Encounter With Ship 47
Storyfeather
A cartography vessel mapping a sector of space that’s expected to contain nothing of interest encounters…something of interest. Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery Excerpt:“This thing is changing by the hour. We may not have time for Vessel 86 to arrive before something even more intense happens.” I walked on a few steps before I realized that my crew mate had stopped short. I turned and walked back to him. “More intense than that?” he asked, pointing out of the nearest porthole. I gaped. The fluttering spirals that we’d become accustomed to had shifted color, darkening in a...
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Transdimensional Top Hat
Storyfeather
Hoping to find some inspiration and direction in life, an aimless young woman buys a top hat at the estate sale of a magician. Genre: Mystery, Mythology, Science Fiction Excerpt:Ro checked the bookcases and found some intriguing titles. Animating Your Crafts Finding the Right Writer to Type on Your Haunted Typewriter Philosophy and Alchemy: A Foundation Illusions to Fool the Physical Senses: A Foundation Illusions to Fool the Psychic Senses: A Foundation Love Potions, Snake Oils, and Other Tonic Myths In fact, they all looked intriguing. “Where do I begin?”...
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Stranded in Shadow
Storyfeather
When two friends hear a commotion in their mysterious new neighbor's apartment, they go to check, only to find the door open, and the apartment completely empty...well, almost empty. Genre: Mystery, Fantasy Excerpt:The only object in the entire apartment was lying on the tiled kitchen floor. Broken into several pieces. A mug. I could make out a design on one of the larger shards. An eye. A wide open eye, just staring. I felt the hairs on my neck rise. I blinked. A liquid that looked like pink-orange milk was spattered across the tile, as if it spilled from the mug as the mug fell. Had...
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Citizen Forsaken
Storyfeather
A tourist is stranded after a mysterious incident destroys all the paths leading to the tourist’s home, a seemingly identical city that once existed just beyond the surface of a mirror. Genre: Fantastical Mystery Excerpt:“I’ll be damned,” I heard a voice say. My roommate’s voice. And she…saw me. She saw me vanish. She saw me reappear. She saw me without stripes on. She saw my fluted ears peaking from under my indigo hair. She saw the copper shimmer and the green gleam of my skin. She saw my irises, round but spinning slowly, almost imperceptibly, like the minute hand of a...
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King Midian and His Glove of Gold
Storyfeather
An elven traveler grants a king a priceless power in return for an equally priceless treasure. Genre: Fairy Tale Excerpt:The elven traveler leaned closer and whispered to the girl. “What kind of life can he give you? Closed off and cloistered? Stuffed into corsets? I can give you a life of mischief and adventure.” The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are the themes from previous seasons. One is “Turn Again.” One is a wild card. And three are covered in question...
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Diamond Dreamt of Rose
Storyfeather
A cursed young woman seeks the aid of a queen who walks through dreams to reach a sister trapped in eternal sleep. Genre: Fairy Tale Excerpt:“Turn back,” the queen said. “I want no curses in my kingdom.” Clara explained as quickly as she could. “I am not the only one who is cursed. My sister. My husband…” “And it was one who cursed you all?” “He taunted me. He told me that what I love would be come what he loves. And what he loves best is treasure.” The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the...
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Only Fools Prevail
Storyfeather
In a realm where the learned are held at the highest esteem, a fool is called upon to challenge a trickster. Genre: Fairy Tale Excerpt:“I visit you because I am curious.” “I think it’s because you want to be the first trickster who understands a fool.” The trickster laughed. “My dear Sovereign, no one amuses me as you do. But I must tell you. To a trickster, everyone is a fool.” The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are the themes from previous...
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A Realm Without Rain
Storyfeather
A visitor from another realm encounters an overwhelming and mysterious phenomenon that bears further investigation, rain. Genre: Fairy Tale Excerpt:“When I was young, my mother told me a story about the rain. I was afraid of it, you see. And what she told me didn’t help much with that.” He winked an eye at me. “My mother was quick to embrace and kiss her children, but she wasn’t one to coddle or lie to us.” I found myself leaning forward. “What did she say?” “There are great beings who live in the sky. When enough of these beings weep, their tears fall to the earth as...
