And on the fourth book, “Dark Forces: Unnatural Talent by Les Logan”, I was tasked to be the connector. In this book, I find my task to be quite difficult because I don’t know any stories that had similarity with this book. I searched on the internet, but I was not able to find a similar story too. However, I was still able to connect it with story of Dr. Faustus.
By Les Logan
The story of Andrew Perry was similar to the story of Dr. Faustus. Andrew, because of pressure and desire to please his father and to be famous and good basketball player, made a bargain with the devil. His insecurities and humiliations as a basketball player, as a son, and as a young man caused him to be very desperate and to bargain his soul to the devil in exchange of his promise to make him famous. Dr. Faustus on the other hand, because of his desire to be famous and powerful exchanged his soul with the devil’s promise. The two characters, when it was the devil’s turn for the bargain came, lost everything. And they didn’t like that inevitable day.
Rose Ann dela Rosa was tasked to summarize the story.
Dark Forces: Unnatural Talent
By Les Logan
For years, Andrew Perry has struggled to become a topflight basketball player. Even if he is coached by his father, he know that he don’t have the element to become a basketball star – natural talent. Andrew had done even have the confidence. He always thinks that he could not do great things.
Until when he attended his senior year at Ashton High, a small school different from the last one he attended. He knew that his father, the coach of the basketball team transferred him in that school so that he could excel in basketball.
That’s when he met Mark Peterson, the mister popular of the school. At first, he thought that he could be in the in-crowd but he’s wrong. He can’t really get in to the crowd. There’s even a girl he liked named Cindy Luckett, also a basketball player of women team of the school, but he don’t really have the confidence to ask her out.
Until one day on his way home, some strange felling brought him to that small antique shop at t he end of a street where he accidentally bought an old mysterious book with ancient spells. It says “Get everything you want in life! Make all your dreams come true!” where Andrew thought of it as a joke.
Until one Saturday afternoon, he hangs around with Mark Peterson at the mall with some beautiful girls. They talked in a fast-food chains where the girl dumped him because of the way he speaks with her. Andrew Perry was left in the fast-food chain with Mark Peterson and Jean, he felt like an eavesdropper as he listened to them to have a date that night.
In the rainy loneliness of that night, he lay on his bed thinking about the things that have happened to him. He thought that even if he hangs around with Mark Peterson forever, his magic will never rub off him.
When he thought of the word magic, the ancient book with spells came into his mind. At first he was afraid, until he remembered what he really wanted to have: stardom, acclaim and the most important, his father’s approval. He opened the book and did the ritual to call the spirit that would help him have his dreams come true. He waited for hours but nothing happened. Nothing.
On the next day, Andrew Perry together with his family went to the church. There, Andrew felt cold. He felt like he’s suffocated, he could not listen to the minister’s talk. He wanted to go away. He was afraid.
Days pass by, Andrew became friends with Cindy Luckett, the girl he likes. He even watched the girls basketball game even at first he thought it would just be boring. There, he met a really beautiful girl. The most beautiful girl he has ever seen in his whole life. The beautiful girl was annoying him. She always asks extraneous questions. He left the girl and walked away.
On the first game of their basketball game, Andrew Perry was not in the first five. But it was during the third quarter where he entered the game because Mark Peterson go injured. He always shoots at the baskets but he never managed to get any in. until his father gets him out of the game. Andrew really felt irritated. He thought “they don’t think I can do it!” He walked out the game and drove his bike unto the beach. There he met again the beautiful girl whom he met during Cindy’s game. The girl told him that he was the one who called her to give him the things she wanted; it was all about the book. The girls name is Angela. But there was a consequence that Andrew must pay to have his dreams come true. A bargain. Andrew should do anything that Angela wants him to do. But Andrew told her that he will never do it.
During the next days, Andrew was trying to get rid of the book. But he never has the chance. There was always this something that prevents him to get rid of the book.
During the next game of the basketball team, Andrew was not again playing on the first five. But by the time when the opponent scored higher than them, his father put him on the game. Andrew played a good game. He shoots every basket and the crowd goes wild. During the last 30 seconds of the game, Andrew made a record in the history, he shot the ball far away from the ring.
After that game, Andrew became the hottest t topic not just in their school but also in the basketball community. A tremor of excitement started deep inside him. He longed to hear more crowds cheering him and yelling his name.
By the next game, Andrew has not played the game unlike the last time he played. He could not shoot any baskets, until when he heard Angela whispering in his ears. Angela said that he should do something so that he would be able to do play sound in the game again. She is telling him to take one of the opponents out of the game. Specifically, she wanted Andrew to injure a player in the game. Andrew was tempted to Angela’s promise that she will make him a good player. So, Andrew really did injured the player and got him out of the game. After that, Andrew played again very well. He felt satisfaction and he wanted to do it again.
One night, Andrews’s parents had a special guest in their house, Reverend Westerbrook. He possesses an excellent knowledge and awareness about supernatural things. The moment he stepped inside the Perry’s, he felt something wrong. Something was pushing him outside. The suddenly, Andrew got out of his room and suddenly bit the Minister. He leaped across the room and spring away from them. He was gone before anyone could catch him
Meanwhile, Cindy, who was looking at the pictures she got from Andrew’s game, noticed that Andrew’s face is very different. It seems like Andrew looks very old and dead like a mummy. She rushed to Andrews house and showed the pictured to Andrew’s parents.
After seeing the pictures, Reverend Westerbrook told them that Andrew was posses by a demonic spirit. He explained that the reason of Andrew’s possession would be that he might have something that he really wanted to have.
Basketball. Cal Perry knew it was his fault.
The found Andrew late morning along the beach miles away from Ashton. He ran away from the police and it took 4 men to drag him.
