# October 2016 - LM - Here There Be Monsters



## aj47 (Oct 3, 2016)

October 2016 - LM - Here There Be Monsters*LITERARY MANEUVERS
*
*Here There Be Monsters*​
The winner will receive a badge pinned to their profile and given a month’s access to FoWF where you’ll have access to hidden forums and use of the chat room. 

This is a Fiction writing competition, and the prompt is 'Here There Be Monsters.' Pick your own title, write about whatever you want, as long as it's related in some way to the prompt.


The Judges for this LM are: *danielstj, thepancreas11, amsawtell, & bdcharles*

If you want to judge and I left you out, send me your scores by the deadline. If you're listed here and don't wish to judge, let me know at once (please).

All entries that wish to retain their first rights should post in the LM Workshop Thread.

All Judges scores will be PMed to *kilroy214*. 

All anonymous entries will be PMed to *kilroy214*.


*Rules*​

*All forum rules apply.* The LM competition is considered a creative area of the forum. If your story contains inappropriate language or content, do _not_ forget add a disclaimer or it could result in disciplinary actions taken. Click *here* for the full list of rules and guidelines of the forum.
*No Poetry!* Nothing against you poets out there, but this isn’t a place for your poems. Head on over to the poetry challenges for good competition over there. Some of us fiction people wouldn’t be able to understand your work! Click *here* for the poetry challenges. Play the prose-poem game at your own risk.
*No posts that are not entries into the competition are allowed.* If you have any questions, concerns, or wish to take part in discussion please head over to the *LM Coffee Shop. *We’ll be glad to take care of your needs over there.
*Editing your entry after posting isn’t allowed.* You’ll be given a ten minute grace period, but after that your story may not be scored.
*Only one entry per member.*
*The word limit is 650 words not including the title.* If you go over - Your story will not be counted. Microsoft Word is the standard for checking this. If you are unsure of the word count and don't have Word, please send your story to me and I'll check it for you.
​*There are a few ways to post your entry:*​


If you aren't too concerned about your first rights, then you can simply post your entry here in this thread.
You can opt to have your entry posted in the *Workshop* which is a special thread just for LM entries. You would put your story there if you wish to protect your first rights, in case you wish to have the story published one day. Note: If you do post it in the workshop thread, you must post a link to it here in this thread otherwise your story may not be counted.
You may post your story anonymously. To do so, send your story to the host of the competition. If you wish to have us post it in the workshop thread then say so. Your name will be revealed upon the release of the score.

​Everyone is welcome to participate. A judge's entry will receive a review by their fellow judges, but it will not receive a score. Please refrain from 'like'-ing or 'lol'-ing an entry until the scores are posted.

Judges: In the tradition of LM competitions of yore, if you could send the scores one week after deadline it will ensure a timely release of scores and minimize the overall implementation of porkforking. Please see the *Judging Guidelines* if you have questions. Following the suggested formatting will be much appreciated, too. 

*This competition will close on:*​Saturday, the 15th of October at 11:59 PM, GMT time.​
Scores would be appreciated by Saturday, the 29th of October. 

Click here for the current time.​


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## Teb (Oct 4, 2016)

*Times change, but does the man?*

http://www.writingforums.com/thread...kshop-Thread?p=2036679&viewfull=1#post2036679


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## Smith (Oct 9, 2016)

http://www.writingforums.com/thread...kshop-Thread?p=2037324&viewfull=1#post2037324


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## godofwine (Oct 12, 2016)

*Coffee to Die For - Godofwine (650 Words)*


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## Grub-r (Oct 12, 2016)

http://www.writingforums.com/thread...kshop-Thread?p=2037763&viewfull=1#post2037763


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## Makili (Oct 14, 2016)

Moving with the times (645 words)

Another lethargic afternoon was rolling through the lobby of the Fir Grove Motel. Its only sound was buzzing of a fly that still evaded cobwebs hanging from grimy corners. The dusty air was sliced by rays of sunlight falling on the worn out reception desk over which George Feldman, the motel owner, was slouching. He was studying the motel guestbook spread in front of him.

The book kept motel's history. It told of the early days, when it was always full and many names would be scribbled under a single date. Last pages' entries showed that days, weeks, months passed between the check-ins. Countryside motels were not popular anymore and the guestbook was a written record of this business' slow demise. As George was turning those yellowed pages, his forehead furrowed.

Suddenly, a bunch of bells above the entrance started jingling.  To George's great surprise, a horde of merry backpackers invaded the lobby. It was a sight he hasn't seen in a very long time.

"Do you have vacancies?" Inquired a young man, apparently the leader of the pack.

Fumbling with the guestbook, George started: "Well, yes, we do. Please wait..."

"Great", the youth interrupted and addressed his bunch: "I told you guys we should come here ASAP to beat the others. The early bird catches the worm, I say! Or, hopefully, a monster!" Turning back to George he continued: "Full board for all, indefinite time. And while you're at it, tell us how to get to where the monsters were seen."

George dropped the guestbook and gave the guy a blank stare. "Monsters?"

While he stood there trying to make sense of such turn of events, his son Jake appeared. He was carrying stacks of towels and sheets, as if he was expecting all this. He grabbed room keys from the reception and addressed the crowd: "This way to your rooms and you can ask me anything you want!" Little squad followed boy's command, and within minutes the lobby was once again empty.

As the clamor of thumping feet settled down, George snapped from his bewilderment. His son obviously knew what was going on and George needed to get to the bottom of it.

He went to Jake's room to wait for him. It was a room he rarely entered these days. It made him uneasy. Jake was a teenager dreaming of the future. George was a middle aged man clinging to the past, paralysed by his nostalgic memories, incapable of moving forwards and with the times. Each time he talked to Jake his conscience hurt because he knew he couldn't offer him anything better than a life in this godforsaken place he was unable to leave. So the two men were drifting apart in the small, crumbling world they shared.

As he observed this foreign room, his eye caught a familiar image of their motel on the boy's computer. It was part of a website filled with headlines:
 "Mysterious creatures spotted in our County's forests".  
"Is Fir Grove a monster habitat?"
"A countryside motel an epicentre of unusual events".
 There were maps of the area with X signs next to sketches of various fantastic creatures, where they were supposedly been spotted.

As the realisation started to dawn on George, Jake entered the room. Seeing his father hovering over the computer, his face became a mask of pleading: "Dad, please don't be mad! I know the business was slow, so I created this website. It went viral. I... I... I just wanted to help!" the boy blurted, all tense, expecting a blow and getting ready to avert it.

A lump formed in George's throat and he tried to hold back the tears welling in his eyes. He sprang towards the boy, but only to lock him in an embrace. He ran his fingers through boy's hair and whispered: "It is all right, my son."


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## Kyle R (Oct 15, 2016)

The Beast


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## Sleepwriter (Oct 15, 2016)

Be Nice 641 Words    Language Warning!


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## kilroy214 (Oct 17, 2016)

http://www.writingforums.com/thread...onsters-Workshop-Thread?p=2038609#post2038609

Homecoming
By anonymous

(Lateness to be blamed on host. Sorry)


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