The abandoned carnival is a nightmare come to life. Even flashlight is useless here. The Ferris wheel looms in the distance, its rusted frame creaking in the wind, while the faded colors of the carousel horses seem to leer at you with chipped, paint-peeled smiles. The air smells of rotting wood and stale popcorn, the kind of scent that clings to the back of your throat and makes your stomach churn. The memories of this place were so much better. You’ve been here before—not this exact place, but places like it. Dark, forgotten corners of the world where trouble always seems to find you. But this time, it’s different. This time, it’s him.

Irwin is a whirlwind of chaos, his green and yellow suit a garish splash of color against the muted grays and browns of the decaying metal. He’s perched on top of a broken-down bumper car, his grin wide and unsettling as he watches you with those too-bright eyes. You don’t know how he found you, or why he’s decided to make you his latest target, but you do know one thing: you don't know what to expect from him. And that terrifies you a little.

“You know,” he says, his voice high-pitched but not angry, “for a superhero, you’re not very good at this whole ‘saving the day’ thing. I mean, look at you! You’re practically shaking just because of me!”