final

(set:$key to false) (set: $news to false)You are heading to your first day of your new job at (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Moon Walker Cafe]]. Your friend was kind enough to ask their manager to hire you on. You assumed that you would be working together yet instead you have been asked to work the (text-colour:#da77f2)[[[night shift|parking lot]]. ] You weren't too excited about working this late but you could really use the money. It's not like you could just turn down the job after your friend went out of their way to ask.

You park infront of the store and head inside. The place is completely empty. Looks like those stories aren't driving in the business like they should be. I knew it was all made up nonsense. You greet your new manager, (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Sara]] and they show you around the shop a bit. (if: $phone is true)+(text-style:"shudder")+(text-colour:#da77f2)[//[[RING RING]]// <audio src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\audio\ringtone.wav" autoplay loop>]

Your manager has returned from her call. "It's no problem at all", you respond. There's an awkward pause between the two of you. Finally, she breaks the silence. "I hate to do this to you on your first day but, I have to leave". Your stomach drops. How could they leave you here (text-colour:#da77f2)[[alone]]? Isn't that a little rude? Or rather, should I be flattered that she feels confident enough to leave me alone here?

"You'll be fine! If anything happens there are phone numbers on the white board in the back you can call. And of course, if need be call 911". "A-alright", you reluctantly respond. They give a small wave as they rush out the door. You watch as their car disappears into the night. You are now (text-colour:#da77f2)[[completely alone]].

You take a look around the shop. Might as well find something to do. (if: $key is false)+(text-colour:#da77f2)[[Clean Tables]] (if: $key is true)+(text-colour:#da77f2)[[Clean the Bathrooms]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Check the Cameras]]

(set:$key to true)You grab some cleaning supplies from the back and walk around the front counter to begin cleaning tables. As you are wiping them down, you notice a newspaper folded up on one of the tables in the back corner near the bathrooms. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Read through it before you toss it]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Grab it and throw it away]]

You head over to the bathrooms with a mop and bucket to clean the floors. You knock on the mens bathroom door before entering and walk in. Humming to yourself, you begin to clean the floors, starting in the back and working your way back to the entrance. You look up into the mirror and let out a gasp, dropping the mop onto the floor. A large shadow figure stares back at you. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Leave the Bathroom]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Investigate]]

//I haven't been trained for this yet!// (text-colour:#da77f2)[[[BACK|less alone]]]

(set: $news to true)Out of boredom, you decide to skim over the front page. ''"BODY OF BURN VICTIM FOUND: UNIDENTIFIABLE".'' "How unfortunate", you think to yourself. You take a look at the picture and see what looks like a boy in his late teens. He is so badly burned his face has become faceless. You sigh and continue on to the trash to (text-colour:#da77f2)[[throw the newspaper away|less alone]].

You finished your first week at the cafe and are heading into your (text-colour:#da77f2)[[next shift]] for the night.

You enter the building and walk to the back to set down your things and put on your apron. Your manager, Sara is now packing up their things. "Again?", you ask. She nods with an apologetic look and heads out the door. Once again, you are left by yourself to work the store. At least now you have a week of (text-colour:#da77f2)[[expierence]].

You head out to the counter and are surprised at what you see. <audio src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\audio\ringtone.wav" autoplay> There's (text-colour:#da77f2)[[a customer]]! You give them a big smile and apologize for not being out sooner. The foot traffic into the cafe is so light that you look foward to helping customers since it gives you something to do other than clean.

"It's no problem at all", they reply and order their drink. Since you two are the only ones in shop, you decide to attempt some small talk with them as you prepare their order. (text-colour:#da77f2)[["Caffeine this late? You must have a lot of work to do!"]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[["What brings you in this late for coffee?"]] (text-colour:#da77f2)+(if: $news is true)[["Did you hear about the burn victim they found?"]]

"Caffeine this late? You must have a lot of work to do!" "Ah, yes. This case I have been working on has had me up all night." "Case?", you reply. "Yes. I work for the local police department and I was a detective on the latest case we were working on involving the burn victim." You pause for a moment and realize this person might have some answers for you! "They are thinking about finally closing the case and I just don't feel right about it." (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ask questions]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Say Goodbye]]

"What brings you in this late for coffee?" "I haven't been able to get much sleep anyways lately so why not?", they reply and let out an awkward chuckle. "And why's that? If you don't mind me asking." "Well, I work for the local police department and I was a detective on the latest case we were working on involving the burn victim." You pause for a moment and realize this person might have some answers for you! (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ask questions]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Say Goodbye]]

"Did you hear about the burn victim they found?" Your cheeks flush. What a weird question to ask a stranger! "Oh, uh-". They seem flustered. Again, not exactly a question one would expect. "I'm sorry. I just read about it in the newspaper recently", you say. "It's alright", they respond. "I was actually the lead detective on that case". You pause for a moment and realize this person might have some answers for you! (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ask questions]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Say Goodbye]]

