These are samples from the various stories I am currently working on.
Carnivale Vitae
This story is in development, but it is about a mysterious and magical carnival that gives out the most sought-after prize of all: life itself. If you win a game, you could add a year or two to your life; if you lose, however, rumor has it that you could lose days or off your life, bringing your fate even closer to you. Dalton Farris, a 19-year-old mechanic with a troubled childhood, seeks out the fabled “Carnival of Life” to save his best friend who is currently dying of Lukemia. In order to save his friend’s life, Dal has to gamble not just days, but years of his life. Will he be able to save his dear friend, Anne Calloway, or will he lose everything?
The back flap suddenly opened and an incredibly tall man appeared. His suit matched the red and black-striping of the tent exactly, causing him to blend in slightly with the wall. “So, Lucille tells me you have some sort of an odd request for me. Please sit.” The man spoke with surprising kindness, despite his tall and commanding stature. I walked carefully through the chaos and over to the chair in the middle of the room. The man sat across from me and stared, as if he was trying to learn every detail of my life from my appearance. Finally, he spoke with a slight smile on his face.
“So, young man..I must tell you, this request of yours is highly irregular. Most visitors are perfectly happy with our traditional prizes.”
I swallowed the small lump in my throat and responded nervously. “Y-yes sir..I understand this is weird but..my friend has only a week left to live. I need her to have a longer life.”
There was a pause. The man seemed to be studying me again before he finally said. “I am sorry, but you do know the rules, yes? You must be present and can only win years for yourself. They are not transferable.”
There was another pause. The man suddenly stood and walked to his covered desk. “Do you know the purpose of this place? It is not so the masses out there can live forever and become gods. It is time..There are few people in this world who use their time wisely. They waste it or let it fly by without realizing they are neglecting something so precious. Today there is hardly any appreciation of time. Almost all of it is immediately thrown away on things like television, video games, movies and those little phones that can do everything but give you true experiences. That is why my carnival exists, Mr. Farris, to give time back to the people who play with it and don’t use it properly. Now I wish I could help your friend, but I cannot just give time away to someone who hasn’t honestly earned it.”
His last remark made my blood boil. I burst out of my seat and shouted with fury. “She can’t earn it. The simple walk here could kill her! You speak of giving time to people who waste it, but what about the people who have it stolen from them?! Give them a chance to live too!” I stood there, seething for a moment. I worked on slowing my breathing and said calmer. “I will earn it for her if I have to. Take any time you want from me, but give all the time I win to her. You won’t lose business if you bend the rules just once.”
He turned slowly toward me and looked at me with his piercing gaze. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
I gave him a quick nod. He took a step toward me and smiled almost devilishly. “Alright then. I will give you a chance to win time for your friend, but not through the simple games out there. I have a series of games I designed for the carnival, but I decided not to add them because they seemed to be too…challenging. As you know, I want to keep guests coming and not turning away because of a chance of higher losses. But I think you have a chance of getting through them. Play the games, and I’ll do as you ask. I will give all the years you win to your beloved friend. I’ll even let you win decades. However..since there is a higher award, there will also be a higher risk. You will not just lose days or weeks, you will lose years out of your own life. Any cherished moments you may have had in the last parts of your life will be lost. Your life could end much shorter in order to lengthen hers, Mr. Farris. Good luck.”
