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Competition Showcase –
Dr Murdo's Walking Stick by Sara Lee |
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Judging Comment: Sara Lee has brought together many of the classic
elements of the traditional ghost story: the gloomy, dusty antique
shop; the walking stick with grotesquely fashioned decoration; and
the dreadful things that happen to whoever is unfortunate enough to
own the walking stick. And, on top of that, she has the walking stick
being stolen from an unmarked grave at dead of night. All very spooky
stuff.
But it avoids falling into the trap of being a cliché story
because the story is set in such an everyday world. We follow Jack
Barlow on his visit to a house sale, and he is drawn into the antique
shop simply out of professional interest. He comes across as someone
with his feet firmly planted on the ground. Even his method of disposing
of the stick seems logical enough: simply burn the thing. There is
nothing supernatural or spooky about Jack Barlow, and his characterisation
injects the necessary touch of normality into the story.
In the end, Jack Barlow returns to his ordinary flat in everyday Manchester
– which makes the pay off even more chilling. Who is the man
downstairs? Can he really be the devil? Sara Lee lets us make up our
own minds.
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