I work at The Drowsy Spectre, a café positioned in a place sure to never get any business. No human business, that is. Keith stopped screaming and that doesn't comfort me. Some terrifying stuff has happened lately, but usually it's just weird. If you want to get caught up, or start at the beginning, then go ahead and check this out.

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So first off, I want to make sure the updates on this subreddit cover the scarier aspects of this job. If you want, the link above will also include more minor updates on things such as Laura's condition or what happened to my laptop. There is a lot I want to tell you, but I think the focus of this post (and my primary updates) should be on the rapidly worsening state of The Drowsy Spectre.

However, I think it is important to let you know that Laura came back. Not the gecko, but actually Laura. It was good to see that she was alive and okay. Well, not really alive. Let me explain. Back when Keith went missing, I hadn't noticed that Em was absent from the entire event (due to finding Laura's ghost). As some of you might remember, last update had a paragraph or two about how Laura returned as some kind of apparition. I decided to include that in the secondary updates I mentioned above since a lot more has unfolded regarding her. For now, I just wanted you all to know that she is still around somehow. We want to put her back in the gecko since being alive is better than being... not. She begged us. I suggested we see if her body could be found, but Em said the gecko is her body so that won't be possible.

I'll go over all that in detail later. I found my laptop again and I feel like Keith's fate is more important at the moment. I feel it is my responsibility to speak about what happened, to tell what is left of his story. The screaming stopped two days after he was stolen. Two days of screaming. I could hear it weaken, practically feel his spirit give out from somewhere deep in the woods. There was also the matter of the eyeless woman that spoke to me that night, which I had not mentioned to anyone at the café.

Selene was far more closed-off than usual, quiet ever since the night Rykar appeared at the team meeting. I see her when we open, then when we close. That is it. So, on my Sunday shift, I decided to ask her about the situation with the Eyeless. You see, her office light turned off. Usually it is Barrow that fixes it, seeing as he works every shift. Barrow was taking an order and turning back on a light was a simple task, so I hurried to do it; it gave me the opportunity to speak with Selene.

I turned back on her office light and knocked on the door. "Hey, you got a second?"

"Sure." She seemed surprised.

"Can I come in?"

"One sec!" There was chaos behind the door for a moment, all sorts of things being moved, and then it stopped. "You're good."

I opened the office door and saw the desperate attempt she had made at straightening up the messy space. Papers of all kinds piled on a long counter. Mismatched pens and markers were stuffed into a mesh container, and two boxes of random nick nacks made a spot for her to put her feet. Instead of a trash can, it seemed she'd been using a large mcdonalds paper bag. Look, I am not judging, but it really did seem like she was living in the office.

"What's up?" She put on her best, but forced, smile.

Should I have asked her how she was doing? I don't know. Closed-off people tended to stay that way, regardless of prying. I did not want to spit on her willingness to speak with me, so I avoided the possibility of upsetting her. "Do we have an... eyeless customer that comes through the drive-thru?"

"All sorts of weird things come here. You know that by now."

"Yeah, but this one seemed really unique. Like, specific rules unique."

"What did it look like?"

Well, I already told her it had no eyes. Aside from that, I couldn't really remember. "It was a woman, I think. Or looked like one. She was driving a car, said some stuff, then the car fell apart as if it was made of string. She floated away. Oh, and all the lights turned off and I couldn't find anyone in the store."

"What did it say to you?" Selene didn't seem urgently interested, but she was listening.

"To write. That I have done the impossible, that I will write and lose all things. I think she was referring to the fact that I made a frozen cappuccino, which is what she ordered. Barrow said to just make a vanilla frappe."

She laughed. That was a good sign, right? "That's what you get. I told Barrow not to do stuff like that because then they think it is a real drink."

"I'll keep that in mind. She said to 'burn thy candle' and said something about a King of Pillars."

Selene's smile was cut short. "What?"

"Burn thy candle." I repeated. "Does it mean something?"

"No, the other thing. She said something about the Pillar King?"

"Yeah, she said a world was in the Pillar King's hands."

When she swallowed deeply, I began to get nervous. "Selene, that means something to you? What is it?" If a cryptid had targeted me in some way, I needed to know. "What is it?"

"Did you see her again?"

"Selene, what does it mean?"

Selene stood. "Did you see her again?!" She shouted.

I shook my head. "No, no I haven't."

