Words In The Dark

[brightlotusmoon]

The following stories have officially scared the shit out of me, in subtle, gentle ways.

http://www.yankeeclassic.com/miskatonic/library/stacks/literature/blackwood/stories/willows.htm
http://www.topbookz.com/browse/A/Algernon_Blackwood/The_Wendigo/page1/
http://www.kellylink.net/fiction/link-specialist.htm
http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/mnkyspaw.htm
http://www.online-literature.com/hh-munro/1891/
http://www.thecimmerian.com/?p=5878 *

*If anyone has any links to the actual full text of Karl Edward Wagner's "Sticks" I would appreciate it.

Also, yes:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/27/AR2009102703745.html

I hate horror. I hate horror films, horror stories. But it's the sort of hate that makes me deathly curious. It's a fearful hate. It's a hate that makes me say, "I will never watch this movie on my own, but I will read detailed summaries that trace every step and scene." A good example would be the Saw franchise, although those films are more torture porn than horror. A better example might be the film In The Mouth Of Madness, which I did see, one early afternoon while alone. It left a very distinct impression that has been difficult to shake. I'm very weak when it comes to horror in film, and that movie probably represents the high point of what I can deal with, even though the costumes, masks, and amounts of fake gore are obvious. I cannot handle anything with too much gore, blood, and visual disgust.
I remember back when Freddy vs Jason came out in theaters. I was with a large group of friends who all wanted to see it, and it was hard for me to decline. I didn't have any way to get home unless one of those friends drove me. And I really didn't want to exclude myself from a group activity. We took seats in the middle of the theater. I never really saw the movie. I had my eyes shut throughout. After about an hour, I left to use the restroom. For thirty minutes. I did see the end of the film. But that is a classic example of what happens if I see a horror film in a theater. Which is why I will probably decline the next time a group of friends asks me to see one with them. I honestly would rather be left behind.
I remember when the trailers and previews for The Grudge 2 played on television every hour. I couldn't sleep well for a week. I always made sure my bedroom closet was shut and that a fan was blowing to drown out the freakish, horrific noises my imagination insisted upon making.
I will also admit that if a friend were to play a horror-type prank on me, I might physically injure him or her.
I hate being physically scared. But literature holds a fascinating sway that I find so hard to resist. The right author with the right words can make me shiver deliciously for weeks without regret.

Comments

Re: Part IV (WTF!)

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

I know I have a ton of Aries traits, but whenever I read descriptions of classic Aries people, I never feel like they describe me.

Ad astra inclinant, non necessitant.

[tokio.livejournal.com]

I don't think the "classic Random Zodiac Sign" descriptions could be accurate for anyone, really. :) There are just so many variables. For what it's worth, I did get a distinct Aries impression. In my experience, people who seem to fit snugly into the traits described on websites and even books might push themselves into the sphere of traits rather than naturally fall into it. That's the cynic in me talking. She's been at it all day.

The way I see it, all of these variables are coming together in a way that can only be realized through action. It's like working on a character in a play. Reading through the script, you can see how the audience will interpret the words at face value. Running lines, thinking about your posture, putting on character shoes -- those steps are necessary, but this process doesn't make the role yours. The character isn't yours until you get on stage to flesh out the character's words with vitality and momentum. The script informs, but it does not dictate. Perhaps the truth of astrology lies not in our minds, not in our words, but somewhere warm instead, in a place that is nothing if not visceral and instinctual. If I were a star up there spinning in the cold and dark, I would want to nestle into something that alive too.

Re: Ad astra inclinant, non necessitant.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Ooh, good points. Thanks! And extremely well-written.

Re: Ad astra inclinant, non necessitant.

[tokio.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks.