The Shop

>Check pockets for cash. Put significant amount of money onto counter, then say "Is this enough to pay our damages?"

>Browse musical instruments.

>Don't worry. You can handle this. You have a plan. Pull out your credit card.
or
>Declare that the store now belongs to you and Sam by right of conquest. Begin making plans for the monuments celebrating your glory.
or
>This may be your last chance. It's time to confess something to Sam. Something you've been wanting to say for a long time. Take her by the hands and look her in the eyes. Take a deep breath. "Sam... It's true... I-... I'm the one who's been blowing their nose on all your shirts for the past several years..."

>Don't let Sam sacrifice herself for you or something crazy like that, assure her everything gon be ok, even if you have to break down that door with your own hands

Sam:
"Well yeah? No need to be so over dramatic.
I mean, we're both getting out. Duh."

>Check pockets for cash. Put significant amount of money onto counter, then say "Is this enough to pay our damages?"

You slap everything you have in your wallet onto the counter.



Seven dollars and twenty-five cents.

There's no response.

Sam:
"The tragic tale of the starving artist."

>This may be your last chance. It's time to confess something to Sam. Something you've been wanting to say for a long time. Take her by the hands and look her in the eyes. Take a deep breath. "Sam... It's true... I-... I'm the one who's been blowing their nose on all your shirts for the past several years..."

Sam looks surprised.



Sam:
"You mean that wasn't revenge for all the times I dumped bubble soap into your sax?"

>Browse musical instruments..

You wander deeper into the store, searching until you find the meager shelf with instruments on display.



Sam:
"Oh hey we used to play those in elementary.
Do you still have yours?"


Your phone vibrates.
The voice on the other end seems to have calmed a bit.

-███-
"ᖴᎥᑎᗪ ᗰᗴ"

>"New phone, who dis?"

>Offer your phone as payment.
>On your phone, look up a selection of the most current memes and offer those.
>Someone wants to play a game with you; challenge the blob thing, Sam, the store, or all of them to a game of wireless phone battleship.
or
>A game of hide and seek? Child's play. You're the hide and seek champion of your hometown five years running. The secret is to peek between your fingers while counting to see where everyone is hiding.

Play a saliva-loaded B flat on all four of them

>Four notes, four instruments. I guess the answer to this one might be to play the note on its respective flute.

>....Although that M is a bit of a problem, if this is the case. Maybe flip it over, see if it has a different note on the other side. Hmm.

>At any rate, the phone message seems like a go-ahead to poke around the whole place. Maybe they left clues somewhere.

>Look up.

>Look up.

Oh god what the fsck is that—

SpoilerShow

>Look up.

Oh god what the fsck is that—

SpoilerShow

> Flail and panic. Honkits aren't real.

>"New phone, who dis?"

There's a pause of silence on the other end.

-███-
M̥̝̜̖̗̣̠̙͍͖̩̦̙̺̀̕͜Ȩ̸͈͕͓̹̞͉̥̞͍̖̞̳͘͟.̞̳͇͚̪̟̝̻̝̲̼͓̖͇̙͉̘̖͈͘͞

>Offer your phone as payment.
>On your phone, look up a selection of the most current memes and offer those.

You scroll to a page of your favorite memes, then place it on the counter as an offering.



You hear a giggle pass through the air.

Sam:
"...You heard that too, right?"

>Someone wants to play a game with you; challenge the blob thing, Sam, the store, or all of them to a game of wireless phone battleship.

Sam:
"There's an app for that?
...People still play that?!"

>Four notes, four instruments. I guess the answer to this one might be to play the note on its respective flute.

>....Although that M is a bit of a problem, if this is the case. Maybe flip it over, see if it has a different note on the other side. Hmm.

You flip the M Note around.

Play a saliva-loaded B flat on all four of them

You spit-play a B flat on all four instruments.
Surely only the foolish would dare touch them now.

Sam:
"Um. Ew."

>At any rate, the phone message seems like a go-ahead to poke around the whole place. Maybe they left clues somewhere.

Looking around, it seems there are some other shelves to explore.
Right away you see a toy shelf, a souvenir shirt shelf, and a shelf of glass ornaments.

>Look up.

Sam:
"AIYE?!"

You hear Sam scream. In her panic her hand somehow finds its way as a fist into your chin.



Sam:
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry.
Are you okay?"

Once the stars in your eyes clear, you look back up.



You both decide to agree that that wasn't real.

>Inspect designs of souvenir shirts. Perhaps they are glyphs imbued with magical properties.

> Turn the papers G, A and E over.

>Flip all the cards around and switch the flutes. Surely this is the solution. Become morally outraged if it is not.
Or
>Point an accusatory finger at the first item you see and angrily demand that the shop's puzzle solve itself. You're a busy person that does busy things and you have a busy schedule to keep busy with.
Or
>You and Sam both heard a laugh when you put those memes on the counter. Try doing a stand-up comedian routine. Laughter is the solution to all problems. "Airline food, ha-cha-cha."

