Write a story about a character who gets lost at a carnival or festival.

Posted in Horror on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 189 stories

“The Carnival of Mirrors” by Briana Spring

Submitted to Contest #93

Meredith couldn’t help but think the Carnival of Mirrors lacked something essential: the mirrors.She stood by the edge of the crowd, her small hand tightly gripping her mother’s. ‘If you get lost in here, mija, there’ll be no chance of you finding your way back to me,’ her mother had told her before coming. There were no gentle, sugarcoated warnings with Meredith’s mother. She didn’t reassure her by saying she’d look for her if they were separated, or give Meredith false promises of them reuniting again should something happen. No, it w...

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“Colourful Sounds” by Nora Friesen

Submitted to Contest #93

The rows and rows of food trucks and gift shops wound around like a never-ending maze, bombarding Nichole with sounds of joy, scents of sugar, and a sea of bright colours. The yells of kids on roller coasters and the screams of families in the haunted house rushed into her head, making her dizzy. I should sit down... Nichole started to think. No. This is the fair. I should be having fun, not moping around because there’s something wrong with me. The colours of the screams raced in front of her eyes, making it hard to see. The tinkl...

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“Life is a Carnival” by Tricia Shulist

Submitted to Contest #93

One minute I was standing beside my Mom and Dad, and the next minute they were gone. And now I’m in jail. How did this happen?We’d gone to the carnival. I love going to the carnival. All the smells, all the people, all the food. It is never not an amazing time. Except this time. And, did I mention, I’m in jail? So, it was early. We’d eaten a light dinner. Mom said that she wanted to be there before it got too busy. Apparently night-time is the busiest time at carnivals. So we set ou...

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“ Broken” by Julia Sara

Submitted to Contest #93

Every step makes me feel claustrophobic and nauseous, and home-sick even though I just got here. I wonder why I even talked myself into coming here in the first place when I knew I would feel like leaving the moment I reach here. Maybe, then, I thought I could start moving on. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Hey, you can do this! I remind myself for the umpteenth time. I remember how I was just not too long ago. Star of any party. Strangers, begging me to hang out with them so that they can get acknowledged in some sor...

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“An Unexpected Meeting” by Serena Johnston

Submitted to Contest #93

Viscount Jacob Henry Greenbury certainly had not been expecting to meet the love of his life at the festival that Duchess Genevieve Addington was holding. In fact, he hadn't even desired to attend the festival. So, naturally, that is what transpired. Viscount Greenbury had griped about attending the festival to his mother, Countess Vivian Greenbury. "But Mother," he moaned like a little whining child. "It'll be horrible and terribly boring and I won't know anyone at all there." However, she had ordered him to be present, saying that it was...

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“CARNIVAL LIFE FOREVER” by Doug LeBlanc

Submitted to Contest #93

CARNIVAL LIFE FOREVER “So, what was the argument about this time?” Paul shrugged. “The usual. My dad always gets on my case, wanting to know what I’m going to do with my life. I tell him I don’t know, but he won’t accept that. He says I need to have a goal in life. I don’t, though. I don’t have any goal in my life. I have no idea what I want to do with my life, nor do I care!” Sharon knew what h...

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“A Night at the Carnival” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #93

Larry Norris was a sixteen year old boy who was a dreamer. He was often chastised in class for looking out the window. One day, his teacher asked what he was looking at in the middle of English class and turned to her and smiled. “Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be able to ride a cloud?” Everyone in class laughed. But, Larry wasn’t laughing. He looked around and started laughing at them. “You people have no imagination.” That statement didn’t exactly make him a real popular guy. But, Larry didn’t care...

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“Funhouse Horrors” by Sam Reeves

Submitted to Contest #93

Arriving at the gates with her mum’s hand in her right, and her dad’s hand in her left, a little girl craned her neck up to see the full scale of the entrance in front of her. A large archway was framed by a red and yellow striped banner wound around the wiry frame. A matching canvas sheet spanned the distance left to right between the archway and the walls that contained the park where the carnival was set. These banners announced the name of the carnival in big fancy letters, placed diagonally across the material. “The Shadow Carni...

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“Agoraphobia ” by Théia Maxon

Submitted to Contest #93

If Ethan knew one thing it was that he didn't like crowds. The noise was always just a little too much, the people just a little too close their smiling faces, flashing teeth. Grating laughter. It made him feel on edge and out of place, and the bright flashing lights, and whirring of the carnival rides didn't help either. Everything was so bright, the colours so in his face. He couldn't understand how anyone could enjoy this for long periods of time. Ethan himself had only agreed to come along because his boyfriend had really wanted them to,...

