Ch. Midnight Zoo 11 Midnight Zoo 11

10 

After the car crash, I was plunged into a world of silence. Lying in my hospital bed, I could only listen to the nurses‘ chatter. 

“So tragic,” one would say. “Everyone on that bus died. She’s the only survivor. They say her husband shielded her with his own body right before 

the explosion.” 

“What a waste,” another would sigh. “She survived, but she’s in a coma. And she has no other family.” 

“I heard the two of them ran a stray animal shelter. They were on their way home from the courthouse, just got their marriage license. Can you 

imagine?” 

“It’s just fate, I suppose.” 

Fate? He died? Leaving me all alone? 

How dare he? How dare he die in my place? 

F’ll find you, I had vowed. No matter where you are, I will find you. 

I’ll find you, I had vowed. No matter where you are, I will find you. 

And now, I walked over to the young warden and took his hand. 

“I’ve found him.” 

Extra 1 

The zoo was open for business again. 

The tiger lounged in his enclosure, admiring his sleek, glossy fur in a puddle of water. I forgot to mention: in his previous life, he was a vain but talented hairdresser. He was on his way to a concert on his rare day off, to see a singer he adored. 

The monkey had taken over the aviary, stealing the most beautiful feathers from the parrots to weave himself a crown. He declared himself the new Primate King of the zoo. In his past life, he was an orphan who survived by stealing and scrounging. If he came home empty–handed, he wou- Id be beaten. That day, he was just doing what he always did: getting on a bus. 

The black bear had been a fashion model. To maintain her figure, she was perpetually starving. That day, after a long and exhausting photoshoot, she couldn’t get a taxi, so she hopped on a bus. 

The next time they opened their eyes, they were here. In a strange, magical zoo. 

Extra 2 

The first instance to have a single survivor clearing the entire game drew the attention of the pocket dimension’s media. Rumor had it that the player, despite winning her freedom, had chosen to stay behind. 

Reporters arrived to find the 

sunbathing lazily.. 

once–gloomy zoo completely transformed. The formerly scrawny, miserable animals were now plump, healthy, and 

A curious reporter asked them why they had given up hunting humans. 

“We weren’t on board at first, you know?” one of them sighed. “But this woman… she just follows us around, feeding us constantly. What can we 

do? She just gives us so much good stuff.” 

“But won’t that make you unhealthy?” 

The animals just sighed again and rolled over in the sun. 

Just then, a young woman in a zookeeper’s uniform, her hair in a ponytail, looked up from cleaning a cage. 

“I swear, it’s all part of a balanced, professional diet!” she called out. “They might look sleek and well–fed, but I assure you, they’re perfectly healt- 

hy!” 

As she finished, a slender man walked over and took the feed bucket from her hands. 

“We’re already starting them on a new fitness regimen,” he said with a small, warm smile. 

“Welcome to the Midnight Zoo,” they said in unison. “Feel free to interact with the animals.”