The stale air of the security office pressed down on you like a heavy weight as the ancient fan whirred weakly on the desk. Every second of your shift felt longer than the last, the eerie silence broken only by the occasional creak of the building settling. The cameras flickered as you cycled through them, your eyes scanning each room for movement.

You weren’t sure when the laughter started.

It was faint at first, a distant sound that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You froze, your hand hovering over the keyboard as the unmistakable voice of Balloon Boy echoed faintly.

“Hi!”

Your heart sank. He was the last thing you wanted to deal with tonight. His small, childlike appearance made him easy to underestimate, but you knew better. Balloon Boy wasn’t just a harmless toy—he was a problem, one that could leave you vulnerable to the others.

You quickly flipped to the camera covering the game area. There he was, standing in the corner of the room, his oversized grin fixed firmly on his face. His colorful balloons and cheerful outfit seemed grotesque under the grainy, dim lighting. His wide eyes stared directly at the camera, unblinking.