There's a "Bad Moon Rising"

 I know it's only September, but I'm already excited for the unholy month of haunting, October. So here it is. My ode to the ghosts, goblins, vampires, and witches. Starting today, I'm posting weekly. Each week a new song, because everyone needs a playlist for that Halloween party, and why not a flash to go along with it? After all, it's all about the ghost story, isn't it?

The first song chosen is:

"Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival

https://youtu.be/5BmEGm-mraE

Photo by Vino Li on Unsplash

THERE'S A "BAD MOON RISING"

September's here, but something disconcerting is occurring in Hell. There's a disturbance among the denizens below.

Even Satan is dancing to a tune we all know.

Celebrating in Hell, the ghosts and goblins are preparing to appear. Unfortunately, the bad news is that it won't just be on Halloween this year.

When the sun goes down. The world will awaken to an unholy sound. All the demons, gargoyles, and ghosts will arise and take flight. Guard your soul, don't mess around!

Lock your doors tight, for evil has arisen, and no one is safe from diablo's intrusion.

Happy early Halloween!

100 words

Yolanda Renée © 2022

*****

This was just to prepare you for the fun

that is coming in October!

The WEP Challenge 

THRILLER

(follow the link to the lyrics)

A little more inspiration taken directly from the list of Challenges for 2022

This is the Fear fest Challenge in which we ramp up the spook factor over here, welcoming your creepiest compositions, your most haunting and haunted tales running the gamut of paranormal, speculative, crime, and horror genres. However, as always, there are no rigid rules. Feel free to write to any genre if those mentioned are not your thing. 

The prompt is based on Thriller, released in the early '80s,  an unofficial anthem for Halloween and horror. Both singer and song are music industry icons. Thriller has sold 70 million+ copies worldwide and Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop, is one of the controversial and culturally significant figures of the 20th century. They credited him with some landmark music as well as reinventing complex dance moves like the moonwalk to make it his own signature. Just like the Beatles, MJ was, during his lifetime and remains, more than a decade after his death, one of the bestselling artists of all time. He has left a massive and unique thumbprint on the music/entertainment scene of the late twentieth century. 

The prompt has endless possibilities. Take the lyrics to this song - they can inspire myriad flashes - the forty thousand years of funk, the beast about to strike, the thing with forty eyes - the imagery is vivid and specific, and boy! Can they be used to craft a creepy tale or what? Or you could use the video's own storyline to write to. Use that iconic dance with the undead MC morphing into a zombie, to spin a horror flash. 

Or maybe not...because hang on...not everyone needs to be a horror/Halloween junkie. Use the demons as a metaphor. Let the dance with the zombies become an inner wrestling bout with some tragic character flaw(s) in your MC. Or weave a girl-boy-movie-night narrative. Or one of a rescue mission where the hero snatches the damsel in distress from the jaws of monsters real or imaginary.  Or...just write to the title 'Thriller' - no end to the tales you could tell. You see? - a million ways to go, a million things to be! 

Here is the link to the thriller lyrics if you need more inspiration: THRILLER

Remember it's all about fun!

See you there? 

Photo by Daniel Lincoln on Unsplash

mWU ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7fVfNCvwsA

I hope you enjoy my drabbles!

DRABBLE

A drabble is a short work of fiction of precisely 100 words. The purpose of the drabble is brevity, testing the author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in a confined space.

Wikipedia· Text under CC-BY-SA license

WEP - Please Read The Letter

It's that time again. A new prompt for all those who love a challenge. Are you ready to take up the baton?

It's simple really, the important part is to remember to have fun! Here's my version called My Letter.

Tagline: Unrequited love - a curse

Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash

My Letter

 Please, read my letter

return to sender

cuts to the core

why have you discarded me

why am I spurned

 please read my letter

it details my love

I gave to you wholly

my heart and soul

I belong to you only

 please read my letter

you’ll see it’s all true

I didn’t betray you

lies were construed

vengeance out of the blue

 please read my letter

my devastation runs deep

the devil has spoken

and I am broken

still, your memory I keep

please read my letter

your answer might be the cure

for the constant replaying

of love-filled nights

and memories so pure

please read my letter

nothing could be worse

unless love one-sided

was meant to be

my curse

Yolanda Renée © 2022

WEP - All You Need Is Love

 WEP is proud to announce 

the Challenges for 2022

A Musical Influence

And our first challenge of the year is...

