Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Original Fiction FDK: It (1/1)

I suspect that the story ending might make no sense to some. I will provide a spoiler explanation. Please do not read it until after you have read the story.


I would love to hear whether the ending worked for you. In fact, all feedback appreciated.

I thought it was great! You started out with a horror-style opening and closed with a pair of six-year-olds (just a guess) playing an innocent and fun game. I laughed. And I appreciate the callback to some good memories from my long-departed childhood.

Thank you.

When I started reading your story, I remembered a book or comic I read years ago. I think it was about some teen, who created a comic with the nameless threat as the villain. That way, he never had to actually draw the villain.

Anyway, I liked how your horror scenario dissolved into a child's game. And though I don't know the game under the name 'It' I wasn't at all confused by your ending. It was nice getting the explanation, because otherwise I wouldn't have known that It was a common name for that sort of game. I think there are variations of it all over the world.

Thank you for a smile, Lynn

Haha, you totally got me! I was expecting the creepy It clown, or something similar. Nice misdirection!

Terry, I'm delighted that you enjoyed the story and that it brought back happy memories.

Bakasi, the game itself is called "Tag." The person doing the chasing is called "It." Do you have the same game in Germany? If so, what is it called and does the chaser have a special name?

Deadly Chakram, I'm glad you enjoyed my little bait-and-switch. It is the closest I think I will ever get to the horror genre.

My thanks to the three of you for taking the time to leave feedback. You have brightened my day.

Joy,
Lynn

The variation that is played here most often is called: "Wer hat Angst vorm schwazen Mann?" That means Who is afraid of the black man? And no, it's not an invention of Nazi Germany, the game dates back to a time when the plague still killed many people in Europe. The black man is a symbol for death or a shadow figure and doesn't refer to people with a black skin color. (Just saying.)

The chaser shouts: Who is afraid of the black man?
The other kids reply: Nobody
Then the chaser asks: And when he comes?
The kids reply: Then we run!

The rest basically works like your tag game. Whoever gets caught becomes the new black man. Or his assistant.

Oh, wow. That is fascinating, Bakasi. Thanks for sharing that. And I do appreciate your explanation of the game's origin, as well. It reminds me of the commonly believed (although, from what I understand, fallacious) origin of Ring Around The Rosy, in which children hold hands to form a ring, and move in a circle until they flop down in giggles at the end of the last line of the chanted or sung poem:

Ring Around The Rosy
A Pocket Full of Posies
Ashes, Ashes
We All Fall Down


Allegedly, this story is also about the plague. The flowers were held to one's nose to try to block out the stench of death and the ashes supposedly refer to cremation.

The lyrics of our most common lullaby are also quite inappropriate: Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And down will come baby, cradle, and all.

What sort of negligent parents would put their baby in a cradle on top of a tree? And who had the brilliant idea to sing words to a baby which would give the child nightmares if they could actually understand them? Were they designed as a way for an exhausted parent to vent their frustrations at a baby who just won't calm down and let them go back to sleep?

Sorry, I guess I went on a bit of a digression there.

In any event, I did enjoy reading about the German counterpart to Tag.

Would anyone from other parts of the world care to share their Tag-like experiences (or non-experiences, as the case may be)?

Joy,
Lynn

What a eye-opener! normally I don't go in for even a hint of horror, but the opening lines drew me in. Imagine my amusement (and relief) to discover this was all about the game of tag. Kudos!

Morgana, I'm honoured that you read kept reading past the start of the story, given that you seem to dislike the horror genre as much as I do. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the twist at the end.

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.

Joy,
Lynn