Exercise for Edition 8

Plot: Jayashree Srivatsan
Judges: Leo, Jayashree, Rajrupa Gupta


Exercise genre: HORROR

Exercise:

There is a dilapidated old fort in a forest bordering an Indian village. The villagers believe that inside the fort is a chamber, locked shut by an ancient King, and guarded by spirits invoked and trapped inside the chamber by that king.

Unknowing of the folklore, two thieves who have escaped from a nearby prison take shelter in the fort. Thinking that there might be treasure inside, they break open the door.

Narrate the events up to and after this point, in FIRST PERSON POV of the thieves. You can choose to do it from POV of one thief, or alternating between the POVs of both.

Rules:

1. This is a horror genre story, so the story must be spooky and scary!
2. The story must be written in first person POV of the thieves. You can choose to do it from POV of one thief, or alternating between the POVs of both.
3. The major characters must be the two thieves
4. There must be no loose threads when the story concludes.
5. Minimum 2525 words and Maximum 2828 words.

General ground rules:

1. The entry has to be sent by e-mail to the workshop e-mail id posted on FB along with Exercise declaration.
2. The entry should be in the body of the mail. Do not send as attachment.
3. The body of the mail should contain (in order): Title of story, Author Name, Author Intro, Story. If an entry is not complete in all respects it shall not be considered a valid entry.
4. The post shall be carried in this blog. You are required to post in your blog either a link to your post on this blog or your entire post with a link to your post on this blog and give accreditation to Jayashree Srivatsan for the plot line. Once your entry is put up, the link to your entry shall be put up on the Indifiction group in FB – and within 48 hours of the link being put up on FB, you are requested to post in your blog and intimate the post link on FB. Otherwise, your entry shall be taken down from the blog.
5. The judges’ decision shall be final and the winners will be required to give the plot line, critique every entry as well as declare the winners of the next edition (Exercise 9). The judges of the previous edition – Mixi, The Fool and Nabanita - shall not be declared as winners in this edition even if their entries happen to be the best. This is in order to ensure that the load of judging does not fall disproportionately on a few.
6. Though it is not obligatory, we do request everyone to take the time to read and give constructive criticism on as many posts as they can possibly manage.
7. Please note that there shall be no extensions of deadline. If we face a situation of insufficient entries, we shall still close the exercise and proceed with the next with volunteer judges.

Timelines for Exercise 8:

• Exercise 8 begins: Tuesday, 11th June 2013
• Exercise 8 concludes: Sunday, 30th June 2013
• Exercise 8 results/judges’ comments: Sunday, 7th July 2013
• Exercise 9 begins: Friday 12th July 2013