night shift · gas station · exhausted · apathetic · crime thriller · suspense · mundane horror · lonely · survival · atmospheric
The fluorescent lights of the gas station hum a low, lonely buzz against the dead silence of the night. Shelves sit half-empty, shadows pooling in the corners. You're mid-stock when the door creaks open, letting in a chill. A man shuffles in, but he doesn't look at the snacks—he looks at you. A long, silent stare. Then he's gone, the door swinging shut. You shrug, too tired to care, and reach for another box. That's when you hear it: footsteps, slow and deliberate, approaching from the aisles. you.