ISSUE #1

ARTICLES, STORIES, AND MORE!

HALLOWEEN EDITION

THE PAGE TURNERS

are you ready for the fear?

THE PAGE TURNERS

4-5 Halloween Tidbits

CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER FARIAL SAMIRA RAHMAN(PRESIDENT) CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER | DESIGN MASHIYAT SAIF CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER ZAHEEN TAHIAT CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER SAKIB AR RAHMAN CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER NAHIAN AL HASAN CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER RABITA SALEH CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER ISHTIAQUE HOSSAIN CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER NIHAL MOHAMMAD MAHIR
FOR SUBMITTING QUERIES, FEEDBACK AND YOUR M J KAISAR VERY OWN ARTICLES, PLEASE CONTACT:

STORY
6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 Howls At Midnight The Hatchet Man Incantations Fright

VERSES
14 15 Terrors of Halloween Pumpkin Carving 101

THE CRITIQUES
16-19 Shatter Me 20-21 The Divine Comedy

TO-DOS
22-24 6 Must Watch Movies This Halloween

JUST FOR LAUGHS

25-26 Jokes

CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER CONTRIBUTOR | WRITER AHSANUR RAHMAN

thepageturners@outlook.com https://www.facebook.com/thepageturnersclub
*some of the contents had been based on information on the internet

HALLOWEEN TIDBITS
Ever fancied going out Trick'r Treating on Halloween's Eve? Perhaps even dressing up in a spooky costume to give that old grumpy neighbour a heart attack after she opens the front door! No? All right.. but just in casedressing up as Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber would probably work wonders. Pushing jokes aside; in reality, Trick'r Treating in Bangladesh probably won't give you as big a bag of candies as you'd have hoped. Halloween, being a popular cultural festival in Western countries, has little significance and popularity in SouthEast Asia. Besides, in a country where two meals a day come by hardly for most families, demanding candies from those hardy folks isn't a good idea either. But it doesn't hurt to know more about Halloween, does it? Not surprisingly, Halloween has very deep roots, which can be traced to Roman and Catholic influence, and even deeper roots to Celtic culture. The Celts lived 2000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. They celebrated their New Year on November 1, a time which marked the end of summer and harvest, and the beginning of the cold and dark winter. Halloween has its origins from the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (pronounced "sah-win"). On the night before the New Year, the Celts believed that the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped, allowing the ghosts of the dead to return to the Earth. In addition to believing that the ghosts and spirits of the dead would harm their crops and cause havoc such as sick4

NAHIAN AL HASAN XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

ness, they also believed that this apparent phenomenon made it easier for their priests to make prophecies. For a race of ancient people oblivious of any scientific knowledge about the Earth, these prophecies were a source of comfort and direction during hard times. To commemorate the event, the priests built large bonfires where the Celts would burn their crops and animal sacrifices as an offering to Celtic deities. During the festival, the Celts wore costumes and masks to imitate the evil spirits , or appease them. By 43 A.D., the Romans had invaded the Celts, and combined their cultures. This led to the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween. In 1000 A.D., in attempts to replace the Celtic festival with a church-sanctioned holiday, the church introduced All Saints Day to honour the dead. All Saints Day was celebrated in a manner similar to Samhain. The All Saints Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. These traditions, albeit not being carried with similar intentions, still exist in the form we know today! All those facts probably made Halloween sound like such a boring event, but we all know what's fun and exciting don't we? Yes, you guessed correctly... it's TRICK'R TREATING! Trick'r Treating which had evolved 2013

popularly in more recent times has a funny side to the story, as suggested by its very name. It is common knowledge that children donned in costumes proceed from house to house demanding confectionary or sweets. Often, this activity is accompanied with the question, "Trick or treat?" The "trick" part of "trick or treat" is a threat to play a trick on the homeowner or his property if no treat is given. Trick-or-treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. It has become socially expected that if one lives in a neighborhood with children one should purchase treats in preparation for trick-or-treaters. Well, make sure you have a bag of candies ready the next time a skeleton knocks on your door... or you'll probably regret it later. However, practices carried out in Trick'r Tricking predate back to the Medievel Ages and include Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. Shakespeare mentions the practice in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1593), when Speed accuses his master of "puling [whimpering or whining] like a beggar at Hallowmas." Notice the connections yet? So, All Souls day, Hallowmas, souling, blah-blah-blah, and you've got yourself Halloween. But, we left the most important bit out. How are you going to make your Halloween special? Well, to be honest, here in Bangladesh, you can't hope to achieve anything signficant, with all the strikes and what not. But hey, here's a radical idea.. Why not carve out the faces of our beloved Prime Minister and the opposition party's leader's faces on 2013

a pumpkin, and light it up?(Get instructions to carve out Pumpkins in page-15. And when you've done it, show it to us and we'll be sure to feature it in our next issue! Make your Halloween a blast, but remember not do anything rash either!