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Forge of the Forsaker
Storyfeather
Even before the mountain began to rumble, one mortal had begun to doubt his decadent gods. Genre: Mythology Excerpt:We are descended from a powerful people. So it is said. The most powerful our world has ever known. Their might unmatched. Their domain unending. Their eyes all-seeing. I am nothing next to them. I am a blade of grass underfoot. A mayfly blinking in and out of existence. A mortal. But today I will discover if there are forces in the world mightier than the gods. For today is the day I bring them down. The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each...
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Queen Niyami
Storyfeather
Troubled by the tragic tale of a queen, who suffered because of a quarrel between two gods, three children question and alter the story. Genre: Mythology Excerpt:For the thing that lurched from shadow to shadow had been summoned by godly powers and imbued with godly powers. As it passed, it left behind a trail of slime that smelled of sulfur and rot. So the guards had no trouble in finding it. What they could not do was stop it. The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are...
info_outlineA dog and a boy wander through a carnival. One of them is terrifying. One of them is sweet. Guess which is which.
Genre: Fantasy
Excerpt:
“There’s a pit bull in the ball pit!” someone cried.
The children saw Angel, and they began to flee. Angel opened his mouth enough to bare his teeth, but not enough to use those teeth. Children screamed and flapped their arms and were pulled up out of the pit by the scruff of their shirts.
Little Sam was somehow oblivious to the mayhem.
The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?
Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are the themes from previous seasons. One is “Turn Again.” One is a wild card. And three are covered in question marks and will be revealed when the wheel lands on them.
This episode landed on CHALLENGE.
See a story trailer and a (satisfying) video of the wheel turning here: Angel at the Carnival.
Find more stories and episodes featuring this theme here: Year of Challenge.
PIRANHA-DOG MERCH!
Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring Angel, the piranha-dog?
Here’s the direct link:
Part Dog Part Piranha merch on TeePublic
Please visit my Store page for up-to-date info on where you can buy merchandise featuring my artwork: STORYFEATHER STORE
The Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters:
Storyfeather Gazette (if you’d like to keep up with the fiction I create)
Fictioneer’s Field Guide (if you’d like writing tips and guidance from me)
Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)
MY FIRST BOOK (yay)
Ever wonder how I’ve gotten all these hundreds of stories written? I have a method. And I talk all about it in my book called Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories.
It’s now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.
You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE
CREDITS
Story: “Angel at the Carnival” Copyright © 2022 by Nila L. Patel
Narration, Episode Art, Editing, and Production: Nila L. Patel
Music:
“Experiment (Electronic Rock Theme)” by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro)
“Medieval Theme 5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)
“Abstract Vision #5” by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)
Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)
“Abstract Vision #3"
“Abstract Vision #9”
“Medieval Theme 5”
“Army of Death”
“Casual Theme #2”
“Experiment (Electronic Rock Theme)”
“Casual Funny Track (looped)”
“Loop #5”
“Loop #3”
“Evil is Near”
“Scary Theme #3”
“Epic Drums (Looped)”
“Heart of Warrior NEW (Lyric Part Version 1)”
“Revival of Hero”
“Heart of Warrior NEW (Lyric Part Version 2)”
All tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.
Music by Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev Market
Sound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg)
Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.
Find more music by Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net
Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com
Episode Art Description:
Digital drawing. Two figures at center. Left, a toddler boy wearing overalls with a patch at the chest bearing an image of the hand-horns sign. The boy’s right hand is outstretched and is conjuring a cloud of cotton candy. His other arm is bent at his side. Right, an animal that appears to be half-dog and half-fish. The dog-like body is sitting up. The fish-like head is turned to the side with mouth open, displaying piranha teeth and a pointy outstretched tongue. The creature’s eyes are red. It has a long tail bearing fins, ending in a caudal fin. The creature wears a studded collar with a tag that reads “Angel.” Behind them is the hazy shape of a Ferris wheel with glowing lights. Watermark of “Storyfeather” along the boy’s right side.