Reflection
For my photo set I took images of pretty much everyday things but used angles and shadows to help make the photos creepier. I made all of the photos black and white and bumped up the contrast and played with the exposure to make the photos darker and to make the shadows more noticeable. The first photo was taken of an abandoned building to represent the abandoned store from the story. The second photo was taken in my house as you go into the basement, I focused on the light to make the rest of the photo extra dark. The third photo was taken in the abandoned building to represent the empty basement. The fourth photo was off an old stove and was taken to look like cold chambers. The fifth photo is of a graveyard and the last photo is of a rocking chair where in the story the old ladies ghost sits there and slowly vanishes. My images were literal for example my last image was of a rocking chair which is exactly what was in the story. I think my photos illustrated my story well but I wish I had taken just one or two more photos. I think the project went well, maybe next time we could plan out a list of the order we are going to present them in.
Stay Away
By: Amelia Dupont, Emily Verville, Aaron Vieria, and Brian Powell
After being out of Berkley for four years I finally decide to visit my family. Nothing has changed; the town is just as desolate and decrepit as I remember. There is one thing that is different though. The old town store is abandoned. I do remember receiving a letter from my ma telling me that the old couple that owned it was found dead by their son. People were clearly avoiding the building. I stop my car and get out. As I slowly approach the building bats fly out, it’s eerie but it does not affect me. The sky gets darker and I can hear thunder crackling in the distance and the dark, almost black clouds slowly roll in. Damn this New England weather. To avoid the rain and to fulfill my curiosity I disregard the signs that say “keep out” and I slowly open the creaky door. Now that I’m inside the store I notice that all the windows are cracked, not much light is getting in so I move slowly to avoid the cob webs and bats hanging from the low ceiling. I freeze dead in my tracks when I hear a crash from the basement.
Maybe it’s just another curious wanderer like me, a homeless man or a stray dog. But what if it’s not!?
I start to get really nervous as I hear the creaking of footsteps on the old floorboards. It seems like the steps are getting closer. I get distracted by the pile of ammunition on the floor in the corner. I walk towards it until I notice there are stairs. This peaks my curiosity so I descend down the stairs. My curiosity outweighs my fear of what could be down there. I use rational thinking to convince myself that the worst thing that could be down there are old supplies and spider webs. Once I get to the bottom of the stairs it is very dark and musty. Once my eyes adjust to the darkness the basement seems completely normal. I’m not scared at all until I pull back the curtain and reveal a metal table and walls lined with cold chambers like ones found in a morgue. It’s still very cold and frigid as if the chambers are still in use.
I know the owner of this store was also the grave keeper for the graveyard next door. But why would he keep the dead bodies under here and why would they still be here? How would they still have power? Who’s paying the bills?
After looking around I decide to open one of cold chambers. As I slowly pull open the heavy door it creaks loudly and inside I find the cold, lifeless corpses of the store owners. I mean I knew they were dead but I didn’t expect to find their bodies here. I am horrified so I slam the door closed, run upstairs and out the door. I notice the storm has gotten worse while I was inside the store. The thunder and lightning are above me and it starts to rain. I look towards the cemetery and it still looks very well kept. Someone must still be here taking care of it. As I inch towards the cemetery I see a man from afar and he runs toward me with a shovel and a flashlight in hand. I’m already petrified from what I’ve seen in the basement. I don’t know if I should retreat or see what he has to say. The man begins to mumble strange words that I cannot understand. I ask him to repeat himself.
“Hello sir, have I done something wrong?” I yelled.
“What are you doing here? Who are you? You’re trespassing!!” he grumbled in a raspy voice.
“I’m sorry I was just curious. My name is Brian. I’ve been out of town for four years. What happened? Who’s in charge now?” I inquire.
“I’m in charge, I took over when my parents died. Curiosity will kill you in these parts son. I suggest you leave now” he replies in an ominous tone.
I freeze in my spot. The storm has gotten worse maybe I should just leave, but I still have so many questions. Why are the dead parents still down stairs?
“Did you hear me son?! I told you that you should leave, you’re in danger here” he bellows at me.
Just as I turn to walk away, it starts down pouring, lightning hits a tree and the wind picks up. I can barely see where I’m walking and suddenly the wind starts swirling around me and all I can hear is the cackling of thunder. I hear the voice of an old woman “Brriiann, you should never disturb the dead. Leave now before I steal your soul. Leave now or ELSE!!”
I am terror-stricken. I try running away but it’s too dark and I keep tripping over the tombstones. There are more and more voices and warnings being shouted at me. I run as fast as I can and I finally get to my car. After what felt like a mile long run the tornado-like wind has stopped swirling around me and the storm has started to clear. I quickly get into my car; I’m no longer curious, just filled with adrenaline due to the fear that consumes me. I look up and my windshield is fogged over so I turn the heat on to clear the fog as fast as possible. As the fog clears I see written on my windshield “STAY AWAY!” With fog still on my windshield I speed away as fast as I can.
