When you walk in today The Manager is talking to a cloaked figure. The cloak covers the man's face.
"Alright, alright. I'll go pick a fruit, then." The Manager says. The cloaked figure shakes its head, which you can't see from underneath its hood. A bony finger points toward you.
"Him? No, you can't ask him to do that," he says. The figure stands in silence for a long time, unmoving. The Manager sighs and turns to you.
"Well Traveler, I'm sorry to do this but I think I've got a favor to ask," he says. He points toward the stage. "I need you to go to the attic and harvest an apple off of the tree."
The fact that there is a tree in the attic notwithstanding, you don't mind. You raise an eyebrow and ask what the big deal is. He leans in close and turns his back to the cloaked figure.
"I don't like going up to the attic, but that's his price. It isn't dangerous. That is, as long as you follow the rules. Don't grab the rail on the staircase. Don't eat the fruit. Coming down the stairs, be sure never to step on every 5th stair. I think the most dangerous thing of all is that our friend here seems to have taken an interest in you. Get up and come back down with the fruit. That's it, Traveler."
You figure, why not? Coming to the cafe always means strange adventures. Why not embrace that? You not your assent.
"Excellent," The Manager says, his face wearing a familiar pleased expression. "Go to the stage there and walk into the corner. There you'll find the stairwell."
You walk up on stage and turn around one last time to The Manager. He smiles weakly and nods encouragement. The cloaked figure is facing you, now. You turn back to the corner and walk into it, expecting to hit the wall.
Instead you find yourself in a stairwell, and behind you darkness. The stair spirals upward with wooden steps. There is a black rail that goes along the side wall just above the stairs. Instinctively you reach for it. But then you stop yourself, remembering the rule.
You climb the stairs, finding them steep and small. With difficulty you manage not to grab the rail, though you almost do several times. You begin to notice a light as you climb around and around the spiral staircase. Eventually, you reach a sunny meadow. You look up and at first you think you see sky. But no, it's wooden slants painted to look like sky. It's the most realistic painting you've ever seen and for a moment you wonder where the light is coming from.
But it occurs to you that you should not linger long.
In the middle of this small grassy meadow there is a single tree. The tree is full of a red apple-ish looking fruit. But you can tell it's not apple. You pick the ripest looking one within reach and suddenly the tree shakes and shrieks and the meadow turns to a dark and warped nightmare landscape.
You run back to the stairs, jumping down a few steps at a time but losing count of how many steps you're on in your panic. Eventually you go tumbling into the darkness at the bottom of the staircase and roll onto stage in front of the still waiting Manager and cloaked figure, who don't appear to have moved.
"Did you get it?" The Manager asks pensively. You nod, handing him the fruit that had been carefully cradled against your stomach. He pats you on the shoulder and whispers in your ear.
"Well done, Traveler. In fact, you have no idea just how well you have done."
He walks to the cloaked figure and hands him the fruit. The figure examines it in a skinny, bone thin hand, and nods in satisfaction. In seconds he has glided out the front door, much faster than you expected.
When you ask about the tree The Manager nods.
"All trees bear fruit, but not all of them like being harvested. It's no worry. It's bark is worse than it's bite. Well, probably. I've never stuck around to find out."
