Lost in Brewster

"I'm definitely lost," I muttered, taking another bite of my McDonald's meal somewhere in Brewster, New York. Today, I decided to take a different route home, not realizing it would worsen when my phone flashed a low battery notification. Glancing at my phone, I saw it was at 20%, and it was already 6:22 PM. The only car parked was mine.

"I should probably go inside and charge my phone," I thought to myself. Just as I was about to enter, a notification appeared on my screen. It was a message from my mom, saying she was going to the movies, and we'd talk later. She understood the difficulties I was facing and wanted me to take a different route home, "take a moment to clear your mind" she said, I recorded a voice message, "I'm about two hours away from home, and my phone is about to die." No reply.

Finishing my chicken nuggets, I decided to go inside and charge my phone. The sun was setting, but there was still some light outside. As I opened my car's door, I noticed a man standing in front of the McDonald's. My initial thought was that he might be homeless. I hesitated, considering the situation, and watched him closely.

The man remained motionless and I stepped back into my car, as I closed my car's door and waited. "Okay, he doesn't look creepy," I thought, observing his appearance. He had long hair, appeared to be in his forties or fifties, and was neither slim nor overweight. His clothes were clean. Out of nowhere he starts slowly walking towards my car. I pretended to talk on the phone, hoping to deter any unwanted attention, "Yes, I will be there in a minute." I started looking around, I noticed only two other people inside the McDonald's, and they weren't using their phones or sitting together.

Suddenly, the man abruptly stopped and contorted his body in a strange manner, reminiscent of those viral TikTok videos I had seen. It was similar to the "zombie" trend happening in Philadelphia. Feeling unnerved, I exclaimed, "Fuck you!" in my mind... Checking my phone again, I saw that the battery had dropped to 16%. "Great, thanks Apple," I sarcastically muttered.

Before exiting my car, I stared at the man. Concerned for the safety of my vehicle and myself, I observed his actions. As I open the door, I don't take my gaze off of him, I closed it so loud but he did not even twist a bit. Double-checking that I had all my belongings, I raised my hands high, making sure he remained in my line of sight. I confirmed I had my phone, charger, keys, and tote bag. The man still hadn't moved. I quickly walked the few steps to the entrance, opened the door, and closed it behind me. Hastily turning around, I saw that he was now standing normally, with no smile or frown. I made a mental note of his hazel eyes and the small heart tattoo on his neck.

"Welcome to McDonald's, how can we help?" a guy walks up to me. he is the only one coming up, there is no "we".

"Hey, can you see someone standing outside?" I don't point out, just in case he might want to prank me and say something like,

"Oh no! Jason, don't come for me!" I ask because I, also, might be delusional.

"Yes, why? Is that your... dad?" Does he even look like me?

"No, he has been standing there for a while now." A while, like three minutes.

"Oh, don't worry, he'll go away."

"That is not my point. What if he is armed?" I am not panicking, I am just being cautious.

"Well, we can't just assume. Hey-" Dave turns his head around and asks the other two people inside "did you guys see this guy outside when you came in?" . They just stare at him and nod. I looked at his name badge, by the way. He has a Dave face anyway. "Well, maybe he is a homeless person." He just walks away and asks me what I wanted.

"I ordered on the drive-thru already. I just came here to charge my phone." I look at the man for the last time. He is looking at my car or where I was standing before. I sit in the middle of the restaurant. One guy is sitting all the way by the door, not too close to it, but fairly close. He has a piercing on his nose, wavy hair, a white male wearing a blue shirt and skinny jeans. I am observing. He looks calm and he's minding his business, reading a letter while eating a double cheeseburger and some fries. On the other side, there is a girl. She has long braids and her makeup is on point. She has baggy jeans and a crop top. She looks amazing. She is black. She is just eating some nuggets and listening to music, staring at Dave. Maybe they know each other. Mental note.

I sit and connect my phone. I check for a signal. SOS. There is no signal here. Weird. Outside I had it, and now I don't. I hate places like this.

"Hey, does anybody have reception in here? I have zero."

"Nope," it was collectively said. I only see Dave working apparently. The person who took my order was a female voice. Where is she? I leave my phone charging and walk towards the door.

"He hasn't moved a bit yet," the white dude said.

"Wait, so you have seen him since before I came in?"

"Yeah, he looked like a zombie when you parked, dude. Don't be scared. We are close to Salem."

"Girl, that is Massachusetts, far away from here," the girl said from her table.

