Chapter Text
You open your eyes. Ever so slightly as to not wake you up fully. Your alarm hasn't gone off yet and you heave a sigh. Checking your clock the time reads 1:28 pm, two minutes until your alarm is set to go off. Letting out a weak groan, you sit up and rub the sleep away from your eyes. It works and you pull yourself away from the sheets, unfortunately you had work today.
You clock into your shift at the local gas station at 3 pm, you work the closing shift as you do every night. Walking into the Gas 'n Go, you meet up with the two other workers, a young man named Joey and an older man named Todd, the manager.
"Ah, hey kiddo!" Todd hollered, "Just the person I need to see! Come to my office before your break, I gotta proposition for ya."
You give him a thumbs up, "Can do boss man!" and join Joey behind the counter.
"Hey Joey, how's it going?" You give him a mild wave.
"Oh, it's going," he hums, "Yourself?"
You shrug, "About the same. How's the shop today? We been busy?"
"Oh yea, swamped." He gestured sarcastically to the very empty gas station with a smile. You chuckle and begin pulling out boxes of product to stock. The next two hours of your shift go by pretty slow, only a handful of locals come in. They make small talk, buy a few things, and leave again. As they leave the silence starts to set in, save for the dull humming from the old coffee machine and whatever noise came from the old busted radio. You try not to think about what Todd said but knowing you had to wait made the time slug by even slower.
As 5pm finally comes around, Joey clocks out for the night. He waves goodbye with the promise of seeing you on his next shift, and you wave back wishing him safe travels. Once he's gone, you head to Todd's office excitedly and give a firm knock on the door frame. He looks up from his paperwork and a smile forms from behind his bushy mustache. Setting aside the files he waves you in. "Come in, come in!"
You sit in the chair across from his desk and slouch, "So what did you want to talk about Big Man? What's this proposition?"
He leans excitedly on his desk, the strain causing his chair to creek like it could topple over. The smile on his face widens as he announces, "Gas 'n Go is now going to be open 24 hours! And I'd like you to manage the overnight shift!"
Your heart sinks. This definitely isn't the news you want to hear. Your face gives away your disappointment, and Todd reflects it on his own.
"I'm sorry Kid, I know you probably wanted better news."
"Why me, Todd?" You already know the answer before even asking, and Todd knows this too.
"The others, Joey, Christy, Matthew, they've all got families to go home too. Kids to raise. Jesse's taking classes too…" He offers a gentle smile, "I know the graveyard shift ain't something you hope for, but it's a management position. And working overnight gets ya a bit extra pay too."
You slouch a bit further into the chair. Todd is a good boss, and right now you feel like you're his only hope. And the extra pay doesn't sound terrible by any means, but you still felt hesitant.
"Tell ya what, you think about it and get back to me, alright? We start our 24 hour schedule next week, so try and get with me before then." Before you can reply the door rings and a customer walks in.
"Go ahead and take your 15." Todd stands up and heads for the floor, and you can hear him greet whatever lost soul wandered in. You let out a sigh and think about the offer.
A month goes by, and you've started getting used to your new schedule. Sleeping through the day has been getting easier, and you're less exhausted by 6am. It certainly feels weird having such a backwards circadian rhythm, but you take to it like a duck to water. The overnight shift is actually allot easier than you thought too. You and whoever stays till 12 clean up and stock the shelves, and after that is a breeze. Hardly anyone comes in after midnight, and when they do it's usually just for gas. You never even interrupt your lunch break for customers. No one's ever come in from 2 to 3. You spend most of the night reading or on your phone.
Tonight you have your phone in hand when the bell on the door rings, pulling you away from the screen. "Hi there, welcome to Gas 'n Go!” you say to the teenagers wandering in. They look a bit shaken up and distracted. “Hey.. You kids ok?” you ask softly. They give you a startled look like they weren’t expecting you to say anything more.
“Huh? Oh! Yea- yea we’re ok… Just fine..” one of the boys replies. The others behind him don’t look so sure as they hesitantly nod in agreement. You give them a look that suggests you don’t believe him, but decide not to press anymore about it. As they absent-mindedly wander the store, one makes his way up to the desk cautiously.
