A few months back I experienced the most surreal and scariest moment in my life. I wanted to post it to see if anyone else had experienced anything similar.

I was driving up north to my parents house for my cousin's wedding, which was the next day. I had moved away 4 years ago after I got a job in the city. It was about a six-hour drive and I had planned to stop off half way through to get something to eat. I had set off at 09:00, it was nearing 12:30 and my stomach was screaming at me for food. I pulled off the main road towards the service station as I noticed a sign up ahead which read: Diner This Way ➡️

I went past the main service station and carried on down a small side road. I reached an old American style diner, it was shrouded by tall oak trees from the surrounding woods. I parked up thinking to myself that it looked quite busy, as there must have been at least 10 other cars outside. As I walked up and pushed open the door, I had an uneasy feeling that everyone was staring at me. I didn't pay too much attention however, as I would always feel this way when entering this kind of setting. I ultimately put it down to it just being a natural reaction from my buried anxiety.

I went up to the counter and was greeted by a smiling young blonde woman, wearing a clean blue and white uniform.

“Good afternoon sir, what can I get for you today?”

“A cheeseburger, some fries and a black coffee please”. I was still feeling uneasy, like a burning feeling at the back of my head. It made me want to turn around and see who was staring at me but my eyes stayed fixated forward as I paid.

She said, with her head slightly tilted and the same, wide smile on her face.

“It will be five minutes, sir, please wait here or you can find a seat if you want”

I decided to stand and wait by the counter as I looked nervously around the room, my awkward, right-leaning stance radiated around me. There were probably around 15 people dotted around the black and white decorated seating area. It was, though, strangely silent, only the sound of the sizzling grills and the heavy footsteps of the kitchen staff stood out. I tried to check my work emails while I was waiting but there was no service, great, I remember thinking. I really hated this awkward wait for food, it was like everyone was making you their brief table side entertainment, judging your every move.

I finally received my food after what felt like an eternity. I walked with my tray to a small, rounded metal table. I pulled out my chair, and it scraped along the tiled floor below, it echoed throughout the room as I felt that same burning sensation in my head once more. As I sat down I heard the atmosphere change to what you would normally expect of any restaurant, a background of inaudible conversation pursued. I thought it was strange but it eased my nerves exponentially.

I opened up the cardboard box that housed my succulent burger, but something was wrong. There sat in between my two patties was a folded up napkin. I was intrigued but annoyed how one of the kitchen staff had put this in my food. I was about to get up to take it back to the counter when in the kitchen when I saw a young scruffy-looking black haired guy, staring back at me. His eyes widened, and his head nodded forward, seeming to gesture for me to open it up., it read: “Do not eat your food, go to the toilet and wait for five minutes! DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE!”

I raised my head towards the kitchen once more, he had gone. My eyes shifted as I looked more closely at the people seated throughout the restaurant. It suddenly dawned on me what that uneasy feeling was. Nobody was eating, they all looked like they were from a quick glance but they weren’t. They were all sat with food in hand, about to eat but before it would reach their mouth they would laugh and say things like, “look at this” or “yeah” or “that’s right” to the person they were sat with. Their conversations seemed forced and automated, a confused look grew on my face.

I glanced over at the tills, there were now three waitresses stood staring at me. They were all smiling but only with there mouths, the rest of their face seemed uncomfortably unaffected. I gave a quick smile and pretended to eat one of my fries. I could see in my peripheral vision their focus had switched straight ahead towards the door. I placed a hand on my stomach and began to get up. I felt that burning sensation again, as if everyone's gaze was on me once more. I walked with a fast pace towards a short corridor and went into the restroom. I closed the door and went into the only cubicle, I was starting to grow anxious to what kind of place I had unwillingly walked into. I noticed a piece of paper within the roll of toilet paper, I slowly pulled it out. It was another written note:

“I’m so sorry, please know that nothing in this place is real, you need to get out of here before your time runs out. I have come to realised that I am immune to whatever trance everyone is in. I came in one day, I ate the food, I must have passed out but my memories still remained. At first I tried to leave but every time I walked out them front doors I end up walking back through the back double doors at the back of the kitchen. Everyone you see in here remembers nothing before this place. I have tried to blend in as much as possible but I can try to help you get out before they make you eat. Trust me, they will make you eat. “

My breathing started to deepen, and my fast paced heartbeat reverberated from my chest. The note was a warning to get out, but how could I leave? I was trapped in this seemingly fake reality, just like the others. The more I thought about it, the more scared I became. I tried to calm myself down, but the fear was overwhelming.

