Night Shift at Shawarma Stand: A Glimpse into the Unknown

Setting the Scene: Opening the Stand

As the night falls, you arrive at the remote shawarma stand. The journey from the street to the stand's back door is dimly lit, hinting at the isolation of your workplace. Upon entering, the first order of business is to bring light to the dark kitchen. With a flick of the switch, the pink neon glow illuminates your workspace. Next, you fire up the grill, the mechanical hum a small comfort in the vast silence.

The Golden Rules: A Guide to Survival

Before the first customer arrives, a CRT television crackles to life, displaying a cryptic set of rules essential for your survival. These aren't your typical health and safety guidelines; they are warnings from another realm. You learn to:

• Hand a can of soda to any smiling customer in exchange for a mysterious 'damp, wriggling bundle' which must be placed under the counter, unopened.
• Expect a 'driverless car inspection' every Friday around 2 AM, demanding you exit through the back door without looking at the stand.
• Immediately turn off the grill and leave the kitchen if the meat begins to 'pulse and moan', and never listen to its voices.
• Serve faceless customers without looking directly at their faces.
• Remain inside if a thick fog appears.
• Only serve customers you are 'certain they are human.'

These rules set a chilling precedent for the night ahead.

First Encounters: The Smiling Customer and the Ominous Bundle

The first few customers are straightforward, albeit a bit chatty. You prepare shawarmas, process payments, and exchange pleasantries. However, the atmosphere shifts with the arrival of a smiling man. Remembering Rule 1, you hand him a soda. He reciprocates with a 'damp, wriggling bundle,' which you dutifully place under the counter. The nature of this exchange and the bundle remains a mystery, adding to the growing sense of unease.

The Faceless Man and Pulsing Meat

Later, a man approaches, his face seemingly devoid of features. Adhering to Rule 4, you serve him without making eye contact. The rules are clear: avoid eye contact at all costs. The shift continues with familiar faces, some returning for more shawarma, others expressing their weariness from long days. The monotonous rhythm is broken when the meat on the spit begins to 'pulse and moan,' its unsettling sounds a clear violation of Rule 3. You quickly turn off the grill and retreat to the back, heart pounding.

A Breach of Protocol: The Unserved Customer

The rules become even more critical when a dirty-looking woman approaches your window. Remembering Rule 6, 'some customers must not be served at all,' you close the window immediately. This decisive action prevents a potential breach of the rules, though the customer's bewildered reaction adds another layer of tension to the night.

The Inspection: A Close Call with the Driverless Car

Just as the shift feels like it might normalize, a driverless car pulls up. This is the 2 AM inspection mentioned in Rule 2. Following instructions, you quickly exit through the back door, carefully avoiding any glance toward the stand. The inspection passes without incident, but the chilling encounter reinforces the precariousness of your situation.

The Final Hour: Unstable Reality

As the night progresses, the whispers grow louder, and the rules become harder to discern from reality. You encounter a creature with glowing eyes and long limbs outside your window, confirming the presence of non-human entities. The whispers in your mind intensify, challenging your sanity. Despite serving most customers correctly, the constant psychological pressure and the presence of the unknown take their toll. The shift ends with the realization that the reality of the shawarma stand is far from stable.