Darkwood: Circus Inferno

Dinner Gone Wrong

!!!

As Tixo and Onyx approached the old mortuary, the air around them felt heavy, the shadows stretching unnaturally under the dim glow of the porch light. The creaking of the wooden steps echoed as they stepped up to the porch, where they found Wei sitting alone, his figure silhouetted against the faint light.

Wei looked up at them, his expression strained. He attempted to convey a sense of calmness, waving his hands in a reassuring sign that he was fine, but the tremor in his movements belied his bravado. The unease swirling in his mind was palpable, a gnawing dread that he couldn’t shake off. It felt as if a thousand eyes were watching him from the darkness beyond the porch, each flicker of movement in the periphery heightening his anxiety.

Onyx caught the slight quiver of Wei’s fingers as he signed, “I’m fine,” but the message felt insincere, even to him. There was a tension in the air, an unspoken understanding that something was very wrong.

Tixo stepped closer, concern etched on his face. “Wei, are you okay?” he asked, his voice low. “You don’t look fine.”

Wei’s eyes darted around, scanning the shadows that danced along the edges of the porch. He swallowed hard, trying to brush off the feeling of being watched. “I’m just… tired,” he signed back, but even he could see the hesitation in his own movements. The weight of dread loomed like a storm cloud overhead, threatening to break and unleash chaos at any moment.

Onyx frowned, sensing that Wei was trying to convince himself more than anyone else. “You don’t look tired. You look… on edge,” he replied, crossing his arms as he stepped onto the porch.

Wei shook his head, desperate to shake off the feeling that clawed at his mind. He wanted to be strong for them, but the sense of something lurking just beyond the shadows made it hard to maintain that facade. “I’m just… being paranoid,” he signed, though the tremor in his hands betrayed his attempt at nonchalance.

Tixo leaned against the porch railing, his eyes narrowing as he observed Wei. “You’re not paranoid if you feel like something’s really watching you,” he said quietly. “We’ve all been feeling it. Something’s off tonight.”

Wei met Tixo’s gaze, the fear lurking in his own heart mirrored in Tixo’s eyes. The realization that they were all on edge brought a flicker of comfort, but it wasn’t enough to quell the growing sense of unease.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Onyx interjected, trying to redirect the conversation. “We’ll figure things out. Just… stay close, okay?”

Wei nodded, grateful for the support of his friends. Even as the shadows crept closer, he drew strength from their presence, a flicker of light in the overwhelming darkness. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart, knowing that together, they could face whatever haunted the night.

The atmosphere inside the mortuary shifted as Tixo, Onyx, and Wei entered, their unease trailing in behind them. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the room, and the rich aroma of dinner wafted from the kitchen, momentarily distracting them from their previous conversation. The rest of the group was already gathered around the long wooden table, a feast laid out before them.

As everyone settled down to eat, laughter and chatter filled the air, and for a brief moment, it felt like everything was normal. But that illusion shattered as the first dish began to tremble on the table.