The carnival grounds sprawled across a desolate field on the outskirts of town. Flickering lanterns illuminated a sprawling maze of tents and rides, each one more twisted and bizarre than the last. A towering Ferris wheel creaked eerily as it spun, its skeletal structure silhouetted against the inky blackness. The calliope's haunting melody echoed through the night, drawing the curious and the unsuspecting alike.