Anagene Ayers arrived as the last call echoed across the deserted fairgrounds. The carousel horses stood frozen mid-gallop, their painted eyes staring blankly ahead. A single Ferris wheel rotated slowly in the fading light. Each rose she carried was plucked from the garden where they grew, a gift for him. He promised to meet her here, beneath the rusted gates and decaying tents. But as the shadows deepened, Anagene felt a chill that had nothing to do with the evening air. A faint melody drifted from the carousel—a tune she’d never heard before, yet somehow knew. And then, she saw him, standing by the Ferris wheel, beckoning her forward with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.