Halloween-ish Songs & Short Story

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Laurie Tim Playing Cards
Image collage by Teagan: Two lovers wandering through their playing cards in the sinister circus.

Hello, all.  Today I have another companion post, to go hand-in-hand with another blog.  I’m pleased to do a new collaboration with photographer, guitar-man, and cat-dad, Timothy Price. 

There are two old favorite songs of mine that seem particularly Halloweenie, despite the fact that they aren’t about the holiday.  One is “Hotel California” by the Eagles.  Equally evocative is “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum.

I had been playing with both songs for my self-prescribed Karaoke therapy.  On a whim, I asked Tim if he’d like to collaborate with me on one of them for a music blog post.  Tim picked A Whiter Shade of Pale.  He and his wife even agreed to be my models for some computer generated images that I made to tell the story that was in my head! Then Tim made a video with my images and the song.  You can see the music video at his blog, Off Center and Not Even. However, his post won’t go out until this evening.  I can’t wait to see if the clowder of cats get in on the post.

For my companion post here, I’m sharing the short-short story I wrote, inspired by the song. My usual posting time is half a day earlier than his, so to avoid confusing anyone, here’s a link to my Youtube channel where you can also find the video.  Either way, I hope you’ll read the story and watch the video. 

This has a different tone than my usual upbeat stories — but you know, it’s Halloween… Without further ado, here’s the very short story.

Click here for Tim’s post and the video

The Whiter Shade of Pale

Halloween Teagan and black cat

Odd sounds interrupted my studies that day.  Looking out my window, I noticed neighbors gathering along the street.  I put down my book on Latin American folklore and walked to the curb.  I waved to one neighbor, and then another in hope of learning what was happening, but they would not meet my eyes.  The sounds drew nearer.  The clusters of people along the road began to cheer.

A tiny car zoomed onto the street.  It wove and turned circles while absurdly clad people leaned out, honking toy horns.  Leaping, dancing dogs followed the little car.

“A circus,” I murmured and tears rolled unbidden down my cheeks because I knew that yet another parade would pass me by.

Then came the ringmaster, in his red tailcoat and top hat.  He blew out his long dark moustaches and raised widespread arms.  He called out to the people, inviting them to the circus.  My eyes cast down, I turned away to go back inside.

To my astonishment the ringmaster stood, blocking my path.  Seeing my bewilderment, he smiled, crinkling his already narrow eyes to mere slits.  However, they twinkled brightly, as did his gold tooth.

“Come,” he bade me in a word.

“And you are…?” I asked, rather taken aback at his temerity.

“I am called Mr. Miller,” he began and twirled lightly on his feet. 

My head tilted as I observed him.  The curious man seemed strangely familiar.  He lifted a hand toward my face, and I drew back.

“Your skin is so pale…  You would be a suitable addition.  You would be accepted.  We would not pass you by.”

He moved his hand so that it was no longer beside my face, but it remained outstretched.  I wasn’t aware of moving, yet suddenly my hand was in his.

“If you guess my name—” he began, but I cried out a strangled noise, cutting off his words.

“No,” I mouthed the word, but no sound would come from my lips.

His hold on my hand became quite firm.  I wanted to withdraw my hand, but it paid no heed to my mind’s command.  Abruptly, an illustration from the book I had been reading moments before came to my mind.

“Ah!  You guess my true name.  You are part of the troupe,” he said with a pleased voice and an indulgent smile, although I had not spoken aloud.

“Chamuco,” I whispered.

He tapped his foot in triple time.  He twirled me round and round.  We danced the fandango.

♦ ♦ ♦

Pale woman and devil in background
Image collage by Teagan

At first, I was content up on my trapeze swing.  Miller, the ringmaster, told tales each night after the performance.  We tripped along glittering streams of light and danced the fandango.  I pretended to myself that I did not know his true name.  Why torture myself with that, when I could never leave anyway?

As years passed, I sat upon my trapeze swing, for no reason.  I performed almost mechanically, high above the crowd.  The truth was plain to see — they would never hear my plea.  Dark circles came beneath my eyes.  My already fair skin turned a whiter shade of pale.

Sometimes, new performers were added to the sinister circus.  I tried to warn them to flee.