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“Carnival of the Incurables ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #93

My name is Jack Hayward and I was the curator of the Carnival of the Incurables. There was a lot of interest in our enterprise and me be very clear, once you have entered the carnival, there is no escape from this rather unusual show. We are proud of who we were. We were proud of what we managed to do, because let’s face it, our kind is not normally accepted among the general population. It’s alright with us, because we have earned a special place in our own society than the one that rejected us. There is a hop...

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“Lake of Love” by Rose Quartz

Submitted to Contest #93

I just met a guy who seeks interest in me. The only problem was that he liked carnival rides, I never been on one. I was terrified of heights, and the number of people. I didn’t want to get lost, and I had a feeling that I was going to. He promised me that he wouldn’t lose track of me, which led me to trust him. Jack and I entered Carnival Cotton. The carnival was named after their famous cotton candy. We got some cotton candy, and then he pointed me to a ride called the yoyo. The yoyo was similar to a giant swing set, and it goes in c...

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“Ring Around the Rosie” by Alayna Snedden

Submitted to Contest #93

For the past week, I have seen sponsored social media posts and posters advertising for a new carnival coming to town. Scrolling through my feed, I stop on the ad to see if it is worth visiting. A ringmaster, juggler, and clown come into view and go through everything they have to offer. While the ringmaster is speaking, the juggler is behind him juggling and the clown is standing strangely still. The clown is staring into the camera with a huge smile and does not blink for the entirety of the sixty-second video. I replay the ad several t...

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“The Cliche” by KENNEDY PLANT

Submitted to Contest #93

My old Levi's scrunch up tightly by my thighs. They are way too small, but I haven’t been able to afford a new pair this summer. Working at the “Buck's Burger and Fries” hasn’t helped me much at all. At least I have this moment to enjoy myself. “Hey, Justin, do you want to go on the Ferris wheel with me?” I ask, too desperately. I grab his arm and yank on it. Hard. “Sure, babe.” He says, laughing. My jacket makes a crunchy sound as it hits his bare arm. I don’t understand how he isn’t freezing, but I’m not ...

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“Lost in Awe” by Dawn Villon

Submitted to Contest #93

Coulrophobia, fear of clowns. Since her childhood, Pau is scared of the clowns. Her parents didn't notice it but she did. Every time she sees a clown in a carnival, she will cry or worst, faint. Everyone found it strange but didn't mind her since she has a weak body. The last time she saw a clown was when she's nine, her best friend had a party and had a clown to entertain the kids but as her eyes landed on that clown, she fainted. Everyone panicked when they saw Pau on the floor. They thought it was some kind of allergies that caused her to...

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“Chuma” by Clinton Siegle

Submitted to Contest #93

Peace Corps 97 Chuma Bolivia. That is when I walked over to the other reality.. Lost? I have been there. I am a lost time traveler to be honest. Don’t believe me? Ask my shrink. He will quietly agree with some of what I showed him. However, my most lost event is August 1997. I had been invited to two separate parties. One at the museum of Lake Titikaka, Bolivia. There I had one of the more memorable drinking contest with a colleague. We drank for a few days. I had been in Bolivia without a vacation for sometime so I had saved up a month of v...

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Write a story about a character who gets lost at a carnival or festival.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 189 stories

“The Carnival of Mirrors” by Briana Spring

“Colourful Sounds” by Nora Friesen

“Life is a Carnival” by Tricia Shulist

“ Broken” by Julia Sara

“An Unexpected Meeting” by Serena Johnston

“CARNIVAL LIFE FOREVER” by Doug LeBlanc

“A Night at the Carnival” by David Dicaire

“Funhouse Horrors” by Sam Reeves

“Agoraphobia ” by Théia Maxon

“Carnival of the Incurables ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“Lake of Love” by Rose Quartz

“Ring Around the Rosie” by Alayna Snedden

“The Cliche” by KENNEDY PLANT

“Lost in Awe” by Dawn Villon

“Chuma” by Clinton Siegle

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story at a party that has gone horribly wrong.

Write about a reluctant party-goer who ends up being the star of the show.

Write your story about two characters tidying up after a party.

Write a story about a character who’s nervous to attend a party - their first in a long time.

Contest #93

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

797

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: