As Chris stared at the strange message on his black phone, a sense of excitement bubbled up within him. However, that enthusiasm quickly vanished when he read the description of his latest "reward."
"A missing person's flyer for Daniel? This is supposed to be a reward? There's no way this phone got it right. This looks more like a curse than a gift," he muttered, feeling a twinge of unease creep up his spine.
He continued to read through the eerie item description, barely able to shake off the feeling of dread. The flyer wasn't just an ordinary piece of paper—it carried a trace of Daniel's unresolved hatred.
"What the hell is this 'Resentment Value' thing?" Chris wondered aloud. He guessed the flyer somehow captured Daniel's resentment before he disappeared.
"Who in their right mind would need something like this? It seems like this thing wasn't designed for the living," Chris said, casting a wary glance at his shadow before shaking his head to dispel the dark thought.
By 7 p.m., the police car pulled back into the New Century Fun Park. After grabbing the spare keys from the gatekeeper, Chris headed back to his haunted house. Exhausted from a night of running around, he collapsed onto the couch in the staff lounge, his body aching as if his bones were about to shatter.
He pulled out his phone, realizing the battery had long died. The live stream had probably ended hours ago, leaving his viewers in the dark.
He plugged his phone into the charger and turned it back on. The pedometer on the screen indicated that he'd taken over forty thousand steps throughout the night, proudly placing him at the top of his friends' list. Even Wendy had liked the post.
"Maybe I should work on my stamina. I don't need to win a fight, I just need to outrun everyone else," he joked as he scrolled through his phone. He found Hayden's number and hesitated before sending a tentative text, unsure if he'd be waking him up.
Surprisingly, just seconds after sending the message, Hayden called him back.
"Holy crap, man! You're alive!" Hayden's voice boomed, causing Chris to wince.
"Why do you sound so disappointed? Keep it down. You're going to wake up your dormmates."
"Wake them up? Dude, they've all been watching your stream. We stayed up all night!"
Chris was touched for a moment, thinking of his friends supporting him. He was about to thank Hayden when he heard the next sentence.
"After the stream cut off, they all bet you were dead. I won a free lunch for next week thanks to you."
"Wait... My life was worth a meal to you? And you felt the need to share this joy with me?" Chris was speechless, left shaking his head at Hayden's lack of tact.
"Hey, the important thing is you're alive. I was really worried you'd end up on our autopsy table in class. You know, our professor always shows us pictures of victims during lectures…"
"All right, enough," Chris interrupted, rubbing his temples. "I'm fine, seriously. Thanks for being there, though. I owe you lunch sometime."
After wrapping up the call, Chris checked his social media feed, only to find that his follower count had exploded by over three thousand.
"What the… My stream blacked out, and I still gained followers?" He then glanced at his inbox, finding it flooded with one question: Are you still alive?
"These people are unreal," Chris muttered, rolling his eyes.
Satisfied that his haunted house's page and live stream weren't taken down, Chris tossed his phone aside and buried his head in the pillow, stretching out his tired limbs.
"I'm not doing anything today. I just want to sleep," he mumbled, sinking into the comfort of the bed. Within minutes, he was fast asleep, exhausted from the night's events.
The sun had barely risen when Chris was jolted awake. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden glow across the room as it gently bathed the bed in warmth.
Bang!
A loud noise erupted from outside as the protective railing of the haunted house was pulled back, followed by the sound of rapid footsteps climbing the stairs. The door to the staff room was thrown open with force, startling Chris awake. His bed frame shook as someone bounded toward him with excitement.
"Boss! You're on TV!"
Still half-asleep, Chris blinked in confusion, only to find himself face-to-face with Wendy, who was sitting on the edge of his bed, practically bouncing with enthusiasm. The scent of her shampoo wafted over him as she smiled brightly.
"Give me a second. What's going on?" Chris asked, grabbing the sheets to cover his bare chest.
"I saw you on TV for the first time! Even though your face was pixelated, I recognized you immediately!" Wendy replied, showing him a video on her phone.
"Pixelated?" Chris asked, unsure if he should be amused or concerned.
"Yeah, take a look," Wendy said, handing him the phone. "This clip is from the morning news. They broke into the broadcast with an urgent report."
Chris tapped on the video. It showed a shot of the Fairview Apartments, where he had spent the night.
"Justice Prevails! After five years, there's finally a breakthrough in the Fairview massacre case. Thanks to the help of a local citizen, the police have apprehended the true perpetrator!"
The segment continued with a brief interview, accompanied by a blurred-out image of Chris leaving the scene with the Westside police. His face was heavily pixelated, and the caption explained that since one suspect was still at large, the witness's identity would remain confidential for his safety.
"Boss, that's totally you, right? The height, the build, even the clothes—everything matches!" Wendy declared.
"Let me get dressed first, then we can talk," Chris replied, shaking his head in disbelief.
As he pulled on his clothes, he recounted the events of the previous night, leaving out the real reason he went to the Fairview Apartments. Instead, he told Wendy that he was searching for inspiration for new attractions in the haunted house.
Wendy's expression shifted as he spoke. She looked concerned yet impressed.
"Boss, you've been through a lot. Why don't you rest a little longer? I can handle the customers outside," she offered kindly.
As soon as Chris heard the word "customers," however, his energy surged back.
"How many people are there?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"More than yesterday, that's for sure."
"What are we waiting for? Help me up!" Chris exclaimed, his weariness forgotten.
After sending Wendy ahead to greet the visitors, Chris splashed his face with cold water in the bathroom and then grabbed his black phone, ready to check on the latest developments. He navigated to the new Midnight Escape scenario, which had been unlocked the night before.
"Midnight Escape (Scream Rating: One Star): This horror scenario is now fully operational. You may visit the third floor to explore the layout."
A warning message popped up: "Notice: Space within the haunted house is now insufficient. Further expansion is required to unlock new horror scenarios."
"When did this get set up?" Chris wondered. He had expected to need more time to prepare, but it seemed the phone had outpaced him again.
Slipping on his shoes, Chris hurried to the third floor. As he opened the attic door, he stepped into an entirely new world. The old, broken props had disappeared, replaced by ominous corridors that exuded a chilling air.
The Midnight Escape scenario spanned the entire third floor, taking over part of the second and third floors, including the area previously occupied by the Zombie Resurrection Night.
"There are three levels to this setup. The first two floors act as transitions, but the real terror is up here on the third. It reminds me of the Fairview Apartments," Chris murmured to himself, taking in the eerie surroundings.
The more he explored, the more he realized how perfectly the haunted house had replicated the dread he felt the night before. It wasn't just a replica; it was a reflection of the sinister reality he had faced.
And now, it was ready to terrorize anyone brave enough to step inside.