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HOWLS AT MIDNIGHT
FARIAL SAMIRA RAHMAN XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

It spoke of the pack itself, of the legions of miles flying by under their mighty paws; of the rivers crossed and the lands conquered; it spoke of the unrelenting summer sun, the black clouds of monsoon; of the dry autumn leaves crackling underfoot and of the frigid winter air. It contained the heady feeling of the hunts, of the sinuous strikes and the mighty snap of jaws. Their very world was laid out bare in those howls- the universe guarded by these unseen sentinels as they flit through their domain, silent as specters. It was the song of the forest. The bays rose in crescendo until it enveloped the entire forest, sending shock waves down to the core of the earth. Their voices rang in my ears, daring me to decipher their riddles, tempting me with their forbidden secrets. The Children of the Moon continued their sacred ritual until their howls penetrated the heavens and reached the Moon itself.

The howls are perfectly executed, weaving a cruel, ancient melody, dredging up the true spirit of the forest. They vibrate off the gnarled trees and whisper through the bushes. Sometimes, the howls are somber and sometimes even mournful, and some other times, they howl with joy. I tried to deduce the reason behind tonights concert. Were the wolves out hunting? Or were they simply guarding their territory? Or were they still lamenting the loss of the pack member that Andrew had shot last week? Or maybe none of the above. Maybe they were just howling at the sickly yellow sickle-shaped moon that hung low in the obsidian sky, just for the heck of it. Regardless of the reason, the wolves delivered with perfection. Just like all the previous times I indulged myself in this frightful pleasure, it began with a single, eerie howl slicing through the air and silencing all in its path. One by one, the others joined in; weaving their voices around the one I supposed was the leader. Soon, the cacophony evolved into a single entity, dominating the night. It was an atrocious melody, the kind that would provoke goosebumps all over your body and make your breath quicken as the adrenaline rush hits you with the force of a thousand suns. But in that savage clamour was an untamed magnificence; the raw, undiluted power of kings. 6 PTC MAGAZINE 2013

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is originally the prologue to a book I'm working on- Wolfbane:Alpha and Omega. So yeah, you're looking at an international bestseller in the making.

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THE HATCHET MAN

ISHTIAQUE HOSSAIN XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

There were warnings all over campus about a Hatchet Man who had supposedly abused and killed a woman. All the girls were warned to walk in pairs and to stay in brightly lit areas if they had to go out at night. The sophomore and her roommate were staying in the empty dorm over Thanksgiving break, since both their families were out of the country. They had grown very bored as day followed boring day and night followed boring night. Tired of staying inside every night in fear of the Hatchet Man, her roommate suggested they have dinner at the local bar, and the sophomore agreed. The two women had lingered longer than anticipated, and it was almost midnight when the sophomore, more than a little drunk, decided to walk back to the dorm. Her roommate was busy flirting with the bartender, so she headed into the dark, silent streets, alone. The sophomore had forgotten all about the Hatchet Man warnings. It wasnt until she took a shortcut through a dark, creepy alley that she remembered there was a desperate murderer on the loose. The sophomore shivered, feeling suddenly sober and very much alone. She felt as if hostile eyes were peering out at her from every menacing shadow and darkened doorway. She quickened her pace. Was that heavy breathing she heard behind her? Were those footsteps walking in time with her own? The sophomore broke into a run, with her heart pounding fiercely, sure that someone was following her. She darted into the college campus, zigzagged through the buildings and flung herself panting into the dorm. She pounded up three flights of stairs, down the hall and slammed into her room, locking the door behind her. It was only then, leaning against the door with her heart racing, that she started to feel foolish. There was no sound from the hallway. No footsteps, no heavy breathing. No hatchet breaking through the wood of the door. She'd been a fool. The sophomore staggered to the bathroom to wash up for the night, leaving the door locked behind her. She kept glancing in the mirror to make sure that everything was secure. The scene in the mirror was normal. And there was no sound in the empty dormitory. Everything was just fine, she told herself. Then she remembered that her roommate was still at the bar. She didn't want her roommate to walk home alone, so she called the bar and asked the manager if he would arrange for her roommate to be brought home in a taxi. The music in the background was loud, and she wasn't sure if the manager understood her request. But at least she had tried. The sophomore curled up in bed with the reading lamp on, determined to wait for her 8 PTC MAGAZINE 2013

roommate. But the combination of heavy drinking and her earlier fright sent her into a deep sleep almost at once, and she did not wake up until the sun came pouring into the window, early next morning. She woke up with a hangover and rolled over, trying not to be sick in the bed. When she looked across the room, she realized that her roommate wasn't in the bed on the far wall. In fact, it looked as if her bed had not been slept in at all! She rolled to her feet, heart pounding with dread. Maybe her roommate had spent the night in the lobby? Her roommate had done that once before when out partying until the wee hours of the morning, saying it was too much trouble to climb three flights of stairs. With trembling hands, the sophomore unlocked the door and wrenched it open in search of her roommate. The unmistakable, faintly metallic scent of blood smashed into her nostrils as the door swung open. That was her only warning before her shocked eyes saw blood spattered all over the walls and floor of the third-floor hallway. She screamed in terror, leaping backwards away from the partially decapitated body of her roommate, which lay dead at her feet. Her throat was slit from end to end and blood pooled under her dead body. The nails on her outstretched hand were torn and splintered from scratching desperately at the wooden door. A black shadow lay across her roommates body. She looked up in a daze; her gaze following the black shadow to its source. Embedded in the window frame, near the entrance to the staircase, was a bloodstained hatchet outlined in the light of the rising sun.