…
I managed to avoid that place but exactly one year later I am forced to drive by that side of the common while the other side was closed for repairs. Out of nowhere a flock of black crows smashes into my windshield and I swerve into a large tree. As I get out to assess the damage I hear my name being called “Briiiaannnn”. I looked towards the old store. To my surprise I see an old woman rocking back and forth in a rocking chair. She looks just like the old store owner.
But how? I’ve seen her dead body.
“Briaaannnnn I warned you to stayyy awayyy Briannn, do you see what happens when you don’t listennnnn” she manically cackles and slowly starts vanishing.
By: Amelia Dupont, Emily Verville, Aaron Vieria, and Brian Powell
After being out of Berkley for four years I finally decide to visit my family. Nothing has changed; the town is just as desolate and decrepit as I remember. There is one thing that is different though. The old town store is abandoned. I do remember receiving a letter from my ma telling me that the old couple that owned it was found dead by their son. People were clearly avoiding the building. I stop my car and get out. As I slowly approach the building bats fly out, it’s eerie but it does not affect me. The sky gets darker and I can hear thunder crackling in the distance and the dark, almost black clouds slowly roll in. Damn this New England weather. To avoid the rain and to fulfill my curiosity I disregard the signs that say “keep out” and I slowly open the creaky door. Now that I’m inside the store I notice that all the windows are cracked, not much light is getting in so I move slowly to avoid the cob webs and bats hanging from the low ceiling. I freeze dead in my tracks when I hear a crash from the basement.
Maybe it’s just another curious wanderer like me, a homeless man or a stray dog. But what if it’s not!?
I start to get really nervous as I hear the creaking of footsteps on the old floorboards. It seems like the steps are getting closer. I get distracted by the pile of ammunition on the floor in the corner. I walk towards it until I notice there are stairs. This peaks my curiosity so I descend down the stairs. My curiosity outweighs my fear of what could be down there. I use rational thinking to convince myself that the worst thing that could be down there are old supplies and spider webs. Once I get to the bottom of the stairs it is very dark and musty. Once my eyes adjust to the darkness the basement seems completely normal. I’m not scared at all until I pull back the curtain and reveal a metal table and walls lined with cold chambers like ones found in a morgue. It’s still very cold and frigid as if the chambers are still in use.
I know the owner of this store was also the grave keeper for the graveyard next door. But why would he keep the dead bodies under here and why would they still be here? How would they still have power? Who’s paying the bills?
After looking around I decide to open one of cold chambers. As I slowly pull open the heavy door it creaks loudly and inside I find the cold, lifeless corpses of the store owners. I mean I knew they were dead but I didn’t expect to find their bodies here. I am horrified so I slam the door closed, run upstairs and out the door. I notice the storm has gotten worse while I was inside the store. The thunder and lightning are above me and it starts to rain. I look towards the cemetery and it still looks very well kept. Someone must still be here taking care of it. As I inch towards the cemetery I see a man from afar and he runs toward me with a shovel and a flashlight in hand. I’m already petrified from what I’ve seen in the basement. I don’t know if I should retreat or see what he has to say. The man begins to mumble strange words that I cannot understand. I ask him to repeat himself.
“Hello sir, have I done something wrong?” I yelled.
“What are you doing here? Who are you? You’re trespassing!!” he grumbled in a raspy voice.
“I’m sorry I was just curious. My name is Brian. I’ve been out of town for four years. What happened? Who’s in charge now?” I inquire.
“I’m in charge, I took over when my parents died. Curiosity will kill you in these parts son. I suggest you leave now” he replies in an ominous tone.
I freeze in my spot. The storm has gotten worse maybe I should just leave, but I still have so many questions. Why are the dead parents still down stairs?
“Did you hear me son?! I told you that you should leave, you’re in danger here” he bellows at me.
Just as I turn to walk away, it starts down pouring, lightning hits a tree and the wind picks up. I can barely see where I’m walking and suddenly the wind starts swirling around me and all I can hear is the cackling of thunder. I hear the voice of an old woman “Brriiann, you should never disturb the dead. Leave now before I steal your soul. Leave now or ELSE!!”
I am terror-stricken. I try running away but it’s too dark and I keep tripping over the tombstones. There are more and more voices and warnings being shouted at me. I run as fast as I can and I finally get to my car. After what felt like a mile long run the tornado-like wind has stopped swirling around me and the storm has started to clear. I quickly get into my car; I’m no longer curious, just filled with adrenaline due to the fear that consumes me. I look up and my windshield is fogged over so I turn the heat on to clear the fog as fast as possible. As the fog clears I see written on my windshield “STAY AWAY!” With fog still on my windshield I speed away as fast as I can.
…
I managed to avoid that place but exactly one year later I am forced to drive by that side of the common while the other side was closed for repairs. Out of nowhere a flock of black crows smashes into my windshield and I swerve into a large tree. As I get out to assess the damage I hear my name being called “Briiiaannnn”. I looked towards the old store. To my surprise I see an old woman rocking back and forth in a rocking chair. She looks just like the old store owner.
But how? I’ve seen her dead body.
“Briaaannnnn I warned you to stayyy awayyy Briannn, do you see what happens when you don’t listennnnn” she manically cackles and slowly starts vanishing.