"What about the witch trails that happened in 1777, way after the witch trails of Salem? Something weird must be going on here." I kinda agree. I've been driving for a while, and it all seems spooky. "Unrelated, my dude," the girl said.

"Regardless of where this Salem is located, that man is creepy. We should ask him what he wants." As I said this, Dave comes out with some food.

"Don't worry, I'll hand him this."

"You can't assume he is homeless." Points were made. The girl is smart.

"Oh please, you guys are acting like this is some type of horror movie."

"Well, it kinda looks like it." I am a horror fan, and this would be my dream.

"Here, let's go out together and ask him if he wants some nuggets."

"Man, I am not dying during Pride month." I laughed. The redhead is funny.

"Wait," I said. The man is moving slowly. He hasn't taken his eyes off of us. Nobody noticed, but he has been looking at us for a while.

"Oh, you see, he is a normal human being." Suddenly, he starts running towards the door. His arms are moving as if he was running away from a dog, suddenly his face is red and saliva is coming out of his mouth. The redhead gets up rapidly, and the girl stands up. Me and Dave just stare. My eyes get bigger, Dave grabs my arm so hard that I feel like it's going to break it. and suddenly he takes a turn and runs towards the streets. Mind you, I have seen at least two cars pass by in the past 15 minutes.

6:40 pm.

He stands there, his expression void of any emotion, as we tremble with unease. "Yo, that was creepy," the redhead remarks, his voice trembling with nervousness.

"Maybe we should call the police," suggests the girl, her voice filled with concern.

"He might be up to something, just like the Hispanic boy said," she adds, acknowledging my earlier warning.

"Thanks?" I respond, caught off guard by her odd but amusing comment.

"You're welcome, cakes," she retorts, leaving me momentarily speechless. Her humor in this tense moment surprises me.

"Okay, I'll call the police now. I've been working here for two years, and I've never seen this man before," Dave declares, his determination mixed with a sense of unease as he walks away towards the back.

"Wait, has anybody seen Chanel?" Dave asks.

"Who the fuck is that?" the redhead inquires, clearly perplexed.

"She's my closing partner. She was serving when you guys arrived," Dave explains, hoping to jog their memories.

"Nope, you served us," the redhead contradicts, shaking his head.

"But when I pulled up to the drive-thru, a girl took my order," I interject, attempting to provide some clarity because I am delusional but not crazy.

"How long ago was that?" the girl asks, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"It was like 40 minutes ago? I'm not entirely sure," I reply, my concern growing. Dave hasn't seen his partner for the past half an hour, and he just noticed now... talk about team work.

"We've been here for about an hour, and I haven't seen a woman working here," the girl says, her voice laden with uncertainty.

"Me neither. I arrived around the same time as her," the redhead adds, the puzzlement shared among us.

"Wait, here she is!," Dave exclaims, showing us a Snapchat they took earlier, precisely two hours ago.

"Yes, that's her! She took my order and handed me the food at the window," I affirm, a mix of relief and lingering confusion washing over me.

"Weird, indeed," we mutter collectively, the mystery deepening, leaving us grappling with the enigma unfolding before our eyes. so dramatic. but I digress, I might be scared but this is kinda fun.

Dave walks away, leaving us standing there in a state of uncertainty. The redhead, still visibly shaken, pulls out his phone, only to realize that his letter is now covered in buffalo sauce from when he dropped it earlier. "I'm Anthony, or Angel, either works for me," I introduce myself, hoping to establish a sense of camaraderie among us.

"Hi, I'm Jake," he responds, his gaze filled with fear as he looks at me.

"And I am Shaleen," the girl adds, her voice calm and welcoming.

"Nice to meet you all, I guess," I reply, feeling a glimmer of relief as Shaleen smiles at me. It seems like we are all on the same page, united in this strange situation.

"So, if that car is mine, then whose car is that?" I point to the red car parked on the far end of the right side. I have no clue about car models, considering my lack of interest in them as a gay man.

"That's mine," Jake answers, explaining that he was driving to New York but might stay at an inn instead.

"Okay, and how about you, Shaleen? Where is your car?" I ask, curious about how she arrived at this remote location.

She stares at us, and I can sense the unease in her expression. There's no way she walked all the way here, not during Pride Month.

"I walked," she finally responds, her answer sending a chill down my spine.

"How? There are no houses nearby. Well, I drove from the left street, and there's only one house all the way up the hill," I inquire, realizing the improbability of her journey.

