Takeout Girl in Horror Game

Heading back to my dumpy safehouse from the carnival meant cutting through wastelands.

No mobs, no loot—just dead space. Perfect shortcut.

I was coasting easy, nothing but gray-white forever, when it hit.

A glowing blue rune-net dropped straight from the sky. Zero warning. Zero chance to dodge.

"Shit—" was all I got out before it slammed down, pinning me and the scooter like bugs in resin.

The weight crushed every ounce of strength out of me. I slid off the seat, limp.

"Gotcha!" a smug voice rang out.

Figures stepped from behind a boulder.

Up front was some guy with a wolf grin and eyes like knives. He strolled over and nudged my arm with his boot.

"Took us long enough."

"Darren's talking to you!" one of his goons snapped. "Where's the Omnipass? On you, or stuffed in that trash scooter?"

I blinked, dazed.

"You've got the wrong girl! I deliver food. If I had something like that, I'd be long gone from this gig!"

The guy named Darren finally spoke, voice sharp. "Still playing dumb?"

He crouched, tapping my cheek with the flat of a cold dagger.

"We've been watching you three days. That busted scooter blows past every domain wall. Don't push me—I'm not in the mood."

Panic surged. My eyes burned.

My only real secret? I'm not even an NPC. But saying that out loud? Instant autopsy.

He caught the fear and snapped.

From his coat, he pulled a squirming, eyeball-looking item. Pure nightmare fuel.

"If you won't talk, I'll just check myself."

The eye locked on my forehead, shoving into my mind.

"No—!" I screamed, thrashing against the net.

In blind panic, my hand shot to the gift box still dangling from the scooter's handle.

Right as that mind-leech presence dug in, the box snapped open on its own.

A shockwave ripped out—silent, unseen—then my HUD blew up:

[SYSTEM WARNING: Exclusive customer "Grand Duke Nortune" has detected a hostile threat to your life! Status: ENRAGED!]

[SYSTEM WARNING: Exclusive customer "Madam Faceless" has forcibly reactivated expired "Super Achiever Pin"! Status: ENRAGED!]

[SYSTEM WARNING: "Fruit of Love" gifted by exclusive customer "King Butcher" is withering! Status: ENRAGED!]

[SYSTEM WARNING: "Jack-in-the-Box" from exclusive customer "Harlequin Rex" has been triggered...]

The sky ripped open.

A blood-red cloud boiled over, Lord Nortune's fury booming across the wasteland:

"Who dares lay unworthy hands upon MY courier?!"

A school bell shrieked, stabbing straight into my ears. Madam Faceless's voice cut through like ice:

"Who's bullying my student near my jurisdiction?"

Boom!

A cleaver reeking of slaughterhouse rot slammed down inches from Darren's foot, the ground vibrating from the hit.

Then came Harlequin's laugh, shrill and unhinged, rolling through the air:

"Ooooh, surprise, surprise! Now... which little pest went and broke my toy, hmm? Heeheehee!"

Darren's smirk cracked and died.