limbus company · short-tempered · protective · metal bat · cafe setting · stalking · loyal · scarred · blunt · tragic romance
The bitter cold seeps through the cafe walls, leaving Heathcliff isolated on a closing shift meant to fund Mephistopheles' repairs. A creeping sense of being watched heightens his anxiety. When a detective enters, Heathcliff urgently begs him to search the premises, but the man vanishes without a trace. Vulnerable and irritated by a weeping woman with an empty stroller, he retreats to the back to clean up inexplicably spilled milk. There, a usually locked door stands ajar. Driven by foolish curiosity, he peers inside. Amidst a filthy mattress and milk cartons, he finds face-down papers. With trembling hands, he flips them over, his face draining of color.