She remains silent, as if withholding a significant piece of information. I understand that divulging such details might be overwhelming in the current circumstances. As I was about to ask again,

"Alright, so I called the police, and they said they would be sending someone," Dave comes in to inform us, hoping that help will arrive soon to shed some light on the unsettling events unfolding around us.

Jake and I walk towards the middle of the restaurant, somehow becoming instant buddies in this bizarre situation. I glance at my phone, realizing it's at 47% battery. Thanks, Apple. The man outside is still standing on the street, and it's becoming increasingly evident that no cars have passed by in the past 10 to 15 minutes.

Jake takes a seat beside me, positioning himself to face the man, while Shaleen remains standing nearby. She doesn't appear anxious, but rather prepared to leave at any moment. I can faintly hear the music playing from her AirPods. Meanwhile, Dave continues to stare at the man from a uncomfortably close distance near the door.

Jake and I engage in small talk, discussing where we're from and other casual topics. It's a way to distract ourselves from the eerie presence of the silent man outside and the unexplained circumstances surrounding us. The conversation provides a temporary sense of normalcy amidst the growing unease.

6:52 pm

"What's up?" We all jump as a girl opens the side door near Shaleen, causing her to drop her phone. Shaleen looks ready to confront her, and I feel the urge to step in and join her. "Hispanic boy is still here? Damn, why did you order takeout then?" The girl looks different from earlier.

"Are you okay, Chanel? You look tired. Did you... mess around in your car?" Dave laughs, but no one else joins in. Shaleen interjects, "Dude, that's not funny." I notice that Chanel looks odd, different from the Snapchat picture. Her eyes appear larger than expected, and her hair seems disheveled, as if she was running.

"I'm fine. I was in the bathroom," Chanel responds. There is a bathroom on the side, but it's strange that she would use that one when there are others inside the McDonald's. "Girl, you're joking. Why would you go outside when there's..."

"When the fuck?" Chanel interrupts Dave, her gaze fixed on the man outside. She seems confused as she asks, "When did he get here?" We all turn our attention to the man, who is now staring through the window. I jump in my seat, getting a clearer look at him. He appears composed, quite different from before. He waves at us, sending chills down my spine.

"Do you know him? That dude gives me the creeps," Jake asks, nervously biting his nails but remaining seated. "The creeps? The guy looks way different than before," Shaleen adds sarcastically. "thanks for the input shaleen", I can't help but be myself, even in the midst of such a bizarre situation.

"He was here earlier today, ordered some coffee, and then he just left without paying," Chanel explains. "Oh, that's the guy you mentioned earlier," Dave says, while we are all looking at both of them. It's strange how we're having such a normal conversation while all this is happening.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Chanel says as she walks past me towards the window. "Don't go out." Dave says, he does not even intend to stop her. The man slowly approaches, smiling, and Chanel stops on her feet. We all gasp. Jake grabs onto my baggy shirt, his face filled with worry. "Don't let her come out." he moves his mouth, it is a whisper, a clear one. "She's the devil!" he exclaims and starts running towards the street. There he stands in the middle, assuming a religious posture, arms wide open as if he was a crucifix. This McDonald's is situated on a small hill, providing a clear view of the street and therefore, of the man, he is looking at us while at it.

"That was intense," Shaleen comments, but she nonchalantly takes a seat as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening. "I think we should all relax and wait for the police to get here," she suggests. I walk towards Chanel, who is still standing, facing the man. She leans towards me and whispers, "I don't feel well. I think I'm going to throw up," clutching her stomach. Jake joins us, concerned. "Dude, let's take her to the bathroom," he suggests.

"No, that's okay. I'm fine. I just haven't eaten today," Chanel replies. She's a slim white blonde girl with long hair. Her appearance suggests she has been starving for days, which contradicts the way she looked in the Snapchat photo. I only just noticed this discrepancy.

"Dave, why are you just standing there doing nothing? Come on, man, this isn't even our job," I say, frustration creeping into my voice. "It's not mine either. I just serve food," Dave responds. I have the urge to strangle him, but I can't deny he's attractive. He has a cute little beard, a somewhat sleepy look in his eyes, and he's wearing shorts (I didn't even know you were allowed to wear them here). His hair falls back casually, adding to his charm. Still, tonight, I might just kill him.