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The humdrum day had begun to end and the once bright blue sky had darkened; night had fallen. Rouges hollow eyes had been filled with anticipation and excitement. Her entangled hay colored hair had been matted with dust and dirt her clothes tattered and dirt lay undisturbed under her nail beds. A smile lingering on the lips of the girl she had completed a crucial part of her plan before sneaking back to the lavish castle that overlooked the forest. The castle was to have a grand ball that evening. Maids ran to finish the decorations of the castle in due time. The queen was immersed in royal duties along with the king, although she had the full responsibility of the ball on herself. It was rumored that the ball was to honor the king's only daughter, Rouge, and to search for the worthy prince who would take her hand for marriage. Deep into the chambers of the castle, the girl washed away the dirt and grime from her body and cleaned her matted blonde hair until it was shiny and luscious. The solemn eyes had lit up as she prepared for the ball, but there was a sense of anticipation in her movement. Guests have started to arrive at the entrance - this was made very clear by the maids shuffling to make the last minute decorations in place. Her eyes then were slowly moving to the bright harvest moon hovering in the obsidian sky. This also indicated that it was finally time. The girl brought out her treasured brown sack from under her bed and stowed a chair underneath the handle of her door. She cleared all the contents of the bag on the empty table and brought out several objects hidden in the drawers. A withered book was flipped to a desired page full of intricate diagrams and instructions. The girl's finger slithered through the page after which she ran 10 across the room to retrieve any other articles needed. She brought out a knife and slowly went near her feline friend, Luxor with eyes filled with determination, just no remorse. Luxor's blood was now stained on the tip of knife and mixed in the crystalline bowl with the sage and wild herbs. The girl slowly lit all the candles on the table. Her eyes would flicker back to the worn out book every now and then. She could still hear the banging of trays and pots whenever a servant would pass by. The girl then changed her blood stained corset to an elegant green gown she was to wear to the ball. Her features had softened when she disposed of her beloved cat but she knew it would be worth it in the end. She then began. Her eyes remained glued to the tattered book as she chanted soundlessly in a dead language. The chants would slowly increase in volume in a much harsher voice unrecognizable to the princess. She began to take the handful of the mixture she had prepared into a make shift fire that boiled a potion of eggs, beetles, jasmine and blood of her cat. In time, she would be known as the world's most beautiful person, she hoped; as the potion began to brew, she combed her honey coloured hair that held the crown in all its glory. She knew that by now people were anticipating her arrival - and she would grace them by her presence in a matter of minutes. She went back to her potion, and she took it off the make shift fire before pouring it into a gold goblet. She smirked, taking a sip from it. She felt pain, a squirm escaped from her lips, and then it was all over. The princess slowly touched her face, wondering whether she was successful in her endeavour. She looked at her mirror and smiled, she looked flawless. 2013

A knock on the door brought her back to reality, the time was ripe. The princess took one last glimpse of herself in the mirror and proceeded. The orchestra blared classic symphonies, and then dramatically stopped to mark the entrance of the princess. With her head held high, the princess took one step at a time walking down the staircase. People gasped and shook in horror, people screamed at the top of their lungs - the princess was confused, and she placed her palm on top of her forehead, only to meet with a cool solid structure, not her soft, warm skin. She had messed it up, Princess Rouge was a monster.

INCANTATIONS
MASHIYAT SAIF XI GIRLS' SECTION

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STORY
and when the surface tension could bear no more, the fluid slowly broke off- drip...dripsdrip. The recurring sound of liquid dripping in the distance was the first to register into my mind, which accompanied by the stench of iron that assailed my nostrils sent my brain into overdrive- blood. Shaking this completely irrational thought out of my mind, with eyes still tightly shut, I reevaluated the situation. Images of the scarred eleven year old girl, descending a staircase on all fours, bent over backwards, her torso arching up, kept passing through my closed eyelids. I cursed myself again for overdosing on the horror movies last night. It was Halloween for heavens sake! Whats Halloween without a little fright? I concentrated again on the current situation. Not blood! I rolled my eyes under my eyelids. Leaking iron pipes. Completely reasonable since the house was being renovated and the bathroom next to this room had its pipes exposed. Giving it a further thought I concluded that I hadnt noticed the smell or sound before falling asleep because I was panic-stricken to the point where the only thing I could see everywhere I turned was the girl in the white bloody dress from the movie. Closing my eyes and ignoring all physical or mental stimuli I had drifted into a very restless sleep the result of which was the sound of leaking pipes waking me up at 3 in the morning, and deceiving me into thinking of blood before anything else. It made me laugh how I still hadnt opened my eyes even after having solved the dilemma. And then I laughed again at how I had laughed with my eyes closed. Some part of me was utterly convinced that if I opened my eyes I would witness something that I would regret. The phrase What has been seen cannot be unseen kept ridiculously passing through my head. I decided I was being ridiculous. At the count of three I am going to open my eyes and I will witness nothing out of the ordinary. One, two, three 2013

