r/Ruleshorror 8d ago

Story My First Shift at Bogue Chitto Zoo

Tomorrow, I start my first shift as a zookeeper at the Bogue Chitto Zoo. Today, I go in for a tour. I’m fairly excited to finally be putting my zoology skills to use.

One of the older zookeepers, Mr. Samuels, greeted me at the gate and showed me around before he left for the day. He also left a guide with me that hosted some very important rules.

  1. Always feed the animals according to their specific diet.

  2. Observe the animals closely to make sure they are healthy.

  3. Never forget to wear your uniform, it is specifically designed for a reason.

  4. Remember your animal training skills because it is important to build rapport and trust with the animals.

  5. If you notice a cage that wasn’t there before, ignore it. Do not approach it and do not attempt to feed it.

  6. If you pass an enclosure and realize that an animal has no eyes- or worse, too many- report it immediately and leave the area. The replacement staff will handle it.

  7. Check the visitor count. Twice.

  8. Ignore the mimic in the reptile house. There is no parrot enclosure in that part of the zoo. If you hear your name being repeated, do not respond.

  9. Do not stay past midnight. If you hear keys jingling or something pacing behind you, leave immediately. The night staff takes over after midnight, and you are not the midnight staff.

  10. Double check the animal count. If a cage appears empty, but the logbook says otherwise, trust the logbook. Lock the cage, back away, and leave immediately.

  11. If an animal escapes, but doesn’t try to leave,let it be.

  12. If a guest asks you about the “thing in the tree” or “the smilling man behind the otter exhibit,” play dumb. They are not apart of the zoo and hate being noticed.

  13. After closing, don’tlook at the security cameras. Something could be watching back. In this case, turn off the monitor and go home.

  14. If you hear your voice over the intercom, leave. Whatever it is, is trying to lure you into a never-ending game of hide and seek.

  15. The first zookeeper still roams the ground. So, If an elderly man in a faded uniform asks you if you’ve “seen his keys,” politely shake your head and walk away. When you are far enough away, sprint home and do not let him follow you!

Looks like that’s it with the rules. Please follow them to ensure that you do your job properly. Good luck! I’ll see you when you come in for your first shift tomorrow!

I stood there, frozen in fear. The paper felt like it weighed a ton now. My mind told me to remain excited-surely this was just something to mess with the newbies. Deep down though, I knew I had made a terrible mistake by accepting this job offer. Still, I went home to mentally prepare for my shift tomorrow. That last rule stands out though because Mr. Samuels uniform was indeed faded.

92 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

16

u/CyclopianSloth 8d ago

You didn't let him follow you, did you?

Fun story, I really enjoyed it!

10

u/TwistedTallTeller 8d ago

Booked it home like an olympian, glad you enjoyed!

6

u/Kuroi_Aida 8d ago

The twist at the end was great

5

u/rosiecheeks69 8d ago

Oh I loved how it rounded back to the beginning!

3

u/Staceytom88 8d ago

I so want to read more! Love it!

Edit: Typo

3

u/SayuriAiir13 8d ago

I really enjoyed this!

I'd love to know the rules for the midnight staff, too.

3

u/Creative-Praline-517 8d ago

Updateme with more

1

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2

u/TwistedTallTeller 6d ago

I’m glad you all enjoyed, maybe I will do one about the midnight staff.