when you're 22 broke and an aspiring artist in Montana life doesn't offer you many choices I learned that the hard way my name is Jenna and for as long as I can remember I've been sketching pictures of a life I'll probably never have one with Gallery openings and art critics sipping champagne instead I've been spending my night sketching on the back of coffee stained receipts in a tiny dimly lit apartment barely scraping by that's why when I saw the job listing for an overnight cashier at the crossroads gas and go I jumped at it Crossroads gas and go wasn't just any gas station it was Infamous among locals tucked deep into a deserted stretch of highway surrounded by endless Pines and Jagged rocks the place had a reputation people swore the pumps never ran dry even during fuel shortages and the convenience store was always eerily clean despite its age but at $50 an hour I couldn't afford to care about rumors 50 bucks an hour could cover my rent and still leave enough for art supplies when I arrived for my first shift the place looked wrong not creepy just too pristine Neon lights buzzed softly against the inky Sky casting an unnatural glow on the shiny lenium inside the air smelled like gasoline and stale chips a combination so sharp it made my head spin the only thing more unsettling than the sterile Perfection of the place was the man waiting for me behind the counter his name tag read Kevin he was about 50 gaunt with Hollow eyes and hands that trembled slightly as he shoved a set of keys and a laminated card into my hands this is your shift guide he muttered his voice barely above a whisper don't lose it I glanced at the card on one side were printed instructions about restocking shelves and locking up after hours on the other side handwritten in shaky penmanship were eight rules rule one never under any circumstances acknowledge customers who arrive at pump 4 rule two if a car pulls up without a driver lock yourself in the break room for exactly 10 minutes rule three the cooler door must remain closed at all times after midnight no matter what you hear inside rule 4 the security cameras will glitch at 3:33 a. m. don't look at the screens rule five never sell coffee to anyone wearing sunglasses after dark rule six if someone asks for directions to a place that doesn't exist give them the map under the register rule 7 at 4:00 a.
m. sweep the floor but avoid the space between aisles 3 and 4 rule 8 if a customer says they recognize you no they don't before I could ask Kevin about the rules he grabbed his coat and left muttering something about one last warning as the door slammed shut the clock behind the counter struck midnight the first car rolled up to pump four the crossroads gas and go felt alive that first night not in the bustling comforting way of a coffee shop or even the mechanical wor of a factory no this place thrummed with a pulse that seemed to match my heartbeat a slow steady thud that echoed in the fluorescent lights the creek of the counter and the soft hum of the refrigerator units I stood behind the counter nervously drumming my fingers on the laminated rule card the rules were so specific so strange that my brain kept trying to dismiss them as a hazing ritual surely Kevin was just messing with me right but as the clock on the wall ticked past 1215 a. m.
I realized how quiet the station was too quiet not a single car had passed and the only sound was the low hiss of the pump nozzles in the crisp night air then as if summoned by my unease the soft purr of an engine broke the silence a sleek black sedan rolled into the lot and stopped at pump 4 my stomach dropped rule one never under any circumstances acknowledge customers who arrive at pump 4 I tried to busy myself shuffling items behind the counter and restocking cigarettes from the drawer below but curiosity gwed at me the driver hadn't stepped out of the car in fact the sedan hadn't even turned off its headlights the beams glared into the store Illuminating the neat rows of snacks and drinks I could feel their heat like a spotlight sharp and unnerving I stole a glance at the laminated card hoping for for some sort of clarification there wasn't any just the blunt warning to ignore pump 4 so I did or at least I tried the chime above the door jingled suddenly I froze my head shot up heart hammering against my ribs the sedan was still parked at pump 4 its headlights unwavering but the store was empty the door hung open slightly swaying in the light Breeze hello I called voice cracking I regretted it instantly the sound of my voice felt wrong here like I Disturbed something ancient and sleeping no one answered I moved around the counter and toward the door the Warm Glow of the sedan's headlights casting long unsettling Shadows on the lenium floor I gripped the edge of the door and pulled it shut locking it firmly but as I turned back toward the counter my blood ran cold a single cup of coffee sat steaming on the counter where there had been none before a styrofoam cup with the station's logo its lid cocked slightly to one side my eyes darted around the store searching for any sign of movement but everything was still then I saw it the monitor for the security cameras flickered the screen snapping from static to Sharp black and white footage of the lot outside in the corner of the frame standing just beyond the glow of the sedan's headlights was a figure they weren't moving just standing there watching rule 4 don't look at the screens during glitches I slammed the monitor off and stumbled back to the counter heart racing The Coffee Cup was gone the Clock Struck 1:00 a. m. a I could feel the weight of the rules pressing down on me now their absurdity drowned out by the undeniable truth that something was wrong with this place I spent the next hour trying to steady my nerves the laminated rule card sat on the counter like a mocking challenge daring me to dismiss what I'd seen but I couldn't The Coffee Cup the shadowy figure on the monitor those weren't figments of an overactive imagination I read the rules again slower this time letting the bizarre instructions sink in rule one never acknowledge customers at pump 4 rule two don't step outside after 2 a.
