Editors’ Introduction

Dear readers 

Welcome to Issue 7 of Inscribe: A Journal of Undergraduate Writing, hosted by the English Language Centre (ELC) at PolyU.  

As the world continued to reckon with the global pandemic, many of us spent much time at home, isolated in our bubbles retreating from the world.  As students around the world engaged with online teaching and learning, six PolyU student authors channeled their energy into their writing. Issue 7 is a collection of student writing which transports us into other-worldly, futuristic, and dark worlds.  

This issue showcases the creative and critical works of six undergraduates from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. Five of the six originated as assessments in CAR subjects offered by the ELC – two short stories, two literary essays, and a screenplay – while one is a winner of the recent Read@PolyU writing competition. 

In her fantasy short story Like Water, Fung Sum Yi, Popo takes the reader into a far-away yet familiar world where a young hero embarks on an emotional journey. 

Will Yick’s screenplay Halted Oblivion presents a woman, haunted by vivid dreams, whose decision leads to a dramatic conclusion.  

Vampire Beauty, a short story by Hsiang-An Tseng, invites the reader into the mind of a woman whose obsession leads to unimaginable consequences.  

The alluring online world of video gaming is contemplated by Joshua Tan Yee Chong who shares his thought-provoking reflection Insert Coin, Grab Joystick and Buckle up – Memories and Takeaways from Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline. 

Turning to things that go bump in the night, Voices in a Vacuum: Exploring Podcast Horror  by Mehriell Ang examines the popular narratives of The Magus Archives, Lore, and Welcome to Nightvale in an immersive exploration of this enthralling genre.  

Rounding out this dynamic issue, Rosie Man Wai Chan considers the future of the Japanese horror genre and its successful Hollywood remakes in Exporting J-horror: Will its Cultural Success Abroad also be its Demise? 

Please join us in congratulating these six undergraduates for their polished and engaging writing. 

This summer, seven editors, seven proofreaders and eight review panel members joined us in producing this issue. We greatly appreciate their invaluable service. 

Let your mind be transported into extraordinary worlds as you explore Issue 7 – if you dare! 

 
Yours faithfully 

Chrissy Burns, Editor-in-Chief 
Adam Barker, Editor-in-Chief 
 

Inscribe is hosted and supported by the English Language Centre of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. 

Editors-in-Chief

• Ms. Chrissy Burns
• Mr. Adam Barker

Editorial Panel

• Mr. Richard Brooke
• Mr. Adam Forrester
• Mr. Andy Jarvis
• Ms. Shari Lughmani
• Dr. Sean McMinn
• Dr. Andrew Morrall
• Dr. Bruce Morrison
• Dr. Jane Robbins

Faculty Editors

• Mr. Jay Bidal
• Ms. Chrissy Burns
• Ms. Kay Chan 
• Dr. Tim Lee
• Mr. Calum Page
• Mr. Freeman Tai
• Mr. Phil Todd

Proofreaders

• Ms. Hannah Lai
• Dr. Tim Lee
• Ms. Johanna Sandberg
• Ms. Tracy Swemmer
• Mr. Freeman Tai
• Mr. Kawai Wong
• Ms. Bonnie Wu

Director of the English Language Centre

• Dr. Sean McMinn

Senior Faculty Advisor

• Ms. Shari Lughmani

Founding Editor-in-Chief

• Mr. Dean A. F. Gui