October Issue 2021

NO. 28 | FALL 2021 | FREE

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH STUDENTS WRITE TO INMATES ON DEATH ROW | BY KAYLUN STEPHENS | PG. 4-5

IN THIS ISSUE

FALL MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS | BY EMILY PEACOCK & IZABELLA ZADRA | PG. 6-8 “SQUID GAMES” IS THAT SHOW | BY MICHAEL KING | PG. 9-10 MY IMAGINARY FRIEND | BY SAMANTHA GARBERS | PG. 11-13

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hey Bulldogs! I’m Michael King, the new Editor-in-Chief of The Bark for the 2021-22 school year. We’ve got a great team this year, and we look forward to bringing you an excellent variety of quality news and content. I apologize that our newsletter has been down, but it’s back up and running now at thebarkumd@gmail.com. Thank you for your patience. If you have any story ideas, have any general thoughts about The Bark that you’d like to share or would like to join our team, you can send me an email at king1072@d.umn.edu and I’d be happy to speak with you. We hope you enjoy this month’s spooky print edition, and we thank you for supporting student media here at UMD. Go Bulldogs!

The Bark produces this monthly news magazine in addition to publishing content online every day, providing local media to over 10,000 students at the University of Minnesota Duluth. To get involved or to share your voice please contact The Bark at thebarkumd.com/contact-us ADVERTISE WITH THE BARK Contact us at barkumdbiz@d.umn.edu for business inquires CONTENTS OF THIS PUBLICATION ARE C 2021, THE BARK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Digital magazine available on https://www.thebarkumd.com

CONTENTS FALL

20 21

2

9-10

4-5

11

Letter from the Editor

University of Minnesota Duluth Students Write to Inmates on Death Row

6-8

Halloween Movie Recommendations

“Squid Games” is that Game Fall Word Search

12-14

My Imaginary Friend

15

Glensheen’s Fall Photomeet

Cover photo by Anna Gruben

THE TEAM

Editor-in-Chief Michael King King1072@d.umn.edu BarkUMD@d.umn.edu Managing Editor Izabella Zadra Zadra012@d.umn.edu

Social Media Manager Eliana Sonderup Sonde040@d.umn.edu Business Manager Abby Gaudreau

BarkUMDBiz@d.umn.edu

Managing Editor Madison Hunter Hunte557@d.umn.edu Visual Director Anna Gruben Grube200@d.umn.edu Reporter Sara Guymon

Guymo002@d.umn.edu

Sports Reporter

Alyvia Taylor Tayl2181@d.umn.edu

Reporter Nathan Miller Mill7759@d.umn.edu

Creative Author Sammie Garbers Garbe127@d.umn.edu

Reporter Isabelle Hopewell

Graphic Designer Phoua Xiong Xion1104@d.umn.edu

Reporter

Editor Emeritus Heidi Stang Stang344@d.umn.edu

Graphic Designer Emmett Curran Curra106@d.umn.edu

Multi-media Journalist Sarah Brown Brow5867@d.umn.edu

Advisor Maija Jenson Jenson@d.umn.edu

Reporter KaeLyn Stephens Steph729@d.umn.edu

Graphic Designer Quentin Goldknopf goldk003@d.umn.edu

Hopew048@d.umn.edu Crista Fleck Fleck130@d.umn.edu

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UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH STUDENTS WRITE TO INMATES ON DEATH ROW

By KaeLyn Stephens

The death penalty.

Capital punishment.

Execution. It’s not an everyday topic people look forward to discussing, unless you’re a University of Minnesota Duluth student taking Dr. Scott Vollum’s Death Penalty (CRIM 3380) class.

The death penalty is legal in 27 states in the United States, and it is also legal in 55 countries all over the world.

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With that being said, the U.S. is the only Westernized country that appears in the top eight countries with the most confirmed executions in 2019.

Those other countries are China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan and Somalia.

Although capital punishment is legal in over half of the states in the U.S. Minnesota is not one of them.

So, what is the point of having a class on the death penalty, especially when it’s not even legal in your own state?

