PW-23 (YA): THAT NIGHT ON BLOSSOM HILL

MENTOR: N.K. Traver

MENTEE: Alison Green Myers

TITLE: THAT NIGHT ON BLOSSOM HILL

CATEGORY/GENRE: YA Horror

WORD COUNT: 48,000

PITCH:

Mary’s flawless acting may have the starstruck detectives fooled, but her sister Maureen knows Mary’s the devil behind their mother and brother’s brutal murders. Now Maureen must prove it before Mary adds her to the body count.

EXCERPT:

[Mary]

September 15

3:03 am

I’ll have to start running soon. I detest running. But I will have to appear out of breath. Out of my mind. Out of control. And I’m never out of control.

Happy to finally have the weight of them slashed from around my neck. Just Maureen left to erase. And then Daddy and I can start over.

I look down at myself one last time before hitting the steps and then on to the Hamilton’s door.

I take a slick swipe from elbow to wrist and flick blood onto the pavement. Even in the dark of night, I see the drops thwack to the ground and form an oily caterpillar. Mom bled heavier than I’d read she would and now I’m covered in more blood than will make my story plausible. I’ll have to convince Mrs. Dimwit that I must shower before she calls the police. Shouldn’t be too hard. After all, the Hamiltons were handpicked to play this role, as was everyone that I’ve so carefully cast.

#

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Hamilton’s door flies open to my perfectly timed screams.

“Mary, Mary! Oh my God, Mary.” Mrs. Hamilton grabs my arms, pulling me across the threshold. “Sam, come quick, it’s Mary!”

Mr. Hamilton stumbles into the foyer, whipping his robe around his stick-bone shoulders. “Where are you hurt?”

He rushes to my side. I drop like a brick to the black and white checkered floor, and feel blood ooze out beneath me, splotting the tile like Dr. Rizzo’s inkblot artwork.