m. no matter what you hear rule three if the bathroom light flickers knock twice before entering rule four don't look at the security monitors during glitches rule five if you hear whistling stay behind the counter and don't move move rule six the cleaning closet is off limits after midnight lock it if it's open rule 7 at 3:33 a. m.
place a cup of coffee on the counter and leave it untouched rule 8 if a customer mentions the crossroads tell them the station is closing and lock the doors these weren't rules they were traps disguised as guidance my mind kept circling back to the first one pump 4 the sedan had disappeared shortly after 1:00 a. m. but the unease it left behind lingered I'd broken eye contact with the security monitors just in time hadn't I was that enough at 2 a.
m. the silence returned heavier this time I tried to distract myself by organizing the candy shelves aligning rows of brightly colored wrappers the motion was calming repetitive and for a moment I almost felt normal again then the sound came a faint whistling drifting through the air like an old folk tune my breath hitched rule five I dropped the candy bars I was holding and bolted back behind the counter pressing my back against the register the sound grew louder more melodic like it was being carried on a breeze that didn't exist inside the gas station the chime above the door jingled I clapped my hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp no one was there the whistling stopped replaced by the soft tap of shoes on lolium my stomach Twisted the aisles were empty the fluorescent lights buzzing quietly but I could hear it footsteps moving toward the counter deliberate and slow Jenna a voice said deep and un UNF familiar it wasn't loud but it carried an authority that made the hair on my arms stand on end why don't you come out and say hello my name sounded wrong coming from their mouth like it didn't belong to me anymore I stayed frozen behind the counter my knees pulled to my chest the footsteps stopped inches from where I hid I didn't dare look up didn't dare breathe a long silence followed broken only by the soft hum of the refrigerators smart girl The Voice murmured at last retreating I heard the chime again the faint scrape of shoes against asphalt and then nothing just the oppressive quiet the clock on the wall ticked past 2:30 a. m.
I waited another 10 minutes before daring to peek above the counter the store was empty as if nothing had happened but something had the laminated rule card now had a single smudge of ink at the bottom corner one that hadn't been there before I reached for it hesitating as I noticed the letters rearranging themselves as though alive a new rule appeared beneath the others rule 9 don't let them know you're afraid my hands trembled this was no hazing ritual whatever was happening here was real and I was in the middle of it the clock ticked closer to 3:00 a. m. the station's fluorescent lights flickering slightly as the oppressive silence deepened I tried to focus on anything but the last hour The Voice the footsteps the chilling addition to the rules but my mind refused to cooperate I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff waiting for something to shove me over I glanced at the rules again rule 7 l large in my thoughts at 3:33 a.
m. place a cup of coffee on the counter and leave it untouched it sounded harmless on paper almost laughable but after the night's events I couldn't dismiss it what would happen if I ignored this simple act deciding not to risk it I brewed a pot of coffee the bitter Aroma filled the air momentarily masking the Eerie Stillness of the station I poured a cup set it on the counter and stared at it like it held all the answers the seconds ticked by as I checked the clock 3:28 a. m.
5 minutes 5 agonizingly long minutes the sound of rustling Drw my attention I turned toward the aisles expecting to see a customer but they were empty then I heard it again plastic crinkling cans clinking the sound came from the snack aisle where nothing should have been moving hello my voice was barely above a whisper wavering with fear I stepped cautiously toward the aisle my shoes squeaking against the tile as I turned the corner my breath hitched the shelves were in disarray bags of chips scattered across the floor and in the middle of the chaos sat a single unopened can of soda it rolled toward me slow and deliberate as if pushed by an unseen hand I backed away my heart pounding the can stopped at my feet its label facing up the word leave was scrawled across it in Jagged black marker my stomach Twisted as I knelt to pick it up my hands trembling the marker's ink was fresh still wet the chime above the door rang I spun around expecting to see someone or something but the doorway was empty the air inside the station felt heavier colder as if the temperature had dropped by 10° in an instant I looked toward the counter and froze the cup of coffee I'd placed on the counter was steaming violently far more than it should have been the vapor curled upward twisting into shapes that resembled faces Hollow eyes gaping mouths I blinked and they were gone but the coffee's surface rippled as though disturbed by an invisible hand the Clock Struck 3:33 a. m. the station's lights dimmed for a moment plunging everything into a shadowy Gloom when they flickered back on the coffee cup was empty the steam had vanished leaving behind only a faint acrid smell that wasn't coffee a scratching sound Drw my attention to the rule card another line of text had appeared etched in sharp angular letters you're almost out of time the Stillness of the station was unbearable broken only by The Faint hum of the neon lights I sat behind the counter staring at the rule card as if it could explain itself my fingers trembled as I traced the fresh text etched into it you're almost out of time what does that even mean I muttered under my breath my voice the only sound in the hollow space the clock read 3:45 a.