FRIGHT

RABITA SALEH

The blank white ceiling met my eyes. See nothing to be worried about. Just for the sake of being completely assured however I looked around at the entire room. Or at least that was what I had in mind. However when I tried to turn my head, I couldnt! I couldnt move a muscle of my body. My heart began thumping wildly against my ribs. I rolled my pupils in all directions trying to see a reason for this sudden paralysed state of my body. The moment the word paralysed went through my head I knew what was happening. Sleep paralysis. The logical centre of my brain told me to just calm down and wait. The phenomenon would run its course and then pass away. In a minute however I sensed someone pushing me vigorously, as though trying to wake me up, around my waist. All logic went down the drain at that one instance. What in the world was happening! I tried looking at who it was but I couldnt raise my head enough for it. I tried screaming out, but the fear had caught my tongue. Tears trickled down from the corners of my eyes, while my face was contorted in a silent cry for help. Slowly, in what felt like a millennium did the feeling ebb away from the tips of my fingers and toes. I sat up, and wiped the tears away resting my head on my knees and breathing deeply. This was the single most terrifying moment of my life till then. How was I to know then, that another event that was going to take place during the course of that night would make this incident seem like childs play? I got out of bed after almost half an hour and made my way towards the bathroom. I had had time to think about this clearly and remembered that when the senses begin to come back to the body after sleep paralysis the blood flow sometimes causes sensations

such as being pushed or pulled. The thought comforted me. I lived in a state of mind where logic was everything. No matter how scary a phenomenon was, if I knew the logic behind the proceedings my fear would evaporate. The lights were out, but darkness had never bothered me much. Also it was a full moon so the sliver of light coming in through the narrow window was more than enough for me to be able to discern my surroundings. I sprayed water on my face, and then washed the length of my arm. The water felt good, so I decided to just give up and take a shower. I turned the water on, letting it seep into my hair and flow down my body. Suddenly the iron smell got a lot stronger. The liquid ran red and glutinous. I screamed out loud, tasting the blood on my lips. However I knew no one would hear my muffled voice. My uncle and aunt where in the opposite wing of the house; and my cousin with whom I was having a sleepover had taken cold medicine before going to bed, so she definitely wouldnt wake up. Turning the shower off was useless. The blood kept flowing. Words will never be able to portray what happened next. Through my own sane eyes I could see a dark shadow creep through the slit beneath the bathroom door and the floor. It then rose up, slithered till it was just above my head, and then it fell on my shoulders. The weight of the creature buckled me off my feet making me land on my knees. How was this happening? The grounds of logic on which I stood ceased to be solid beneath my feet. The last thing I remember seeing before losing consciousness was a pair of dark hands creeping towards my neck.

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VERSES

TERRORS OF HALLOWEEN
SAKIB AR RAHMAN XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

Ghouls strike in the deadly night, You see not a single ray of light, Your world is filled with the dark forces and the undead, It is one of those days when you want to crawl and hide beneath your bed. It was the Hallows eve, the Halloween night A time when absolutely nothing went right. She was out in the woods all alone, She was frightened, scared to the bone. The werewolves howl at the full silver moon, The vampire stalks, thirsty again really soon. The witch flies through the dark sky on her magic broom, Mummies curse and speak of your impending doom. Her heart beats began racing, She fears, her, someone is chasing. The winds howled, trees bent, branches tried to slap her, Two eyes she saw, behind the woods, she called out sir? No reply. Should she run, talk or should she hide? Her desultory mind swayed side to side. The figure advanced at a snails pace, She started counting her days. The stranger was like her, frightened and just a guy, She swallowed her fear for she now had some company to enjoy. He did not look like a ghost or any of those other creeps, She was relieved but then she saw something under his lips, Long teeth, his fangs, real and bare, He smiled and advanced with a spooky glare. She stood shocked, could not move, it was the worst, He approached gradually to quench his thirst. She raised her torch, and he started to glow, Disgusted, on his head she gave a hard blow. She made a face and further into the forest she crept, The glowing vampire stood in disbelief and wept.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have nothing against twilight fans but you have to admit, the idea of glowing vampires is ridiculous.

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Some of the passages are really well written

THE CRITIQUES

:Ive run out of words. My pockets are full of letters I

REVIEW: SHATTER ME
ZAHEEN TAHIAT XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

cant string together and Im so desperate to say something that I say nothing and my heart is about to burst through my chest.
See? Told you they were good! Because of this writing, I found Juliette an enjoyable character.

