The Funhouse of Whispers: A Tale of Madness and Lost Souls | The Immortal Gazette
The night was thick with a chilled air, the shadows stretching long across the office of the Immortal Gazette. Alice, Loki, and Rumplestiltskin were gathered around a crackling fire, each with a drink in hand, their faces half-illuminated in the flickering light. Alice leaned back in her chair, her expression a mix of mischief and darkness.
"Ah, yes," Alice purred, swirling her tea with a knowing grin. "The Funhouse of Whispers. There’s a tale worth telling tonight, if I do say so myself. Imagine this: a soul daring enough to enter, but foolish enough to think they could leave."
Rumple groaned, clearly unimpressed. "Please, Alice, you always tell these kinds of stories. Someone enters, makes a wish, and ends up trapped in madness. Not much of a plot twist there."
But Loki, ever the intrigued one, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You’ve got something different in mind this time?"
Alice smirked, her gaze sharp. "Sit tight, Loki. This one’s a bit more... personal." She paused for dramatic effect, enjoying the suspense.
"It started with a woman named Mirella. She had been hearing the whispers for days—soft, teasing murmurs that called to her in the quiet moments. She tried to ignore them at first, convinced it was just her imagination. But the whispers... they got louder, and soon, they followed her."
Loki leaned in, intrigued. "And where did they lead her?"
Alice’s eyes sparkled with something darker. "Into the Funhouse of Whispers. She didn’t know what it was at first. It seemed like any other strange, abandoned building she’d stumbled upon, but as the whispers grew into words, she knew. The Funhouse was real, and it was waiting for her."
"And what did she want?" Loki asked, as if already guessing the answer.
"Everything," Alice replied with a wicked grin. "She wanted love, power, freedom from the endless pain of heartbreak. The whispers promised it all—everything she ever desired. But of course, there’s always a catch, isn’t there?"
Rumple snorted. "A carnival of broken dreams. How original."
Alice gave him a sharp look. "A funhouse of mind games, darling, and much more fun than any carnival. Mirella didn’t understand the price. The moment she made her wish, the air shifted. It became heavy, suffocating, and then—the mirrors."
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Mirrors?"
"Not just mirrors," Alice explained, her voice low. "Mirrors that didn’t reflect what was really there. They distorted everything—everything she thought she knew about herself, her desires, and her life. The more she wandered through the maze of mirrors, the more she lost sight of what was real. She was trapped, Loki, and she didn’t even know it."
"But the whispers," Loki said, voice tinged with curiosity. "They didn’t tell her the truth?"
Alice chuckled darkly. "Oh, they told her everything she wanted to hear. ‘You’ll have it all,’ they whispered, ‘freedom from the pain, the heartbreak.’ But what they didn’t tell her was that freedom came at a price. No one who enters the Funhouse can leave without paying."
Rumple leaned forward, finally intrigued. "What happened to her?"
Alice’s smile turned colder. "Mirella’s wish turned into a chain—a chain that bound her to the Funhouse, and each reflection she saw was a distorted version of herself, tempting her, luring her deeper into madness. The whispers told her she could leave, but only if she paid the price... but what was the price?"
"Let me guess," Loki said, already anticipating the dark turn. "Her mind?"
"Not just her mind," Alice whispered, her eyes gleaming. "Her soul."
Loki nodded in acknowledgment. "So she went mad?"
"Far worse," Alice said softly. "Mirella’s soul was torn from her, shattered by the whispers. She became a husk—alive, but empty, wandering the maze of mirrors, forever trapped in a never-ending illusion. She begged the Keeper of Secrets to release her... but the price was steep."
"And what was it?" Rumple asked, now fully absorbed in the tale.
Alice’s voice dropped to a near whisper. "Her sanity, of course. When the Keeper finally took her, it was too late. The Funhouse had consumed her, and her body—her empty body—was left to wander the halls, a reflection of a woman who once had everything."
"Sounds just lovely," Loki said with a sly grin. "A funhouse full of shattered souls. Perhaps I’ll take a visit."
"Not so fast," Alice warned, her tone suddenly sharp. "The mirrors don’t just reflect your desires, Loki. They twist them, turn them into nightmares. And once you step inside, there’s no telling who or what you’ll become."
Rumple stood up, shaking his head. "No thanks. I’ll keep my sanity, thank you."
Alice winked at Loki, her smile mischievous. "Oh, don’t worry, darling. I’m sure you’ll find the right reflection of yourself. But remember—if you hear whispers calling your name, just don’t follow them. Unless, of course, you’re feeling... adventurous."
The fire crackled, the shadows deepened, and the night stretched on—full of whispers that danced just beyond the edge of reality.
🖋️✨📜🖤
What is it about? In the eerie and dark world of 4EverMore, the Funhouse of Whispers offers a twisted reflection of desires. Those who dare to make wishes inside are forced to pay the price of their deepest yearnings. The tale centers around Mirella, who enters the funhouse seeking freedom from heartbreak, only to find herself trapped in a maze of mirrors and endless whispers. What seems like an opportunity for everything she’s ever wanted turns into a soul-shattering nightmare, where no one escapes without losing something far worse than their wishes.
This story is steeped in themes of psychological entrapment and self-deception, with the funhouse acting as a distorted metaphor for desires gone wrong. And of course, there’s a bit of playful chaos among our favorite characters, Alice, Loki, and Rumplestiltskin, who all know too well that in 4EverMore, even a whisper can be deadly.
