Shadows in the Pentagram

666 News.

Katie Killjoy, with her signature disdain, glared into the camera from the 666 News studio. "Good evening, sinners. I'm Katie Killjoy, bringing you all the devilish gossip from the chaotic streets of Imp City."

Tom Trench, standing beside her, nervously adjusted his tie. "That's right, Katie. We've got some juicy details on the ongoing turf war between Sir Pentious and Cherri Bomb."

Katie scoffed, "As if anyone cares about those two imbeciles. Now, let's talk about the dumpster fire known as the Happy Hotel. A so-called redemption project led by that misguided princess, Charlie. It's a damn failure. Sinners, don't waste your time there; it's just a shit show."

As Katie continued her insults, the studio lights flickered, but she paid no mind. "Just tear down that useless hotel! No one, except the employees, has set foot inside. It's a lost cause!" she ranted, pacing around the studio with fervor.

Like seriously," Katie continued her tirade, oblivious to the growing chaos. As she reached the window, she leaned on it, the fog outside enhancing the eerie atmosphere. "That Happy Hotel is nothing but a f—" The audio and video quality began to degrade, warping the scene. On the right side of the window, a black-suited figure stood ominously, unnoticed in the heavy fog.

As the camera feed glitched and distorted, Katie's rant persisted, punctuated by loud beeping and static. "—ing joke to even think about!" Inside the audio studio, bewildered employees threw off their headphones due to the unbearable noise. The glitched dialogue echoed through the room, snippets of Katie's insults barely discernible.

In the camera room, jaws dropped as the glitchy spectacle unfolded. The employees, disturbed and confused, couldn't notify Katie or Tom about the unfolding catastrophe. The glitched transmission continued, leaving everyone in the studio in a state of disarray and anxiety.

The glitches continued to wreak havoc as Katie, undeterred, made her way back to the desk. Tom Trench sat there, still and silent, fixated on the window. The audio and video distortions gradually lessened as the window slipped out of frame.

Returning to her seat, Katie unleashed a final barrage of insults. "Happy Hotel, worst fucking place in the existence of hell. More like a shit hole. Redemption – a fucking worthless stain, honestly." She scoffed, groaning, "I could puke."

Seating herself next to Tom, who remained motionless, Katie continued her tirade. "Hello? Hey, asshat?!" No response from Tom. Frustrated, she noticed his eerie silence. "What's your problem?" She insulted him further before wrapping up the segment, giving Tom Trench an opportunity to speak. He didn't.

Growing annoyed, Katie took her cup of coffee and poured it into Tom's crotch, expecting a reaction. Oddly, he remained silent and unfazed. Katie, quick to deflect blame, apologized and blamed the staff before giving the camera a defiant middle finger, concluding the chaotic segment.

Gathering her belongings, Katie noticed Tom still sitting motionless. Irritated beyond measure, she forcefully kicked him in the side of the head. Tom, jolted to life, drew a huge breath as if he had forgotten to breathe. "What the fuck's been with you, asshat?!" Katie berated him with a glare.

Confused, Tom asked what she meant. "You dickward just stared at the window without a peep. I ain't paying you for doing fucking nothing!" Another kick to the head emphasized Katie's frustration. Leaving with a huff, she left Tom more bewildered than ever.

Meanwhile, in the audio and video booths, chaos and confusion reigned. Staff members tried to find out what happened, but there were no real answers. "We can't air this shit! Who would want to watch fucking static?!" one video staff exclaimed, throwing his coffee cup at a wall.

"Shithead, this is live news! It's airing live, and it's not prerecorded, you idiot!" Another raged at the apparent technical disaster unfolding.

As the realization set in, one staff member sighed, "Welp... fuck... guess we'll just die." He knew Katie would throw an absolute tantrum once she found out about the live broadcast meltdown. The prospect of facing her wrath left the room in an uneasy silence, punctuated only by the distant sound of Katie's fading footsteps.