"Oh, I see", you turn to hand them their hot coffee. They take a long sip of their hot drink and gaze at the ground. "I just feel so guilty that we can't identify the poor guy. How could a soul get any peace with being burned alive, and then on top of that, we don't even know who you are! We haven't even had any families come foward looking for him". His gaze meets yours. "How awful", is all you can manage to say. "Well, I better get going." He gives you a nod and heads out into the dark night. (text-colour:#da77f2)''[[END SHIFT|Shift 3]]''

(set:$experience to false)You have been working at the cafe for over two months now. Everything has gotten easier and you are now //fully trained// for everything in the store. Your manager called out sick today, so you'll be working alone tonight. At this point it (text-colour:#da77f2)[[shouldn't be an issue|get busy]].

Your shift is over and you can't wait to go home. As you gather your belongings, you reflect on what happened during your shift. What a strange night. "Working this late is already making me see things", you mumble to yourself. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[END SHIFT|Shift 2]]

You can't beleive what your seeing. Not only your reflection, but the reflection of a large figure. From what you can make out, his face is covered in burns. You turn to meet what stands behind you, yet by the time you have turned, there's no one there. You turn back towards the mirror to see the letters "A N D Y" scratched into the glass. Panicking, you quickly grab the mop and bucket and head back towards the (text-colour:#da77f2)[[front counter|move on]].

It's time to get to work! (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Clean Tables|wipe tables]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Clean the Bathrooms|clean bath]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Check the Cameras|check cams]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Do nothing]]

(set:$experience to false)You grab a rag and wipe down all the tabels. They've never looked cleaner! (text-colour:#da77f2)[[BACK|get busy]]

(set:$experience to true)You glance at the bathrooms and they look clean enough. You decide to skip that for tonight. Besides, other than you, no one is using them anyways. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[BACK|get busy]]

<audio src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\audio\static.wav" autoplay loop volume .5> <audio src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\audio\mouse.wav" autoplay loop> (if: $experience is true)You head to the back and sit at the table in front of the small screens. You click through each camera, taking in the scene of each location. <img src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\img\securitycam.gif" alt="security camera view"> You begin to click through faster. Wait. You go back to the camera located at the back of the store near the dumpsters. A large dark figure is standing in front of the camera. Although it has no eyes, you know it is looking at you. You click to a different camera and then back again. It's still there. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Check it out]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Pretend you never saw anything]]

You grab your phone and call your manager. Nothing. You'd rather not phone the police. After all, it's probably just your imagination anyways. You grab your keys and head to the back door. You tightly grib the pepper spray that you keep with your keys. You reach the back door and pause a moment before aggressively swinging it open and letting out a yell. No one is there. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Head back inside]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Take a look around]]

You turn to head back inside. The door is locked. You could have sworn it was unlocked when you came out here. You insert your key and go to pull the door open. It won't budge. It's as if someone is holding it shut on the other side. You head to the font doors to enter that way. As you turn you notice something written out of the dirt accumulated on the dumpsters. It looks like the initials "AS". You think this is odd and make note of it as you (text-colour:#da77f2)[[coninue on towards the front doors]].

The police never found anyone that night. They blamed it on my lack of sleep and working so late. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[You know what you saw]].

"I have to find out who that was. Was it...a ghost? The same one from before?", you think to yourself. You keep thinking about the intitials you saw on the dumpster and the name spelt on the mirror. Could they be connected? You head in to your shift at the cafe. You set your stuff down in your cubby and head out to the front while tieing your apron. You hear the chimes of the door as a (text-colour:#da77f2)[[customer walks in]].

You greet her and ask what she would want to drink. She gives you your order and stares off towards the space behind you. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ask her what's wrong]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ignore it and make the order|order]]

She explains to you how several years back her son ran away from home at 17. He never came home and she hasn't been able to reach him since. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ask her for his name]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Hand her the order|End 2]]

"His name was Andrew", she replies. You perk up and meet her gaze. Your face must have shown how shocked you were based off of the look you received back. It all makes sense. Andy. Andrew. It must be the same person. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Ask her if she heard about the fire]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Don't say anything|End 2]]

The lady thanks you and grabs her order from your hand. She gives you a small smile and walks out the door. A dark figure stands at the threshold. The energy is cold and uncomfortable. You wonder if you should have said something. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[END SHIFT|alt end]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[LAST CHECKPOINT|customer walks in]]

She shakes her head no and asks for more details. You explain what had happened several years back with the bakery. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Mention the ghost sightings]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Don't mention the ghost|End 2]]

The woman's face was overcome with horror as she broke down crying. "He had mentioned coming to this town when he left. I have always felt so drawn towards this place and could never understand why." She tries to compose herself and (text-colour:#da77f2)[[her eyes lock with yours]].

You look past her presence and notice the tall figure standing behind her. For some reason, his presence seems much more relaxed than before. After some further chatting, she thanks you for your time and heads out the door. Andy following her as (text-colour:#da77f2)[[she leaves|End 1]].

