narrative-style

 Original

Teri was your average 29-year-old woman living in suburban Pennsylvania. She worked as a secretary for the local dentistry. She loved her job. It was clean and organize, an environment she took comfort in. Terry was the same. Clean. Organized. She always kept her maroon planner with her- had each day labeled by the hour, and of course it was color-coded.

It is a brisk Tuesday morning in Autumn. Terry awakes precisely at seven, brushes her teeth, and whips up her standard breakfast- scramble eggs with apple slices. Terry opens her planner as she eats and despite knowing the day’s plan, she reads through it.

8:00 Arrive to work

8:30 Paper delivery

12:00 Lunch

                                    *Use lunch break for grocery shopping

Terry bites into an apple slice at that moment, only to be disappointed by its mealy texture.

It might be best to pick up some fresh apples while at the market.

Terry finishes her breakfast and heads to her silver, 2000 Toyota Camry. She’s been meaning to upgrade, just the time has never been right. She looks down at her watch and realizes its already 7:40. She’s late and won’t be able to drive her typical, cautious speed.

Fortunately, traffics light and her day at the office is smooth. Before she knows it, it’s lunch time. Reaching for her keys, she reviews her list

Milk, eggs, granola, carrots, and… hmmm what was it?

                        APPLES! Yes, don’t forget the apples. Maybe some nice honey crisps.

She hurries out and arrives at her local Acme.

Oh wow. What a nice assortment. So vibrant, so distinct in their own sections.

            Teri is mesmerized by the vast bins, so clearly labeled. After a moment of appreciation, she meticulously selects her prized apples, and delivers them to checkout and her car. After a short ride and a few John Mayer songs, she’s back at work.

The rest of the day continued as placid as the morning. An order dispute over floss. A couple of miscommunicated wisdom teeth schedulings. But, overall, a lovely day.

A faint moon appears in the dusk sky as Teri drives to her single bedroom apartment. Maroon Five this ride.

Her stomach begins to grumble, a low hollow guttural sound.

It’s only six. I have dinner plans at seven, so maybe just a snack.

            Teri glances at the groceries in the passenger seat. A pink glare catches her attention.

Oh yes, the apples.

Teri parks and hurries to the second floor of the apartment complex. She puts the rest of the groceries away, and takes out a smooth, ceramic plate and sharp steel knife. She has second thoughts and puts the kitchen utilities away.

I just did dishes. No need to make a mess.

After the apple is scrubbed and deemed germ-free, Teri wipes it once more with a paper towel and takes a large bite into the baseball-sized fruit.

“crrruncch!”

“Ahhhhhh!”

Teri gasps.

Oh no no no NO. It couldn’t be. I checked every inch. I cleaned every inch.

But no. It was true and it could be. A worm sat curled up, engorged by the inner apple flesh it had been consuming.

Disgusted, Teri spits out the fruit and throws it in the garbage, along with the rest of the produce she just purchased.

Teri’s stomach is about to grumble, but there is a knock at the door.

Oh no he’s early!

            She glances in the mirror, wipes her face, and composes herself. She goes and swings the door.

Its George Smith, her boyfriend of four years. Tall, fit, and freshly shaven. He was in a nice button down and wearing the gold watch she had given him for their two-year anniversary. His shoes were clean and glistening, and his pants were nicely pressed. But there was something out of place. In his hands hid a small green object.

Her stomach groans, calling for attention.

George opens his hands to reveal a pear and hands it to her. Her snack issue is resolved, and she no longer is hungry.

Romance

Teri was your average 29-year-old woman living in suburban Pennsylvania. She worked as a secretary for the local dentistry. She loved her job. It was clean and organize, an environment she took comfort in. Terry was the same. Clean. Organized. She always kept her maroon planner with her- had each day labeled by the hour, and of course it was color-coded.

It is a brisk Tuesday morning in Autumn. The sun glows gently into the window of Teri’s apartment. She arises, hair messy from a well-slept night. She glances at the clock- exactly 7.

Perfect just on time.

Just as she stepped out of bed, her foot got caught in the covers and her head hits the floor.

A pool of read seeps from her nose into the carpet, conquering a rather large portion of the floor. The next hour consists of ice and towels, and unfortunately, a call into work notifying she’s going to be late.

Great way to start off the day.

The drive to work was no better. Teri hit every single red-light, and her being the cautious and courteous driver she is got screamed and cussed at by various other’s clearly late for work.

Her day was awful filled with screaming patients, doctors, and many order miscommunications. Her lunch break was booked with work and she didn’t have a second to think all day.

At last the day was done, and her stomach was growling. She hadn’t eaten once. Her nose bleed, which was now a blackened, swollen mess, and her work distracted her. She drove fleet fully home (while still maintaining the speed limit).

At last she could have a moment to herself, and assuage the moans coming from her stomach. But oh no. She forgot that she was supposed to go to the grocery store and pick up food.

At this moment her stomach roared a hollow call for food. Her frustrations of the dead have come to a tipping point. Tears simmered in her eyes, threatening to tumbke down.

There’s a knock at the door.

She glances in the mirror, wipes her face, and composes herself. She goes and swings the door.

