From the moment I started the game, I was immediately impressed.
Not just a tiny bit, but genuinely impressed.
The graphics were exceptional, and the general interface and controls were extremely easy to understand.
'The concept of the game is also rather refreshing.'
It was the kind of game where one stayed in a single room, monitoring security cameras of a large circus and controlling different areas remotely. In those rooms were strange objects. Dolls that looked almost lifelike.
The goal was simple: keep an eye on them at all times.
If anything strange happened with the dolls, like them fading out and reappearing in other rooms, one had to make sure they couldn't reach the security room by locking the doors at just the right moments.
Of course, in order to keep the game tense, there existed a 'power supply' that limited the player from keeping the doors closed at all times.
'It's a very interesting game. I can't say I could've come up with something like this. It's no wonder the game is selling so well.'
Checking the cameras, I began to play the game.
The more I played it, the more impressed I became.
But—
"I wouldn't say it's that scary."
Was it because of all the scenarios I had gone through?
This sort of game paled in comparison to real life.
I glanced around the room. It was small, about the same size as my office, with a single desk where I could monitor the cameras. Other than that, the only source of light came from the faint glow of the screen in front of me.
Everything looked incredibly realistic, but there was something that felt missing.
'I don't know. It just doesn't feel—'
Da~ Da~ Da!
A certain tune suddenly played in the air. One that made my breathing pause for a brief moment.
The cameras flickered, and I turned my attention towards the monitor.
"One of the dolls is missing."
I reached for the mouse and clicked on the next camera.
Click!
I began to scroll through each camera, looking for the dool. It didn't take long for me to find them.
'They're in the second room to the security room.'
The room resembled a storage space, cluttered with all sorts of scattered items. My gaze settled on a life-like doll sculpted in the image of a ballerina, her pale face frozen in grace, one arm lifted elegantly in the air. I licked my lips unconsciously as I stared at it.
'...I can't explain what it is, but it feels as if something has changed.'
I licked my lips again, feeling a certain tension in the air.
I took a deep breath, checking on the power supply and pressing on the camera system to check out the other rooms.
But just as I did—
Da~ Da~ Da!
The tune played again.
This time, the tension hit me instantly. My muscles stiffened as my eyes darted around, scanning every corner of the room.
"What the hell is going on?"
By now, it was obvious to me that something was wrong.
This...
Everything about this game felt weird. I couldn't quite explain what it was, but I started to feel a tension that hadn't been present before.
'When exactly did it start?'
I pressed my lips tightly, looking at my surroundings.
Everything looked the same, and as I turned my attention to the camera system, my heart suddenly came to a stop.
That was because...
"....!?"
One of the dolls was standing right outside my room.
Da~ Da~ Da!
My breathing grew heavier and more uneven as the faint tune drifted through the air, a clear signal that the dolls were moving. Without a second thought, I lunged for the monitor and activated the door system, locking the entrance to the room where the doll had been.
BANG!
I heard a loud 'bang' coming from the door. It was enough to jolt me as I hastily turned in the direction of the door.
But as if that wasn't enough...
Da~ Da~ Da!
The melody whispered in the air again, and the camera system sprang back to life.
Another doll had appeared!
"Shit!"
I didn't know when, but I began to take the game extremely seriously, closing the door on the right.
BANG!
The metal door shook, alongside my heart.
Flick! Flick—!
The light above flickered, and as I checked the power percentage, I noticed it was draining rapidly.
"Oh, shit...!"
The camera system was the first part that shut off.
The moment I tried to reach for it, the system had already stopped responding. My heart sank at the sight.
Without the camera system, I wouldn't be able to know where the dools were.
I also knew that I barely had any electricity left.
'What should I do...?' My mind scrambled to think of a solution. I checked the time. I knew that I needed to survive for just a little bit longer in order to clear the game, and after a little thought, I decided to gamble.
To keep the energy system running, I had no choice but to keep one door open.
That was what I did.
Claaaank!
I opened the door where the first doll had appeared.
Since it had been closed the longest, I assumed it was the room least likely to contain a doll.
And for a moment, it seemed like my train of thought was correct.
But soon—
Flick! Flick!
The lights turned off completely, leaving me in a state of darkness.
"Haaa... Haa..."
The sound of my own breathing echoed through the room, so loud it felt as if it were the only thing I could hear.
'Calm. Remain calm.'
I had dealt with a lot worse situations in the past. This was just a game. There was no need to get worked up over a game.
Creaaak!
"....!?"
A creaking sound suddenly echoed, and my head flicked to my left.
All that met my eyes was darkness. I stared into it, my breathing growing heavier with each passing second.
Creaaak! Creaaak!
It was slowly approaching me, and my heart started to speed up rapidly as a result.
Creaaaaaaak—!
The floor creaked once more, my heart hammering in my chest.
And then—
Tap.
Something tapped against my other shoulder, prompting me to turn my head.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
"....Uekh!"
A sickly pale face popped up shortly after, screaming in front of my face and forcing me to jump back as I nearly screamed at the top of my lungs.
A large [Game Over] appeared shortly after as the capsule opened, and I blankly stared at the ceiling above me.
"....."
I didn't know how long I stayed like that, lost in thought, until a certain silhouette appeared before me, snapping me back to reality.
"Huh?"
But looking at the figure before me, I realized rather quickly that something was wrong.
With its normally stitched eyes torn open, along with its mouth, I saw the Conductor glaring at the capsule with a rare fury I had never witnessed before.
'What's going on? Why is the Conductor reacting like this? What could've...?'
"Thief."
The words came out hoarsely from the conductor, its gaze even sharper as it stared at the capsule.
"...Thief."
The Conductor repeated, leaving me at a loss.
But soon, a certain tune replayed in my mind and my eyes widened in shock.
Don't tell me...