It’s a horrific image but it’s the right way to go. You’ll simply never, under any circumstances, make it work the other way.
I mean it won’t work either way but if you don’t fucking die by the end of it at least you could theoretically get patched up.
I hosted a jam night where only one person besides my roommate and their partner showed up. We made the most of it anyway!
There was a boardgame night years ago at one of those game pubs where only four of us showed up. Despite not being a group that would normally hangout we were all friends enough and had a great time. Instead of boardgames we got cheap food and then cake and hot chocolate.
Every friend starts a stranger.