It was the first day, and Alyssa could say that she is enjoying her job. The manager is a pretty nice man, but she is still cautious around him if he ever got angry at her. But to her surprise, he's not the type of person who gets mad easily.

Andrew, on the other hand, is the guy who can't stay around 24/7. In every twelve hours, he would leave and make an excuse for the matter. Although it's a little suspicious, she could understand that he needs time to get better with his condition. But overall, he is a nice guy and that type of friend who would bring cookies and pastries.

Alyssa was about to wash the dishes until one of the children bumped into her. She almost dropped the dishes, but she luckily dropped them to the sink. The problem? One of them broke. ALyssa sighed but smiled to the children. "What is it, little children?" They pointed at Andrew with excited smiles, as she could see Andrew carrying a basket what seems to be pastries and lemonade.

Alyssa nodded and went to Cassino about Andrew's entrance. He was glad that Andrew visited, since he would sometimes be called in sick. "Wait, he's the cook in here?" Alyssa said, a little surprised from Cassino's answer. "Yeah, he was! Or used to..." He trailed off, once he heard Andrew cough again. "When he was doing his own thing for a few weeks, he started to cough violently and sometimes his temperature would be messed up. There would also be times where he will faint while doing his task." Alyssa looked at Andrew and then to Cassino. Maybe she could do something to help Andrew and lessen his worse condition.

"Cassino, I'm fine. I just needed time to heal, is all." Andrew butt in, his hands stuffed in both pockets of his jacket. "But coughing everyday and leaving with an excuse isn't normal, Andrew. If you really are sick, you can tell us." Cassino's expression is a gentle but worried look, while Andrew is almost unreadable. Even though his expression could be changed, she couldn't read what his mask hides.

"I really don't want to involve any of you with my problems. It's mine for me to deal with, and I will feel guilty about you guys, you know?" Andrew said, leaving the cup of coffee on the table and started to eat his bagel. "And besides, I can take care of myself! I may be coughing badly and all, but that won't stop me from living!" He added, as if it's supposed to be a joke.

Cassino just sighed under his breath and told Alyssa to look out for the children. She rushed to the play room and before she could even react to a mess they made, she tripped from a yoyo's string that was tied in different ends and she fell on the floor that is filled with papers that are drawn and messed with.

"O-ouch.." Alyssa painfully said, looking at the drawings. One is a child who is eating ice cream with seven other children. Although the others were pretty cute, she snickered once she saw that they even drew a dragon being defeated by the children in the care center. The children entered and gasped from what they witnessed. 

"Ms. Alyssa! That's supposed to be a surprise for you!" One kid exclaimed. She was surprised but pats the kid on the head. "Well, I am surprised that you made it pretty good." She smiled, as the children hugged her with no hesitation. They began to tell fictional stories, such as 'I used my magic wand to get the cookie jar!'.

The talk with the children were pretty funny and enjoyable, when she noticed a certain shadow. When she squinted her eyes for a better look, it looked like-

"Ms. Alyssa? are you okay?" a little girl whimpered. Alyssa's attention went back to the children after her long stare at the corner. She just chuckled and told them that she was just thinking about something. They weren't buying it, but they shrugged it off and continued to talk about the stories of them doing a simple task so brilliant.

The conversation with the kids were tiring but fun, and the children were called by the other caretakers. They rushed to the eating area, laughing and giggling. She giggled a little but her expression changed after they left. She looked at the corner again. She was sure that she saw something...

Or perhaps, Someone.

"I should call it a day and ask Cassino if I could go home.." She whispered, her eyes fixated on her items and bag. She stuffed her wallet, handkerchief, and other items in her shoulder bag and walked out of the play room. Before she left the room, she looked back, staring at the room for a short minute, and then closed the door behind her.

Her foot steps weren't echoing, since she could hear the chatter and laughter of the children and caretakers. She passed by the living room and went straight to the manager's office. She knocked on the door and waited for a response. 

But there was nothing.

She was confused and a little scared. Where's the manager? She couldn't leave without the manager knowing. She just sighed and walked back to the play room. But once she opened the door...

She saw a shadowed figure.

She gasped as the figure sharply turned back. She closed the door again and waited for a few seconds. She slowly opened the door and the figure was gone. But what she noticed is that the window is wide open, curtains being flown by the strong, cold wind.

She looked outside the window to check if that figure is around the parts. But there wasn't anything much to find on. She just murmured about her hallucinating and closed the windows.

She heard the door opened and as she turned, she saw Cassino, eyes widened in fear. "Alyssa, did you see him?" She was confused until he specified. "The person with a long scarf that would appear inside the areas in this place every night." She slowly nodded, and looked at the window.

"It's not safe outside. He might hunt you down, Alyssa. We have a spare room that is next to the kitchen. If you hear a knock, do not open." Alyssa asked him why she shouldn't be rather than who is hunting her down.

"We knock three times, Alyssa. If we are actually the one who needs help, we would knock three times no matter what. If he entered the room, do not panic. Try to sleep it out or wait until he leaves." Cassino added, his tone laced with fear.

"How do you know this, Cassino?" Alyssa questioned. "Some of us experienced this. Except for Andrew, since he's not always here 24/7." She just nodded and as the conversation went deeply serious, he yawned and looked at the clock.

"Oh.. It's 8:30.. It's our bed time, I suppose. We'll call it a day, perhaps..." He yawned again, as the children burst inside the room, giggling once they jumped on their bunkers.

"Do tell them some bedtime stories. I have to check in some papers." He sleepily replied, leaving the room without another word.

"Ms. Alyssa, tell us a bed time story!" A little boy squeaked, as their eyes lit with excitement and patience. She chuckled and sat on the bed next to the child. She cleared her throat and started to speak her bed time story.

Once upon a time, there lived a young girl named Vanessa. Vanessa lived in a small town where she lived in a happy and uneventful life.

One day, she met a boy named Andrei. They become friends and started to get to know each other. From Vanessa sharing her skills of drawing to Andrei, to Andrei showing her his love for pretending and cooking.

But one day, Vanessa had to leave and move to another town, where she had to say goodbye to Andrei. But when she walked to Andrei and her's meeting place, he wasn't there.

Disappointed and angry, she left without saying her final goodbye. She met another boy named Charlie and they soon began to be friends. Charlie make some jokes and new games and she enjoyed it. 

She was enjoying her new friend. They become best friends for a few years and they confessed their longing love for each other. 

And they live 

happily

ever

after.

"... The end."