Carnivile, my horror WIP: Current chapter summaries

Carnivile is my current novel project, which I started in January 2019. It is the story of a girl who gets lost in a demonic carnival. It is a story of lost childhood, of escapism, of romance, of rescue, of remembering who you truly are. 

It was loosely inspired by the horrorcore band Insane Clown Posse and their Dark Carnival, Tom Wood's fantasy and horror art, various gothic, nu, and extreme metal songs (Bloodbath, Gnaw Their Tongues, Avatar, Behemoth, Cradle of Filth, Chelsea Grin, Evanescence, Nightwish, Korn, WitchcrafT, The Lust, Eluveitie, Moonspell, Amberian Dawn...), other horrorcore artists (Twiztid, Geto Boys, Gravediggaz, Eminem), my childhood games of "Spooky Island", the song "Carnival of Rust" by Poets of the Fall, my lifelong passion for theme parks and carnivals, various nightmares that I have had (including one I call "The Choir"...more on that later) and the general cultural trope of a wicked carnival. 

Stylistically, I have been inspired primarily by James Colton of the Noctrium, as well as various Pokemon fanfictions (seriously), Redwall, anything in the Cosmere, Warriors, Dragonlance, and Catherine Asaro's mathematical science fiction books. I also have to credit Owl City's songs for a lot of inspiration behind the more utopian and peaceful parts of this story. While not related to Something Wicked This Way Comes, I have been reading that novel in order to better acquaint myself with the trope -- it's great so far. 

I've uploaded this chapter-by-chapter summary to: 

- My personal Google drive

- My Google drive for my writing group from Brandon Sanderson's workshop class (318)

- My Google drive for my writing group from Brandon Sanderson's lecture class (WG/321) 

Aaaaand I'm going to chuck it here, too, just to be safe. I don't have it on Scrivener right now. 

I'm aiming for like...65 to 70 chapters. This story ain't short. But, I hope that with the constraints I have, I can do it full justice. Also, don't steal my poem at the end. :V 

I accidentally spent the entire evening working on this, so tomorrow I'm gonna have to step up my math game...But at the same time, I think it was a very good use of my time so long as I make up for it tomorrow, so I'm not necessarily opposed to it. 

Also, I need to restart the BYU TPED Club soon for the summer session, after the absolute fiasco that was Cornell. Ah, busy busy. 

I love this story because, as much of a challenge as it has been to write, it has a little bit of everything that I love. Escapism, family and friends, whirlwind romances and confessions of love, playing a woodwind instrument in a concert band, distance running, religion and the afterlife, roller coasters and flat rides, math and computers, choir, gaming, digital art, technology, magic, extreme metal, ghosts, demons, darkness and horror, blood and gore, spending time in nature, and of course DRAGONS! I will never write a story that does not have at least one dragon in it. 

WARNING: This story is a meld of utopian science fantasy and horror. There are also strong elements of role-reversed romance, mostly PG (well....mostly ;) ) and not explicit. As far as ages go: It's probably either YA or emerging adult, but it is violent, paranormal, and gory. There are ghosts, instances of demonic possession, axe murderers, elements of body horror, intentionally deadly carnival rides, characters with severe depression, mind control spells, and instances of cannibalism. Even though this is just a summary, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. Teenagers and adults should be fine, but kiddos ought to hit the backspace button right now. 

CARNIVILE: Chapter Summaries

I will put this here, and try to keep it updated, so we always know where we are in my story!

Summary: On a planet in another realm, Parker, a suppressor rescued from a nonmagical world, and Selene, a Gale magician, are trying to rescue Selene’s friend Katia from a deadly, mysterious carnival filled with dark magic. They are working with Katia’s brother, Lang, and Nara the sea serpent. However, as time goes on, they begin to realize that the only way to free Katia is to destroy the carnival from its very foundations.

Meanwhile, Katia and her friend Tim live as mind-controlled servants of the intergalactic Ambermoon Carnival, playing in the orchestra and trying to rise within the ranks in order to gain greater power. However, memories of her past life keep gnawing at Katia, clawing at her brain and trying to free themselves.