m. the minutes dragged by like hours and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched the walls seemed to close in and the glass doors reflected my face in distorted fragments as though the station itself was trying to warp reality I decided to distract myself by cleaning grabbing a mop I pushed it across the floor the repetitive motion giving me a small sense of control as the mop water swirled I noticed something odd letters were forming in the bucket faint and murky as if written in the oily water ask the drawer I froze my grip tightening on the mop the drawer the thought struck me like a bolt of lightning the cash register had a an old locked drawer beneath it something I'd ignored since starting the shift the previous cashier had mentioned nothing about it compelled by an unexplainable urge I knelt down and tried to pull the drawer open locked of course but beside the register lay a small ring of keys one of them had to fit as I sorted through the keys a faint whisper filled the air at first I thought it was my imagination then it grew louder more distinct a soft voice almost musical repeating a single phrase hurry before it's too late my hands shook as I found the key that fit the lock clicked open and the drawer creaked as I pulled it out inside I found a stack of yellowed papers brittle with age among them was a map of the gas station and its surroundings but the layout was strange rooms were marked that didn't exist with labels like observation deck and containment Zone my breath quickened as I flipped through the pages and then I found the list of names dozens of them scrawled in looping handwriting some were marked with dates others with red X's my stomach turned as I scanned the list and found a name circled in Black Ink Jenna Moore pending my vision blurred I couldn't breathe how was my name on this list who had written it what did pending mean questions swirled in my mind but no answers came The Whispers grew louder now coming from every direction I spun around expecting to see someone or something but the station was empty the rule card on the counter fluttered slightly as if stirred by an invisible Breeze I walked back to it my leg heavy and picked it up another rule had appeared at 4:00 a. m.
do not look outside no matter what you hear the clock read 3:58 a. m. the clock ticked closer to 4:00 a.
m. each second striking like a drum beat in my chest the rule card rested heavily in my hand its words etched into my mind do not look outside no matter what you hear I wanted to believe this was some elaborate prank but the Whispers The flickering lights and my name on that list all of it weighed on me like an anchor I backed away from the counter my eyes flicking to the glass doors the world outside was a black void the surrounding trees barely visible under the dim flood lights of the station and then it began a faint tapping echoed from the glass it was rhythmic deliberate like someone knocking politely to be let in I froze every nerve in my body screaming at me to stay put my hand gripped the edge of the counter as if it could ground me don't look I whispered to myself but curiosity clawed at the edges of my resolve the tapping grew louder sharper as if fingernails were raking against the glass then came The Voice voice Jenna it called soft and familiar my heart sank it was my mother's voice Jenna honey it's me let me in tears welled in my eyes my mother had passed away years ago there was no way this was real and yet her voice was so clear so full of warmth and affection that it broke me Mom I whispered stepping closer to the door despite myself Jenna it's okay she continued I've missed you so much just look at me baby just open the door I stopped mere feet from the glass the rule card trembling in my hand I couldn't do it I couldn't break the rule but the Temptation was unbearable what if it really was her what if this place somehow brought her back the lights in the station flickered violently casting long jagg Shadows across the room the voice outside changed it was no longer soft and soothing it was distorted guttural like a growl wrapped in static Jenna it snarled look at me I stumbled back tripping over a display rack and crashing to the floor the sound of tapping turned into pounding the glass doors rattling as if they would shatter at any moment I squeezed my eyes shut clamping my hands over my ears You Can't Hide Forever The Voice hissed we're waiting the Clock Struck 4:00 a. m.
the pounding stopped silence filled the air thick and oppressive I opened my eyes slowly half expecting the glass to be broken or for something to be standing inside the station but the doors were intact and the station was empty I crawled to my feet my legs shaking and glanced at the the clock 4:01 a. m.