Calmed at the answer, she placed a hand on her forehead. "Do not tell anyone else about this. If anyone says that to you again, come tell me immediately. I do not care what time of day it is, or how casually it is mentioned. Tell me."

"But what does it mean? Is it something to do with Rykar and DeGuire?"

"Worse. Much worse."

"Like... the devil or something?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Come on, new guy. Open your mind a little bit."

"So... no?"

"No, not at all." She rolled her eyes, but I saw her smile again.

Things kinda picked up back behind the counter, so I stood from the crappy metal chair. "Should probably go help."

"Yeah." Selene sighed. "But thanks for coming."

Was that thanks for visiting her, or thanks for telling her about the eyeless woman? "No problem. I'll let you know if-"

"Hey, Axel!" Barrow called from the front.

I shrugged to Selene and hurried up to the drive thru. We have a magnet that detects if a car is at the window and, if there is one, it starts beeping like crazy. Like I said in the last update, that sound haunts my dreams more than any creature here. The rush died down just as suddenly as it arrived and I was stuck inputting the tips from customers' signed receipts. If I am entirely honest, I had forgotten about Tall Ben for once. He was usually a staple presence at the Drowsy Spectre but none of us had seen him since he took Keith. No face peering through the drive thru window, no knocks on the back door to lure us outside. That doesn't mean any of us had our guard down, seeing as there were plenty of other things there that could threaten our wellbeing.

So, when Tall Ben's face appeared in the top left corner of the drive thru window, I leapt away with a cry. That piece of shit was back. Barrow was getting a bag of espresso to fill our grinder's hopper and Em was doing dishes, so there was no one up front to stop me from tearing Tall Ben a new one. Now I realize that he was somehow in my head, I always see that afterwards. Not in the moment, though.

I swung open the window. "What'd you do to him?!" I growled, entirely incapable of intimidating the massive cryptid.

"Oh, Keith?" Ben smiled and nodded. "He was a cool guy when I got to know him. You know, at least he was cool enough to come and hang out with me. Y’all never do that."

"Where is he?"

"For Christ's sake, Axel, don't talk to him!" Barrow sounded entirely disappointed. "What is wrong with you?"

I turned around to see both him and Em there, eyes darting between Tall Ben and I. "He took Keith! I am a little shocked that I am the only one that seems to care!"

"Well, Barrow can't-" Em was cut off by Barrow's elbow jab. "We care."

"Then let me find him." I turned back to Tall Ben.

"No need, I have him for you!" He grinned excitedly. "He is pretty good, don't worry."

Pretty good? "What does that mean?"

"I mean he is good."

“We heard him screaming all night."

Ben laughed, as if recalling a night of drinking with a friend. "Oh yeah. Keith was wild. He kept pretending like he was some kind of 'secret agent,' sneaking around the place and trying to stay out of sight. We got kind of bored of that game and so we played something else. He wanted to place some bets on it, though."

That didn't explain the screaming. "And?"

"Well I said I'd show him back to the shop if he won. Fair, right? If I won though, then he would have to let me try something." That was both vague and terrifying. "Good idea, right? Nice stakes, I think. All in good fun, though."

It did not sound fun. "What game?" Barrow asked.

"Punchies. Yeah, I know, not super creative but I don't have much at my place. Someone robbed me, you know. Took all my stuff."

"You played... punchies?" I didn't really know what that was.

Ben explained. "You don't know it? Basically, he gets to punch me. Then, if I don't give up, I get to hit him but a little harder. Keeps going until one person gives up. He kept it up for a long time! Gave my leg a bit of a bruise!"

"You beat him to a pulp...?" Em sounded disgusted. Who was she to talk, turning people into animal prisoners?

"That's why he was screaming."

"Yeah, that part got annoying. So, anyway, he lost. It was a good try, though."

I was afraid to ask, but it was my job. I left the window open. "Where is Keith now?"

"Like I said, I have him." He lifted a gallon jug of something pink, with drifting drops of red within. "He's good." I had no words. "He's milk! I told you, I just needed some meat to make you guys the best milk you've ever tasted!"

"Milk?" What was I supposed to say?

"Yeah, milk. You know how it is made, right? They squeeze a cow, then the milk comes out. I gave Keith a good squeeze and just like that, milk."

