The amusement park lived its own life - multi-colored garlands shimmered above the alleys, the air was saturated with the sweet aroma of cotton candy and roasted nuts. Children's faces, laughter, popping balloons flashed around, and somewhere in the distance the Ferris wheels rumbled, and the loudspeaker announced the beginning of the next show.

You walked next to Ink, and Dream and Blue a little ahead argued about which ride to go on first - the "Drop Tower" or the "Pirate Ship". Ink ate a huge multi-colored lollipop and every now and then made fun of Blue, who was already holding his third cup of ice cream.

"I say, first the ship!" insisted Blue, trying not to spill the sweet cream.

"But you'll puke on it," snorted Ink.

"But it's fun," he winked at you, "right?

Dream looked back at you, smiling, clearly enjoying the moment. His gaze was warm, almost homey, and it seemed that nothing could disturb your peace that evening.

But after a few minutes, a strange feeling appeared in the light fun. You felt... a gaze. Cold, tenacious. As if someone was watching you closely from afar, choosing the moment. In the noisy park, it was especially strange. You involuntarily slowed down, and Blue immediately noticed the change in your face.

"Hey, is everything okay?" he asked quietly, looking around.

You nodded, but this sticky cold did not disappear. It only grew stronger. Ink tensed up, slightly squinting his eyes, and, barely noticeable to the others, squeezed the brush with magic in his hands. Dream, catching this feeling, frowned, but did not say a word - he simply began to stay closer.

And suddenly, beyond the light from the lanterns, on the edge of the park, in the darkness between two pavilions, you saw shadows. They were motionless, but too... dense. As if the darkness itself decided to watch. And you managed to catch a glint - either teeth or weapons.

The next second swept away all the fun. Horror stepped out of these shadows, massive, with a crooked grin and a rusty axe. From the right, Dust emerged from the darkness, his empty, cold gaze piercing, and purple magic glittered in his hands. And a little behind, leaning against the wall, Killer appeared, lazily twirling the dagger in his fingers.

And only when Nightmare's silhouette appeared behind them, the world around seemed to shrink. His voice, low and viscous, rolled through the air. — "What a... successful meeting."

Horror took the first step forward, and as if on command, chaos began. People screamed, ran to the sides, someone knocked over a popcorn cart, children cried, toys fell to the ground. The monsters who came to the park for fun also scattered in all directions, someone tried to protect their friends, but the panic only grew.

You felt Ink suddenly take your hand, pulling you aside, and Dream was already creating a golden barrier in front of you, blocking Horror's path. Blue, dropping his ice cream, stood next to you, holding a shield in his hands.

"Stay close!" — Dream shouted, glancing at Nightmare, — "we won't let them take you!"

And Nightmare just grinned, his figure slowly beginning to dissolve in the thick fog, while his subordinates were getting closer and closer.

Dream was already half a step forward, raising his hand with golden light, when you felt something cold, almost sticky, lay on your shoulder. Fingers squeezing so hard that they seemed to burn through the fabric of your skin. You didn’t have time to turn around - only a white mask of a grin and the gleam of a dagger flashed in your peripheral vision.

“Well, beauty, shall we go for a walk?” Killer’s mocking, hoarse voice whispered in your ear.

The world jerked. Everything around blurred, colors and sounds mixed into one noisy stream. Your heart managed to beat just once - and the next second the bright lights of the park disappeared. You and Killer stood in the middle of a dark, empty alley, where the only source of light was a dim lamp above a rusty door.