All You Need is Love,

What could be more appropriate for Valentine's than All You Need is Love, by The Beatles? (Listen to this number by clicking on the title.)

The Beatles were an iconic band formed in Liverpool, UK, in 1960 that revolutionized Western popular music. Their music was a crucial factor in the development of the 1960's counterculture. And their influence on contemporary music and performers cannot be overestimated. They are revered as the most popular band of all time. Pioneers in recording, songwriting, and presentation, the Beatles' works were pivotal to popular music being recognized as an art form in its own right. They have sold around 600 million records worldwide, their music has shaped the entire music industry of the 20th century and beyond. Read more about the Beatles and this song by clicking on the links.

 All You Need Is Love – interpret this any which way you like.

Tell us a story about lovers overcoming insurmountable odds with the power of their love.

Or spin a flash about parental love, unconditional and endless.

Or about platonic love, the support network that friends provide without which individuals can't function.

All You Need Is Love...or do you? Turn it on its head and tell us how insufficient it is to get by on love alone.

Put the words of the title into the mouth of your MC. Or a minor character. Or have it play somewhere in the background, barely noticeable...

You see, there are as many takes as there are forms of love.

Remember, there are no genre restrictions – it's unnecessary to write a traditional romance just because it's February. Interpret the prompt in the most unValentine-y manner if you like – satire, horror, fantasy, all are welcome here, except erotica.

Just sign up below starting on February 16th

And remember to have fun!

I thought I'd give it a try.

~~*~~

All You Need Is Love

The Beatles say

All You Need Is Love

Maybe that's true

I know I've searched

but failed to find

that deep emotion

Where did I go wrong?

part of a large family

where love was nowhere

to be found

married at eighteen

a mistake

quickly discovered

a heart shattered

when he admitted

he'd never felt a thing

tried once more,

for life, I thought

Love is what's proclaimed,

even vowed

but for some strange reason

always disavowed

I’m done searching

Love, if, it's all you need?

maybe that's why

it's such an elusive thing.

Yolanda Renee © 2022

*****

*****

Since I cannot participate fully, 

comments have been blocked. 

Thank you so much for visiting.

I will do my best to read all entries.

WEP - The Scream

 

Lucky 13

The day I turned thirteen

I discovered a witch's abode

hidden deep in the woods

abandoned under the overgrowth,

a little hut, just an old shack

but finding a door

a warm fire and more

it was a blessing for a young girl

needing rescue

I found an old book

and gave it a look

opened the page and

read the oddest verse,

I laughed at the absurdity

but read with intent

"simply voice these words

and see your wish true"

the years passed

memories faded

until one night

his love turned cruel

his abuse grew

I didn't know what to do

on Halloween night,

it came to a head

he laughed himself silly

as he threatened to kill me

I fell to my knees

and said with hands folded,

those silly words,

I'd once read

in that magic book

forgive me, dear, 

no menace intended

I only wish

that you are blessed

with your own intent,

he laughed again

and raised the knife

the walls shook, 

and the floors clattered

then with a torrent

came hundreds of creatures abhorrent,

a foot in length, 

with multiple legs

they moved with intent

toward the threat

he screamed bloody murder

and tried to fight

but they covered him fully

then in a wisp of white vapor,

he and they 

were all gone

and to this day

I've heard not a word

my bruises have healed

and my heart too

that shack in the woods

is now my home

            The Magic Den

is where I cast spells,

and grant wishes

 my new stock in trade

so if you need aid,

 don't be afraid

just open the book

    the right spell will appear

       for the dark arts know

          the one you fear!

***

Tagline: 13 can be a very lucky number.

Yolanda Renée (C) 2021

****

Photo's by

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Photo by Jessica Fadel on Unsplash

Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash

Dancing Bones the Devil's Delight

 

Sabina Music Rich on Unsplash

Dancing Bones

See that beautiful girl

at one time,

she was all mine

but I held on too tight

we got in a fight

now my bones

are all that's left of me

while my girl sings,

and dances, she laughs

and buys pretty things

for my bones hang 

high from a tree

I meant to kill her

and bury her deep

but she made a deal with the devil

and now I'm the one to dance and weep

she got a new life

and a new love

and each October

when the clock tolls midnight

I dance to her laughter

and the devils

sheer delight

for with the murderer

turned victim

the beast now has

two new souls

added to his account

this Halloween night.