Author: Tahereh Mafi Series: Shatter Me#1 Published by: Harpen Teen on November 15, 2011 Genres: Dystopian, Sci-Fi Pages: 338

Juliette has been locked away in a mental asylum for 264 days, while the world around her crumbles into pieces from starvation and death. She is lethal, and was accused of being a mental You cant touch me, I whispered. patient and a murderer after Im lying is what I dont tell him. she had accidentally killed He can touch me, is what Ill never someone she had been in solitary confinement ever tell him. since. The Reestablishment Please touch me, is what I want to has taken over the world in tell him. charge of all this insanity. The Bad things happen when people twist takes place when we see that The Reestablishment touch me. has not thrown her aside for Strange things. the good, but to use her as Bad things. their own weapon of torture.

Dead things.

Tahereh Mafis Shatter Me No one knows why Juliettes touch was a complete mixture of is fatal, but The Reestablishment Hunger Games, X-men and, has plans for her. Plans to use her partially, The Host. Here, let as a weapon. But Juliette has plans me break it down for you1) Hunger Games beof her own. After a lifetime without cause of the unnatural meanfreedom, shes finally discovering a ingless war and the bureaustrength to fight back for the very cracy. first time and to find a future with 2) X-men because of the one boy she thought shed lost the characters having super powers. The lead, Juliette, forever. had the power Rouge had in X-men. 16 PTC MAGAZINE

3) The Host because when all hopes were lost they found refuge in a place where there were more people like them preparing to fight back. Tahereh Mafis writing is very descriptive depending greatly on metaphors and imagery. Some readers may find it beautiful and poetic while others find it irritating and excessive. Id have to stay neutral for this one I didnt want to burn it in the furnace, but I didnt want to fall asleep while hugging it either. There were a few things I hate but there were things I enjoyed as well. For example:

How old are you? Ill be eleven next year. I grin. So youre ten years old? He crosses his arms. Frowns. I'll be twelve in two years. I think I already love this kid.
See? I just know there is promise there! B) Adam - I love Adam for his devotion, his courage, his honor, his tattoos, and his sacrifices. And I love them together. He was a bit of a jerk in the beginning (arent they always?) but as we read on we see an explanation of that attitude. Hes a good guy, although he falls in the category of being too perfect but he isnt a character I thought needed major adjustments. C) The Romance Juliette and Adam together are too dramatic and too perfect but I also found their romance quite believable. The fact that it wasnt love at first sight was nice they grew up together which was a sensible reason for their powerful attraction. While this blooming attraction I can accept the other is just plain stupid. Seriously Juliette? You are falling for Warner? Stupid girl. 2013

This doesnt seem like much of a problem since all her devotion is towards Adam. But we all know how thats going to play out Juliette and Adam are going to drift apart for some reason , physically or emotionally , Juliette is going to go all boo-hoo and depressed then Warner is going to be the good guy and sweep her into his arms. Aaaaand they are going to fall madly in love and that, my readers, is when the soap opera begins. And if that doesnt happen, theres always the heros friend, Kenji, to add the spice. WHAT I HATED: A) The Writing : Tahereh Mafi just LOVES using big words and metaphors and imagery where is completely unnecessary and a bore ! Trust me, Im a huge fan of imagery, but there are some points in the book where it makes no sense at all!

WHAT I LOVED:

A) The Writing : Taherehs use of cross outs was certainly something new something thatll catch anyones attention. I admit, the first few chapters bored me but as the story proceeds that makes no sense! But the book also has a bright ray of light shining through it the writing is light, clever and quite funny! 2013

He shifts and my eyes shatter into thousands of pieces that ricochet around the room, capturing a million snapshots, a million moments in time. Flickering images faded with age, frozen thoughts hovering precariously in dead space, a whirlwind of memories that slice through my soul.
The passages make the novel far more melodramatic than it actually is. And sometimes the words and the drama and the metaphors are so unnecessary that its just plain annoying!

His gaze is fixed on me: calm, unflappable; 2 buckets of river water at midnight. Id like to cry into his eyes.
Wait, what? What does that mean? Or this: 17

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Hate looks just like everybody else until it smiles. Until it spins Really? Why cant the girl just fall in love around and lies with lips and teeth carved into the semblance of and just stay in love? Does it really have to throw in another OMG-type hot guy in when something too passive to punch."

despite its flaws it has a promise. Ill still be reading the rest of the trilogy to see how it really turns out.

