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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. In order to understand this story, you need to know about the children's game Tag. In Tag, one person is chosen to be "It." In the simplest, most common form of the game, It's job is to tag (touch) someone else, whereupon the other person becomes It and the first person loses that moniker. The new It then needs to touch someone else (not the first It). The non-It children race around trying to avoid being touched by It. The game ends when everyone collapses from exhaustion or just grows bored. The game provides an outlet for the abundant energy of youth, and is a playground favourite in the United States.
I am guessing that a reader unfamiliar with the game would be confused by the ending. For that, I apologize. I would love to hear whether the ending worked for you. In fact, all feedback appreciated.
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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.
Life isn't a support system for writing. It's the other way around.
- Stephen King, from On Writing
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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
It's never too dark to be cool.
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Haha, you totally got me! I was expecting the creepy It clown, or something similar. Nice misdirection!
Battle On, Deadly Chakram
"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent
"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon
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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
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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.
It's never too dark to be cool.
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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
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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
A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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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
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