 Yolanda Renée  (C) 2021

***

Do I even have to say it?

The Scream for Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A Zombie Dance

 

Photo by Alonso Reyes on Unsplash

Zombie Dance

The dead walk the Earth

Halloween night

ghouls and zombies,

all corpses,

invited to delight

for nothing frightens

more than a

dead dance party

dangling skin

open wounds,

empty eye sockets,

blood and gore

come on

must we say more

dance, they all do

but only after

making a meal of you!

Yolanda Renée  (C) 2021

***

Are you ready for WEP's

October

Challenge Flash?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The Dead Will Walk on Halloween!

 

Ghouls

There's plenty of ghouls

on land and sea

some drowned

others just tried to flee

from a life

long and hard

or a crime they didn't foresee

watery deaths

or bones

those murderers

buried deep

terra Earth

will always be discreet

but on Halloween

those spirits will arise

to remind the living

that evil thrives

and is always close by.

   Yolanda Renée  (C) 2021

*****

It's almost time for the "WEP"

OCTOBER CHALLENGE

The Woods on Halloween

 

Photo by Filip Zrnzević on Unsplash

The Woods

The woods are dark

but the moon is high

come and visit

when the moon is nigh

 

we won't bite

or frighten you away

we want your company

at least for the night

 

we're here to please you

eat and be merry

dance with delight

our haunting will end

at the stroke of midnight. 

   Yolanda Renée  (C) 2021

*****

Just because it's almost Halloween,

A Challenge based on The Scream!

Join the WEP and give us your

best SCREAM!

What Do You Like About Halloween Night?

 

Photo by Szabó János on Unsplash

Halloween Night

What do you like about

Halloween night

is it the dancing, the prancing

or the disguise you adore.

 

Does it go deeper

to your very core

the call of the weird and unknown

or the cry of the new victim

all your own.

 

Do you flaunt your evil

or hide your lust

until that moment

desire takes hold.

 

Do you pounce like an animal

or seduce with finesse

do you kill with passion

or a snap of your finger.

 

blood flows

is it just as you imagined

death the ultimate

 Halloween trick or treat.

 Yolanda Renée (C) 2021

*****

JOIN US, THE "WEP"

FOR THE 

OCTOBER CHALLENGE

You're Invited to SCREAM!

 

Scream

It's automatic

when danger is near

Scream

help will come

all will be well

 

Scream

at the injustice

scream at the liars

and anti-vaxxers who

spread the fear

 

Scream

when all else fails

release those pent-up emotions

scream when alone

no one will hear

 

Scream

 until hoarse

at the source

a nightmare

 or fright

 

Scream

as a captive unheard

or when

the hero is near

 

Scream

for sheer joy, good news

or to amuse

Scream

for fun and good cheer

 

Scream

Scream

Scream

that's our theme!

Yolanda Renee © 2021

***

The WEP's October Challenge

Please join us for Scream

The Scream by Edvard Munch was a shoo-in for October - this challenge is devoted to the horror genre in honour of the Halloween/Samhain/observances of the other world spirits. Go as creepy as you like. But other genres are welcome too, there’s no genre police here, except that non-negotiable no to erotica.

This is a world renowned artwork symbolising the horror and angst of the human condition. It has since its creation in 1893, become an iconic representation of modern life. Read about The Scream here.

Edvard Munch was a Norwegian born artist who split much of his working life between Berlin and Paris. Mental health issues ran in the family, so Munch had occasion so observe its effects from close proximity. He was much influenced by Impressionists and post-Impressionists such as van Gogh.

The prompt is wide open to interpretations - who will it be that screams? And why – in pain, terror or exultation?

Will it be a human scream that rends the air? Or an animal one? Or a scream from another world altogether? Or will it be a cosmic scream of the planet?

A silent scream in colours, like the one Munch felt in a sunset sky above a fjord? Or an articulated one in sound and words? Just a gasp or piercingly loud? That’s up to you. We’ve got our ears cocked and ready listening for it.

A FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE! 

PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED!