A mysterious stream appears in the sanctuary of two childhood friends...

In The Guardian of Bridges, a pair of children discover a strange stream governed by forgotten rules. What happens when they try to understand what they’ve found? This modern fairy tale is set against a snow-blanketed forest, and it follows two young friends who stumble upon an unfamiliar stream that shouldn't exist. As they try to make sense of this new intrusion into their trusted sanctuary, something ancient begins to stir. The unsettling quiet, the thick snow, and the eerie atmosphere paint a world that feels both magical and menacing.

#NarratedStory #ShortFiction #FolkloreHorror #AtmosphericTales #CreepyStorytime #ForestHorror #StorytellingWithMusic

This piece's ambiance is amplified with my original piece, Eerie Stroll. The combination of blues and story unfolds like a shadowy fairy tale, one that slowly tightens its grip on the viewer. This music underscores every step, decision, and echo in the woods. It creates a tension that lingers long after the final moment. If you're drawn to suspenseful tales rich with childhood mystery and folklore horror, then this episode was made for you.

Eerie Stroll sets the tone for a story where unease builds slowly, with each breath and falling flake.

Behind the Scenes:
When I pulled this story from my website, memories of its creation stirred within my mind. Unfortunately, they were buried too deep and clouded by time for me to remember anything about the why of this tale, let alone what served as the basis for the tale. However, based on the timeframe of its original publication, I believe the prompt I used was a random NYC Midnight pulled from their backlog of old prompts. Like a few recent revisits, I’m surprised by how strong this one still feels at its core, despite the needed polish to bring it to a level I'm happy to publish.

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Links:
📘 Dead Man’s Hand: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Hand-Forgers-Book-ebook/dp/B0DHY1WMT8/ref=sr_1_1
📘 The Guardian of Bridges: https://www.stevenmeehan.com/archives/2019/01/15/guardian-bridges/

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 Song Start and Introduction
0:24 Story Begins
6:44 Story Ends and Sign Off
7:06 Song Ending