René hung on the words his friend left him with on his way out of the restaurant. Something strange was definitely afoot in his new building. He certainly didn't need potential customers to be spooked into thinking it was not safe to eat here. Regardless of the ominous opening, he remained optimistic and excited about his opportunity.
As the last customer departed, he prepared to close the restaurant for the day and review the pros and cons of his grand opening.
A lot had gone right overall. His menu seemed to be a hit, and he already felt like he had exceeded his tempered initial expectations. Still, there was always room for improvement.
Sweeping the floor, he noticed a chill in the air and looked around for an open window. Finding none, he shrugged and went back to sweeping. It's probably nothing, he thought. After all, it was a brisk evening. He chalked it up to poor insulation and thought nothing more of it.
In the kitchen, he straightened up the pots and pans in their rightful places on shelves before entering the cooler to take stock of the fresh ingredients. He moved from shelf to shelf inspecting each piece of produce and pulling the questionable items.
Suddenly, something bounced off the top of his head and landed at his feet. Rubbing his head and mumbling to himself, he bent down and picked a bell pepper off the floor. "How the heck did you get down here?" he asked rhetorically.
As he held the pepper in his hand he took a slow look around the room. How odd that something could fly off the shelf on its own! Seeing nothing to explain the incident he turned his attention back to his work. When he finished, he locked the restaurant and headed home.
The following dawn arrived shrouded in fog. René, not normally a superstitious person, felt uneasy. Still, he remained ultimately excited to open the restaurant and serve his customers.
Upon arriving at the restaurant and opening the doors, he immediately noticed things did not look like they had looked when he left the night before. Something strange was going on here, and he intended to identify it.
Cautiously, he grabbed a broom and began to creep his way through the restaurant as if he were walking on hot coals. His heart pounded as he considered who or what might be lurking in the building.
As he pushed open the storage closet door, he heard a crash behind him. Spinning around, he yelled out. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
He trembled as he wiped sweat from his brow and waited for a response. He got none.
Confused, he returned to his duties and opened the restaurant. He had a business to run, after all.
"Your quiche is magnifique!" one customer exclaimed. "The crust is buttery and delicious, and the flavors are great!"
René smiled at the compliment. This is why he became a chef.
"I'm so glad you enjoyed your meal," he said. "I hope to see you again soon."
Filled with satisfaction and relief at the positive reception to his new business, he went to the back to get more ingredients.
He went straight to the refrigerator and pulled out some butter, eggs, and ham. When he turned back to get some flour and return to the kitchen, he dropped everything.
In front of the door stood a strange-looking being. Although it appeared to be human, René knew something was amiss.
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" he asked, his voice trembling as he tried to keep his composure.
