As you step into Greasy Anne’s diner, you wipe your feet on the worn mat. You try not to drip too much water onto the linoleum floor, but fail miserably. You scan the diner, taking in the empty booths, glance at the ancient jukebox playing a song where a lady sings about how her man’s done her wrong. But you can barely hear it over the sound of heavy [[rain]].
(set: $stranger to "not_sus")
(set: $safe to "not_active")You sit down in a booth, and take in your surroundings a bit more. There is a [[stranger]] sitting at the counter, glancing at the door you entered from, as though he was waiting for someone. The [[waitress]] hands you a menu and leaves you to ponder your [[order]]. You glance to your left. Beside you a gaunt looking man sits a couple seats down. You glance at him from the corner of your eye. You don’t want him to see you looking
The man looks to be about mid-twenties, but he’s so ragged looking it’s hard to tell. In a dark coat and wrinkled slacks, he clearly hasn’t shaved in a while.
He has a full, but obviously lukewarm cup of coffee in front of him.
You notice his hands are shaking.
There’s an odd bulge to his coat
[[Next]]
(set: $stranger to "sus")“Hey hun, long time no see, what can I do for you?”
You tell her you need some time to think about it. Anne smiles and leaves to go grab a fresh pot of coffee.
Anne appears to be in her 50s with a strong cigarette smell that's so cliche it almost feels nostalgic. Her uniform is clean and starched, but has a faded color that screams years of repeated wear. Her hair’s faded red with dark roots. You swear every time you see her, her hair gets bigger. She moves as though she owns the place… maybe she does. Even after all this time you’re not really sure.
[[Continue]]
You are starving, its been a long haul driving the 16-wheeler up from Kentucky, so you just decide to order (cycling-link: bind $breakfast, "bacon and eggs", "black coffee", "anne's famous apple pie", "strawberry milkshake with rainbow sprinkles and a pink bendy straw", "nothing, I guess") and [[relax]].
(if:$breakfast is "nothing, I guess")[Really? I thought you were hungry? Anyways...](else:)[Your mouth starts drooling at the thought of a warm meal...]
[[Next]]A man sits next to that creepy guy from earlier. He plops down loudly and makes a finger motion for Anne to come over.
He orders a coffee…BLACK (what a cliche)
The man reeks of cologne, and maybe something else…pennies? He’s tall, wearing clothes that look tailored to his body. He wears a heavy gold ring on each finger. Those rings are weirdly menacing, like his version of brass knuckles.
This man leans way too close to that weird guy.
Does he know him? It appears so, but based on the way that guy has tensed…they’re not close.
He whispers something to the other man.
All the color drains from the man’s face.
[[Interesting...]]“You know what you want yet?”
You shake your head.
“Well, honey you might want to figure it out. I’m sure you have places to be. This place’s so far out of the way, it’d take forever you get outta here once rain really gets goin’. It’ll get too dangerous before long. I’d hate for you to get stuck here. You know, I wouldn't be suprised if the bank truck is late to pick up our safety deposit today. That's what I get for working in the middle of nowhere I guess”
She sighs and fixes her hair, moving a few strands out of her face
“So, what’ll it be?”
[[order]]
(set: $safe to "active")You are really curious now, and wonder if you can [[eavesdrop]] by pretending to go to the restroom on the other side of the diner.
You also kind of need to [[go pee]], but you dont know whether its worth trying to get past those two guys or just [[hold it]].What is going on? Why does he look so scared?
Maybe if I get up to pee I can hear what they’re talking about, right?
You can’t just stand by if someone’s in danger. You’re just a concerned citizen.
You get up to go to the bathroom
As you slowly walk by this is what you hear.
“You think you can just disappear? You think I wouldn’t find you here? I’m a very patient man, but it’s time to collect. You have what you owe me?”
You pick up your pace, go in the bathroom, slam and lock the only stall’s [[door]].
You get up to go to the bathroom.
