NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37: Final Solution
The closure of the Waffle House in the Miliatech employee cafeteria was an unheard of event, causing a stir among the staff. Waffle House, renowned for its 24/7 operation, was a staple for many employees who relied on its comforting waffles and hearty breakfast offerings at the early hours of the morning.
Confusion rippled through the corridors as employees entered the cafeteria only to find the steel bomb shutters drawn over the Waffle House section. Murmurs and puzzled conversations filled the air, with some jokingly suggesting that it was the apocalypse or a corporate prank gone wrong.
For Miliatech staff, the closure seemed surreal, a disruption to their routine that they had never encountered before. Many had grown accustomed to the reliable accessibility of a Waffle House meal, whether it was the early hours of the morning or late into the night during crunch times.
As the news spread, it prompted a wave of speculation. Some pondered technical glitches, while others entertained conspiracy theories about corporate espionage or a hacker takeover causing the closure.
Meanwhile a visiting worker from a branch office in florida had already fled the building and was halfway across night city the second he had heard the news.
Jeffery Smith meanwhile was on the Phone with Waffle House corporate. The small corporation was actually rather scary considering it’s track record and employees, which almost all consisted of MIliatech retired soldiers. Rumors had it that some branches of the store even wore bullet proof armor while serving guests.
“Yes… Look, I understand that regular folks shouldn't have this number. I'm just calling to inquire why my Waffle House is closed,” Jeffery stated into space as he talked on the holo, his voice echoing faintly in the dimly lit employee cafeteria.
There was a moment of silence before the person on the other end spoke, sounding rather concerned. Jeffery could hear the distant hum of traffic from the nearby main street, mingling with the occasional flicker of neon lights that seeped through the heavily tinted windows.
“Why would I be running? I work at the Militech Night City main office,” Jeffery asked, glancing around the deserted cafeteria. The tables were neatly arranged, chairs pushed in, and several curious coworkers were watching him.
“Yes, I’m certain my Waffle House is closed. I mean, even the storm shutters are down,” Jeffery mentioned, his hand reaching out to knock on the hard steel blocking the usual windows.
“No, I mean, I should be quite safe here,” Jeffery added, his gaze scanning the quiet cafeteria, the faint buzz of fluorescent lights above.
“Hello? Hello?” Jeffrey's voice echoed through the empty cafeteria, the only response being the low hum of machinery in the distance. Suddenly, the cafeteria plunged into darkness, the fluorescent lights flickering and then shutting off entirely, enveloping the room in an eerie blackness.
“BOSS!” A guttural yell ripped through the silence, shattering the eerie calmness of the darkened cafeteria. Before Jeffery could react, muffled screams followed, echoing in the distance, fading into an unsettling silence.
Jeffery's pulse quickened, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. He strained his eyes in the direction of the sound, his vision adjusting to the dimness. Amidst the gloom, a fleeting shadow darted across the far end of the cafeteria, vanishing into what shouldve been a wall.
The emergency exit light flickered on, casting an eerie glow that illuminated Jeffery standing alone amidst the haunting darkness. His heart pounded against his chest, the urgency of the situation urging him into action. With a sharp command, he flipped one of the sturdy steel tables, its metallic clang reverberating through the tense silence, and took cover behind it.
"DEFENSIVE FORMATION!" Jeffery's voice echoed through the cafeteria, cutting through the fear-stricken air. His urgency spurred the remaining workers into action. They hurriedly gathered around him, their faces tense but determined, as they dragged tables and chairs, creating a makeshift fortification.
The emergency light painted distorted shadows on the walls.
The first gun shot rang out shooting quite literally at shadows.
As the gunshot reverberated through the room, a blinding flash momentarily illuminated the cafeteria. In that split second, the occupants caught a chilling glimpse of the figure blocking the exit. Its silhouette, dark and foreboding, stood unnaturally, and it’s eyes… The inhuman red in which they glowed for but a brief moment had made Jeffery realize… They were prey.
“FUCKEN SHOOT IT!” Jeffery shouts at the top of his lungs as he pulled a Copperhead Assualt Rifle out of his pants.
Without hesitation, they responded, their weapons aimed towards the exit, their fingers tightening on triggers, unleashing a barrage of bullets. In that fleeting moment of illumination, the space where the figure had been standing moments ago was now a void, an empty expanse devoid of any discernible presence. “To the right!” A MIliatech employee shouts.
As the muzzle flash from the guns illuminated the room several took aim at where the figure had moved too.
In the chaotic rhythm of gunfire and flickering light, the figure continued its elusive dance in the shadows. Each muzzle flash briefly illuminated the room, revealing the unsettling reality: the entity seemed to traverse impossible distances between the intervals of gunfire.
As the guns blazed, the figure moved with an uncanny speed and agility, vanishing from one spot and reappearing in another, traversing the darkness with an eerie grace. It defied logic, covering ground that seemed implausible in the mere milliseconds between each burst of light.
The coworkers exchanged bewildered glances, their alarm mounting as they realized the extent of this entity's inexplicable abilities. It was as if the figure defied the constraints of time and space, a ghostly apparition.
“The Reaper,” Jeffery mutters horrified.
In a deafening silence that followed the cease of gunfire, the only sound reverberating through the room was the haunting chorus of clicking triggers and the metallic clinks of empty gun chambers.
“Fuck.” Jeffery mutters.
In a final fuck you. It was in this moment that the flickering emergency light sputtered and succumbed to the consuming darkness, plunging the room into an oppressive black void. The last source of light being two glowing red orbs seemingly staring at the group.
