Music started playing.
Happy.
Cheerful.
Illegal in a horror scene.
I slowly turned around.
Cakes on top of tables, balloons with skull patterns, and, surprisingly, people!
NPCs at that!
With flashy smiles pasted on their faces, eerily staring at me.
"...Why," I said weakly, "does this look like a B-Day party in a funeral home?"
Just then, the letters within the banner rearranged themselves.
⟨WELCOME, PLAYER: COWARD ADRIAN⟩
"...HEY."
Another line appeared under it.
⟨ROLE: COWARDLY BRAVE SURVIVOR⟩
THIS DAMN BANNER IS MOCKING ME. I JUST GOT PTSD TWO SECONDS AGO.
Then, a voice echoed from nowhere.
"Congratulations, Player Adrian."
A clapping roe deer emerged from the curtains I don't remember existing.
He sounded cheerful.
Too cheerful.
"You have successfully entered—"
"Aha! That mask! Is this Daydream Inc.?"
…
…
"You have successfully entered the ghost scenario."
// //
Damn host. Public humiliation wasn't part of my bingo card.
There was absolutely no one inside aside from lifeless NPCs.