The next day, I brushed aside my lingering doubts and headed to 888 Convenience Mart for my first night shift. The air felt heavier as I walked towards the store, the dim glow of the neon sign casting an eerie light over the deserted parking lot.
Inside, the shelves were fully stocked, but the place felt unusually quiet, even for a late-night convenience store. The manager was nowhere in sight, but a woman probably in her 30's wearing a friendly smile approached me as I stepped inside.
"Hey there! You must be the new hire," she said, her voice brightening the dim atmosphere. "I'm Yana, the most experienced member of the late-night crew. Don't worry about anything since you're in good hands!"
"Nice to meet you," I replied, forcing a smile as I nervously fidgeted with my name tag. I'm a bit shy with strangers but once I get to know them, I tend to get a bit chatty.
She circled me, "Hmmm... You're young. Let me guess you're still in you're twenties?" Yana continued, looking me up and down. She had a youthful energy about her, despite her appearance.
I nodded while saying "I'm 21," still a bit awkward around her.
"Ah, 21! Just a baby!" Yana teased, her eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and warmth. "Let's get you trained then!"
I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. There was something comforting about her presence that eased my nerves.
She proceeded to walk me through the store, explaining everything I needed to know. Yana was thorough, detailing how to manage the register, handle customer interactions, and restock items. I appreciated her patience, and for a while, the anxiety that had gnawed at me faded into the background.
"Feel free to ask me any questions you don't understand," Yana said, giving me an encouraging smile. "Also, not only is it late at night, but due to the nature of this place, it's rare for customers to show up. Sometimes, no one comes in until morning. So when you're with me, feel free to spend time talking however you like."
With that, she patted me on the shoulder, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Her warmth made it easier to shake off the anxiety that had been building up since I'd arrived.
When the manager mentioned "late night," my mind thought of a hectic schedule rather than free time. The thought of having quiet moments to chat and occupy myself felt like a blessing. I could already tell this job wouldn't be the mind-numbing grind I had feared.
"Sounds good to me," I replied, smiling back. "I'll definitely take you up on that. I'm usually pretty chatty!"
Yana laughed, her eyes brightening. "Great! It helps pass the time, especially during the slow hours. Just remember, if anyone does come in, we need to focus on them, but otherwise, it's just us. You'll get used to the rhythm here."
Within an hour or so, I was completely at ease with Yana. Her friendly, talkative nature made it easy to forget about the strange vibe I'd initially felt in the store. She was open about her life, explaining that she worked here part-time to cover her living expenses.
"You're here because of the hourly pay, right, Yana?" I asked, curious about her motivation for sticking around.
She laughed, leaning against the counter. "Yeah, no shame in admitting that. Same goes for you too, I bet?"
I hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed but nodded. "W-Well, earning 50 dollars an hour is amazing. I couldn't miss the chance, right?"
Yana grinned, her shoulders bouncing slightly as she chuckled. "Exactly! You can be more open about it, you know. Even the manager knows people only stick around for the pay." She glanced around the quiet store, her smile became stiff, "But... everyone who says that ends up quitting after a week."
The way she said it so casually made my stomach flip, but I tried to keep my expression neutral. "Why do they quit anyway?"
Yana shrugged, her smile never fading. "Some say it's because of the weird stuff that happens at night. Others just find it too quiet and boring. Well, aside from me, there are two others who stuck around—Kristoff and Xavier, they're also a year or two older from you."
'Who?' I wanted to ask, but before I could, Yana kept talking, her words flowing without pause.
"Most people last about a week. Some try to hold on longer, but it just wears them down. Their mental health takes a hit, and they end up in the hospital," she said it so casually, like it was just another fact of life here.
I felt a cold chill run down my spine. "The hospital?"
"Yup." She nodded as if it was no big deal. "You'd be surprised how fast this job can get to you, especially if you're working late nights. But hey, maybe you're tougher than the others." Her smile turned sly, as if testing me.
I tried to laugh it off, but my mind was racing. 'What kind of place is this?'
I didn't want to know more, but it wasn't like I could just cover my ears and pretend Yana wasn't talking.
"Just this last month, there was this girl, maybe younger than you," Yana said, pausing to think. She shrugged nonchalantly before continuing, "Anyways, manager got worried when he didn't hear from her for almost fifteen days so he contacted her guardian, and, well, they found her in her dorm room—both of her wrists were slashed."
'Suicide?' My heart sank, and a chill crept up my spine.
Yana said it like she was recounting a mundane story, but I couldn't ignore the weight of her words.
"Did she...umm," I hesitated, feeling my throat tighten, "Did she survive?"
"Yeah," Yana replied, her tone oddly casual. "She was taken to the hospital just in time. But she never came back to work, obviously."
'Did she try to kill herself because something's wrong with her life... or because of working here?' The thought gnawed at me, but I didn't dare ask it out loud. Instead, I stayed quiet, my mind spinning.
Yana kept talking, oblivious to my inner turmoil. "Well, I suppose young people must have all sorts of difficulties in their private lives. Xavier, whom I mentioned earlier, said that the girl—"
Ding!