Em threw up, Barrow let out another sigh, as was his only reaction to anything. I was a bit faint but shock kept me from moving. The thing that squished Keith to death was standing within arm's reach, so close that he could break my neck and make me into a slurpy. I, like a deer, was stuck in place. Tall Ben held out the gallon jug, far too excited to offer us the gift of Keith's remains.

"Give it a try. I think it is a great alternative to cow's milk! No dairy, I think." Obviously, dammit! It was made out of a person! "I wouldn't even charge you that much. Just at least give it a try and if you don't like it I will drop the entire pitch. Honest."

When I reached out to take it, I did not intend on trying the liquid. No, I meant to pour in down the drain. Or, maybe keep it seeing as it was all that was left to give his next of kin. I don't know, I wanted to make Ben mad. To hurt him, even if it was just his feelings. Barrow, however, stopped me. I had not noticed that I would have to reach out the window to take the jug, nor that Tall Ben was ready to grab me with his other hand.

"Close." Ben smiled. "But really, give it a try." He tossed the gallon into the store, where it landed in Barrow's hands. "It is good for you! Trust me. Strong bones. Now, I think I have a new record speed. Check this out." Suddenly he launched himself towards the trees, running at an incredible pace. Sure, it was easy for a giant, but it was eerie just how silently he dashed away.

Barrow still held the jug. "So... this is Keith?"

"Yeah."

I leapt again. Tall Ben was back at the window. "And I'll keep my end of the deal, man." He was talking to me. "Any question, I will find the answer. Catch you later, pal." Again, he ran to the trees as I closed the window.

He thought I gave him Keith. It is my fault. Keith was the meat in our deal because I left the window open. God, what am I meant to do with that kind of guilt? What am I supposed to do with the jug of Keith that Ben gave us?! There is a terror from seeing something scary, from something chasing you, and from something haunting you. But another horror is just how terribly breakable we all are. Ben had squeezed Keith's body apart and the Drowsy Spectre was squishing my spirit to mush.

"What's that?" John asked, coming up to the front. He never did that.

"Uh..." Barrow glanced at us. "Keith."

I know I shouldn't let guilt eat me, but it has thrown me into a funk. How am I supposed to write? Keith is dead because of me, was tortured because of me. Here, at my apartment (most of this was Wednesday) I can hear the whispering too. Can anyone write in those conditions?

I came in for my shift today a bit earlier than normal, I needed to get away from the whispers. From everything. Amber was there, as if she knew I would be the first to arrive. With a warm smile, she leaned against her car and greeted me.

"Hey Axel! How are you adjusting?"

She was dangerous, I needed to remember that. "Well, I guess." Her character was entirely different than it had been that night at the meeting.

"Best you can. It is a strange place, dangerous too." She waved me over. "Come here, I have something to show you."

With time to spare and no intention of buying anything, I indulged her. "What is it?"

"I wanted to show you something." She opened her trunk and pulled out a box. "I know this whole Keith thing is weighing down on you. I have something for that." I didn't tell her about Keith, nor did I tell anyone that I thought it was my fault. "What if I said you could bring him back, body and all?"

"That is possible?"

"Sure." She opened the box and pulled out a candle. It had his name carved into the wax, a wic of what looked like hair ready to burn on top. "You just have to burn this. I sell candles for this very reason, to help people. Will you let me help you?"

Sure, I owed it to Keith, but the rules were clear. "I shouldn't."

"Because of the rule? Look, I just want to help people. That is the only reason I am here. I will stay here, too, and help whoever I can. Just let me show you!"

Selene pulled in at that moment, saving me from making a terrible mistake. Amber looked not upset, but sad. Just... sad. "Maybe another time. Think about it, Axel White."

A tingle went up my spine as she turned away. What was that?

I did not buy a candle, nor do I plan to. It is tempting, though. Do I owe Keith a second chance, no matter what fate I might face for breaking a rule? What if the rule was there to stop people from making a wish, what if Richard was hogging wishes for himself? I don't know, nor do I think it is safe to ask. There is one thing I noted; Amber never said what the candles cost. Buying. That word always seemed to have a weight on my ears when she said it, as if the price were severe. Yet she was so casual about it.

Regardless of my guilt, Tall Ben owed me one answer. One question, he would find an answer. That is assuming that he sticks to his word. Now I have to sit here and think what sort of question was worth both Keith's prolonged torture and eventual death. That does not seem fair at all to me.