According to UMD’s Vollum, teaching this class allows him to “hold up a magnifying glass to the criminal justice system.”

Vollum is the Department Head and Associate Professor of Criminology & Sociology at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Vollum has spent over a decade studying capital punishment and what goes into it.

He created this class in

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2005 at James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

encouraged to reach out to any community, organization, or anyone that in a way In this class, not only takes part in or is are exonerated inmates affected by death row. welcomed to come Some of these speak directly to the people could be students, but one of lawyers, priests, the the assignments is for doctors that euthanize the students to write the inmates, prison to those involved with guards, or death row capital punishment. inmates themselves.

Vollum has been using The class was nearly this assignment since divided right down the he first created and middle, between those started teaching this writing to inmates and class. those writing to other sources relating to “I wanted students to capital punishment. connect with the death penalty more To ensure safety and personally,” says peace of mind of the Vollum. “If we are students, many going to be killing our precautions are taken citizens as policy, we for this particular asshould engage with signment. Vollum even that at the deepest has the students use possible level.” his own address as the return address for the The students are letters, just to reassure

his students.

cat,” said Sorensen.

One UMD student taking Vollum’s class, psychology major Nicole Sorensen, has sent a letter to an inmate facing capital punishment named Eric Moffett. She used the website WriteAPrisoner.com, and is communicating with him through email.

Yet, it wasn’t until after she sent her first letter that she looked up his crime, and found that he sexually assaulted and murdered a four-year-old girl.

“In his [Moffet’s] profile I thought he seemed really nice. I didn’t look into the background of his crime. I liked his bio. He liked sports like football and basketball, and I played basketball. He said he was an animal lover, and I have a

“The death penalty is legal in 27 states in the United States, and it is also legal in 55 countries all over the world.”

advocating for the killer of someone they love,” said Swanson. “I am considering emailing an inmate to see their stances as well.”

Although shocked and disturbed by his crime, Sorenson is still looking forward to what she can take out of this experience in writing to Moffett.

“I would like to gain insight into the lives of the people affected by the death penalty on both sides. I can only learn so much in class and my professor can play devil’s advocate, which he does scarily well, but I won’t know the true nuances of these opinions until I can emerise myself in them and experience them first hand,” Swanson continued.

“It’s important to have a dialogue. This experience will help me conceptualize that the death penalty is a real thing,” she said.

Regardless of who they are writing to, the students taking Vollum’s Death Penalty class find it more than beneficial.

Another UMD student taking Vollum’s class, psychology major Ravyn Swanson, is writing to members of several different organizations in the death penalty community.

“I think that I am going to learn a lot and definitely will grow professionally,” said Swanson, “I think that the main point of this topic is to come to our own conclusions about the death penalty by immersing ourselves in the debate. I also think that those who speak to people on death row will find that the criminals will slowly

“It’s uncomfortable,” said Sorensen,“I was surprised, it’s uncomfortable talking to someone who did that to a four year old.”

“The group I am most interested to hear from is Victims Families for Human Rights. This is such an interesting group because it is a group of hurt families who are still

become less demonized and they will start viewing them as just another person.”

The death penalty is a major topic of controversy not just in the U.S., but all over the world. The state of Minnesota does not utilize capital punishment, but it is still important to be informed about it.

The death penalty is the most severe sentencing of a crime the government can place on a convict. In Vollum’s Death Penalty class, UMD students are given the unique opportunity that not many around the world have, which is to be submerged into the topic of capital punishment in an entirely new way by engaging directly with those who deal and work with it on a daily basis.

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FALL MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS SLASHER: Candyman (1992) Available on: Tubi for free About: If you have seen or shown interest in Candyman (2021), you should consider watching the original, which can provide context to the new film. The grizzly murders and gore combined with an interesting and well-writtenstory make this one worth a watch.

Friday the 13th (1980) Available on: Peacock for free About: This OG slasher film will make you reconsider heading back to camp this summer!

After a murder that happened years prior to the date of the movie in 1980, the current camp counselors start to get stalked by an unknown force that is out to kill everyone that stands in its way. This fun slasher is definitely one for the books.

