"And I swear that pumpkin behind you is moving toward your knocked head
"And my thoughts seem to be slipping through my hands like greased thread.
"Oh Meesh, do something! It's opening up!
"Oh my ***. Oh my ***. I'm going to throw up."
The pumpkin wide open, closes now with a snick.
And Katealyst, delirious is actually sick.
So her bagel and cream cheese drips from her chin in a lump
When at the back of her head she feels a soft bump.

"Hey, ho, new settlers. Welcome! Welcome here!
"My name is Katealyst. You bring me good cheer.
"Welcome to my island. Now our island, dear.
"You'll have bountiful harvests if you listen to me
"Just look how my pumpkins grow. Look and see! Look and see!"
"Look Da, that pumpkin there has kind of a face."
"It does!" laughed Kate. "Of all my pumpkins I love this one best.
"I call him Meesherbeans, 'though I don't know why - I just guessed.
"And this one here was twice the trouble to grow as all rest
"It too has a face. I call her: Alice Grace."
Through the evening Kate taught them all the things needing done
And the pumpkins lay there, still warm from the sun.