The next day on the news you see that they finally identified the body. Andrew Stevenson. Age 17. It turns out that those weird sightings were Andrew all along. You continued to work at the Moon Walker Cafe for several years and would now consider yourself quite the believer in ghosts. Now that Andrew no longer haunts the cafe, you find your shifts not as interesting. END

You pick it up and head to the trash can. "Who even reads these anyways", you think to yourself. [[Back to Front Counter|less alone]]

You don't want to know what you think you saw. Besides, it was probably your imagination anyways! (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Back to Front Counter|Alt shift end]]

You head back to the front counter and check the time. It's the end of your first shift! You head to the back to grab your things and clock out for the day. (text-colour:#da77f2)''[[END SHIFT|Shift 2]]''

You decide not to continue the conversation any further. There's an awkard silence as you wait for them to exit. "I guess I'll be going then", they say. You say goodbye and watch as the detective leaves the cafe. You don't have many questions for them anyways. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[END SHIFT|Shift 3]]

You decide to do nothing and sit at the managers desk in the back. You pull out your phone and play games all shift. (text-colour:#da77f2)''[[END SHIFT|Final Alt End]]''

Your manager calls you on your day off to come in. She claims she wants to (text-colour:#da77f2)[[discuss something with you]].

You arrive at the cafe and smile at your manager. She gives you an unamused expression and motions you to join her in her office. After receiving customer complaints, she has decided to let you go. Sitting on your phone all shift might not have been the best idea. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Try Again|get busy]]

You choose to ignore what you saw. It's most likely your imagination. You find some other things to do and before you know it, your shift is over. (text-colour:#da77f2)''[[END SHIFT|Final Shift alt start]]''

You walk around out back for a while until you've confirmed that it must've been your imagination. You decide to (text-colour:#da77f2)[[head back inside|Head back inside]]

When you get to the front, you are horrified at what you see through those glass doors. There stands that man behind the front counter. Now overcome with fear, you reach for your phone to call 911. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[END SHIFT|Final Shift]]

You make her order and hand her the drink. She thanks you and heads towards the door of the cafe. As she exits, you notice a dark shadow figure by the doors. The room feels cold and tense. You blink a couple times and it dissapears. You continue through your shift. All throughout you can't help but feel this uncomfortable tension throughout the shop. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[END SHIFT|alt end]] (text-colour:#da77f2)[[LAST CHECKPOINT|customer walks in]]

You walk into the cafe. A new day at this same, boring job. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[customer walks in]]

<img src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\img\cafeout.png" alt="cafe outside"> The cafe is located in a small strip mall. The only other shops open this late is the pizza place two buildings down and the convenience store next door. Before this was a cafe, it was an old bakery, (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Stevensons]].

It's been 3 years since the bakery burned down. They say that the fire was started by one of the employees. The fire was started from the mens room late at night. There were only 3 employees working that night. 2 survived and were seen on the news with their families. 1 (text-colour:#c92a2a)[[never made it out]] and they still have not been able to identify the body.

Apparently, after the remodel, there have been several reports and sightings of "dark figures" and "shadows in mirrors". Not that I believe in any of that anyways. People will make up anything to bring in business. In fact, the rumor was started by the night shift manager herself. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[Head into your shift|parking lot]]

(set: $phone to true) Sara was the one who started the rumors about the ghost sightings. She's around the same age as you and has been working here since the cafe opened 1 year ago. (text-colour:#da77f2)[[BACK|parking lot]]

"I'll be right back! I need to take this". Sara takes her phone and heads into the manager's office, leaving you alone at the front counter. You don't worry too much since the place is still empty. You stare out the glass doors at the street light. The yellow hue casts across the road and the buildings next to it. (text-colour:#da77f2)[["Sorry about that"]]

It's been an hour since Sara left and you haven't had any customers. You grab your phone from the pocket in your apron and put on some soft music. You slide the phone back into the pocket and hum along. Even though you're by yourself, the background noise has a way of making you feel (text-colour:#da77f2)[[less alone]].

You continue to work at the cafe for another year until leaving to work elsewhere. The strange sightings of shadows continued throughout your time there. Although, you still wouldn't consider yourself sold on there being ghosts. END

#(text-style: "shadow","fidget",)+(text-colour:(hsl:289,0.8545,0.7843,0.9))[[The Night Shift|Shift 1]] by Madison Gilchrist <audio src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\audio\bgmusic.mp3" autoplay loop>

(if: (passage:)'s name is "this")[\ (set: $playSound to false)] (else:)[(set: $playSound to true)] (if: $playSound)[ <audio src="C:\Users\volle\OneDrive\Documents\Twine\nightshift\audio\softbg.wav" autoplay loop> ]

(text-colour:(hsl:0,0.6543,0.4765,0.6))+(bg:black)[(align:"=><=")[//''[[START|Title]]''//]]