LUCION The Veil of Whispers

Chapter 2 The carnival

Salem's annual Halloween carnival kicked off with excitement. Luke, Jack, Austin, Lori, and Britney, all high school graduates, had planned to go for weeks. As they walked through the carnival, admiring the eerie decorations and spooky music, Austin seemed to be struggling. He was fidgeting and looking around nervously, not saying much.

"Hey, Austin, are you alright?" Luke asked, concerned.

Austin nodded but said nothing. "Is he always like this?" Jack whispered to Lori. Lori shook her head. "Austin is autistic," she explained. "Sometimes he gets overwhelmed in new environments like this." Luke, who had been listening, walked up to Austin. "Hey man, you want to play a game? I bet we can win you a stuffed animal." Austin looked up at Luke, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Yeah," he said softly.

The group made their way over to the game booth, and Luke handed Austin a ball. "Alright, aim for the top row of bottles," he instructed. Austin took a deep breath, focused, and threw the ball. It hit the top bottle, and they all cheered as the attendant handed Austin a giant stuffed panda. "That was awesome, Austin!" Luke exclaimed.

Austin beamed with pride as they continued to wander the carnival, playing games and eating cotton candy. Then, suddenly, he froze as they walked through a haunted house, his eyes wide with fear. "It's okay, Austin," Lori said, taking his hand. "We're here with you." As they walked through the spooky rooms, Lori kept reassuring Austin, and soon enough, he began to relax and even giggle at some of the jump scares.

As they emerged from the haunted house, Austin turned to the group, grinning from ear to ear. "That was so cool!" he exclaimed. The five friends continued walking around the carnival, admiring people's laughter and the various delicacies. They had heard stories about the town's infamous witch trials and were excited to experience the spooky atmosphere. Walking through the carnival, they noticed a man sitting on a makeshift stage.

He was dressed in a long black coat and a pointed hat, surrounded by a group of people listening intently to him. Intrigued, they walked closer and heard him say, "And that's how the witches were burned at the stake!" "They weren't burned, they were hanged. Bro forgot to do his research," whispered Jack.

The group was horrified and fascinated at the same time. They looked at each other and decided to join the audience. As they got closer, the man noticed them and beckoned them to come closer. "Welcome, my young friends! Are you here to hear about the witches of Salem?" he asked, his voice deep and gravelly. Luke, Jack, Lori, and Britney nodded eagerly while Austin hung back, looking unsure.

The man noticed his hesitation and asked, "And what about you, young man? Are you interested in the stories of Salem's witches?" Austin looked up and said, "I'm Austin. I like stories, but I wouldn't say I like scary stories. Can you tell us a different kind of story?" The man smiled and said, "Of course, my young friend. Let me tell you a story about a brave boy who saved his village from a giant dragon." As the man began his story, the group settled in, captivated by his storytelling.

They smiled at the amusing moments, screamed at the thrilling ones, and roared when the hero defeated the dragon. When the story was over, the man stood up and bowed. "Thank you, my young friends, for listening to my stories. Remember, the power of imagination is stronger than any witchcraft or dragon!" The group thanked him and walked away, their minds buzzing with excitement and wonder. Walking through the carnival, they noticed the scary stories no longer seemed as frightening.

"Does that guy think we're kids? I mean, everyone knows that witches don't exist." Said Jack as they walked away. "Yeah, I mean, the women weren't real witches. People back then used to take everything seriously. I'm pretty sure the girls were just messing around!" added Britney. "It sounds scary to have lived in the past," suggested Austin. "Besides, it happened almost 391 years ago. I'm pretty sure people weren't very much civilized by then." Added Britney. As Luke scooped his ice cream with his wooden spoon, he noticed a familiar man enter a peculiar tent. He froze for a minute, thinking of the night the accident happened.