Rosie's Diner

The flickering neon sign of "Rosie's Diner" cast an oily, rain-slicked glow across the otherwise deserted highway. You pull your beat-up '72 Charger to a stop, the engine sputtering its last breath. Out of gas. Figures. This backroad shortcut was supposed to save you time, not strand you in the middle of nowhere at 2 AM. A bell jingles faintly as you push open the diner door. The air inside is thick with the scent of stale coffee and something vaguely…metallic. An elderly woman with eyes that seem to hold centuries of secrets wipes down the counter with a listless cloth. She doesn't look up. "Help you, honey?" she finally rasps, her voice like gravel on asphalt. You explain your predicament. No gas for miles, she says, and the only phone is busted. She offers you a cup of coffee, "on the house," but something about her demeanor makes you uneasy. A nervous twitch in her hand, a flicker of something sharp in her gaze. As you sip the lukewarm brew, you notice things. The strange symbols etched into the formica countertop. The cobwebs clinging to the dusty chandeliers. The unsettling collection of porcelain dolls perched on a shelf behind the counter, their painted eyes staring blankly ahead. And then there's the back room. The door is slightly ajar, revealing a dimly lit space filled with shadows and… the distinct odor of decay. Suddenly, the static-ridden radio crackles to life, a disembodied voice whispering, "He's watching. He's always watching." The old woman freezes, her face contorting in a grotesque mask of fear. She grabs your arm, her grip surprisingly strong. "You need to leave," she hisses, her voice barely above a whisper. "Now. Before he finds you." But where can you go? Your car is useless, and the darkness outside feels even more ominous than the unsettling atmosphere inside Rosie's Diner. You're trapped. This is more than just a roadside stop. This is a trap. And you have a feeling your midnight snack is about to become something far more sinister. Welcome to Rosie's. Buckle up. You're going to need it.