“Leave before you understand Miller’s true name!” I cried, although they paid my voice no more mind than did the audiences.

The circles around my eyes grew darker as my face turned whiter.

One day I saw a pair of lovers in the audience.  They lingered after the show, mesmerized by the allure of the circus.  As spotlights crisscrossed the ring, they began to dance.

“I have to warn them.  Somehow, I must make them hear me!”

Although their eyes were open, they might just as well have been closed.  High up in the top of the stripped tent, I twisted my trapeze swing and then let it spin.  The room seemed to hum as I spun.  Yet they continued to dance, oblivious to my attempts to warn them.

The room was humming harder.  The ceiling flew away.  I dissolved into the open sky.  As I leapt upward, motes of dust sifted down, glittering on the spotlight beams.

“Was something there?” in the distance below, the girl asked the muffled question.  “The play of light and shadow, I guess.”

“Just something ghostly,” her lover murmured.

***

The end.

♦ ♦ ♦

Friendly comments are encouraged.  Remember, the music video is at Tim’s blog.  I hope you’ll check it out.  Hugs and happy Halloween!  

♣ ♣ ♣

And now the obligatory shameless self-promotion…  “A Peril in the Vines” is coming soon. The other books in the series, A Medium’s Peril are below.

Universal Purchase Links

A Peril in Ectoplasm

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0BJ9N1GBX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0BJBXGJ7L

A Peril in the Bayou

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0CKGRJS8F

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0CKHFYMLJ

♣ ♣ ♣

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All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2024 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

69 thoughts on “Halloween-ish Songs & Short Story”

  1. I was thinking about music and singing today at school, much like your karaoke. The children are young, it’s not an easy year…yet when we sing together everything is wonderful. Thank you for this post, Teagan. What a great story!

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  2. What a creative and exciting collaboration! Karaoke therapy sounds like such a fun and freeing way to connect with music, and adding Tim’s video and your images makes it even more special. As a carpet cleaner music is often my go-to for unwinding after a long day, so this project really resonates with me.

    Great story, Teagan!

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        1. Thanks very much for that, John. You’ve given me a post idea. I’ve done several such short stories. I’ll try to do a post in the future where I collect links to all of them. I remember that I’ve used “Paint it Black” and “You’re So Vain”… LOL and the theme song from the TV show WKRP in Cincinati. That was fun. Anyhow, take care.

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  15. Teagan,

    This is maybe my fave short you’ve done for a post.

    I adore the video. You are the ghostly image…right?

    You singing, your CGI, Tim’s editing & general production, all top notch.

    My compliments!

    Happy Halloween! H👻GS

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I’m tickled pink (or maybe pumpkin orange) that you liked all this, Resa. Your feedback meant a lot to me. Images for this post: the 2 with a couple are both Tim & Laurie. The others (including the devil) are me minus at least 100 pounds… unfortunately. (I want to live in that CGI app’s world.) Images in the video: the pretty ones are Laurie. The ghostly, ghoulish, or dark circled eyes ones are me. Heck, I’ll take looking like a ghost if I’m also half my current size! LOL. Happy Halloween hugs flying back to you on bat wings. 🎃

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    1. You are too kind, Colleen. I only sing for fun. Well, except for karaoke — for some reason it helps with my anxiety. I turn on my noisy AC system to camouflage my caterwauling, hoping that keeps the neighbors from hearing me, and belt out a song or two most evenings. I don’t know why it helps, but it usually does. Thanks for your lovely comment. Happy Halloween hugs. 🎃

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  19. I love the story, Teagan. I was wondering what the story would be like. You have a wonderful way of tripping the light fandango. Happy Halloween!

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  23. A great combination of images (love the video, the images and your singing go so well) and your story. Atmospheric, and eerie. Perfect for Halloween. Congratulations, Teagan, and to Tim as well. Another fantastic collaboration.

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  24. I like that you are inspired by many things, and put them into an entertaining stew (or 7-layer dip, if you prefer). And you take the title of the classic rock song on a path that clicks with sense. Becoming ghostly, becoming light. 🌝

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  25. That’s a wonderful story for Halloween, Teagan. I enjoyed the video last night, although watching it before going to bed might not have been a great idea. Still, I love that song and you did a good job with it. The video is amazing.

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