As you walk by you hear muffled conversation, but you swear you can hear the words
“money” and “deadman”
You take care of buisness in the bathroom and return to your [[seat]].You decide you would rather use the bathroom somewhere else, and that you are better of staying in your [[seat]].“What the hell?!”
you're breathing fast, the need to pee totally forgotten.
You know you can’t stay here forever.
What can you do? Call the police? Pretend it never happened?
“Yeah I can do that. I’ll just go back to my seat, eat my food, and leave.”
You quickly wash your hands and leave the restroom. You can feel those strange men staring at you as you return to your [[seat]].
(if:$stranger is "sus")[With your mind made up, you leave the stall and go to wash your hands
You turn on the tap, and as you look up, that strange guy is standing behind you.
He raises a gun to your head and……
BOOM!!!!!
Bad Ending #1
Return to [[Start]]?]
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[[Intro]]
[[Credits]]
Your food arrives, and you are thankful you have something else to focus on.
You dig in to your $breakfast, and it’s delicious…it’s always delicious.
It’s why you bother to stop all the way out here in the first place.
The food’s amazing, but it doesn’t stop you from hearing what is a conversation quickly turning into an [[argument]].
It starts to get really heated…and you can hear the two strange men getting more and more frustrated.
What should you do? [[You could get your bill]] and leave? But there’s obviously something big going on. Could you live with yourself if you didn’t at least try to [[find out more?]]“Hey Anne, hon can I get that bill?”
“Of course sugar”
Anne steps away to get the bill, her eyes never leave the two men arguing heatedly.
Just as Anne comes back with the bill, all hell breaks loose.
The older guy slams that creepy guy’s head on the counter!
You can hear the clear crunch of his nose breaking. He grabs the man’s greasy hair and roughly pulls him up.
The creepy guy strains against his hold, blood streaming from his nose.
The older guy whispers, in a not so quiet whisper,
“This is just a taste of what I’ll do to you if I don’t get what I’m owed. We understand each other right?”
Creepy guy attempts to fight against his grip,
“F*** you man”
Brass Knuckles laughs in a very [[devious way...]]
“Listen man, I’m gonna take care of it, you know I’m good for it. I just need a little more time.”
“See that’s the thing. I don’t actually think you are good for it. So here’s what you're gonna do. You’re gonna get me that money. I don’t care how you do it, but you have until sunrise. If you don’t get my money… I’m just gonna kill ya. Nothing fancy, just good ol’ murder.”
This guy is scary.
The older guy spits in his face and leaves, his coffee left [[untouched]].
“You’re obviously not gettin’ it”
He grabs the pot of coffee Anne had left next to me and slams it against the creepy guy's head.
Glass shatters, hot coffee spills.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
The boiling hot coffee splatters everywhere.
Anne’s standing too close! Hot coffee splashes across her face and she cries out as the coffee burns her face.
You stand up, wanting to put an end to the nonsense unfolding.
“What the hell, man?”
You immediately realize how stupid that was, but now you're committed.
You take a step forward, getting in the guy’s face.
“You gonna take this outside or do I need to make ya?”
You don’t even get a chance to hear the answer before there’s a switchblade sticking out of your stomach.
At least you sounded cool…
Bad Ending #2
Return to [[Start]]?
The other guy lets out a shuddering breath, and then, as if suddenly remembering he’s not by himself, looks up and locks eyes with me.
This guy is obviously desperate. How can I get out of this without getting murdered? do I [[ignore him?]] Let him know [[I didn’t hear a thing?]]
(if:$safe is "active")[Can I try to convince him that I don’t want any trouble, and that [[I won’t tell anyone?]]]
I quickly turn my head the other way, towards Anne.
“Hey Anne, hun. Can I get that check please?”
Anne nods her head and reaches for the check; her eyes never leave yours.
She walks over and hands you a check with a shaky hand. After you take it with equally shaky hands, she turns to creepy guy…who you've been doing a great job of ignoring up to this [[point.]]
"Look man, I dont know what you have got going on, but I didn't hear anything, promise"
"If you didn't hear anything, how do you know I got something going on?"
Well crap, good job pretending I didn't just watch him get his ass chewed by that greasy looking older guy.