CHAPTERS

[ ONE ] They Always Return

Our story begins in the magical universe of Alexandria (which MAY or MAY NOT have anything do with the author’s first name), on the planet Rogza. Flying in her spacepod, the teenager Katia Nadios returns to a dark carnival after a leave of absence, excited to return home, as they always do. She uses a key to the bumper cars ride, known as Arakalos, which grants her entry. She brings her staff, engraved with ancient runes, with her, and her caunterphone (a woodwind instrument). It is raining. She meets up with the jester Tenne in a cotton candy stall, and her memories of her old life and family gradually begin to slip away.

[ TWO ] Woods

We travel to the planet Tyran, in the nonmagical universe of Darlein. Selene Jai, a powerful portal magician, persuades Parker Jones, a recent college graduate in engineering, to come with her and visit her world. She has been seeing him for many months, and hasn’t been able to convince him to come with her yet. Parker doesn’t think she’s real, and doesn’t want to be interrupted from his morning running workout, but reluctantly agrees.

[ THREE ] Dark Orchestra

Katia plays in her first orchestral performance since returning home to the carnival, praising the demon Deikimos. This orchestra, known as the Dirgewailers, creates the carnival music that plays throughout the midway. She is overjoyed to see Tim Zang, a percussionist who has returned to the carnival as well.

[ FOUR ] Rescued

Selene shows Parker around her world, including the blend of magic and technology that defines it. Parker is completely bewildered, but amazed at how advanced his “hallucinations” have truly become.

[ FIVE ] Meet the Freaks

Parker meets with his therapist, Dr. Kinder, who informs him that he does not meet the diagnostic criteria for psychosis. When Selene comes to visit him again, Parker begins to realize that she might, in fact, be real. She explains to him magic, the basics of her world, and the mystery of Katia’s two separate disappearances. There are posters all over her walls, including one for Ambermoon Carnival. For some reason, this one sticks out to Parker…

[ SIX ] Clouds Always Loom

Shortly before their next concert, Katia and Tim go and ride the Claw of Rarum. While riding, they meet Shane Akapha and his girlfriend Linda Lavory. All the riders who have not yet been “Taken” by the carnival are forcibly stabbed to death by an automated system on the ride, offering up their souls to the demon Rarum. Then, they are resurrected, but they are not the same people as they were before the murder. Katia notices that no matter the season or time of day, there is always at least one cloud in the sky above Ambermoon Carnival.

[ SEVEN ] Infinity

Selene tells Parker more about her world, her magic, and Katia’s disappearance, continuing the discussion from chapter 4. She shows Parker her magic amulet, and explains that it is a gift from her mother. She tells Parker about the phantomshields that protect their utopian civilization from malevolent ghosts. 

[ EIGHT ] Rescuing Industries

Selene takes Parker to Rescuing Industries, a scientific laboratory where all newly Rescued people go to learn magic. There, the scientists conduct a magic scan on Parker, finding that he has hidden magical powers -- which he simply wasn’t able to express very well, being untrained and living in a (currently) nonmagical world, known as a “Dystopia”. His biggest magical talent is being a suppressor, which means that he is naturally immune to all forms of hypnotic and mind-controlling magic. Instead of being affected by the spells, he sees black mist, warning him of dark magic.

Parker also meets other Rescued and Rescuers, including Svetlana Finch, Mark Waveison III, Vivian Birch, Coral Simmens, and Wynne Autumn. Parker begins to notice a pattern of 7s, or mathematical equations evaluating to 7, appearing at various portions within the laboratory. Selene tells him that it most likely signifies that something relating to the number 7 will be happening soon. But, she is not sure what it is, and is unconcerned, telling Parker that it is most likely something insignificant, like a weather forecast or number of new scientists hired.

[ NINE ] Diamonds

Katia and Tim travel to see Sylki, the fortune teller, and Conductress Mayphage, who conducts their orchestra. Tim expresses his desire to gain greater power, and ascend upwards in the ranks of the carnival. Katia agrees with him. They want to be Servetors, among the most powerful servants in the carnival, but Sylki reminds them that they must become Cloudblessed first -- and that to become a Servetor eventually, they must kill one and take their place. Sylki and Mayphage give them a mission in order to help them heighten their magical powers, telling them to meet Sylki at her tent when the gray moon is at its highest point.