Oh dear. Hope that clown didn't steal anything we need from here...

> You feel like this is familiar somehow. Not this place but... the situation? Trapped with someone... in a room behind a locked door. E-C-E-D-D-E-C-E.

> ...

> This thing is going to be inside us all along, isn't it.

Open the cash register.

SpoilerShow

I made a fanart! Not sure if you saw it in the fanartery thread, but here ya go!

Casey Deadman's madness has made me laugh and I was overtaken by a compelling force to make this tribute.



More 'The Shop' fanart? maybe someday. maybe it's the shopkeep.

SpoilerShow

I made a fanart! Not sure if you saw it in the fanartery thread, but here ya go!

Casey Deadman's madness has made me laugh and I was overtaken by a compelling force to make this tribute.



More 'The Shop' fanart? maybe someday. maybe it's the shopkeep.

This looks amazing, thank you!!
I'm having trouble finding the appropriate words, but this really is a big Casey Thumbs Up!

Open the cash register.

It seems you need a key or password to unlock it.

>Inspect designs of souvenir shirts. Perhaps they are glyphs imbued with magical properties.

You skim the shelf, but don't recognize any glyphs or symbols of magical significance.

Sam:
"It makes sense. Laying about random runes is just asking for trouble—
Hold on..."

Sam pulls out a shirt from the pile.


Sam:
"The Mark of the Black Sun.
It's just a mark, but not really something you'd see sold everyday."

> Turn the papers G, A and E over.

You turn the rest of notes over.

>Flip all the cards around and switch the flutes. Surely this is the solution. Become morally outraged if it is not.

You rearrange the display in what you think is the solution.



While nothing visibly happens as a result, you feel a fatal strike to your pride.
Sam silently pats your shoulder in consolation.

> You feel like this is familiar somehow. Not this place but... the situation? Trapped with someone... in a room behind a locked door. E-C-E-D-D-E-C-E.

> ...

> This thing is going to be inside us all along, isn't it.

You play the Song of the Lost Gate.
"E-C-E-D-D-E-C-E"

You hear the unlocking click of a door.
Not the front door, but the closet in the back.

You hear a familiar voice call out from the other side.

Sam(?):
"Hello? Is anyone out there?!"

You feel someone pull at your hand. Behind you, Sam quietly shakes her head.

> Quickly ponder "How the heck do they expect you to play a staccato whole note?" to distract yourself. I mean, yeah... for half its time, but it is just shoddy notation, at best.

> Second recorder: Play G for one beat
> Third: Play A for one eight(?) beat, then one beat
> First: Pause for one beat
> Fourth: Play E for four beats.
> Unless this is wrong you're the muscisan uere casey

>Get that shirt. It seems important/useful/significant somehow. Even if it isn't, you'll still have an extra shirt when you're sweaty.

>Now hold on a minute. There are two Sams? You're either the luckiest guy in the world, or... IMPOSTER!!!

>Eh, why not.
>Let's try to let the other sam out.
>I get a feeling the door's locked from the other side, but let's try anyways.

>Get that shirt. It seems important/useful/significant somehow. Even if it isn't, you'll still have an extra shirt when you're sweaty.

You fold the garment and tuck it into your bag.



Tacky Shirt has been added to your inventory.

> Quickly ponder "How the heck do they expect you to play a staccato whole note?" to distract yourself. I mean, yeah... for half its time, but it is just shoddy notation, at best.

You briefly contemplate the absurdity of a staccato whole note...
Then realize after that the staccato mark is but an inconveniently placed pin.

>Now hold on a minute. There are two Sams? You're either the luckiest guy in the world, or... IMPOSTER!!!

Sam:
"I'm the only me, thank you very much.
Whatever's behind there... I don't like its presence."


Sam(?):
"Casey? Is that you?
Is there someone out there with you?"

> Second recorder: Play G for one beat
> Third: Play A for one eight(?) beat, then one beat
> First: Pause for one beat
> Fourth: Play E for four beats.
> Unless this is wrong you're the muscisan uere casey

You feel the air of the shop change once more.



Someone is knocking at the front door.


CCPD:
"This is the CCPD. We received a call about a disturbance.
Is anyone there?"


The closet door suddenly rattles.
The Sam on the other side sounds panicked.

Sam(?):
"Hey Casey? Casey!
Open the door! It won't open from this side!
It's coming back!
Casey please open the door!!"

>Eh, why not.
>Let's try to let the other sam out.
>I get a feeling the door's locked from the other side, but let's try anyways.

Your fingers wrap around the doorknob, when Sam suddenly grabs a hold of your wrist.



Sam:
"You can't open that door.
No matter what, you just can't."

There's another knock at the front door.

CCPD:
"Hello? Is someone in there?"

The rattling of the closet grows more frantic along with the voice behind it.

Sam(?)
"Casey?! Please!!!"

You have a choice to make.

Sam outside. The Sam in here is acting suspiciously calm, and how would she know it's dangerous out there?