Stefanie NeumannOct 2, 2023

One day in Autumn, clouds were moving in, so dense and so low, that they blocked out almost all the sunlight, except for an eerie glow, like radioactive mustard. Then the mist fell, like curtains.

All the birds fell silent, and suddenly the air stopped moving.

#7DayTale D1
#WritingCommunity

---
https://twitter.com/LotanB1/status/1707699504386838985

Ian G aka Lotan Brown on X

#7DayTale brings a theme fit for 13 (or 7) days of eerie frights. Starting Monday, October 2nd, and running through to Saturday, October 14th, it's that time of year when spirits rise, and evil tales are unleashed. Will you enter the Carnival of Lost Souls? Write if you dare...

X (formerly Twitter)
Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 3, 2023

A melody reverberated from nowhere. But people were so wrapped up in their everyday lives, that they did not notice, just like they did not notice beautiful sunsets in Winter, or sparks of light dancing over the river in Summer.

#7DayTale D2
#WritingCommunity
https://t1p.de/mv0qy

Creepy Circus Music - Lost in the Carnival

YouTube
Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 4, 2023

People did not notice, except for a few, in different places of the world, not knowing of each other. They would notice the mist, the eerie glow in the sky and the haunting melody calling from Neverland.

#7DayTale D3
#WritingCommunity

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 5, 2023

When they would dare and mention it to their friends and colleagues, they would receive blank looks or sometimes laughter as a reaction.

How could it be that nobody was missing the sunlight and the sight of the moon and the stars at night?

#7DayTale D4
#WritingCommunity

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 6, 2023

Over time, more changes became apparent for those who still had eyes to see.

People would not smile, any more. Their looks stayed blank all the time, no spark in their eyes. Their skin went pale, then it turned grey, and they seemed … lost.

#7DayTale D5
#WritingCommunity

Show threadStefanie Neumann

Then, aggression increased. People were going at each other for all kinds of things. They acted defensive all the time, and stopped talking to each other.

During their arguments, they looked to the ones who stayed aware to be the #Ringmaster.

#7DayTale D6
#WritingCommunity

Oct 7, 2023 at 9:04amWeb
Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 8, 2023

But trying to moderate those arguments was like walking into a bog that pulls you down until you suffocate, and it was very difficult to lift yourself out of it, again.

Some would fail in such an attempt.

#7DayTale D7
#WritingCommunity

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 9, 2023

Those who failed to pull themselves out of the battle, were lost. Some were never seen again, others soon would walk the earth with grey skin, empty eyes and a high aggression level, as if they had come out of the other end of a #wicked black hole.

#7DayTale D8

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 10, 2023

It was like the world was #trapped inside an evil caricature of life.

Some of those who stayed aware could not bear this for long. In an attempt to escape the darkness, they locked themselves up and got lost in despair, where they remained.

#7DayTale D9

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 11, 2023

Each day, the sky seemed to lower. It felt as if it would fall on people's heads, any time now, but, of course, people did not notice, except for the few aware ones that were left.

Grieving for all the lost souls, they chose to not close their hearts to the pain.

#7DayTale D10

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 12, 2023

Instead, they each opened theirs a little more. Each time, this happened, light emerged, and illuminated the initial surroundings. Many of the lost ones got scared. They tried to hide from that light or attack its source. But some were touched.

#7DayTale D11

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 13, 2023

When a ray reached their frozen hearts, the spark would return to their eyes.

Though not everyone chose to keep their heart open and shine a light, more and more people did. One lost soul at a time was found.

#7DayTale D12

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 14, 2023

After a while, there was enough light to lift the misty curtain, then break through the dense cloud cover.

Today, the light of the sun, the moon and the stars reaches the earth again. The eerie melody can still be heard, sometimes. But now, it's a choice not to listen.

#7DayTale D13
#WritingCommunity

Show threadStefanie NeumannOct 15, 2023

This month's #7DayTale Special as microfiction on my Medium account.

https://medium.com/@KokopelliBFree/carnevil-of-lost-souls-b41b6efe1653

#WritingCommunity