[ TEN ] Welcome

After hanging out at Rescuing Industries for a while, Parker and Selene go to visit a little carnival which has sprung up in a nearby park. It is called the Carnival of Dreams, run by Cooper the ticketmaster. They have a fun time with some flirting on Selene’s part, though Parker is usually too obtuse to notice it.

[ ELEVEN ] Nightsea

In the darkness of night, Conductress Mayphage walks to the eternal Nightsea, which travels alongside Ambermoon Carnival. She speaks to the Ringmaster, ruler of the carnival, who comes to her from the abyssal depths of the waters. He insists that she conduct 50 more successful rituals, known as Mourcalls, before autumn ends. Memories of a past life flash through her mind when the Ringmaster leaves, and then are immediately deleted. Meanwhile, Katia and the panther-like dyskill named Ballahoo prepare for the next Mourcall ritual.

[ TWELVE ] Black Mist

Parker and Selene are still at the carnival, having a grand old time, until Selene wants to enter the fun house. Parker sees black mist pouring out from the top, and is terrified. However, Selene’s mind has been slightly warped by the carnival, and she enthusiastically drags him onto the ride anyway.

[ THIRTEEN ] Playtime

Inside the fun house, Parker and Selene encounter a demonic girl, hanging from a noose, in the top floor of the ride. This snaps Selene out of her magical trance, and floors Parker when he finally realizes with 100% surety that everything about Selene and her world is real. Selene sees Katia for a brief second before being accosted by the demon, and she realizes that Katia has somehow been trapped, or entranced, by this carnival. They make their escape, but not until after Cooper reveals himself to be Tenne the Ticketmaster, gatekeeper of the dark Ambermoon Carnival.

[ FOURTEEN ] Mourcall

The Mourcall ritual is finally performed, pleasing the Ringmaster. Ballahoo brutally mutilates a Windwanderer, who is then burned alive. The night after the ritual, Tim wakes up Katia. They go to meet Sylki, but only find a projection of her, who gives them a riddle to solve. Tim decodes the riddle and realizes that they must visit the workshop of Geteko, toymaker and engineer of the carnival.

[ FIFTEEN ] Woods in Rain

Parker and Selene have safely escaped from the carnival. Parker is back in his world, alternating between Alexandria and Darlein and living two different lives. In Darlein, he works in an office full-time as a rocket control systems engineer. In Alexandria, he is learning magic and fighting demons. That evening, after talking with Selene, Parker decides that he will face his fears and help her take on the evil carnival once more.

[ SIXTEEN ] Everwrecked

The ringruler, Rerul, prepares to find the mysterious Akkenstone, which will grant him great power. While preparing for his next circus performance, he mocks an Everwrecked man and devours raw meat from his own fingers. Meanwhile, Katia and Tim enter Geteko’s toy shop. They find the man fast asleep, under some sort of spell. They open a cabinet and see a hunk of raw, rotting meat. Unable to resist a strange, strong urge, they both devour it. A doll hisses at them, saying “You have failed the test”. Sick from having eaten rotten meat for the first time, Katia vomits all over the floor.

[ SEVENTEEN ] Serpent

Selene teaches Parker all about qii and he begins to learn some spells. They meet Selene’s father, Will Jai, and Nara the lake serpent, who also remembers Katia. Only a few people have avoided the dark carnival’s spell: Parker, due to his suppression, Selene, for an unknown reason, Katia’s brother Lang, due to his ability to manipulate physics and therefore qii, and Nara, due to being a rare species that the carnival had probably not accounted for.

[ EIGHTEEN ] The Room With The Dolls

While being choked by a slimy, possessed doll, Katia’s staff lights up and floods her with all of her memories, including of the first time she escaped from the carnival. She understands that its dark magic never truly let go of her, drawing her back to the carnival like a moth to a flame. She exists in a place of stasis, in which she remembers and loves her family and friends. She wants to die, to ascend to the Aftervoyage in order to escape her spell of madness, but her ancestors tell her that she must live. She must live, to help destroy the evil carnival. She knows that she will forget everything upon being saved, but she will do everything in her power to fight regardless.

After fighting off the dolls, Tim is discouraged, and considers dropping trying to become a Cloudblessed/Servetor altogether. But Sylki tells him that they both have what it takes to ascend further. So Tim and Katia decide to continue -- after getting some rest.

