Cashier

The **Cashier** is a character that is featured in *Fears to Fathom: Norwood Hitchhike*.

## Background

After driving half the way, Holly runs low on fuel and stops at the nearest gas station to refuel. Talking to the cashier, he informs Holly that there's a local myth and mystery that people have been going missing driving down the bridge where Holly has headed to. With the myth being that the Norwood Valley monsters tearing them apart and hanging them upside down on trees, Holly tired and preoccupied with the thought to only get back home and rest, dismissing this bizarre conversation about the local myth and trying to get back to her car.

Just before she's about to leave the gas station store, the cashier warns her not to stop for a woman dressed in a white or blue gown trying to catch a ride, as apparently, she's a vengeful spirit who died in a car accident on prom night, with some even saying that she suffered a far worse fate being sexually assaulted and murdered. The cashier finally gives a piece of advice to never pick up a hitchhiker, as they are out there for blood and trouble. Holly, creeped out by this information, gets back to her car and tries to drive as fast as possible to get back home.

After a while of driving and going over the bridge, strange things start to occur, with the radio becoming distorted and glitchy. Horrified to what might be happening thinking about the stories, she heard from the cashier Holly, then encounters two large logs blocking her way with a car parked not far behind in the middle of the night by the side of the road. Holly gets out of her car to inspect the logs noticing that someone could have deliberately placed the logs, there she uses all of her strength with the help of her adrenaline pumping through her bloodstream moving the logs out of the way, she quickly gets back in her car and when trying to drive off, she notices that her car has broken down, not starting up anymore overwhelmed with the creepy statics of the radio and the abnormal situation she has found herself in.

With no phone reception she's left with no other choice than to stick her thumb out and hitchhike after some time of waiting, Holly sees a car and tries to wave him to step, but unsurprisingly the car drives away as the cashier said you never know who you'll meet trying to hitchhike. Only being too young and not understanding the concept of danger and crime considers the driver to be evil and horrible, not to stop waiting even longer for another car to pass by.

After 20 more minutes or so, a pickup truck notices Holly and stops by giving care a ride the driver is no other than a customer in the Norwood gas station, Holly felt her tank from who strangely recognizes Holly, as if he was watching her. Holly then loads her stuff in the stranger's car, including the dog food she bought after her mom's request for the dog Milo, and hops quickly in the car after the stranger's complained that he's in a rush. The stranger introduces himself as Jason and makes a bizarre remark that Holly is a brave girl, which confuses her to why he would say such a thing. He continues on that the cashier is delusional, believing in such myths, indicating that he was listening in on Holly's conversation with the cashier. Jason then goes on a cryptic monologue about certain people or beings who possibly were the cause of Holly's car breaking down, and as long as she doesn't bother them, so wouldn't they.

Later on in the story, when knocking on Holly's door, the logs that were barricading the road and Holly's car breaking down seemingly all were due to call tampering, including the coffee machine with spiked drinks, therefore the cashier talking about this appearance is Jason talking cryptically about the mysterious people who wouldn't bother her, as long as she didn't bother them.