FAMILY FRIENDLY: The Addams Family (1991) Available on: Pluto TV for free About: If you’re looking for a feel-good movie to put you in the Halloween spirit, or perhaps looking for Halloween costume ideas, then this movie is for you. I don’t mean to overuse the word iconic, but this movie is definitely deserving of such a title.

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Corpse Bride (2005) Available on: HBO Max About: Tim Burton was bound to make it in one of these categories eventually! “Corpse Bride” is a great start for kids getting into horror movies — it is just creepy enough but also has a childlike feel that makes everything seem fun and playful.

This movie has such a brilliant story and beautiful stop-motion that can be loved by anyone in the family!

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CHEESY: They Live (1988) Available on: Peacock for free About: Pro-wrestler Roddy Piper stars in this 80’s film in which aliens are living among us disguised as humans, and subliminal messages are plastered on everything unbeknownst to us. How is he able to figure this all out? Why, he stumbles on a pair of sunglasses of course. If the plot isn’t enough to pull you into the movie, perhaps my favorite line will. In the words of Piper, “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I’m all out of bubblegum.”

Basket Case (1982) Available on: Tubi About: Duane is your run-of-the-mill looking young adult who has just moved to New York City. But under Duane’s plain exterior, he is hiding a dark secret from his past. “Basket Case” tells Duane’s story through live-action and claymation that they want you to think is live-action — this adds a special touch to the film. If we haven’t sold you yet, without giving too much away, let’s just say the secret has something to do with conjoined twins and a veterinarian!

By: Emily Peacock and Izabella Zadra

CLASSIC: Night of the Living Dead (1968) Available on: Tubi or Pluto TV for free About: If you love zombie movies, you may have already seen this one. If so, watch it again. If you have not seen this movie, you should consider giving it a watch as it can be/is considered the mother of all modern zombie movies. This captivating film is truly iconic.

Children of the Corn (1984) Available on: Hulu or Tubi About: This timeless film is based off of a short story by the one and only king of horror, Stephen King. It follows a couple who end up taking a wrong turn in the middle of absolute nowhere, finding themselves in a village run by children. There have been multiple sequels and spin-offs of this movie, but nothing will ever compare to this original book adaptation.

PARANORMAL: The Grudge (2004) Available on: Pluto TV for free About: I can’t tell you exactly what it is about this film that scares me every time I watch it. It just does. Not a lot of movies can do that, which is why I recommend you watch it when you’re feeling like getting scared.

Sinister (2012) Available on: Showtime About: SCARIEST MOVIE HANDS DOWN! “Sinister” is about a demonic spirit, Bughuul (AKA Mr. Boogie) who kills off families and videotapes the murders on old film. The interesting thing about this one is that it is set up like a true crime movie as opposed to a traditional paranormal film. Although “Sinister” strays away from the normal paranormal set-up, this movie has everything a good horror movie needs: a spooky spirit, a writer who feels the need to move his family into a murder house, a possessed boy shivering in a bush and so much more.

OUR TOP PICK: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Available on: Pluto TV for free About: It’s not often that I consider remakes better, but in this rare instance, I believe the retelling of the classic alien horror flick is 100% worth a watch. So much so that I consider this movie one of my all-time favorites. Besides the main storyline, which is great, it also features some of the weirdest practical effects I have ever seen. Overall, watching this movie is a memorable experience.

The IT franchise (1990, 2015 and 2019) Available on: Hulu, but only the 1990 film About: All three of these movies are once again based off of a classic novel by Stephen King. People have very strong feelings on all of these films, but overall, all three of them have something great to offer. The first made-for-T.V. adaptation was amazing because of Tim Curry’s role as Pennywise — he was kinda just a normal clown, and that is what most people are scared of. The other two movies were able to take the concepts that got lost in the T.V. version to the next level due to technological advancements and the fact that the children actors were simply better. Bill Skarsgård also gave a performance in the two newer movies that shook audiences to their cores, which is something that is always nice to see from a horror movie. All three of these movies do an amazing job at being super scary but also do a great job at telling a solid story.

