First completed version of BvC
Backstory
THIS BOOK IS POORLY WRITTEN, EVEN MORE SO THAN MY OTHER WORK WHICH IS SAYING A LOT! While reading, please don’t get the wrong impression about my other books. I’m sharing this book because I thought it’d be fun for readers to see my progression as a writer and see the creative process in action.
Balloons Versus Costumes was the second book I wrote. I completed the story not as a comic book, but as one written in verse similar to my first book, My Venus Fry Trap. I wasn’t happy with the story at all but still had fun writing it. Rather than refining it, I decided to move forward and write another book, The Mouse & the Immovable Mountain.
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Balloons Versus Costumes (initial completed version)
“Come one! Come all! Balloons for sale!
Buy one today and fly to the moon.
I guarantee they will not fail
And will not pop even in a typhoon.
Why hello there. Which one do you want to buy?”
A girl pointed to the one most expensive,
But then Bailey noticed something awry.
The girl was becoming a bit apprehensive.
“Costumes! Costumes! Get your scary costume!
Scare your neighbors silly this Halloween!
Be a zombie, werewolf, reaper of doom,
Or the dreaded licorice jelly bean.”
The little girl ran to Caster and bought
His most frightening costume. She put it on
And then scoured for the perfect hiding spot
To terrify those she’d come upon.
Bailey’s blood boiled until hot steam blew
From her ears. “So, you’ve come back for more.
That’s okay. It doesn’t matter. You
Have won that battle, but I’ll win the war.”
Caster stood tall with confidence. “I will
Burst your bubble like a balloon before
This day is done. Fear in you, I’ll instill.
Just wait and see what I have in store.”
“Ha! You and your costumes don’t scare me.
Anyone who’s seen a real ghost knows
That your boring old costumes are as scary
As puffy puppies dancing on rainbows.”
“You are as dumb as ever I see.
I can’t believe you can be so naive.
You really oughta be afraid of me
Instead of something that’s make believe.”
“Make believe!? Well, that old mansion,
The one that’s always shrouded in mist.
The one that no one has ever lived in.
The one where dogs bark when they’re in its midst.
On dreadful, dreary nights, you’d best be fleet
‘Cause a green gluttonous ghost makes its stop
At the building next door, the sweet
Super Happy Yummy Fun Candy Shop. “
“Candy shop?! Bailey, just like your balloon
You’re filled with hot air from your head to your feet.”
“Hot air?! You really are a big smelly buffoon.
Why else do you think we say trick-or-treat?
Trick-or-treat’ means gimme some candy
Or I’ll play a really mean trick on you’.
Anyway, ghosts go on their candy spree
When the moon looks like a banana.”
“Banana moon?! Fat baloney! Let’s make
A wager. I’ll be at that shop tonight.
If the ghost is there, then this park is yours to take.
If not, then you‘ll leave here forever. Alright?”
“Okay Caster. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I won’t be there to help you pay your due. “
#
That night, Caster walked to the candy shop.
He waited and waited, but no ghost came.
“I knew all this would be a flop.
Tomorrow, the park will be mine to claim.”
But as Caster turned around, he heard a serene
Slurp. Slurp. Slurp. He turned back and sprawling
On the sidewalk was a shapeless, green
Gooey globbity glob. It was slurping
A big round rainbow swirled cherry flavored
Yummy Fun lollipop. The ghost paid no
Attention to Caster. “You are absurd
Bailey! Go home and stop your stupid show!”
The faceless blob began to rise. It grew
And grew until it rose into the air.
Ooze dribbled to the ground. Towards Caster it flew
Like a fat slimy floating scary pear.
“Trick or treat. Trick or treat. Trick or treat”
Caster was unfazed and planted his feet.
With two of his fingers, he took out his
Trusty sewing needle and plunged his arm
Into the sweet-smelling sludge. Not deterred,
The ghost flailed its vicious t-rex arms!
“TRICK OR TRICK!
TRICK OR TRICK!!
TRICK OR TRICK!!!“
Caster panicked. “SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!
I NEED SOME CANDY QUICK!!!”
With his arm stuck and stomach all swirled,
On the back of the ghost, he saw a dirty old pair
Of pink and brownish-white colored
Balloon shaped polka dotted underwear!
He freed his arm and spun behind. A lean
Mean prick is what he gave to the big round
Bubble butt. “OW!!!” Bailey screamed as her green
Honey covered blanket fell to the ground.
She rolled off her balloon. “I lost the park
And the war,” Bailey cried. But then, Caster took a long
Hard look at the blanket and balloon. “Hark
Up. I think I know a way that we can get along.”
The next week, Caster yelled “Come one!
Come all! Costumes for sale!”
Bailey followed “Join in on the fun!
Our high-flying costumes are for sale!”
Next Halloween, children dressed up as UFOs,
Witches on brooms, graceful gliding pterosaurs,
Vampire bats, soaring dragons, superheroes,
Fluttering butterflies, flying fish and more.
In the age-old war of balloons versus costumes,
There doesn’t need to be competition.
For the two of them, there’s plenty of room
And as one, they can win through cooperation.
THE END
I hope you didn’t lose your lunch and have to eat another one after reading this.
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