"Your head will collapse, if there's nothing in it and you'll ask yourself... Where is my mind?"
You live in a small town where a series of murders have been happening, and your best friend becomes one of the victims. What will happen when you in...
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BEEP BEEP BEEP!!
"Ugh!" I groan in annoyance at the unpleasant awakening. "What the..." I say groggily, still disoriented from just waking up. I sit up from lying to grab my phone to stop my alarm. I went to unlock my phone, but the screen was too bright. My eyes squint to adjust to the brightness. I finally turned off my alarm and looked at the time, 8:30 A.M., it said in glowing letters. "Wait... why did I even set this alarm?" I wonder.
"Oh shit, I'm starting my new job today!" I cry out. I jump out of bed and head to the closet to get dressed. I look over at the uniform that they provided me, a red short-sleeved collared blouse with white accents. The shirt is paired with a red knee-length A-line skirt that has a waist apron with pockets adorning the skirt. The outfit is all topped off with crew socks and white non-slip shoes. I put on the uniform as quickly as possible and headed toward the kitchen to get a quick breakfast.
Working minimum wage and living in an apartment means I don't get most of the luxuries others do. So my breakfast was something swift and cheap. Once I ate, I headed over to my new job.
You might think everything's relatively standard, but that's not true. There has been a string of murders in our small town. I am still trying to understand why they are happening. I moved to this small town in Appalachia to avoid the craziness of the city, but now the craziness is following me. Despite that, I am curious about these cases, especially why they happen. My best friend Des is equally intrigued.
Des has been investigating the cases and is convinced something supernatural is at play. I've urged them to stop, warning that it could be dangerous, but they won't listen. I'm genuinely worried about them because they haven't been discreet about their investigation. Someone dangerous might catch on to what they are doing and cause trouble for them.
Des was my first true friend in this; they are known for doing dangerous things, and I worry about them... Well, enough serious talk! I'm at my new job now.
I decided to take up a position at the neighborhood diner, where my shifts fall from morning to afternoon, specifically from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM. In addition to this commitment, I am also attending college, focusing on a business major. I'm in my third year of college but only recently moved away from my parents. The move was purely motivated by my getting a better opportunity in a college in this area.
Before this, my parents paid for my college education since they chose my major, not me. But now that I live alone, I have to pay for my apartment myself instead of smooching off my parents.
I swing open the heavy door to the diner. The vibrant interior unfolds before me in a burst of color and retro charm. It is almost painful how colorful it is inside, but to combat that, the walls are adorned with crimson and ivory hues, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Below, the floor is meticulously tiled in a checkerboard pattern.
Row upon row of crimson booths line the walls, with plush seats begging me to come sit down. Directly in front of me is a lengthy communal table stretched out, adorned with gleaming silver stools aligning it.