[ NINETEEN ] They Fade From Our Memories

Selene and Parker meet Lang Nadios, a young Eleryan monk who is Katia’s younger brother. He has the ability to manipulate the laws of physics. He joins their team, determined to enter the carnival and save his sister. Since everyone else has forgotten Katia -- she has even faded out of most pictures, leaving a blank spot -- they must rescue her alone, for no one else believes them.

[ TWENTY ] Her Cracking Lips

Sylki tells Katia and Tim that they must pass a test -- they must learn how to murder someone, using the dark magic of the Aumbentude. In order to do so, they go to visit the demonic clown, Indoculum, who does juggling performances and sells balloons to children, before cutting their heads off with an axe.

[ TWENTY-ONE ] Terror Wheel

Katia, Tim, and Indoculum board a Ferris wheel, along with a kid named Jacob. But Indoculum has something different than axe murdering on his mind. He lulls Jacob into a trance with a spell, then uses a spell infused in his teeth to eat the boy alive. The boy is then resurrected, and eventually joins the Dirgewailers.

[ TWENTY-TWO ] The Plan

Selene, Parker, Lang, and Nara create a plan of attack to rescue Katia. They find where the GPS coordinates of her spacepod were last seen, and elect to go there. They begin to realize that the only way to truly break Katia free from the spell is to destroy the carnival entirely -- because they always return. And if the carnival is not destroyed completely, Katia’s rescue will be nothing but temporary. The dark magic of the carnival will always draw her back in.

As a final respite before visiting once more, they watch Nyctfest. Parker also meets Selene’s mother, Auburn Jai. Selene and Parker do a late-night space orbit around the planet before going to sleep.

[ TWENTY-THREE ] Rotten

Katia and Tim both commit their first murders using Indoculum’s spell, killing carnival patrons before the rides themselves do.

[ TWENTY-FOUR ] Empte

Selene, Parker, Lang, and Nara visit the last place where Katia was seen, and find her abandoned spacepod. But, there is no other sign of her -- other than the sound of distant music and faint whispers of the names of demons, which only Parker can hear. After further investigation and deduction, they realize that the only logical place for the carnival to be is at the fairgrounds in Rattlesnake Hill City. The name of the carnival is “Ambermoon Carnival”.

Meanwhile, Selene gives Parker another magic lesson. He now knows the three basic Alexandrian spells: lighting, movement, and manipulation. It is only an elementary understanding, and he does not feel fully prepared to take on the carnival. But, he knows that this may be all he gets, and is ready to face it anyway.

[ TWENTY-FIVE ] For the Rats

Inside of a filthy sewer underneath the carnival, Katia and Tim perform a death-and-resurrection spell on a pack of rats, supervised by Sylki and Mayphage. Tim drinks the sewer water, which glows a bright blue in the darkness, and Sylki is furious with him, declaring the water to be sacred to the carnival.

Meanwhile, Rerul obtains the Akkenstone.

[ TWENTY-SIX ] Tilt-A-Whirl

Selene, Parker, and Lang decide to scope out the carnival, with Nara as a contact on the other side. Instead of entering through the bumper cars like Katia did, they enter through the front gates. They sit on a bench, trying to figure out where Katia could be, but without risking too much.

But the carnival’s spell beguiles Selene and Lang, and they end up riding the tilt-a-whirl. Parker frantically races after them, and is forced onto the ride himself. When the ride begins to murder people by releasing their lap bars and flinging them into the air, Parker finds that it skips him, and his seatbelt remains buckled. He fears that Selene and Lang have died, but they have not. They have both managed to teleport themselves to the top of a tilt-a-whirl car, demonstrating that while the carnival can still hypnotize them, they have a better ability to overcome its power than most, due to their inherent powers. They all escape the carnival with the help of Nara and Lang’s skyhook, much to the fury of the tilt-a-whirl’s demon, Weibika, and see Katia and Tim on the ground far below them.

[ TWENTY-SEVEN ] O Taken of Rarum

We learn more of Shane’s backstory, and how he and Linda visited the carnival late in the evening, after attending a concert by the blackened death metal band Brightstar Blacksky. Meanwhile, Parker does some research and finds out about the magical Shimmerpool, which erases dark magic, and helps to cleanse Selene and Lang of any further mind control that they have been subjected to.

