[Felix Foley sits in his living room, tears still settling beneath tired eyes. After witnessing his brother get murdered, he’s been inconsolable. After last weeks meeting, he rests with a controller in his hand.]
“I used to love playing this game. I spent hours on it, truth be told. I had to be discreet because if pop would’ve found out, I’d have been in big trouble. I wonder if Albert felt the same?”
[He picks up the cartridge case and smiles.]
“Nightmare Circus.”
[His smile turns to a frown.]
“The story is fairly simple. It begins with a circus in Arcadia that was burned completely and utterly to the ground by its shady and villainous operator. He was convicted and sentenced to death for his crimes.”
“The lead character went to investigate the site of the crime and its supernatural happenings. On the third final stage, he had to battle the Ringmaster in the Ringmasters arena.”
[Felix puts the case down and shakes his head.]
“I spent hours trying to complete that third and final stage, ya’know? It felt like an eternity of dodging his attacks and then attacking back when he was tired and vulnerable.”
[A voice suddenly calls in from the kitchen.]
“You did it though!”
[Foley smiles.]
“I did mom. I did.”
[He turns the console on and sits back on the sofa, loading up the saved game from all those years ago. It starts at the beginning of the stage.]
“I remember how scared this game made me, Klaus. I was terrified. Every time I stood opposite the ringmaster, it ebbed away at that fear. It became tiresome and monotonous, and eventually subsided. All that was left was determination. Determination to beat him, beat the level and beat the game.”
[He starts clacking away at the controller.]
“Most of my friends said I shouldn’t keep playing. They cautioned me against it. It’s funny how many people wanna caution me against bad things. I’ve been bad too, ya’know. Nightmares don’t bother me. It’s the waking up that hurts.”
[There’s a sadness in his eyes.]
“Klaus, I’m not scared of the Ringmaster anymore. I’m not scared of you. I’m not scared of Tombstone.”
[He doesn’t seem convinced by that.]
“Because whatever happens, no matter how scared I have gotten or do get, I’m the hero that keeps fighting. I’m the boy that keeps coming back. Whether it’s my dad beating me like there’s no tomorrow, or Tombstone murdering my brother, or the dreaded Ringmaster…”
[His eyes become focused.]
[Now he means it.]
“I’m determined to carry on.”
[There’s a scream in game from the Ringmaster, who Foley has defeated whilst talking to us.]
“Nightmare Circus taught me that the Ringmaster is a terrifying foe. I’m sure that’s true of you, Klaus. But that’s not all it taught me. It taught me that the more you face your fears, the less scary they become.”
“And the less scary they become, the easier they are to overcome.”
[He smiles.]
“For the kids.”