I reread these lines so many times but I just couldnt grasp what it actually mean B) Juliette Leaving out the fact that she can kill people just by touching them she is actually described as miss perfect. Her character is too stereotyped she stays away from people because she thinks shes a monster, yet doesnt see how beautiful and kind and smart and amazing and wonderful she really is. Even the deadly lethal touch isnt much of a downside since all the oozingly hot male characters in the book thinks shes just the best thing in the whole wide world. The only downside to Juliette is that shes too scared and insecure. She doesnt think she deserves love, friendship or any sort of human connections. SO the moral she learns by the end of this book? She accepts herself. Basically she goes from denying shes perfect to believing shes perfect. Oh wow! Lets happy dance? C) Love Triangle well that was obvious wasnt it? The series would be considered a YA if it doesnt have acan you guess it? Than say it with me! LOOOVVEEE TRIAAANGLEE. Good job! 18

she has already found her Mr. Perfect? So you are probably wondering how she can actually have a relationship with either of the guys when she can kill people when she touches then. Good question! And now the very CONVENIENT TWIST IN PLOT takes place! Now listen, Juliette can kill anyone, or nearly kill anyone, but with a brush of her skin BUT she can fall into the arms of both the incredibly hot male characters, who are her age and are both madly in love with her without killing then. Oh how convenient! Juliettes feelings for Adam are acceptable, I mean cmon! Hes perfect (*swoons*) Hes kind and generous and caring and whatnot. But Warner? Seriously? Cmon Juliette hes been a complete arse! He has done nothing but abuse her all her life yet she feels conflicted of her feelings. Seriously, help me strangle her! Now this heart-bleeding-ly love story is yet to take off but I think its pretty obvious how its going to turn out. The seed has been planted no going back now. SOOO, Yeah, I kind of liked Shatter Me, despite its flaws it has a promise. Ill still be reading. PTC MAGAZINE 2013

Favorite Quote:
"The sun is an arrogant thing, always leaving the world behind when it tires of us. The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. Its always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day its a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human.
See? I told you it had promise

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BOOKWORMS

The Divine Comedy: Inferno Summary Canto I-V

Canto I: Summary:
AHSANUR RAHMAN XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

Dante recounts that in the middle of his life, he found himself lost in a dark forest, having lost the right path while half asleep. the sight of a hill, the top of which was sunlit. However, when he tried to climb the hill to reach the brighter regions, he found his way blocked by three savage animals: first a leopard, then a lion, then a she-wolf. Dante was too frightened to continue, and retreated back to the forest, where fortunately he met the shade of Virgil, his literary hero. Virgil informed him that the three beasts were impassible: the she-wolf would reign until the greyhound came and slew her, and restored peace to Italy. In the meantime, Virgil would lead Dante to salvation, but first they must pass through Hell. Virgil would not be able to take Dante all the way to Paradise, since as a Pagan he had no right to enter there instead a more worthy soul would take him the final part of the way. Dante gladly accepted his offer.

"the Chosen Vessel," (St. Paul) who had descended to Hell and returned from there victoriously. He asked Virgil for guidance, and Virgil told him not to surrender to cowardice. In order to give him heart, Virgil said that Beatrice herself had descended from Paradise to Limbo to find him (Limbo is the place in Hell for worthy Pagans who lived before Christ). Concerned about Dante, she had asked Virgil to lead him to safety. Gallantly, Virgil had agreed. He discovered that not only Beatrice, but two other blessed ladies, Lucia and Rachel, were also concerned for Dante, having been warned by "a gentle lady" that he risks damnation. Hearing that his love had not forgotten him, Dante was much encouraged, and he resolved to unflinchingly follow Virgil wherever he would lead him.

souls of those who lived without disgrace and without praise," as well as the angels who sided neither with God nor with Satan in Satan's rebellion. These cowardly people were tormented by wasps, flies and worms. They are shut out of both Hell and Heaven, disdained by the forces of good and evil alike. Dante and Virgil approached the shore of the river Acheron, which forms the boundary of true Hell. Charon, a demon in the shape of an old man, warned the waiting souls of the torments in store for them, and told Dante that he, a living man, could not cross the river. However Virgil told him that God had willed it, and Charon could not countermand that order. The exhausted, bitter and despairing damned souls were forced by Charon across the Acheron on his boat. Even as the first group of the damned crossed the river, more crowds assembled on the bank, waiting, unable to resist their fate. The earth trembled and Dante, terrified, fell unconscious.

welcomed by four giants, Homer, Ovid, Horace, and Lucan. Dante was very pleased to find himself accepted into their number as the sixth great intellect. Speaking of solemn things, they came to the castle of Limbo, surrounded by a green meadow, where the great non-Christian souls lived. Dante lists both characters of Classical literature (Electra, Hector, Aeneas...), famous Romans (Caesar, Lucretia...), philosophers, writers, scientists, doctors, and musicians. He gives particular honor to "the master of men who know" (Aristotle), and also mentions famous Arabs, Avicenna and Averroes. Leaving these heroic souls, Dante and Virgil continued on into darkness.

