Impressions hosts bonfire, scary story readings
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Rodriguez
The Impressions Literary Magazine’s first scary story reading was Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. in McArthur Pavilion.
The event sent chills down one’s spine whether it was the retelling of “The Cask of Amontillado,” the proximity to the graveyard, the distance at which the audience sat from the low burning fire or even the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe himself
“This is the first year we have done a scary story reading,” said Amber Roberts, senior and editor-in-chief of Impressions. “We have done events similar to ones like this, including the Dr. Seuss reading we did in the spring.”
A student, Taylor Ford, generously supplied her own resource of dry sticks and wooden posts for the Impressions bonfire.
“I wish I had triple-layered for this event,” said Olivia Daniel, senior and assistant editor of Impressions. “But I’m happy to be here, finally warm and enjoying my s’more.”
By the time the temperature had dropped from 50 to 44 degrees and the lights had been extinguished, Tiffany Anderson, junior and events and publicity committee leader of Impressions, opened the event with a telling recount of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe.
Roberts followed after with a short piece, “The Feather Pillow” by Hoaracio Quiroga, a Spanish author. The story of a sick woman on her deathbed made the audience wary of the dangers that may lurk close to home as well as to reconsider sleeping on a feather down pillow.
Sophomore Raine Palmer ended the night’s reading with a piece curiously titled, “The Loskimo,” which she authored. The tale followed a creature of Nordic origin that steals the flesh of its victims. Similar to Boo Hags in Gullah culture or the Navajo Skin-walker, Palmer’s monster entered the home of a young family in search of a host. The Loskimo chose its victims by making a strange, mesmerizing noise, heard by others only as a deafening silence.
“The Loskimo is made up, but it was inspired by a monster my sister created,” Palmer said. “I wrote the story. She made the monster.”
Several students agreed the story was a chilling way to end the night.
“That creature freaked me out,” Anderson said. “It was a really great story.”
Senior and fiction editor of the literary magazine, Rachel Kaufman, said that she thought the event was success.
“We had a good turn out and I think everyone enjoyed themselves, despite the cold,” Kaufman said.