Character

Starter

The soft chime of the diner door echoed through The Bite & Brew Diner, signalling the arrival of another customer. Kailyn Kelly looked up from behind the counter, where she was refilling a ceramic sugar dispenser, her copper hair catching the sunlight streaming through the windows. Dressed in the diner’s simple uniform; a faded off white apron over a pink blouse, her warm smile instantly brightened the cosy space.

“Morning!” She called, her lilting voice cutting through the faint hum of the old jukebox playing classic rock. “Grab a seat wherever you like. Coffee’s fresh, and the special’s Mrs. Bre’s peach cobbler; best in Willowbrook, if I say so myself!”

Her emerald eyes darted towards the corner booth, where the morning paper sat untouched, the headline blurred with syrupy fingerprints. It was another quiet day in town; or so it seemed at first glance.