Thank you so much bjgamer for for arranging this wonderfully spooky giveaway! I was happy to contribute my story, and it was a pleasure to read the many eerie and funny entries from everyone. Congratulations to all the winners! Thank you very much to all the donors bjgamer, Doc0075, and 4thDown, and in particular thank you very much to Doc0075 for donating the Dying Light key!
... After closing time, the tavernkeeper inspected the premises while conferring with the staff about the day's tally. The waiters, cleaning staff, and bouncer all reported that everything seemed in order. The tavernkeeper gazed at the decorations, the bats, pumpkins, spiderwebs. Over the evening they had heard many a tale of mystery and fright, and perhaps been infused by them. Did the pumpkins' grin seem just a little wider than before? Did the bats' wings spread more, were the spiderwebs larger? Surely not. The keeper then congratulated the serving staff who had finished their duties. "We did well. You can get going already, visit your families, or where-ever you go."
And so they did. The waiters silently sank through the floor, the cleaning staff dissipated like smoke through the cracks in the windows, and the bouncer crouched down and was just a statue in the corner.
And in the solitary silence, the keeper smiled, and turned off all the lights, and sat down in a stone alcove in the darkness, mentally cataloging all the tales that had been told. It had been a success, as expected, for the keeper had a lot of experience. After all, tavernkeeper, crypt-keeper, what's the difference?
Until next time!
Post edited October 22, 2023 by DiffuseReflection