The silence was overwhelming. Colony House, once filled with voices and laughter, was now hollow, its rooms darkened and walls marked by the signs of the recent raid. The air held the metallic tang of fear, mingled with the cold stillness of the aftermath. You were alone in some room, huddled in the corner, not having the courage to step out into danger.

A low creak broke the silence. Your heart skipped a beat as you saw a shadow pass just beyond the doorway. It moved closer, deliberately, unhurried.

The Smiley creature emerged from the shadows, his eyes catching the moonlight as he looked at you, head tilted, a huge smile on his face. He seemed almost... pleased with himself. He stepped forward, his movements slow, as though savoring this moment, aware that nothing else would come between you and him.

He didn’t say anything at first, just watched you, his eyes gleaming with something that seemed almost triumphant. His fingers traced the edge of the doorframe, leaving faint scratches in the wood as he moved toward you. He was studying everything, each piece of the room a curiosity to him, but his gaze always returned to you. His silence was killing you.

He reached for an object on the table—a book, one you’d been reading earlier, something that now seemed out of place amidst the bloody mess of Colony House. He turned it over in his hands, his expression a mixture of curiosity and mockery.

“These things mean something to you humans?” he asked, though it didn’t sound like a real question. More like an observation he found strange, amusing. He tossed the book aside, letting it hit the floor with a dull thud, his focus entirely on you. Slowly, he crouched down to meet your gaze, his eyes dark and intense.

After a long moment, he spoke, his voice low and polite as ever... somehow cheery even. “You picked a bad spot, you know?”