"Spanish Moss" by Ethan

            “Spanish Moss” by Ethan is about an irresponsible high school guy named Trig who goes to the creek with his friends Tommy and Blake to ditch school. We can assume that Trig is a very wealthy person, since both of his parents are doctors There is definitely an element of freedom Trig lives in: his parents leave for work in the mornings early enough for Trig to decide to skip school. In other words, Trig can do whatever he wants. This one particular day during the summer before high school, Trig and his friends go to the creek with some marijuana Tommy bought from a neighbor. While high, they find a bag with a dead child’s body in it, and it haunts them ever after.

            I really like the plot of this story. It’s not the ending I expected, but that adds to the creativity of the story. I think the characterization is solid, especially Blake, whose parents are more protective than Trig’s and Tommy’s, and who is more obsessive as a result. This is particularly evident in the way Blake is planning ahead, insisting on bringing the eye drops and beverages because he knows the weed will dry them up. This comes out too when they get high and Blake seems to become paranoid. Tommy’s character is also well done in his over-the-top behavior. The one character I don’t know well is the protagonist, Trig, who should be more accessible than the others, since he is narrating the story in first person.

            In a story like this, I think the setting is vital. Ethan has chosen to name the title after the Spanish moss that hangs over the creek beside which they discover this horrible dead body. Ultimately, I think this is a horror story, and the setting should be adapted to invoke the atmosphere of horror. This element does not have to be overpowering to be effective; it could be as simple as adding a few dark words to hint at the haunting that’s coming. As the story stands now, the Spanish moss doesn’t really do enough for the setting to warrant its position in the title.