It started when a new villager moved into my town.
The game has been soothing for me.
At least, thats how it started out in the beginning.
Sara Kurfeß
Some weird things have been happening.
It started when a new villager moved into my town.
Problems with the programming.
Theres a bulletin board outside of Resident Services where you’re able to scribble messages.
One morning, I noticed a bird perched on the board, signaling a new note.
I clicked it open and saw… red.
Like someone had swiped a paintbrush across the paper, blotting out everything.
Honestly, it didnt bother me much.
I pretty much forgot about it and went on with the rest of my digital day.
I returned a lost item someone had dropped on the ground.
I planted a money tree.
Except that part was weird, too.
Each one was bought for 666 bells.The number of the beast.
I took a screenshot to show my friends, then went right back to the game.
I did some terraforming, added some new ponds, and then knocked on my newest villagers door.
Did they do something cutesy?
I walked inside to the last thing I wouldve expected.
There were chairs set up in rows, facing a huge, black casket.
Flowers were hanging from each wall along with flickering candles in sconces.
As if it was a fucking funeral in his honor.
I took a few more screenshots, then tried talking to the spider.
He never answered me.
His dialogue never appeared.
He just kept repeating thecold chill reaction.I instantly turned off the game.
A few hours later, one of my friends texted me back after seeing my screenshots.
They sent me a link to an article about people experiencing the same problems as me.
They hadnt figured out exactly what was happening, either, and the developers hadnt issued a response yet.
Then that character, your best friend, your favorite, disappeared.
I didnt know that last part.
I logged back into the game and bolted to my octopus house.
It was still standing, which was a relief.
Maybe nothing bad had happened.
Maybe the article was wrong.
But when I walked inside the house, all of the old furniture was gone.
Even creepier, there were red smears on the walls and the ground.
They spelled out the words: THIS ISNT A GAME.
My hands were shaking out of fear and anger.
It sounds silly, but Id invested so many hours into that game.
I loved that octopus.
Whatever was happening wasnt just creepy.
I opened it to find a letter.
In between the junk mail and bills, there was a letter without a stamp.
That meant someone had been to my house.
It meant they knew where I lived.
I ripped fire up the envelop.
Inside, there wasnt a threatening letter or a warning.
There wasnt any paper at all.
There was only thing squashed inside, the size of my thumbnail.
