The brightly lit amusement park glowed with an eerie beauty under the night sky. Every light flickered vividly, and colorful beams illuminated even the darkest corners. Yet beneath this dazzling brightness, there was no warmth—only a growing sense of unease.
At the center, the carousel turned slowly, its lights still twinkling. Cheerful music floated gently through the air, but in the silence of the night, it felt strangely unsettling. The towering Ferris wheel loomed in the background, its lights forming rings around its structure like a giant eye watching over the players below. The roller coaster tracks gleamed under the lights with a metallic sheen, lying in wait for those who would soon step into the darkness of the game.
"Finally, a chance to relax!" one player laughed, grabbing a friend's hand and dashing toward the bumper cars. They jumped into the seats and stomped on the pedals, the crashing of cars followed by bursts of excited laughter. Another player spun the wheel wildly, trying to chase a nearby car, a smug grin playing at his lips—completely absorbed in the thrill of the chase.
Beside the carousel, a few players were already riding the galloping horses, rising and falling with the flickering lights. One player raised a hand with a hearty laugh, cheering, "This game is way too easy! I'll just sit here and wait till it ends!"
The Ferris wheel slowly lifted into the night sky. A group of players squeezed eagerly into the cabins, hoping to glimpse the entire park from the top. "Maybe we'll spot where the coins are hidden," one joked. "We'll be rich!" Laughter erupted, but no one truly considered the real purpose of this game.
At the roller coaster entrance, a player stomped his feet anxiously. "Hurry! This is the most thrilling ride in the park—how can we miss it?" He tugged at the others, urging them into the line, completely forgetting what this nighttime game truly meant.
Laughter and screams filled the amusement park, bringing it to life. But these sounds had nothing to do with the danger that loomed. The players were like children lost in a sea of lights and melodies, indulging in a fleeting moment of joy, forgetting that this wasn't a normal amusement park. As the carousel music swelled, their laughter echoed through the grounds, the lights casting a dreamy, surreal glow. But hidden beneath those joyful sounds was an ominous stillness.
The scene cuts back to the prop shed where I was hiding.
"Alright, let's talk about our next move," Lucy said to the group.
"I think, for our safety, we should reveal our identities now," I said, sitting on the table.
"Yes, I agree!" Kevin raised his hand immediately.
"No, the rules clearly state you can't show others your identity card. If you do, you'll be disqualified," Minghao said, eyeing his skill device.
"That's true. But the rules don't say we can't tell others our roles," I pointed out the loophole quickly.
"Then I'll go first. I'm the Witch," Lucy said with a sweet smile.
"I… I'm a Villager," Kevin replied after a brief hesitation, probably afraid he'd be disqualified.
"Same. I'm a Villager too," Minghao added.
"I'm..." Just as I was about to speak, everything went black. The lights snapped off, plunging the entire amusement park into pitch darkness.
The laughter that had filled the park vanished. Silence fell abruptly. All that remained were the humming sounds of machines slowly powering down. The once-dazzling lights disappeared in an instant, as if the entire world had been swallowed by a shadowy hand.
"What's happening?" a player asked into the darkness, their voice edged with panic. No one responded. The blackness pressed down on us, suffocating, as if danger lurked just beyond the edge of vision.
The roller coaster halted on the track. Players inside reached out blindly, trying to make sense of their surroundings. High in the air, others were trapped in the Ferris wheel, peering down into nothingness. The bumper cars had gone quiet, replaced by the faint clanks of settling machinery echoing through the night.
"Is this… part of the game?" Kevin whispered, uneasy, turning on his flashlight from the skill device to illuminate the surroundings.
Then—footsteps. Soft, deliberate. Somewhere in the park, something—or someone—was moving. The quiet sound was amplified by the silence, seeming to come from everywhere at once. A chill ran down my spine. The amusement park, once filled with laughter, had become a dark maze of lurking threats. The real game had only just begun.
"Shh! Turn it off. Don't speak. The werewolves have started to move," I hissed, quickly covering Kevin's mouth and shielding the flashlight. He finally fumbled to switch it off. In this kind of darkness, even the smallest light would give away our position.
Everyone clamped their hands over their mouths, frozen in place, terrified that the slightest sound might draw a predator from the shadows.
Suddenly—a scream.
A piercing, blood-curdling shriek tore through the night. Sharp, raw, filled with agony and terror—it echoed endlessly through the park. No one could tell where it came from. It felt like it was right next to your ear, no matter where you stood.
The scream was a blade that sliced into every nerve, sending involuntary shivers down every spine. The carefree atmosphere shattered in an instant. The joy was replaced by dread. Even those who tried to speak could only stammer—no coherent words would form.
Time froze.
No one dared move. The thought that you could be next tightened around everyone like a noose. The scream still echoed, like a warning hanging in the air, reminding each player: this night was no longer about fun and games.
"Someone… something happened to someone," a player finally whispered, voice trembling.
But no one replied.
Terror had arrived. And the game of life and death had truly begun.