An exquisite corpse is a method by which a collection of stories is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence by being allowed to see only the end of what the previous person contributed. This exquisite corpse project is a result of the written contributions of the Cedar Crest College community over two semesters.
Our starting sentence: “And I knew right then that nobody had a secret as great and terrible as mine.“
And I knew right then that nobody had a secret as great and terrible as mine. Buried in the woods, under masses of dead pine.
By Pamela Snure
Buried in the woods, under masses of dead pine was a shoe box. The box was moldy, with the cardboard shredding at the corners. “Why is there a random shoebox in the forest?” The youngest one asked.
When they opened it, there was yet another shoe box but smaller, not as moldy. They opened the second and uncovered a third shoe box, but with a sticky note on top. The note said if you want to know my contents, you need to throw me off the nearest waterfall.
The group noticed a stream near the box and they followed it to a waterfall. The youngest, before letting the group create a plan, threw the shoebox in the waterfall and yelled at the top of their lungs, “YEET!”
By Grace Hurd
The youngest, before letting the group create a plan, threw the shoebox in the waterfall and yelled at the top of their lungs, “YEET!”
It was the best yell they had in a long time.
By Gina Dubzak
It was the best yell they had in a long time. The daughter yelled at the mom, “This isn’t a phase, this is who I am!”
She wore all black with only mascara and black eyeliner. Getting ready for her first day of middle school.
By Cassidy Niederland
Getting ready for her first day of middle school, her nerves were at an all-time high. She didn’t know what to expect. Would boys like her? Were aliens going to come down from outer space and abduct them all?
By Olivia Roberts
Were aliens going to come down from outer space and abduct them all? Not again, Anya thought. She’s already lost so much. She was determined to prevent that from happening again. A deep breath, and her resolve was set. No one else would have to suffer, not on her watch.
By Tristan O’Souza
No one else would have to suffer, not on her watch. Unless… a monster showed up and started murdering everyone.
By Anonymous
Unless… a monster showed up and started murdering everyone. Actually, she thought about it, that sounds nice. Nodding her head, she decided to find a book on rituals.
By Anonymous
Nodding her head, she decided to find a book on rituals. As she was looking for a way to heal her mother she soon realized that the ritual would take the eyes of a human. She desperately ripped out her own eyes, chanted the words, and quietly bled out, “I love you, Mom,” she said last.
By Anonymous
She desperately ripped out her own eyes, chanted the words, and quietly bled out, “I love you, Mom,” she said last.
Eli said, “Quit being dramatic. It’s only allergies!”
She contemplated her dream of being a lavender farmer, slipping away with every sneeze.
By Anonymous
She contemplated her dream of being a lavender farmer, slipping away with every sneeze. Until, one day, she became nothing more than a sneeze in another person’s memory.
By Anonymous
Until, one day, she became nothing more than a sneeze in another person’s memory. And deep down, she knew that. Where her identity melted away and she considered that having no identity was having an identity itself. There was no point in becoming something tangible in this world where there were too many hands to touch it. She was saddened by the thought, but it also gave her freedom. She decided there was more value in the truth rather than the lie that you’re special. At the end of the day, alone in the dark, she contemplated what that moment of a sneeze did, how each moment changed another’s perception, and how different would things be?
By SMS
At the end of the day, alone in the dark, she contemplated what that moment of a sneeze did, how each moment changed another’s perception, and how different would things be? She had revealed herself, and now she could not take it back. What would her sister do if she found her in there, hiding in her closet for god knows how long?
Her sister had told her not to come into her room, let alone borrow clothes without asking. And she thought she could sneak in like she’d done a few times before. But then her sister came waltzing in and what could she think to do besides lock herself inside?
And she waited, quiet and stiff as a board. Her sister did not leave, just flounced around her room doing teenage things. She began to get antsy, sleepy, frantic as time passed. Soon, dust tickled her nose and she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a big sneeze. Her sister yelled from the room. In the hopes of not being caught, she stepped back towards the closet wall, but instead of hiding and tucking herself away, she felt a tumble of fabric on her back, sending a gaggle of clothes to topple onto her. The closet door creaked open and she heard from above, “What are you doing?”