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FALL MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTINUED...

HORROR COMEDY:

PSYCHOLOGICAL:

Monster House (2006) Available on: Netflix About: You may have seen this movie as a kid and are thinking you won’t enjoy watching it again as an adult. I don’t mean to be blunt, but you’re wrong. This movie maintains it’s creepiness and humor regardless of what age you watch it.

Midsommar (2019) Available on: Amazon Prime Video About: Although this movie is a time commitment, it is worth every second. If jump scares aren’t your thing, but you still crave creepiness, then this unsettling film set in Sweden will go above and beyond your expectations.

Young Frankenstein (1974) Available on: Amazon Prime About: “Young Frankenstein” is a great film not just for October but for any season. This movie is laughs upon laughs, strictly due to the fact that it is a Mel Brooks film — Brooks has written other classic comedies such as “Blazing Saddles” and “Spaceballs.” “Young Frankenstein” takes the classic monster movie and spins it on its head by creating a slapstick parody of the original “Frankenstein” story.

Deep Red/The Hatchet Murders (1975) Available on: Tubi About: This trippy Italian film is about a musician trying to solve a string of murders happening to people he works with in everyday life. Because this was an Italian movie, the sky was the limit when it came to special effects and plot points — everything is straight up outrageous! Fun nerd fact: “Deep Red,” is considered to be a gallio, which is an Italian horror film. Throughout the 60s and 70s, Italian horror movies were put into yellow cases to indicate their genre — gallio translates to yellow in Italian. Although “Deep Red” may not be a film you find too often, it and many other gallios set the scene for some of the most iconic 80s slashers, such as, “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th.”

MONSTER MOVIES:

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The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Available on: Peacock About: Monster movies of the 30s created the foundation for horror today, and out of all the monster movies, the most ICONIC is “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Universal created the first ever female monster, The Bride of Frankenstein’s monster in 1935. She is absolutely gorgeous, and the actress, Elsa Manchester, presented her in such an elegant way (for being a monster that is). Although The Bride is one of the most well-known movie monsters, she only gets a solid three minutes of screentime throughout the whole hour and fifteen-minute runtime of the film.

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Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) Available on: Amazon Prime Video, or Pluto TV for free About: What makes this retelling of the classic Dracula story worth the watch is the star-studded cast featuring Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, and Gary Oldman. Although this movie may also fit under the “cheesy” category, it is still a good story, and overall an enjoyable movie.

“SQUID GAME” IS THAT SHOW By: Michael King

Sometimes, things are wildly popular for a reason. Despite unrelenting hype that will undoubtedly bring viewers to the screen with sky-high expectations, “Squid Game” delivers.

“Squid Game” slaps. Is it a masterpiece? Very few productions are — but it’s very close.

I will save any spoilers until after I give my grading. I also watched the subbed version for those wondering.

The first thing to note about this show is the exemplary work of Hwang Dong-hyuk, who wrote and directed every single detail of the show.

Many shows have multiple directors, but the vast majority of shows utilize a writing room. Dong-hyuk did everything himself. I can only imagine how taxing this burden would be for a show

as heavy and intense as “Squid Game,” and Dong-hyuk has stated that it was.

In addition to the dark, impactful nature of the show, it also showcases unparalleled creativity with the set and costume designs.

For those unaware, “Squid Game” is an incredibly violent and disturbing show.

However, the juxtaposition of everything going on in the show with these child-like sets is almost unsettling. This effect is furthered by the overall premise of the show.

The feeling of these children’s games having such grizzly consequences was frankly a horrifying concept.

The games that the players in the show partake in are incredibly simple childhood games. There’s nothing

riveting or complicated about them; however, it’s the way that they’re executed in the show that is nothing short of incredible. The otherwise simple scenes are elevated to levels of peak entertainment by Dong-hyuk’s wholly unique directing style and are given unparalleled intensity and suspense by the stellar acting and the story behind each interaction, bringing me to my next two points.

so real. In addition to the performances themselves, I think this show was cast perfectly. There’s an insane spectrum of characters (another thing I absolutely loved) and each part is played perfectly. I truly hate to pick just one standout among this unbelievable pool of talent, but Lee Jung-jae’s lead performance is genuinely one of the greatest I have ever seen.

