Like Cinderella, who had to return at the first stroke of midnight, the warm orange fire lights dimmed one after another as the minute hand touched 12. The darkness beyond the wall crept in, slowly filling every inch of the resting zone. The stalls closed, and the people quieted down. The mood took a nosedive and turned somber.
There was a cold air of dread hung heavily in the air. Everybody seemed both anxious and worried about the arrival of the second day, as some of them knew they might not get the chance to see the sunset tomorrow when the game ended.
After she had nudged out of the crowd of puppets, Lin Sanjiu was taken aback by what she saw. There weren't any people around them. Earlier on when the night was still young, she could somewhat hear the noises of people shuffling here and there, but now, everywhere her eyes looked, all she could see was darkness and empty umbrellas.
