Brief Summary
The video narrates a chilling tale of a man who takes a job at a remote gas station in Alaska to escape his corporate life, only to discover that the station is plagued by malevolent entities known as "Drifters." He must follow a set of rules left by the previous caretaker to survive, but the entities adapt and follow him even after he escapes to Fairbanks.
- Escape from corporate life leads to a remote, haunted gas station.
- Survival depends on following a strict set of rules.
- The "Drifters" are ancient, adaptable entities that thrive on isolation.
- The protagonist's past actions and emotional vulnerabilities are exploited.
- The story explores themes of isolation, guilt, and the cost of seeking solitude.
Escape to Alaska
The narrator recounts his breaking point in a soul-crushing marketing job in Los Angeles, leading him to desperately seek a remote job in Alaska. He finds a posting for the Aurora Phillip gas station, promising minimal customer interaction and double pay for a remote location, which he sees as a salvation. Driven by a need to escape, he applies without carefully reading the details.
Arrival at Aurora Phillip
The narrator describes his long and isolated drive to the Aurora Phillip gas station on the Dalton Highway. The landscape is desolate, and the station appears forgotten and consumed by nature. Despite the calendar saying it's summer, the air is cold, and the light is a perpetual twilight. The narrator notes the silence and isolation, which initially bring a sense of relief.
Discovery of Harlon's Truck and the Rules
The narrator discovers an abandoned truck belonging to the previous caretaker, Harlon, with personal items scattered inside, suggesting a hasty departure. Entering the station, he finds it dusty and neglected. Behind the counter, he finds a note titled "The 10 Rules," warning of deadly consequences if not followed. The rules include maintaining the generator fuel above 80%, radio silence with a specific station playing, restrictions on outside lights, and instructions on how to react to specific phenomena like rhythmic knocking or the smell of blood.
The Survival Kit and Initial Observations
The narrator finds a military surplus box containing a survival kit with bear spray, road flares, a hunting knife, and a modified cassette player with an AM radio antenna. A note from Harlon expresses regret and warns the new caretaker, referring to seeking divine intervention. The narrator switches on the cassette player, which plays static-filled music, and checks the generator fuel level, noting the reinforced concrete bunker housing the generator. He observes motion sensors and reinforced windows, realizing the station is more of a fortress.
First Night and the Handprints
As twilight deepens, the narrator explores the station and finds a photograph of Harlon with a one-eared husky named Ripley. He hears a scratching at the front door and discovers frost forming on the inside of the window in the shape of unnatural handprints. The radio cuts to static, accompanied by a low humming sound. The generator fuel level begins to drop, and the narrator starts taking Harlon's rules more seriously.
Encounter with the Shadows
The narrator's first night intensifies as the generator fuel level drops dangerously close to the 80% threshold, and the lights flicker. He sees shadowy figures moving between the gas pumps and remembers rule number seven: "Do not acknowledge figures." He focuses on his feet until the motion sensor bell chimes, signaling their departure. He refuels the generator, and the encounter leaves him shaken.
The Knocking and the Blood Smell
At midnight, the narrator hears rhythmic knocking on the front window and remembers rule number four: "Ignore knocking and hold your breath for exactly 3 minutes." Frost forms on the window in the shape of spindly handprints. After 3 minutes, the knocking stops, but Ripley bursts through the door, whimpering and covered in blood. The narrator smells copper and iron, triggering rule number eight: "Blood smell equals lockdown."
The Panic Room and Harlon's Journal
The narrator grabs Ripley and the survival kit and retreats to the panic room, a reinforced walk-in freezer. He hears scraping noises and the low humming sound outside. He finds Harlon's journal, which chronicles his encounters with the "Drifters," documenting their increasing intelligence and the rules he developed to survive. The final entry, written in blood, urges anyone who finds it to follow the rules.
Understanding the Drifters
After an hour, the narrator and Ripley emerge from the panic room. The station appears normal, but the metallic smell lingers, and dark stains streak the floor. The narrator understands that he is maintaining a fortress against ancient, hungry entities. He realizes the importance of Ripley as an early warning system.
The Second Night and the Fake Delivery
The second night feels heavier and more purposeful. A delivery truck arrives, but the driver moves unnaturally and has crude stitching along his jawline. The narrator remembers rule number five: "Inspect all delivered goods." He finds that the crate contains meat leaking red ice and rejects the delivery. The driver leaves without tire tracks, and the narrator is rattled.
Breach and Desperate Measures
The radio goes silent, and the security monitor displays an impossible image of the station's interior, showing the Drifters inside. The narrator realizes he forgot rule number six: "Mirrors covered." The Drifters materialize through the monitor screen. He slams down the security shutters, but it's too late. The lights fail, and the Drifters' bioluminescent patterns illuminate the station.
Fighting Back and the Diesel Fire
The narrator lights road flares to create a barrier of flame. He sees a figure wearing Harlon's face outside and remembers rule number 10: "If you see Harlon, he's dead." He douses the threshold with diesel and ignites it, destroying the figure. However, the generator dies, and the Drifters press closer. Ripley attacks a Drifter, and the narrator uses the distraction to escape.
Escape to the Bunker and the Truck
The narrator and Ripley retreat to the generator bunker, but the Drifters follow. They escape through the bunker's exit and race to the truck. The narrator drives away without headlights, feeling the Drifters pacing them through the forest.
Loss of Ripley and the Drive to Fairbanks
The narrator drives through the night, haunted by the loss of Ripley, who disappeared during the escape. He reaches Fairbanks, feeling a surge of relief at the sight of civilization.
Arrival at Fairbanks and the Hospital
The narrator arrives at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, seeking medical attention. He explains his injuries as an accident at his job, but the examining physician notes the frostbite, exhaustion, and stress fractures in his voice. She also observes that his hair has turned stark white.
The Red Ice and the Aftermath
The doctor extracts a sliver of red ice from the sole of his boot, which she finds to have an impossible molecular structure. She places it in a specimen container, and the narrator is reminded of the red ice from the delivery truck crate. He is kept for observation and later discharged.
The News Report and the Motel
The narrator finds a motel and watches a local news report about the mysterious fire that destroyed the Aurora Phillip gas station. No human or animal remains were found, confirming Ripley's death. The narrator is left shaken and exhausted.
The Final Confrontation
The narrator wakes to find words scratched into the fogged bathroom mirror: "You forgot rule nine." Ripley appears in the doorway, but his form is translucent, and he speaks in a whisper, accusing the narrator of leaving him to burn. The narrator realizes this is not Ripley but a Drifter wearing his form. The knocking begins, and the narrator remembers rule number four: "Hold your breath for 3 minutes."
The Rules No Longer Apply
As the seconds crawl by, the narrator realizes that the rules designed for Aurora Phillip may no longer apply in Fairbanks. The knocking stops, and he sees his reflection in the television screen, with the creature that had pretended to be Ripley watching him. It reveals its true form and whispers that he sought isolation and they have given him what he asked for. The Drifters multiply and close in, and the narrator understands the true cost of his solitude.