The acting in this show is second-to-none.

There’s not a single performance in this show that I wouldn’t describe as extraordinary. You will genuinely forget that you are watching a television show — the acting is that good and the performances make every scene feel

Now, for the actual story. The whole narrative of suffering to the point of unimaginable desperation portrayed in the show serves as an incredible metaphor for the reality of the world and the struggles that so many people face.

The narrative is truly

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so powerful, and it is delivered through exceptional characters that are developed so well. Plus, it’s not just a linear fill-in-the-blank story. It is filled with unruly misdirection and more than its share of plot twists — some no human being could ever see coming, and some I saw coming from a mile away, which is truly one of my only negative criticisms of the show. I’m by no means a 10,000 IQ movie genius — if I saw these twists coming I’m sure plenty of other people did as well.

This review may be boring, but as I said, there is almost nothing negative I can

say about the show — almost. I think there are elements of the show’s premise that could’ve been explored more.

Even just a few shots giving context to the world that in which this series takes place I think could have really added to the end of the show. And speaking of the end of the show, I do have a few problems with it. I think it could have been handled a little bit better, and some things could’ve been changed to smooth things out a bit, but I can’t talk about this further without getting into narrative spoilers, so if you want my extended thoughts, those will be after the rating.

SPOILER WARNING: THE REST OF THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!

When I talked about plot twists that I saw from a mile away, it was Joon-ho’s brother being the Front Man. That showdown scene was not impactful at all. We all knew it was his brother.

We all know that Joon-ho isn’t dead, so why even bother with the theatrics? It’s so unbelievably clear that he isn’t dead.

And speaking of Joon-ho (surprise surprise) he had absolutely no effect on the plot. He didn’t stop the games, we don’t see him successfully reporting back to the police — and the end of the show is seemingly a year later — the games just continued on as scheduled with him having absolutely no impact. Yes, he had very minor impacts with the guards and that one doctor-player, but for such a seemingly crucial character, and one that I really enjoyed, all his efforts felt completely insignificant in the end, and he ended up really not adding much to the show. However, we all know that he will in season two.

And as for elements of the premise that could’ve been further explored, just a few shots of people watching the Squid Games on their TVs at home late in the show, maybe when the VIPs come.

Photo by Netflix That would’ve brought so much to the show. It would’ve given so much gravity to the whole Rating: Putting all of this together, I give “Squid situation. I really feel like it was a missed Game” a 94/100 with room to move up. It’s truly opportunity. Think about it...and maybe I’m one of the best shows I have ever seen. I’ve done wrong but c’mon...it’s such a cool premise and some film reviews in the past, and this is by far I feel they could’ve explored it more. I have no the highest score I have given, and it was doubt they will in season two, but all I’m asking well-earned. To see why I took points off, read for is a few shots here. Anyway, amazing show. further if you’ve already seen the show.

94/100

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FALL WORD SEARCH

Acorn Candy Clouds Cozy Harvest Pie Raincoat Sweater

Apple Chilly Corn Golden Haystack Pumpkin Scarecrow Tree

Breezy Cider Cornstalk Gourd Leaves Pumpkin Scarf

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MY IMAGINARY FRIEND By: Samantha Garbers

He promised to never hurt Jude, only to protect him from all the bad in the world.

So it made his mind turn with ideas when he saw that Jude’s hands itched, closing into fists when everyone laughed. It made him think of all the times Jude’s mom disregarded him for saying he had a friend.

A sense of hate built up in him, gripping at his chest. All those times Jude’s mom told him that he wasn’t real, that he didn’t exist. The urge to make himself known to her wrapped around his head, he went in circles with his logic, like a carousel. He couldn’t take care of her, for now, but he could take care of these guys picking on Jude.