Shaleen gets up and walks towards Chanel, "Hey babe, let's get you something to eat." Chanel follows her to the table, and Jake explains, "We need to stay close to each other. Something weird is going on here." I can't help but think of all the horror movies I've seen. This may not be a cabin in the woods, but the events unfolding feel just as unsettling.

"It's getting dark, in case you haven't noticed, and he is still there," Jake remarks. It's 7:06 PM now, and the surrounding trees have plunged the area into darkness. The man outside remains motionless, devoid of any facial expression. He's simply waiting.

"I see some lights. It looks like police sirens," Dave adds, breaking the silence.

"Okay, finally. That took a long time," I mutter in relief. The police car pulls up, parking in the first spot by the door. One of the officers emerges from the passenger side, shining his flashlight towards the middle of the street. Although I can't hear anything, his confusion is palpable. The other officer, a tall white male with blonde hair, steps out of the car and greets us with a casual, "Good evening, fellas." It's as if we've stepped into the Wild Wild West, though I admit I've never actually seen that movie.

"We received a complaint that a man has been disturbing this McDonald's," the officer explains, sounding informal as if he's just starting out in his career. "Yes, hi. It was me who called about the man standing in the middle of the street," Dave steps forward and begins to speak, while the other officer shouts something at the man who remains standing on the street.

"...And so, he's kinda creepy," Dave continues, his voice slightly shaky. The officer raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. He then points towards Chanel, who is sitting and eating a burger but appears strange, all sweaty, her blonde hair looks dirty and Shaleen is holding on to her body that she doesn't fall down. Her eyes remain wide open, and she seems weak, struggling to even hold the burger. She has been eating it for the past 10 or 20 minutes—I'm not quite sure.

"Oh, she was in the bathroom and came back with a stomachache," Dave explains, trying to provide a simple explanation.

"That's not it, babes. She must be going through something else because that ain't a stomachache," Shaleen interjects, her concern evident.

"Is she pregnant?" the officer asks bluntly, lacking tact and sensitivity. rude.

As they all continue talking, I can't help but feel a sense of unease. I see the officer walking a little distance away from the car, and without thinking, I reach the door. Jake's voice interrupts me, "If I were you, I wouldn't do that." I glance back at him, but my confidence overrides any fear. The restaurant is well-lit, and there is enough light on the street, so I feel relatively safe.

"I will be back," I assure him before opening the door and stepping out onto the parking lot. The officer notices my movement and turns towards me, "Young man, go back inside."

"I could say the same thing. This man is weird. Just arrest him," I retort, my tone filled with eagerness and anger. The officer faces the man, seeming hesitant.

"I'm afraid I can't do that unless he poses any kind of danger," he responds.

"He's standing in the middle of the street...?" I reply sarcastically, perplexed by the situation.

"For how long?" the officer inquires.

"He's been there for about 15-30 minutes. I don't know, but he's been acting weird since I got here," I answer, trying to emphasize the oddity of the man's behavior.

Suddenly, the man starts running towards us. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I feel a surge of panic and instinct. The officer flinches momentarily but doesn't move. "Go inside, young man!" he shouts, preparing to take action.

But before the officer can react, I act on pure instinct. I rush towards him, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside the restaurant, this man is huge, but he wasn't holding back, he was scared. In the chaos, a shot rings out, a stray bullet released from the officer's weapon in his moment of panic.

"What the fuck!?" I exclaim, shocked by the sudden discharge. The man hits himself in the window, leaving behind a streak of blood. Startled, I let out a cry as everyone inside gasps. Another loud bang follows, and I see that the man is now bleeding and staring directly at me. The officer, his gun still pointed in my direction, pulls me aside and cautiously approaches the man, the only barrier is the glass.

"What should we do now?" he asks the other officer, his eyes locked on the man's motionless form. I catch a faint whisper, "What the actual fuck?" The officer's fear is evident.

Suddenly, the man stops moving, collapsing lifelessly to the ground. It's as if he has dropped dead or simply dropped out of existence. The scene is surreal, leaving us all in shock and confusion.