Canto III: Summary:

Canto II: Summary:

It was evening. Dante invokes the Muses to help him tell his story. He began to doubt his worthiness to make the great voyage through Hell, and compared his weakness to the strength of "he who fathered Sylvius" (Aeneas) and ""the Chosen Vessel," and 20

Dante and Virgil arrived at the gateway of Hell, whose famous inscription ends with the words: "Abandon hope, ye who enter here." The damned shall suffer eternally and Hell will endure forever, in Dante's vision. Past the gate, Dante heard voices of suffering and despair that mad him weep. Virgil told him that he was hearing the

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Dante and Virgil descended into the second circle of Hell, where the demon Minos, a conoisseur of sin, assigns each guilty soul its rightful place: after hearing what the soul has to say, he wraps his tail around his body, and the number of times the tail wraps around Canto IV: Summary: is the number of the circle where the sinner Dante awakened to find himself on the must go. Minos challenged Dante and Virgil, brink of an abyss. Seeing Virgil turn pale, he but is silenced when Virgil claims a divine was afraid to go into it, but Virgil explained order. that his palor was the result of compassion The first circle is characterized by a wind rather than of fear: the first circle of Hell con- which whirls the souls about endlessly, never tained his people. giving them a chance to rest. These are the In the first circle, Limbo, there were sighs lustful, including those who died for love: rather than wails: it was peaceful yet sad. Semiramis, Cleopatra, Helen, Paris, Tristan, Multitudes of people, infants, women, and Achilles, Dido... Dante was struck by pity, men, stayed there. Virgil explained that these and asked to speak to two souls who clung were those who were virtuous, but lacked together as they were blown around. The baptism and hence could not be saved. Virsouls floated over to him, and one of them gil was one of them. Dante was sorry to see spoke, telling how she had fallen in love these unhappy good souls, and asked if anywhile reading about Lancelot with her lover. one had ever been able to leave Limbo. Virgil She described the great power of love, and said that he had seen a Great Lord come and the deaths she and her lover suffered for it, rescue Adam, Abel, Noah, Moses, Rachel, deeply affecting Dante, who recognized her and other early Israelites. as Francesca. The other soul wept, and Dante They came to the place where particularly fainted out of pity. honorable shades were, and Virgil was 21 2013 PTC MAGAZINE

Canto V: Summary:

TO-DOS 6 MOVIES TO WATCH THIS HALLOWEEN

NIHAL MOHAMMAD MAHIR XI A UTTARA SENIOR CAMPUS

03. THE CORPSE BRIDE

01. HOCUS POCUS

Halloween is right here and those of you who don't want to spend all day trick-or-treating and decorating the house but rather keep the day to yourselves, for them these "Hallovies" (for those of you still dwindling in the mist, ''Hallovies'': Halloween Movies!)would be perfect. These mostly classic hallovies will not fail to deliver the right amount of fun and thrill!

The people of Salem capture and execute three witches for practicing witchcraft. Before their deaths, they vow to return to Salem 300 years on Halloween to exact their revenge. Three hundred years later, a skeptical, newly transplanted Californian, Max, explores the ruins of the legendary witches house and dares the witches to manifest themselves. Review: A break-even release during the summer of '93, this Disney comedy has since emerged as a favorite around Halloween, though it strictly remains more "trick" than "treat." Goofy witches and things that bump all over the place...fair family fun. Its an easy and fun Halloween watch to get you in the mood. It is very Disney with very cheesy characters and the romance between the two kids is typically teen but I guess that's the type of film their target market wants to see. The cat is very well done and cute too.

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In 1895, Dracula builds a resort in Transylvania, hidden from the humans, to raise his beloved daughter Mavis in a safe environment. In the present days, the place is the Hotel Transylvania, where monsters bring their families to spend vacation far from the frightening humans. Dracula invites his friends - Frankenstein and his wife Eunice; Wayne and Wanda, the werewolves; Griffin, the invisible man; Murray, the mummy; the Bigfoot, among others - to celebrate the 118th birthday of Mavis. When the party is ready to start, the 21-year-old HUMAN Jonathan is walking through the forest and stumbles at the hotel. PTC MAGAZINE 2013

02. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

Victor (voice of Johnny Depp) lives in a small European village in the 19th century, where he is pledged to marry Victoria (voice of Emily Watson), a partnership arranged by their parents. The two only meet the day before their scheduled nuptials, and Victor performs disastrously in the wedding rehearsal. Later that evening, while he is walking through the woods and hopelessly practicing his vows, he puts Victoria's wedding band on what looks like a branch. Victor quickly discovers this was a big mistake; as it happens, he has put the ring on the skeletal finger of the enchanted Corpse Bride (voice of Helena Bonham Carter), who then whisks him off to a dark and mysterious netherworld where they are now married. Review:"The Corpse Bride" is a near perfect fairy tale. The gruesome story is leavened by much humor, some of which wouldn't be out of place in an old-time vaudeville show. A spider, approaching Victor, murmurs, "I'm a widow." In the underworld, a corpse notes Victor's presence and shouts, "He's a breather!" "Does he have a dead brother?" wonders another, while another gives new meaning to the term "jaw-dropping." (You wait for In the world behind our closet doors, monsomeone to observe that Emily has kept her ghoulish sters like Mike and Sulley work hard for figure nicely.) their income. To be exact, the monster But what makes "Corpse Bride" sing, ultimately, is the world depends on our children's screams: breadth of imagination that it demonstrates; creating It is their energy that makes light bulbs a cluttered, textured and mysteriously beautiful world glow and cars drive. Big companies like that we're loathe to leave at the end. Monsters, Inc. collect the scream energy, and many monsters work there in shifts. In these times, it is getting harder and harder to shock the kids properly, since they're so spoiled by television, so that there's an energy shortage in the monster world. Review:"Monsters Inc." is the type of film that no matter how old you are, the kid deep down inside you will love it. The animators of this film take everything into account, making this look gorgeous inside and out, down to the very last hair on the Monster's bodies. It's written perfectly with just the right number of jokes and subtle moments, and the screen time of everyone is timed perfectly.