I hate them. Telling me that my friend isn’t real, doubting me. That’s okay though, they’re all just jealous because I have a real friend

and all they have are fake ones.

He continues walking home when the hair at the back of his neck stands.

How odd, that’s never happened before.

He felt as though someone was following him. Probably just one of the other boys, one that teases him and laughs with the rest of them. His blood began to boil as his teeth grind together.

cut off. His brows hooded his eyes as he slightly turned, his heart beat in his throat and his hands itched.

He began to walk towards the sound, thinking better of it, he shrugged turning, and continued on his path.

The feeling of someone following him vanished and was replaced by a sense of peace.

He only lets me see him because he says if anyone else sees him they will be scared and try to get rid of him.

I’m not scared, I Why can’t they just promised him that I’d leave me alone? Why never get rid of him. I don’t they just believe told him he could stay me when I tell them I with me cause have a friend? I everyone tries to get promise he’s real. I wish rid of me too. Even they’d just leave my mom and dad, me alone. they force me to go to school. I mean who An overwhelming smell even wants to go to of burning rubber the fourth grade? Not made his eyes water. me! They told me that I had to go, that ‘I’m A scream rippled almost to grade five behind Jude as he walked, but was soon

and that’s a big deal.’

Who cares, I just want to spend time with my friend and not do multiplication practice sheets, Jude thought, as the sound of his feet on the sidewalk echoed through his head.

The sky began to rumble and dark grey clouds covered the once blue sky. His hand found his stomach as it turned over. His steps quicken, thoughts of him being left in the rain made his head ache. He thought about how his mom handed him the umbrella earlier which he discarded back in the closet after not wanting it. The rain came lightly at first, rain pummeled his face causing sharp pain wherever a drop landed. He began to run home keeping his eyes glued to the cement to protect his face from the harsh

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rain. He ripped open the door and slammed it shut behind him. His short brown hair stuck to his forehead and his blue coat soaked almost all the way through. Quickly, he ran to his room and peeled out of the coat, putting on a new one.

His mom came knocking on the door and slightly opened it, “Is everything alright, Jude?”

“Yes,” His voice echoed, breaking the silence, “I just have a ton of math homework and I want to get it done so I can play with my friend.”

“Oh, did you meet a new friend at school?

What’s their name?”

“No, the same friend I’ve always had. He’s waiting and he doesn’t like it when I’m late.”

“Oh,” she said, disappointment lacing between her words, “you know Jude maybe you’d benefit from being friends with someone you can see.

Someone who’s real.”

Jude crossed his arms and his mouth curved down.

With a sigh, “Just be

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careful then, and stay inside.” she said and closed the door behind her.

The smell of smoke forced itself in his nose and he welcomed it with open arms. A shadowed figure sat in his tree house just a few yards out, sheltered by the rain.

The figure was tall and lanky. He had no real edges; it was as if he just faded out of existence. He ran to the window and threw it open gazing at his friend on the other side.

“Out?” he mumbled.

“No, I can’t ‘cause my mom doesn’t want me outside ‘cause of the rain. Why can’t you come inside and we can play?”

The figure looked down at the floor of the boys room. No emotion shown on his shadowed face. He rushed over to his desk and grabbed something from the top drawer.

He walked over and showed the figure a deck of cards, “Want to play? We can play here since you don’t want to come inside and I can’t

THEBARKUMD.COM | OCTOBER 2021

go outside.”

The dark figure nodded and sat on the ground as the boy began dealing the cards to play go-fish.

The two played for hours, most of the silence was filled by the boy who talked about his day and why he thinks grown ups are too judgy. The sky began to lighten up turning into a soft grey and the sun began to peek through the clouds warming up the boys room.

“Your bullies.” The figure stated.

“Yes I know I have bullies, but they make fun of me cause they think I’m lying about you. Grown ups just judge you ‘cause they can. They don’t have grown ups to tell them that it’s wrong.” he sighed and asked the strange figure for a two.

A knock sounded at his door and his mom entered the room. Her face went red as she rushed over to the window and forced it shut, “What are you doing sitting by an open window while it’s raining!” The window sill was soaked, dripping water onto the floor and his

dresser held water on it as it raced down the sides.

