Hi there! Yeah, I Know it's been awhile; unfortunately when the notebook decides not to work well, I can't do as much as I want. Today, I am hoping it will keep going for me. Enough of that, instead, how's your day going? Mine is pretty good actually. It's been raining which means a great day for reading horror stories. I am into one and find it interesting. A number of normal horror attributes; you know, an enormous Gothic style asylum; a dark gloomy night; new person starting a job there; and the old employee who can't wait to tell you all about the grisly history of the place. A great beginning so typical of many horror tales, yet, one we love to read over and over again.
I admit it, it's grabbed my attention. I'm enjoying today. It fits with the dark, moisture filled clouds hovering in the sky right now. A perfect read for csa perfect day. Then, I started thinking. "Why is it always the dark secluded Victorian aged (or older) mansions used as the settings for horror. The history of the house or town even, is important in staging the reaction of the mind's imagination." You have to admit, it usually is. Some creepy looking place to project the mood. And we fall for it every time.
"Now", I ponder, "What would happen if we changed all that. Suppose the story takes place in a middle-class suburb. The homes are filled with 'normal families', going about doing 'normal family things'. Like taking the kids to sports practice, grocery shopping, heading to a mall, barbecuing, talking to the neighbors, going to church, and all those other 'normal activities'. "
I sat there thinking about this. It's been done, but what do we always prefer: yeah, the good old creepy abnormal places. Then I began contemplating the monsters which we all know fill horror stories. You know the ones: the lunatics, serial killers, ghosts, whatever. Horror stories are bursting with these stereotyped monsters. My muse was awakened. "The monsters of horror are traditionally those who are considered by society as deviants, Individuals who reside in the boundaries or margins of our perceived 'normal relations' in our communities. We all know this is a ruse to stop us from realizing that the monsters reside right next to us. The ones who are 'normal'.
Yeah, the monsters are the people we live by or even with. They go through the motions of 'normal society'. They become our friends, our loves, our family. They grow in our hearts and we never suspect. They attend church further promoting the propagation of their 'normalcy'. Then, when we are caught within their tangled tendrils of falsehoods, we are confronted with the truth. A light ignites within, but is squashed as we discover the naked realities of these monsters. So and so, is molesting your child. You know who, beats the spouse and children. That wonderful friend is a drug dealer, telling you how he/she wants to help you, urging you to take the pills he/she tries to convince you to take. The sweet neighbor is a thief and prostitute, hiding in the shadows supporting a drug habit. A church acquaintance revels in exclaiming hatred toward homosexuals, wanting them to be killed. A family member spews racial hatred with foul and abhorrent constancy.
"Yes", I shudder! "The truth is the monsters are among us all the time and in the end we must choose our path in this 'normalcy'. Do we move to bring our the truth or do we in turn become monsters ourselves, slaves to the evil which permeates throughout our lives?
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