Its George Smith, her boyfriend of four years. Tall, fit, and freshly shaven. He was in a nice button down and wearing the gold watch she had given him for their two-year anniversary. His shoes were clean and glistening, and his pants were nicely pressed. But there was something out of place. In his hands hid a small red object.

Her stomach groans, calling for attention.

George opens his hands to reveal an apple and hands it to her. Immediately she bites hard and large.

SMACK!

Her tooth hits a solid object. She realizes the apple is hollowed out, and placed inside is an elegant diamond ring. George is on his knee. She smiles and the tears finally fall. This time from joy.

What an end to a horrible day.

 

Science Fiction

The years 3000. Earth is gone and humanity has consumed space as their new home. Fortunately, due to the surplus of organic material, humans can function in this new environment.

Teri is your average 29-year-old woman living in the rings of Saturn, the suburbs of great city on Saturn’s largest moon. She worked as a secretary for the local rocket shop. She loved her job. It was clean and organize, an environment she took comfort in. Teri was the same. Clean. Organized. She always kept her maroon planner with her- had each day labeled by the hour, and of course it was color-coded. She loved organizing the schedule for daily fix-ups and repairs. She truly appreciated things at their whole and complete state

It was an average Tuesday. Still dark and cold, but that was typical. Teri got up to go to work as usual. She combed her hair and brushed her teeth and checked the gravity and oxygen of her lovely spaceship (or regular ships is what they call them now).

She rocketed to work and went through her daily tasks. At around 13;00 she realized she hadn’t had any organic material yet that day.

Oh no. If I don’t eat something soon, I’ll shrink up and be sucked into the nothingness,

The shop got busy and she couldn’t leave all day. At last the day was done, and her stomach was growling. She hadn’t eaten once. Her nose began to bleed due to the onset of her condition. She flew fleet fully home (while still maintaining the speed limit).

Thankfully when she got home, there was George her boyfriend of four years. Tall, fit, and freshly shaven. He was in a nice button down and wearing the gold watch she had given him for their two-year anniversary. His shoes were clean and glistening, and his pants were nicely pressed. But there was something out of place. In his hands hid a small red object.

Of course hen knew, and they happily lived till the next day.

 

Horror

Teri is your average 29-year-old woman living in suburban Pennsylvania. She works as a secretary for the local dentistry. She loves her job. It is clean and organized, an environment she takes comfort in. Teri is the same. Clean. Organized. She always keeps her maroon planner with her-as each day is labeled by the hour, and of course it is color-coded.

It is a gloomy Tuesday morning in Autumn. The sky is darkened with grey voluminous clouds. The sharp wind is wails against the house like a screaming child.

Teri awakes late around 7:30, and leaps from her bed. She glances at her phone.

No no no. I can’t be late.

In a frenzy, she hurries to get ready for the day, and rushes out the door with no breakfast.

The rest of the day went by horribly. Shipments came in late. Four screamers from cavity fillings. And the Jeffersons’ kid puked on her shoes. Again.

Teri has a grocery list to complete, but in the chaos of the day her lunch break became occupied with other tasks- neither lunch nor shopping made the cut. At last the clock read six. Home time.

The dark pavement glistened from the downpour. The air hurt is was so frosty. It felt like the beginning of a cold, oppressive winter despite being October.

A grumble and a sharp pinch calls Teri’s attention. Teri, a usually cautious driver, rockets home. She’s incredibly hungry.

She swings the front door open and launches her hand for the fruit bowl on her kitchen table.

The apple elected is glistening pink with blush of yellow. Its waxy shine is scrubbed away as she cleans it in the sink. Despite the whines of her stomach, Teri inspects the apple for perfection. She knows how many hands have touched this article of fruit.

Once she guarantees herself it was safe to eat, she takes a gigantic bite. Half the apple was consumed when she finally looks at the fruit’s pale flesh.

Something is definitely not right.

Teri glances down.

The pale flesh no longer exists in the pink skin of the apple. Instead the apple is brown, mealy mush, and in the center- half a worm, squirming as it lives its final seconds.

Teri screams. She lurches as if to vomit, but something changes. First, it’s like a twist, but no its more of a restriction. Someone was putting her in a narrow sleeping bag, and zipping her whole body and head in.

She looks over at her reflection, and staring back was a grotesque, filthy worm- only it had her eyes.

There’s a knock at the door.

            Oh no. George.

Her long-term boyfriend George Smith stood at the door waiting to take her on their date.

He can’t see me like this!

            At that moment a loud roar came from her stomach.

She looks out the window to see if George heard that, only to realize a George is kind of delicious looking.

With no thought, Teri swings the door and slurps George down- finally satisfying her immense hunger.

 

 

The use of iteration to determine what art or design style will influence my narrative helped expose me to new ideas of what horror means. I considered the use of color in many of my iterations. I believe my pop-art inspired by Keith Haring uses colors without taking away the ominous, looming sensation of the scene. I also created a surreal/ German expressionism in black and white that elicits similar sentiments (the image of the man and the worm). I think that less saturated colors will allow me to incorporate it without being overwhelming. Furthermore, I believe the chaotic line movement of the expressionism will allow for the eeriness I want my narrative to project.

-Other Styles included: Fauvism, Minimalism, Bauhaus, Cubism, Impressionism, ect.