By Jamie Collins Kahn
The closet door creaked open and she heard from above, “What are you doing?”
Before she could answer her sister’s rhetorical question, she was fumbling with her shirt buttons and tripping over Miriam, who was sweaty and struggling to pull down her sports bra. Rachael looked at the two of them: flushed, damp, disheveled.
“Talk about ‘out of the closet,’” she said, “Honestly, Ruth, it’s Shabbos. Couldn’t you have at least been on your phone or something?”
“Will you shut up,” Ruth whispered. She scowled, “You left the damn door open, Mom or Dad could walk in at any minute!”
Rachael rolled her eyes. “They could have done that while the door was closed too, idiot. That’s how I got in here. You’re lucky it was me.”
“Get out of my room, you perv.”
“Sheesh, okay, I get it,” Rachael left her sister’s room. She turned around to poke her head out from behind the door and said, “You need some… alone time.”
Ruth threw a boat shoe at Rachel, who closed the door right before the shoe could smack her forehead.
Ruth turned to Miriam. She had managed to get her sports bra and sweater back on, but Ruth could see the tag sticking out in the back. She reached her arm behind Miriam’s neck to tuck it in. Miriam gave a small smile, and asked, “Do you think she’s gonna tell your mom?”
Ruth sighed, “I don’t know. Probably not, but you never know with her.”
Miriam kissed her worry-wrinkled forehead. “It’ll be okay,” she said. “You got into law school, remember? She can’t get too mad at you.”
Ruth almost laughed. From downstairs, they heard her mothers’ voice, “Rachael! Ruth! Miriam! Come downstairs it’s time for shalosh seudos!” They met Rachael in the hallway.
“Well,” she announced, “this is certainly going to be an interesting dinner.”
By Annie Elizabeth Kreiser
“Well,” she announced, “this is certainly going to be an interesting dinner.”
Anika looked curiously at her cousin’s new boyfriend. His tattooed, pierced body looked menacing against the backdrop of her aunt’s upper-class colonial mansion. Mothers pulled their young children away from him and the male relatives crossed their arms and watched the stranger stroll confidently across the lawn to meet the host. They obviously felt like he was a threat, standing protectively in front of their families. Kelsey walked beside her guy, smiling so brightly that it almost looked unnatural when compared to his dour expression. Anika knew that the minute he opened his mouth all hell would break loose with Aunt Kathy. Prim, proper, don’t-touch-my-fancy-guest-towels Aunt Kathy. And although it was wrong to enjoy the inevitable chaos, she smirked softly, sipped her ginger ale, and watched the mayhem ensue.
By Caila Grigoletti
And although it was wrong to enjoy the inevitable chaos, she smirked softly, sipped her ginger ale, and watched the mayhem ensue. All around her, harsh winds blew through trees sending their limbs swaying, people’s garbage bins turned like tumbleweeds down the street, and the skies darkened overhead threatening to let loose their rains; she had set this storm in motion. She knew that at any moment she could lose control over the storm, but for now, she only cared about the power she felt pulsing through her arms and out her fingertips. With a lackadaisical flick of her finger, she could send someone’s car spiraling in the air. If she closed her fist, rain could fall down and never cease. With a slash of her hand in front of her, she could break the very ground she stood on.
People had told her that she must be careful with her powers, but they were only trying to control her. No one wanted her to reach her potential. Everyone else was trying to hold her back. Only now, everyone would know what she was and what she could do. No one would ever second guess her again.
She refocused her thoughts and took inventory of her surroundings. Except, in the mere moment that had passed, everything was different. And, not only different but not what she wanted. There was a tornado forming the distance, but she had not formed it. Houses were caving in on themselves. The trees became uprooted. Her heartbeat quickened as she realized she was not in control. She tried to will everything into ceasing, but it refused. She had lost control.
By Carlie Gausch
Pitch - A Journal of Arts and Literature