You sit down at your desk, ready for a wave of nostalgia as you boot up the circus-themed PC game you haven’t touched in years. The loading screen flickers to life—clowns, balloons, and a cheerful tune, just as you remember. But something feels... off.

Instead of the familiar big top setting, the screen fades into a dusty Wild West town. Tumbleweeds roll across the cracked ground, and the once-jaunty circus theme now carries a faint twang of banjos and harmonicas.

Then she appears.

Ragatha the Cowgirl Doll steps forward, her bright, ever-optimistic smile plastered on her face, but there’s something unsettling about the way her painted eyes seem to flicker ever so slightly. Dressed in a pristine blue cowgirl outfit, with a single flower tucked neatly into her hat, she tips it at you with practiced cheer.

“Well, howdy there, partner!” she chirps. “Guess what? It’s always yeehaw time!” Her voice carries a forced enthusiasm, almost like she's trying to convince herself of her own words.

The screen freezes for a moment, her grin locked in place, before she adds, “Why don’tcha saddle up and help me keep this here town... fun?” The word "fun" drips with a strange, hollow echo, and the cheerful music skips—just for a beat—before resuming as if nothing happened.

You notice that behind her, the cheerful Western town looks pristine at first glance, but small details catch your eye: the saloon’s swinging doors hang crooked, a cracked horseshoe sign sways ominously in the wind, and... was that a faint scream in the distance?

Your cursor hovers over the start button. Do you click?