I suddenly heard a knock at the door, and a voice calling out.

"Sir, are you okay in there?"

I quickly stuffed the note into my pocket and opened the door to see a tall gangly waiter standing outside. He had a concerned look on his face, but I could see in his eyes that he was not entirely there.

"Yes, thank you," I lied. "I Just needed to use the restroom as I was feeling slightly ill” I continued while trying to compose myself.

“Sorry to hear that sir, I will prepare you a nice herbal tea if you wish” he said now staring intently into my eyes.

“I’m fine thanks, I just need to get back on the road” I quickly responded while moving swiftly past him.

I went through the restroom doors and turned into the restaurant. The tables were now clear, all of the customers were gone and the door was obstructed by my original table with my food placed neatly in the middle.

A voice sounded behind me,

“I hope you will feel more comfortable now sir, please enjoy your meal.”

The waiter had followed me out of the restroom and was stood uncomfortably close behind my back.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, my frustration was now seeping into my words.

“I told you I don’t feel well, I will not be eating here, sorry”. I now firmly stated while stepping away from him.

I pushed the table away from the doors and pulled at the two handles. It was locked.

“Let me out” I shouted at the waiter.

“I’m sorry sir, we can’t allow you to leave” a waitress calmly said, while walking slowly from the kitchen.

“Why the fuck not” I snarled back at her.

“You’re a VIP customer, we want to look after you sir” the waiter then announced, a mixture of staff and customers then walked in from the walkway I had just come from, all of their wide glazed eyes trained on me.

My attention then turned to the kitchen, I saw that young man once again, he was frantically trying to set the place alight.

He succeeded as a flame burst out from one of the oven units.

“Your kitchen is on fire” I yelled while pointing over to it.

All of their sadistic smiles had now turned to angry, bitter frowns as they all turned in sync towards the blaring flames.

This was my chance, I quickly grabbed a chair and threw it with all of my strength at the window. It shattered into an almost infinite amount of shards, as I then jumped onto the wet gravel below. I heard a deafening polyphonic shriek coming from behind me as I sprinted to my car, I hadn’t even noticed it was pitch black outside.

I unlocked my car before taking one more look at the scene I had left behind. They were all stood in the unnaturally bright surround as they screamed at me, the disgust, the hate, the evil in all of their eyes will never leave my mind.

I turned the ignition and pressed my foot firmly down on the accelerator, my tyres screeched as I sped away. Only then I noticed the time, it was 9:00pm. I had been in there for nearly 9 hours, but that couldn’t be possible. It felt like no more than 45 minutes! I made my way back onto the road to continue my journey, my heart still pounding through my chest. Blue flashing lights appeared in my rear view mirror, it was the police. I pulled over my car as I saw the officer get out and approach me.

“Evening sir, do you have any idea what speed you were going?”

“No, I’m sorry officer, I just had a terrifying experience a the diner at the last service station, i only just escaped” I responded in a hurried tone, I was still trying to catch my breath.

“Sir, have you been drinking tonight?” He said while looking at me confused.

“No officer, why would you think that?” I said in a puzzled tone.

“Please step out of the vehicle sir, I was just at them services, there is no diner anywhere near there” he replied now in a more forceful tone.

I got out of the car and he continued to breathalyze me. Once it came out clear he wrote me up a ticket and sent me on my way. I spent the remainder of my journey trying to make sense of what I experienced. I was greeted with concern when I arrived at my parents house, due to me arriving so late. I told them what happened and I could see the worried disbelief pasted on their faces. The next morning, I tried to search online about any diners in the area of that service station. I found an old archive newspaper article dated back to 1976, it read how a small diner, off the road I had been travelling down had tragically burnt down with 24 people inside.

I felt every hair on my body shift as a chill went down my spine as I looked at the black and white photo below it.

It was the exact same terrifying Diner I was sat in the day before.