04. MONSTERS INC.

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06. HALLOWEEN

05. CASPER

Casper is a friendly but lonely young ghost who can't seem to help scaring people. Then, one day, two new visitors show up on the doorstep of his fantastically haunted house, Whipstaff Manor: Kat Harvey and her eccentric dad, Dr. Harvey, a selfstyled "ghost therapist." Whipstaff's scheming owner, Carrigan Crittenden, has hired Harvey to exorcise the house's spectral inhabitants so that she can get her hands on the manor's fabled treasure. Unfortunately for Dr. Harvey, the Ghostly Trio--Fatso, Stinkie, and Stretch--have their own methods of getting rid of unwanted visitors--and a certifiably twisted sense of humor. Review: Considering I've never been a HUGE fan of Casper (then again who is these days?), I wasn't expecting a whole lot, but I was surprised at how good I thought the film was. Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci both do decent jobs and you can sense the relationship of father and daughter with the two, and the kid who played Casper does a good job at pulling off his personality, but the characters that steal the show are the ghostly trio, Stretch, Stinky and Fatso.Not only are all three of these guys entertaining as hell as these characters, but they make them each funny, give them distinct voices, and make each character just mean but the likable and funny kind of mean. So that's all for now folks! Have fun with the movies and don't forget to thank me later! Happy Halloween! 24 PTC MAGAZINE

It was "The Night HE Came Home''. In Haddonfield, IL, on Halloween night 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers inexplicably slaughters his teenage sister. His psychiatrist Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) can't penetrate Michael's psyche after years of institutionalization, but he knows that, when Myers escapes before Halloween in 1978, there is going to be hell to pay for in Haddonfield. Review: Ok, this one might not give off the ''funny yet scary'' vibe like all the others listed here but is an actual horror classic that you can watch for a change if you are bored with the other type. Violent but never gory, "Halloween" is a masterwork of sheer, unadulterated suspense, blanketing low-key, tastefully layered humanity in an identifiably peaceful setting with the kind of darkness that can, and does, exist in the real world. To call "Halloween" merely brilliant isn't giving it enough credit. As a horror film and as a historical milestone that single-handedly shaped and altered the future of an entire genre, it's downright transcendent.

JUST FOR LAUGHS

M.J. KAISAR XI A UTTARA SENIOR SECTION

Q&A Q: What type of monster really loves dance music? A: The boogie man Q: Why was the skeleton scared to cross the road? A: Because there was a dog on the other side. Q: Frankenstein and Dracula had a match. Who won? A: Frankenstein, because Dracula sucks! Q: What did the zombies ex say when she wouldnt stop calling? A: Youre DEAD to me! Q: What is a mummy's favourite type of music? A: Rap music. Q: What did the ghost teacher say to her class? A:"Watch the board and I'll go through it again." Q: How was Frankenstien's birth? A: Shocking. Q:What kind of streets do zombies live on? A: Dead-ends. Q: Why is a skeleton so mean? A: He doesnt have a heart. Q: Why couldn't the mummy attend the meeting? A: He was all tied up.

TWO MONSTERS IN A BAR

Two monsters went to a bar. Suddenly one said to the other, A lady just rolled her eyes at me. What should I do? Be a gentleman and roll them back to her.

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The Bloody Vampire Bat Joke

A giant vampire bat came flapping in from the night covered in fresh red blood and parked himself on the roof of the cave to get a good nights sleep. Pretty soon all the other vampire bats smelled the sweet blood that covered the giant vampire bat and began hassling him about where he got it. He told them to go away and let him get some sleep but they persisted until finally he gave in. OK, follow me he said and flew out of the cave with thousands of flying vampire bats behind him. Down through the valley they went, across a river and into a forest full of trees. Finally he slowed down and all the other Halloween Misspelling Tombvampire bats excitedly milled around him. Now, do you see that tree over there? he stone Joke asked. Five young guys were walking home after a Yes, Yes, Yes! the vampire bats all Halloween party and decided to take a shortscreamed in a frenzy. cut through the local cemetery just for some Good said the giant vampire bat, Belate night laughs. cause I sure as hell didnt! Right in the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a loud tap-tap-tapping noise coming from somewhere in the misty dark cemetry. The five of them were terrified and trembling with fear, they started to walk a little faster. They some came across an very old white man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones. Holy cow, Mister, one of them said after recatching his breath, You scared us half to death we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night? Those fools! the very old white man grumbled. They misspelled my name!

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