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In a time of darkness, sometimes it's the little things that make a difference. Destiny City has its fair share of tragedies, not the least of which was the Carnival Fire of 1942. The story of a distant memory that claimed the lives of over a hundred people and injured many more recently resurfaced after an estate sale revealed the only surviving relics of the massive fire: a set of old carousel horses. A local philanthropist and historian acquired the set, some of which were badly burned, and set about restoring them. It took several months, but the project was completed and the Carousel was resurrected in memory of those who lost their life on the very grounds they lost. It stands now, open to the public, a tribute of Destiny's City past and its perseverance. The Carousel operates as to be expected, with antique horses that are perhaps a bit more frightening than need be and a tune that is almost as eerie as it is cheery. Some even say they hear distant voices, and screams, mixed into the music; others have said that as the Carousel moves the shadows of people fleeing distracts them. It's probably just a ghost story, though. Are you brave enough to find out?
It hadn't been intentional that Lopezite wound up in front of the Carousel after the sun set. He'd been making his usual rounds and had taken a small detour, just looking for a little bit of change in his typical routine. At first, he hadn't known what he was walking into; the carousel was a large black shape in the darkness, and the clouds in the nighttime sky made it difficult to identify the shape.
Most people didn't expect to see a carousel standing alone in Destiny City so it was with blatant curiosity that he'd wandered over to the dark shape to investigate.
A hundred feet away, the moon had peeked through the clouds, illuminating the fresh paint.
Lopezite felt silly for thinking it might be something worth investigating, but he was already halfway there and though his interest had diminished a bit, it was still something new to waste a few minutes on.
He circled the carousel contemplatively until he found the plaque with its history on it. Recollection clicked quickly; he'd overheard a few girls gossiping about how creepy it was when he was getting coffee the other day. He hadn't thought much of it then, but now?
He looked into the face of one of the horses and grimaced.
...It was a little creepy.
Even though he knew the paint had been restored from the fire, there was something about the way the shadows were cast over its face that just made it look sinister. He could imagine the piece, coated in smoke and ash.
Something creaked nearby and he stood, alert. A few seconds passed and he waited, listening intently for any other noise out of the ordinary.
The sound of carousel music nearly made him jump out of his skin.
Without an operator, without anyone to ride it, the carousel music had begun to creak ominously through the silence. The horses weren't moving and yet he felt like he could see something moving. Movement in the corner of his eyes--but no energy signatures. Nothing that could really be a threat to him.
Probably.
The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end. He was a Captain, he was by far the weakest target in Destiny City, and yet something had overcome him. He wasn't used to anxiety and the sudden surge of emotions had him on high-alert. His heart was pounding and he was gripping the metal railing around the carousel tightly enough that the tips of his fingers were already numb.
He heard a voice--someone definitely said something, only there was no one nearby. He couldn't make out what they had said. He listened intently, over the metallic tune erupting from the core of the carousel.
He regretted the attention he'd put on it when he heard a scream.
Hollow and pained, horrified and agonizing. It sent a chill down his spine. He stared into the carousel, transfixed and alarmed.
If this was a prank, it was a tasteless one. Why set up a carousel dedicated to those who lost their lives in some great tragedy as a Halloween joke? The city had put such emphasis on the historical importance of something like this, and yet...
Another shadow moved behind him, like something fleeing from out of his line of sight. When he jerked his head to look at it, there was nothing there.
Just the same feeling of anguished dread.
Another shadow moved on the other side of him--and then, the last tune of the carousel ended. The note lingered eerily in the air, as if echoing off of something.
And then, it faded.
For a full moment, Lopezite didn't move. He couldn't find it in himself to pry his fingers off of the railing, to take a step away.
His brain had stalled--but at least his powers hadn't.
He teleported away from the Carousel--into a safe park that he knew well, covered with lights and city sounds that he understood.
Home was the next stop.
