How Scary Are You?

Scientists scrutinize your eating, sleeping and work habits for a month and predict you have three weeks to live.

Think you can come up with a scarier story? We invite you to enter the fifth annual Scariest Halloween Story Ever Told Contest.

You can do it with words (maximum 600) or with a drawing (one page and in color). There will be eight story winners, divided into two age categories: Four winners will be 18 and older; four will be 17 and younger. Illustration entries will be judged in two categories--12 and older and 11 and younger--with one winner in each category. Indicate your age group with your submission. And please, we’d appreciate it if you refrained from plagiarism. Deadline is Oct. 10. Winning entries will be published Oct. 31, and prizes will be awarded.

Send your frightening fables to Scary Stories, Life & Style, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, and include daytime and evening phone numbers. Or fax stories to (213) 237-4888 or (213) 237-0732. Or drop off at any participating L.A. Cellular SuperStore. (No phone calls, please.) Sorry, submissions cannot be returned.