The officer turns to me, his badge reading "Jae." He appears to be of East Asian descent and possesses an incredible physique with strong arms, towering over me at around 6'7" while I stand at 6'1". I sense his anger as his eyes lock onto me, and I feel as though he could snap at any moment. "Do not ever do anything remotely close to that," he warns, emphasizing the potential danger that this unknown man could have posed to all of us. I acknowledge that my earlier statement sounds irrational, given that he is a police officer, but it was my immediate reaction, "I am so sorry, but you guys just got here and you were just standing there, I-" and I just stopped talking, I do sound stupid. The rest of the group remains silent, with Shaleen holding onto Chanel's arm while standing behind the other officer. I turned around, from where I stand, I can see tears streaming down Dave's cheeks, mixed with beads of sweat, while Jake simply stares, his eyes wide open as he fights back tears. I stand in front of Officer Jae, feeling the weight of his anger through his intense gaze and heavy breathing. It feels as if his chest could explode at any moment.

Finally, the other officer addresses us,

"Okay, we will call an ambulance, and we will have to go down to the station which is around 15 minutes drive."

I quickly turn around to face him, noticing his name badge that reads Arnold. It suits him well, as he exudes a sense of authority and professionalism. Jake's voice shakes as he questions the necessity of going to the station, given that we have already explained what happened and Officer Jae and Arnold witnessed the man's behavior.

Dave, his voice and face back to normal, interjects, "Well I have a theory, this man might be part of some cult or something. Just look at the way he behaved, he was fine and then out of control, and then kinda fine again" Officer Arnold acknowledges the possibility, nodding in agreement. "We'll look into all angles during the investigation," he assures us.

"Well, I am to clean up before leaving" Dave then takes charge. He walks towards Chanel, who dropped a couple of things in the midst of the chaotic scene. Shaleen offers her support. "Don't worry, I'll help you," she says, showing her compassion. Chanel, still wide-eyed and visibly shaken, looks worse than before, adding to our growing concern for her well-being.

Officer Jae stares at me, "Since you want to be so brave, maybe you want to lead us to the car?" he says, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Sir, I am so sorry," I respond, my voice trembling as I feel like a little kid caught in the middle of a dangerous situation. Before I can say anything further, Jake steps in between us, facing Officer Jae. "Sir, I don't understand why we should-" Jake's words are abruptly interrupted by a piercing scream, followed by a loud bang. Shaleen rushes out from the back of the counter, blood staining her hands, visibly trembling with fear. Officer Arnold quickly runs towards the kitchen, shouting at Officer Jae to join him. It's unclear if their reactions are based on protocol or simply a response to the chaotic moment. "What the fuck!" one of the officers exclaims, and the sound of two gunshots fills the air.

Jake positions himself behind me like a makeshift shield, while Shaleen seeks refuge in the corner where I had been sitting moments ago, her hand covering her mouth in shock. Dave emerges from the back, disoriented and covered in blood. I can't ascertain whether the blood is his own, but it's evident that his condition is critical. Suddenly, Chanel emerges from the left corner, appearing stable with wide-open eyes and a healthier complexion, but with a disturbing amount of blood on her mouth and arms. We all gasp in horror at the sight. Officers Arnold and Jae reappear from the same direction as Dave, in the opposite direction of Chanel, both pointing their guns at her who stands just a couple of feet away. Officer Arnold instructs her to put her arms where they can be seen. Chanel, with a smile on her face, "Oh officer, wont you help poor Dave?" she questions the officers about their priorities, considering Dave's dire state. The eerie resemblance to a scene from "Jennifer's Body" causes a shiver to run down my spine, as I recall the unsettling impact that movie had on me in my younger years. It becomes apparent that Chanel, too, may have drawn inspiration from it.

I see Shaleen cautiously making her way towards me and Jake, moving slowly as if preparing for any potential danger. In that moment, I glance at my phone, still charging and ringing. The screen is turned on, displaying the name of someone calling, but I hesitate to call out to Shaleen and ask her to bring it to me. Officer Arnold takes a moment to address the situation, his voice lacking the confidence and professionalism I would expect from a seasoned officer. "Hey, listen, we can help you with whatever is happening, but you have to let us help you. Just walk towards us, okay? We can get you the medical help you need," he mutters, the uncertainty evident in his words.

"But you don't understand," Chanel says, her voice trembling with fear, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her demeanor has shifted from confident to frightened. She struggles to find her words, stuttering as she tries to explain. "I-I was just in the bathroom, and... and a man walked up to me, the same man outside, and..." Chanel pauses for a second, collecting herself. "I just..." Before she can finish her sentence, a loud bang echoes from outside, causing all of us to jump.

The man is standing again, his gaze fixed on Jake, who is in front of me, crying and sobbing. I remain frozen, not daring to avert my gaze. My attention remains locked on the officers, both of whom are still fixated on Chanel. The tension in the room is palpable...