“Hey uh..” he whispers, “Have- have you seen anything weird tonight?”
“Weird?” You lean closer, suddenly interested in what he was about to say.
“Uh- yea like a… A monster?” His voice gets quieter, as he looks back between the door and his two friends. His gaze rests on the door as he shivers and looks back at you.
“Can’t say I have… What kind of monster?”
He opens his mouth, hesitantly before closing it again and swallowing down the anxiety in his throat. “One that looks like a normal guy, but- but… He’s not human-”
He gets cut off as his friend harshly sets down a drink on the counter top. “We. Didn’t. See. Anything… ok?” You quietly ring up the drink as he continues. “Whatever- no WHOever that was! He was just a freak man! There’s no monster, we just- just had too much…” He trails off as his nervous ranting becomes a bit more cautious about what he reveals about their night to the stranger handing him his receipt.
“Whatever man… Just- don’t go scaring the employee with your paranoia.”
Soon enough the three of them left with their drinks and snacks looking a bit more sober, yet a hint of fear colored their eyes as they walked into the night. You shiver.
You find it hard not to think about what that teenager said as the night goes on, with little to no distraction your mind keeps drifting back to it. What did he see? Having never really been an abuser of substances, you couldn’t imagine the terror of seeing something while intoxicated. You’ve always been a fan of the macabre and horror, but the idea of being in the middle of it freaks you out. Pulling out your phone, you shoo away the thoughts and look for something soft and cute to ease the fear creeping into your skull.
Just as you find a silly video of two cats meeting a puppy, the bell on the door jingles. You look up and open your mouth to greet the customer. You stop when you see the door still closing but no one's there. You look around but there's no trace of anyone. Walking out from behind the counter, you walk to the front doors.
"Hello? Anyone there?" You call out, getting no reply. You peer out the front doors and see nothing, and a sense that you're being watched settles on your shoulders.
Trying not to let your nerves get to you, you take a deep breath. Glancing around the shop, you see nothing out of the ordinary but can't shake the feeling lingering at the back of your mind. Trying to ignore it, you wander back to your place behind the counter. If it's those kids trying to scare you with that dumb story you'll catch them as they're leaving. Otherwise whoever's in here will find you, if there is anyone that is.
Settling back into your position, you begin watching the video making sure to keep an eye on the door. As your heart rate slows you catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of your eye and look up, only to yet again see nothing. You could still feel someone's eyes on you, and you involuntarily shiver. Irritated with the persistent paranoia you're suddenly experiencing, you drag yourself back to the floor and check the shelves.
Walking the floor and checking every aisle for any sign of life, you can't shake the feeling. From shelf to shelf you start feeling more afraid, and you feel your heart rate pick up. Each corner you turn you grow anxious that you might find something on the other side. You find nothing.
You check the time. 2:06 am. You should have gone to your lunch already, but the idea that those kids might be in here keeps you from clocking out. However, you've checked everywhere, and there's no sign of life.
“Hey guys!” you call out, “Listen, this isn’t funny! I have a job to do and you’re seriously pissing me off!”
Suddenly you hear rapid footsteps behind you. You turn around quickly to be met with nothing but the hum of the old coffee machine. You let out the breath you didn't know you were holding, but can’t get the muscles in your shoulders to relax.
"This is freaking me out… I think that story is just getting to me." you say to yourself. Doing a quick once over of the store, you make your way to the backroom to clock out for lunch. Stepping into the back, you start to head for the punch clock next to the employee break room kitchen, but something across the room sends a chill up your spine.
Pilfering through the cabinets is a tall figure with his back to you. He's wearing a sort of clown costume, while opening and closing the kitchen cupboards at random. He doesn't seem to be looking for anything in particular, but you really don't want to stick around and find out. You try to back up quietly, he didn't seem to hear you when you entered and hopefully he won't hear you leave either.
You kick yourself mentally. Why didn't you check in the back! He could have snuck in here while you investigated! It was too late now, you doubt he would change his mind and leave on his own. Based on how he's dressed and what he's doing, you figure he's less than friendly. The whole “inhuman entity” comes to mind, and you try to force the idea out of your head before you start believing in monsters.