“You said I couldn’t go outside.” Jude pointed out.

“That doesn’t mean you can bring the outside inside! Besides, I thought you said you were going to do your homework?” her brows lifted and her arms were crossed.

Jude looked to the floor and walked over to his backpack, pulling a colorful sheet out and slamming it down on his desk. His mom muttered a thank you and walked out while Jude looked on through slits. As the door closed behind her he walked over to the window and opened it once more.

“I’m sorry about that, sometimes I wish my parents weren’t here to tell me what to do.” He scrunched up his nose.

“Jude,” his mother whispered, “please, come here son.

The figure perked up and cocked its head to the side. “You wish that?” he asked in a grumbled voice.

“Yes, they always tell me what I have to do.

Like, go to school, clean your room, eat your food.”

A deep smile split the figure’s face in two, leaving a black gaping hole in his face. Then he vanished, leaving no trace of him but the smell of smoke. The card he had in his hand fluttered to the ground, they all landed face up revealing all four jokers.

The rest of the day went by normally, Jude finished his school work and was eventually called down to supper by his mom.

As he walked to the kitchen his stomach tied in knots.

He glanced over at his mom, whose nose was turned to the air.

“Why does it smell like smoke? I didn’t burn anything did I?” She asked as she began looking around the kitchen for the reason for this smell.

Judes ears popped up and he brightened, “No, mommy you didn’t burn anything.

That’s just my friend, he makes that smell when he wants to

play!” He eagerly hobbled out of his chair and walked over to the kitchen window.

The reflection of the kitchen glared in the window as he squinted his eyes to see his friend.

Finally they landed on a figure sitting on the other side of the window, waiting. The boy stood and looked at his friend’s new appearance, “I like your new horns, they look very nice on you.”

Suddenly the urge to scream took over Jude, he struggled to suppress it. Holding it down felt like nails in his throat. His eyes welled with tears turning them glossy.

His breath came shallow and he clutched his throat struggling to breathe.

Jude mother stood frozen at those words and watched her son begin to panic, “Jude, please get away from the window.” she said, inching towards him.

“It’s supper time okay?

Let’s eat,” “No!” he screamed at her, “you always tell me when to eat, when to do my homework, and how to do everything. I don’t want to eat! I don’t want to, you can’t make me!” He threw himself on the ground

and began crying from the pain in his chest.

“Jude,” his mother whispered, “please, come here son. She looked on at her son, once rolling around on the floor now upright and expressionless.

“Please.” she whispered again.

“It’s okay mommy, my friend wants to help us. He’s going to help me and take care of me. You don’t have to worry anymore.” He felt the strings on his hands as if he were a puppet.

She fell to the ground clutching her throat like her son was moments ago. She began coughing and shaking.

When her eyes met the floor she found nothing but scarlet. She crumpled to the floor with a thud.

A tall pudgy man rushed in from the other room after hearing the commotion. He rushed in and took his place next to his wife. Soon after the same effect happened to Judes father. He felt a tingling in his eyes and reached up to touch it, bringing his finger back covered in crimson. His wide

eyes landed on Jude, and his chest tightened.

A smile split the child’s face leaving a gaping black hole, while he looked on at his parents. The tears that were once flooding his eyes were now escaping down his cheek and onto the floor mixing with the red liquid.

“Don’t worry daddy, he’s helping you,” Jude spoke excitedly, jumping up and down as his parents crumpled to the floor.

“He’s helping, he’s helping.” He began clapping and bounced over to them. “See now you have nothing to worry about! I told you he was good, he said he would never hurt me and he didn’t!

He’s helping you, he promised.

He promised.”

He bent down and curled up next to them, staining his clothes, “He promised.” he choked out sobbing.

Though his face was still split with the same black smile, “He promised.”

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THEBARKUMD.COM | OCTOBER 2021

GLENSHEEN’S FALL PHOTOMEET

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THEBARKUMD.COM | OCTOBER 2021

Photos by Anna Gruben

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