I woke up with the dying sun slanting orange through the window. It was 6pm, sunset, and I had fallen asleep over my revision. Tomorrow was the big maths test and I had been revising non-stop throughout the night and day.

My stomach roared with hunger. I had sustained myself with crackers and a pot of instant noodles but that wasn’t enough for the day. I sighed. Maybe it was best to take a break after all.

“Mum?” I called out tentatively, padding down the stairs. “I’m hungry.”

Silence answered. The wind ruffled my hair.

Then the sound of raucous laughter.

I tiptoed into the living room to see my family gathered around the television set. That was the first strange thing. My family usually didn’t watch television. They don’t even watch Netflix.

The other strange thing was that they were laughing with joy. Laughing until tears streamed down their cheeks.

I peered at the television set, but my own distorted reflection stared back at me from a black screen.

“Mum?” I repeated, standing in front of the television set. “I’m hungry.”

My mum erupted in laughter in response, her eyes fixated on a spot somewhere to my left. “Come play with me!” she cried.

My stomach rumbled again, so disturbed, I left the house in search of food.

The streets were strangely quiet, devoid of traffic, which was strange since I lived in a big city and not a small town. Curtains were swept over the windows; the doors were shut. Only the birds chirped and the streetlights flickered as they came on.

Finally I found a McDonald’s and went inside. Patrons were glued to their smartphone screens, their jaws wide open and their food cold. Ants marched on the table, taking fries and sauces and anything sweet.

The employees had their back towards the counter, staring up at a giant television screen. Then, as if perfectly synchronised, the entire restaurant erupted into laughter.

“Hello?” I yelled. “Can I have a Big Mac and some fries please?”

The employees did not tear their eyes away from the television screen. They muttered something that sounded like Come play with me, and a spot of drool dripped to the floor.

Words suddenly dripped in red across the screen. COME PLAY WITH ME it screamed.

Followed by a picture of a cartoon clown. His face was as white as bone, and his hair was red as blood, bouncing up in curls on his head. His smile slashed across his face, and he rubbed his hands in delight upon seeing me.

“Come play with me,” he sang.

Disturbed,I turned away, but then my phone vibrated in my pocket.

I took it out.

The clown’s face grinned on the screen. He held up a red balloon. His eyes were twin spirals. I couldn’t look away. Time stood still.

“Come play with me,” I muttered.