Making a mental map of the gas station, you try to remember where you could get a weapon. Thinking of the metal bat behind the register, you form a plan in case things get sticky. As you continue to back up, you focus on trying to reach the bat and bump into the door frame. Against your will a small startled squeak escapes your throat and your blood turns cold.
The clown freezes in place, hearing your involuntarily yelp, and slowly tilts his head backwards. He turns to look at you in a creepy performance of acrobatics, craning his neck back to stare at you upside down. His face looked confused more than anything, like you were the one poking around his store and not the other way around. Strawberry blonde curls hang from his head as he looks you up and down, the little hat on his head seemingly defies gravity. A small smile pulls on his pale face and stretches up to his rose colored cheeks. Keeping his head in place, his body turns around until it also faces you.
You stare in disbelief, paralyzed in fear. Those boys were right. This thing isn’t human and he's staring at you like he wants something. A mischievous twinkle flashes in his upside down eyes as his smile widens a disturbing degree. The look on his face gives you adrenaline to snap out of the frozen state and make a break for the metal bat. You run, your own heartbeat pounds in your ears as you make way to the register. Rounding the corner almost makes you slip as you take it at a sprint, but you catch yourself and dive for the bat. Holding it between yourself and the entrance to the break room, you catch your breath adrenaline rushing through your system.
For a moment all is quiet and still, your heartbeat slowing down to match your even breathing. You have half a mind to check, but the fear of whatever that thing was keeps you firmly in place. You've done this shift long enough, you were prepared to wait all night for that clown to show his creepy face.
Unfortunately you didn't have to wait long enough. A few minutes of paralyzing fear that felt like hours pass, and you see the shuffling figure of someone trying to walk towards you. He was navigating with his head upside down, which would have been funny to see if you weren't terrified or of your mind right now. Seeing you again the clown chuckled. It made your skin crawl, and seeing the discomfort in your face the clown's smile widened.
You hold the bat tighter as he gets closer, cornering you behind the register. His head spins back upright and he chuckles again, the sound echoing through the empty store. You swing at him full force as a warning.
"Listen you fucker, back off! I will hit you, I swear to god!" He doesn't seem to listen, only getting closer, his mouth opens revealing multiple rows of sharp teeth. You take another swing, but he grabs the bat denting the metal.
"You know, You're awfully cute when you're scared.. Not at all like those kids." he mocks, voice cheerful yet dripping with malice. Yanking the bat from your grip he reaches for you, but you dodge and leap over the counter and scramble to the exit. Only hearing your own heartbeat, you have no idea if he's chasing you. You firmly decide not to look back as the front doors get closer with each step. Your eyes start tearing up as the door gets within reach, as freedom gets within reach. You stretch out your hand and aim for the handle when your body comes to a full stop.
You fall to the ground, an intense pressure on your shoulders as you're dragged backwards by your jacket. Looking back, the clown hasn't moved from his spot as his arm slithered out an unnatural length to snatch you. He grins as you desperately grab at anything to keep the distance between you, but you ultimately fail.
He pulls you off the ground and grabs your shirt collar with his other hand, bringing you closer to his face. Your heart pounds loud as you claw at his gloved hand on your shirt, desperate to free yourself. You are lifted up towards him, and you close your eyes tight not wanting his face to be the last thing you see before he kills you.
You can feel his breath on your face, warm and terrifying. Your body starts shaking softly as you muffle your sobs, unable to control the fear now wracking your entire nervous system. He seems to pause, his breath catching slightly. You feel yourself being lowered until your feet touch the ground. Your legs feel too weak to support you, but he keeps hold of your shirt so you don't fall over. Your heart rate slows down, and you slowly open your eyes. Still too scared to look, you keep your eyes on the ground. You see his shoes shuffle almost awkwardly, like he wasn't sure what to do next. This didn't bring you much comfort.
You feel his body shift, and you watch his legs move. A gloved hand touches your face and you flinch away from it, shutting your eyes again. The hand pulls away too, and you feel something soft against your forehead. Your body tenses, and you refuse to open your eyes as your head spins with all kinds of emotions.