[ TWENTY-EIGHT ] Seven

At the carnival, Rerul conducts his circus performance with the help of the Akkenstone. For many more Mourcalls have been completed (though not 50 yet), and the Ringmaster has obtained the trillions of souls that he needs to become his servants, though he still needs more for other purposes. So Rerul murders every single person who has attended his performance, but this time, he does not resurrect them. Instead, he is filled with joy at the prospect of becoming a god.

When he steals the souls using the mysterious Soulhook, this time Katia and Tim and the others see the glowing souls being whipped through the night sky, a thousand pale faces screaming in agony.

[ TWENTY-NINE ] Rippling Waters

Selene and Parker try to get Will into the Shimmerpool. While he enjoys it, it is not powerful enough to cause him to remember Katia. They realize that they truly are on their own.

That night, Parker cannot sleep, so he walks out towards the lake at Selene’s house. He watches her perform an artistic spell, created for no reason other than spectacle, and is in awe. They confess their love for each other, and their fears and determination for the battles ahead.

[ THIRTY ] And Then They Took Him

Nara agrees to rescue the group if they need her, as an emergency way out of the carnival if they start to become hypnotized again, using vials of Shimmerpool water that she can travel through. Meanwhile, Mark has gotten into a relationship with Coral (note: not the girl he Rescued, that is Vivian) and they have entered the Ambermoon Carnival. Selene is shocked to see him there and tells him to leave immediately, but he refuses. Selene realizes that he has already been Taken by the carnival, and that rescuing him must be accomplished along with saving Katia. Even more of a reason to destroy the carnival...somehow.

They approach the Vanadu concert hall after seeing Katia rush inside, but it is getting dark. Selene says that they should leave, but Lang blatantly refuses. His normal even temperance is marred by his fear for his sister, and heartbreak because she does not recognize him. So, Parker and Selene have no choice but to follow him.

[ THIRTY-ONE ] For Her Empty Halls

Parker, Selene, and Lang begin to witness one of Katia’s orchestral performances, but it soon becomes too terrifying for them. They escape with Nara’s help just before everyone in the room is murdered. But, this time they escape with a few scratches, and Nara looks more tired than usual. They detox in the Shimmerpool, and they see all sorts of 7s in the water.

[ THIRTY-TWO ] All The Dying Children

Selene, Lang, and Parker begin working for the carnival as ride operators -- in part to gain more information about it, and in part to dissuade the suspicions of Tenne. With the wicked jester watching them, Selene and Parker are forced to start a murderous ride, causing the deaths of the children on it. But, as expected, a purple glow envelopes the bodies, and they are returned to life. 

Later, they must start the ride again. But this time, no resurrection happens, and every single child on the ride dies. 

They speak to Lang in secret, who is extremely distraught. The same thing happened to him, on the ride he was operating. They escape with Nara's help, but all of them except for Selene are injured in the process. 

[ THIRTY-THREE ] Woods II

The group takes a brief break from the carnival. Parker talks with Selene's father, Will, who teaches him the magic of the woods. He learns to conjure an enchanted deer out of the swirling leaves of late spring. 

But they know that they must return to the carnival and destroy it. They find the key to the same bumper cars ride that Katia was led to, in order to come back to the carnival. They turn the key, and are transported back into Ambermoon. 

[ THIRTY-FOUR ] Murder Express

Current chapter. 

CARNIVILE, A Poem:

To all the boys and girls who never wanted to grow up, but had to;
To all those little ones who had to grow up far too fast;
To those who wanted to grow up but now regret it,
And to all those who, as far as growing up goes, never got that chance.
And to those who dreamed of love but never got it,
To those who had love once but lost it —

Enter my carnival, with thrilling rides and shows galore,
See the circus animals, or play games for prizes, and even more —
We have all the sweet treats you can eat, all for free!

Our music is swell, an orchestral swing symphony!
Stay up all night, as the midway rides whirl,
Flipping and twisting and twirling for all the boys and girls.
Play in our great big fun house — all ages are allowed,
Or ride on our grand carousel, and let the world spin around!

Coming soon to a galaxy near you!

Dazzling lights rule the night and chase away the dark,
And the midnight sky is filled with candy-colored stars.

— R. TENEBRARUM