"uhh, well what I meant to say was-"
"Nah, I got a better way of doing this, no hard feelings, but a guys gotta do what he needs to to survive, you feel me?"
I don't like where this is [[going...]]
“What about you hun, can I get you anything else?”
The creepy guy just stares at her. (He’s really living up to his name)
“IIIIIIIII think there is something you can get me.”
“What's that sugar?”
“All the money in you register”
You stop breathing as he pulls a gun out from his jacket[[ pocket.]]
“Yeah I think all your money sounds good”
The gun is aimed right at Anne.
“Ok hun, why don’t we put that gun down, huh? We don’t have to get violent.”
While Anne says this her eyes keep bouncing between you and a spot beside you, under the counter.
Your eyes keep bouncing between Anne and the creepy guy.
“SHUT UP! THE MONEY NOW!!!”
“Sure sure, I’m going”
Anne starts to back away from the man and towards the register. She keeps looking at that same spot from earlier.
Is there something under there? Something she wants you to [[grab?]]
You know you should do something, but one glance at that man and you freeze.
“Honey, I know you're desperate, but I can promise you we don’t make the kind of money you owe that man.”
Why is she talking to this man? He’s holding a gun!
Anne hasn’t quite made it to the register. She pauses next to you, and while she tries to distract him, she reaches under the [[desk.]]
Whatever Anne was reaching for, she never grabbed it.
*BAM*
Anne's lifeless body is on the floor, her uniform soaked with blood.
You see a pistol in her hand...
You bolt for the exit, trying not to get shot next. The stranger ignores you and focuses his attention on breaking into the register.
You dont know how, but you made it to your truck. You pull out of the parking lot as fast as you can, and you cant help but feel bad as you leave Anne behind, the dim lights of the diner flickering in the rear view mirror as you make your way out of town.
YOU WIN?
Good Ending #1
Return to [[Start]]?
The creepy guy stares at you for way too long
You hold your hands up in a placating gesture
“Hey man, I dont want anything to do with this”
He narrows his eyes. He clearly doesn’t believe you.
"I promise, I wont say a word"
You look over to the register quickly. It's late on a Sunday. You know Anne is waiting for the deposit truck. It's a lot of money, and it should be enough to placate him.
“Listen, I don’t want any trouble, I just want you out of here.”
He does NOT like the sound of that.
You hurry to explain.
You tell him about the cash deposit in the register.
“It’s an old hunk of junk honestly. You don’t even have to break in, just grab the entire thing and book it. Get somewhere safe and just drop it on the ground. It’ll probably just bust open”
“Why are you telling me this? Why should I trust you?”
[[Good question.]]“Like I said, I just want you out of here, and I have a feeling you’re not leaving until you figure out your “little” problem. At least this way Anne doesn’t get hurt.”
“How do I know you’re not going to call the police as soon as I leave?”
Maybe this guy has a few brain cells left, what a surprise.
“ And tell them what? A random homeless man stole an ENTIRE register and went to God knows where. They’d arrest ME for wasting their time. Please, take the out man.”
He looks at you for a second before hopping over the counter.
Just as he does, Anne comes out of the back.
She yells for him to stop, but he’s too fast.
Just like you said, the register is easily picked up and he runs out the door.
You and Anne share a look. You put a few bills down on the counter and walk out the door.
YOU WIN!
Good Ending #2
Return to [[Start]]?Before I knew it, my ears were ringing, and I looked down to see a bloody hole in my stomach. Anne was standing behind the counter, face drained of color.
She tried reaching for something under the counter, but before she had the chance, another shot rang out, and she fell to the ground.
"Well, I hate to do this to ya guys, but ya heard too much, and I don't like loose ends."
The last thing I saw before collapsing to the floor was the man hopping the counter and making his way towards the register.
"It's a start I guess...this will buy me another day or two..."
That was the last thing I heard before passing out.
Bad Ending #2
Return to [[Start]]?This game was created by Hannah Covin, Chloie Meck-Brice, Alexys Kopp, and Mark Eastman for ENGL253: Games and Culture, Spring 2025.