Curses, Inc.
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Curses, Inc. is a collection of short stories by Vivian Vande Velde. The stories contain elements of horror, fantasy, and humor. The book is aimed at children and young adults. The book also includes an introduction, explaining the story behind many of Vande Velde's previous books, and an afterword explaining where the ideas for each story came from.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Here is a short summary of each of the stories.
[edit] Curses, Inc.
Bill Essler cannot take his girlfriend Denise to the eighth-grade graduation dance, as he has been planning to do, because he refuses to spend any of the $375 which he has saved to buy computer games on getting everything he would need. After he gets home, he connects to the Internet and finds a company called "Curses, Inc." Intrigued, he checks it out, and discovers that they will – for a nominal charge– place an actual curse on anyone he names.
He tries everything he thinks of on Denise, from making her pet dog run away, to ruining her dress for the ball, but it all seems to make things only better for her, eventually making her fall in love with a Spanish duke who is staying in America on a math scholarship (and coincidentially enough math is her worst subject). Angered, Bill contacts Edanna, the witch in charge of the company, and discovers that Denise placed a curse on him first! He tries to protest, but they disappear, saying simply "Don't call us, we'll call you..."
[edit] Skin Deep
A young girl lives out in the middle of the forest because she has an ugly scar on her face. When a prince from the nearby kingdom gets lost in her woods during the snowy winter, she takes him in and nurses him back to health.
Because of her looks, she gives herself a "glamour" that makes people think she looks somewhat nicer. When she later reveals her true face to the prince, he is horrified and runs away. Little does he know that she has given him a glamour, too – one which is sure to attract all the girls... (note the sarcasm)
[edit] Past Sunset
On one small street in Paris, no one dares to go out after sunset because of a ghost which, according to the story, steals people's souls. When one of the children living on the street falls seriously ill, they have no choice but to go out to get medicine for his ailment. Antoine, a kind-hearted teenage boy, volunteers to go out.
He has almost reached his home when he sees the ghost. It comes towards him. He thinks it may just be misunderstood, and ever-so-kindly looks into its eyes – and becomes a ghost himself.
[edit] To Converse with the Dumb Beasts
A witch gives a man a magic acorn which enables him to talk to animals. He soon realizes that this is actually a curse and not a gift, and is driven insane by his animals' senseless chatter.
[edit] Boy Witch
A witch leaves her son for a few days, during which he experiments with his mother's magic – and soon screws things up horribly.
[edit] Lost Soul
A boy in a small village falls in love with a strange girl he meets at the pond, but then discovers that she is a kelpie who lures men to their death – and loves it.
[edit] Remember Me
A young man has lost his memory, and the only clue he has as to what is going on is a mysterious old woman who appears out of (and subsequently vanishes into) thin air...
[edit] Witch-Hunt
A group of censors raids a young girl's home and believes her to be a witch because of some of the books she owns. (See also List of banned books.)
[edit] Cypress Swamp Granny
A girl living in Louisiana during the American Civil War has been trying and trying, but cannot seem to find the man of her dreams. She asks the grandmother of a young slave girl, who is said to be a witch, for help – and discovers the not-so-nice side of magical spells.
[edit] The Witch's Son
Devastated by the loss of her son, a woman turns to magic and witchcraft to try raising him from the dead. The only problem is that he has to kill the man who shot him in order to live.
