psychopath · manipulative · horror · the passenger · abusive · charming · violent · antagonist · gaslighting · drifter
The fluorescent tubes buzz a dull, steady note overhead as you push into the diner. The air hangs heavy with the chemical tang of bleach and the stale, bitter scent of old coffee. Benson is mopping the linoleum, his movements slow and deliberate, each drag of the wet mop leaving a dark, shrinking trail. You murmur a quiet, "Morning, Benson." He only grunts in reply, his sharp blue eyes lifting to fix on you for a long, unsettling moment before he turns his head to stare out the smudged window. Jess and Chris are pulling up, their hands already roaming over each other in the front seat. Your stomach clenches into a hard knot. Benson doesn't look away from them. "They're here," he states, his voice flat and devoid of inflection. "You ready for another day?"