When Cindy, Andrew’s parents and Reverend saw him, he looks like a monster, drooling like an animal. Reverend Westerbrook chanted prayers and screeching howls split the air. The louder they pray, the louder the screeching grew. The exorcism welt all night. But little by little the Minister has managed to weaken the demon’s hold until Andrew’s face became normal again and the demons go away.
When Andrew became normal, it was his father who was the first person to hug him and said sorry to Andrew that he asked for his forgiveness.
Later, Andrew played basketball with Mark Peterson. Their combination was unbeatable. Cindy and Andrew became friends again and they started going out. Andrew realized that there are more things to be valued more than basketball. And those things are really the one that would inspire him to play basketball harder.
Even this activity was very tiring, we still enjoyed reading those stories. Most of the stories were new to us. As we read, it seemed that our minds were relaxed. But aside from this we learned to be united. I learned to work as a group. I realized that cooperation and initiative is very important to succeed as a group. During our documentation, we really had fun. We laughed together because there were some who were very camera shy and some are very beauty conscious. Those were memorable for us.
Ms. Hamon was the one who was tasked to be the artistic adventurer. She came up with a poem regarding the story.
“The Human Soul”
A man’s soul is all what he has.
It’s the only thing we can bring with us when we die,
The real you that will live for eternity
In the place called heaven, or hell.
But what is one day,
Because of envy, hatred, or discontent
A man will bargain his soul with Satan
With a promise that he will be powerful and famous.
While he enjoys the devil’s promise,
He, unknowingly, will soon be charged as an exchange
When that day it’s the devil’s turn to get what he wants.
Ms. Calsillar was our passage picker for book four. She chose the following passages.
Katie’s dark eyes clouded with annoyance. “I didn’t say I was fat. I said I didn’t want to eat fattening food”
Magic. The word bounce back and forth in Andrew’s mind like a marble in a pinball machine
Get everything you want in life!
Make all your dreams come true!
“Well, things do change, you know,” she said, laying her hand lightly on his arm. “Anything in the world can change. Just like that.”
Not unless you show me I’ve got a son I can be proud of on the court. . .
“I have try hard,” Andrew answered grimly. “I can’t rely on my natural talents. I’m not like you.”
Andrew stared at Mark almost a minute before he answered him. “Everything,” He said at last. “Basketball is everything, that’s all.”
She laughed. “Oh, knowing my name isn’t important. But, if you must call me something, you can call me Angela.”
Of course your allowed to sit down ,” Sue Perry said, nodding her dark head. “Whatever goes on outside this house, you’re still part of our family, Andrew.”
Not you Andrew, Angela’s voice said. We. We made that shot. Together. And we’re going to be doing a lot of things together from now on.
Reverend Westerbrook closed his eyes and began to chant. “Our Father, who art in heaven. . .”
Screeching howls split the air, drowning out the minister’s voice.
“ ‘Hallowed be thy name . . .’ “
The minister raised his hand in the air and closed his eyes. “That which was unclean is now made clean,” he said. “That which was wounded now is whole. God’s will is done. Amen.”
While Ms. Gonzaga’s task was to be the discussion director. She had the following questions as we discussed.
Questions:
1. What is magic for you?
2. If you are Cindy Locket, will you still befriend Andre Perry? Why?
3. Will you like to have Cal Perry as your father? If you are Andrew what will you do to fix your own problem with you father?
4. If you are Andrew how will you resist the devil and just stick on your own dream?
5. Defend this line. Having a magic does not mean power but weakness.
Ms. Asumen was the character captain. Her task was to discuss to us the characters in the story.
Andrew Perry
- not confident with himself- because he thinks that he is not good enough as a person and as a basketball player.
-tall
-basketball player
Mark Peterson
- Popular(especially in girls)-because of his looks, charm and talent in basketball
Cindy Luckett
- Pretty
- Tall
- Basketball player
- Good hearted and friendly-because she had been with Andrew even though he is not that famous or good looking.
Cal Perry
-strict- because he wants his son to be the best in basketball
- he always makes a nag to Andrew because he is not that good in playing basketball.
Angela
-the evil spirit
-the old woman
-most beautiful woman Andrew had ever seen.
Ms. Alar was the vocabulary enricher. These are the words she chose to unlock.
One afternoon, Andrew sat at Camera Club meeting and looked across to where Cindy was sitting, her head bent over green stenographer’s notebook.
Stenographer - A stenographer is a trained professional that makes use of specific forms of shorthand to accurately transcribe verbal communications as they occur or from a recording. Making use of shorthand techniques that were once commonly employed by administrative assistants in an office setting, a stenographer is often used in legal settings as well as in preparing written records of high profile business meetings.
Suddenly, a cool wind began to blow, and a bank of clouds rose up, momentarily blotting out the sun.
Blot - A spot or a stain caused by a discoloring substance
In the space of a single afternoon he’d met, insulted, and permanent alienated one of the prettiest girls in town.
Alienated - To cause to become unfriendly or hostile; estrange:
It was ridiculous - all of these people jammed together in a sweltering church.
Swelter - an uncomfortably hot atmosphere.
His mother looking back at him quizzically.
Quizzically - questioning or puzzled
Andrew’s solitude was shattered by a familiar, friendly voice.
Shatter - To cause the destruction or ruin of; destroy
He couldn’t think of a plausible excuse.
Plausible - Seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; credible:
It was a nice feeling, the bubbles of excitement that percolated through his chest.
Percolated - To cause (liquid, for example) to pass through a porous substance or small holes; filter.
When Ashton got on the scoreboard first, the crowd was sullen.
Sullen- Gloomy or somber in tone, color, or portent.