The dinging of the door opening interrupts your thoughts, and your eyes shoot open. Your body falls to the ground as your weak legs aren't prepared to support your weight. The beating of your heart outweighs the pain as you sit dumbfounded and terrified. Looking up, the clown was completely gone.
"Uh.. Hello?"
You look up startled, and an old man peers down at you from the other side of the counter.
"You alright down there?" He asks.
"Ah! Yes yes I'm ok!" You jump up, but your legs are still trembling so you prop yourself against the counter.
"Did… you happen to see a, uh, a clown? In here just now?" You mumble out, trying not to sound frantic.
The old man looks at you for a moment, "A clown?" He asks. You nod glancing over your shoulder just in case. You're certain you look insane.
"I haven't seen nothin tonight. What, you got the witching hour jitters?" He chuckles.
Not sure how to react, you awkwardly laugh along with him.
“Just… got told a scary story is all.” you feel your legs shake.
Nodding he hands you a couple bills, and points his thumb outside. "I'll take $30 on pump 2, if you don't mind."
"Oh! Right, yes of course. That'll be ready to go for you." He gives you a nod and smile and turns to leave before pausing and pointing at his forehead.
"You got a little something right here." And with that he leaves to fill up his truck. Confused, you pull out your phone and turn on the camera. Right in the center of your forehead is a kiss mark. Your face flushes and you frantically try and rub it off, making little progress.
By the time the truck pulls out of the parking lot, you're sitting in the break room trying to process everything that just happened. You can't seem to clean your face of the mark, but have officially clocked out for your hour lunch. Though you're way too freaked out to eat anything, even though you've made sure to lock the door.
"What the hell is going on…" you say to yourself. You sip your bottle of water, trying to calm yourself down as you think. No use calling the cops, they'll never believe you and if they did you doubt they'd do anything to help. You let out a shaky breath and take another sip.
You hear a faint tapping sound from behind you, and your blood turns cold. Slowly turning around, your worst fear greets you in the window. The clown is tapping at the glass with a cheerful smile on his face. You jump out of your chair and sprint to the opposite side of the room. He waves with both arms, almost like he's greeting you. You feel unnerved as you watch the thing that almost killed you take on a friendly persona.
Pushing himself against the glass he smiles giddily and points to his forehead. You feel the color drain from your face as you realize he left the mark. Reaching for your hat to pull down and cover the stain, you only grab thin air. You now realize your hat is missing, and you're frankly unsure of when you even lost it. Before you can even think of where it might be, your question is answered. The clown produces your hat from behind his back and places it on his own head. He smiles that sickeningly sweet smile, laced with mischief and something almost hungry. At this the fear comes back full swing, the only thing keeping you together is faith in the glass separating you from him. Seeing the fear slither back to your face seemed to satisfy him. The clown blew a raspberry at you and disappeared into the black of night.
The next morning Christy walks in at 6am sharp, punctual as usual.
"Good morning!" She says with a tone too cheerful for so early in the morning, yet her sing-song voice sounds like heaven to you. Having spent the past 3 hours flinching at every sound and clutching the bent metal bat, actually seeing someone you trusted brought a mist to your eyes.
"Gee Sugar, you ok? You seem a bit frazzled." She says, her brows creasing in worry.
"I-" you pause. You know you can't tell Christy what happened last night, she'd be sick with worry. You swallow "I'm ok, Christy. Just… just tired."
She gives you a look that makes it obvious she doesn't believe you, but she quickly drops it.
"Ok, Hun. Just be safe ok. Here." She places your hat on your head, to your surprise.
"I found it outside, should take better care of that" you nod slightly embarrassed. You have no idea how the hat got back to you or why, but decided not to question it too much. You give her an exhausted smile.
"Thanks, Christy. See you tomorrow?"
"See you tomorrow, Hun."
She begins her morning routine to get things going for the 7am rush. You clock out and head home, falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow. Your last thought before losing consciousness is hoping you never see that clown again. Unfortunately, we can't all get what we want.