“You'd think it would get tedious after this long, but it really hasn't. If anything, I'm more excited than ever. At some point, I went from dreading being caught to just accepting that I can't be.” |
The Night Shift Abductor, also referred to as the Butcher, is the main antagonist in Stay Out of the House and Night Shift.
Description[]
Criminal sketch provided by Custer County Police
Appearance[]
According to a newspaper article, the Night Shift Abductor is a large-built adult male, assumed to be in his mid to late 30's, standing approximately 6'4" (192 cm) tall, and weighing an estimated 250 pounds (113 kg).
The Butcher wears what is described by police as "seasonal clothing", consisting of a red-black patterned plaid shirt, light blue jeans, gray gloves and brown Oxford shoes. Over the outfit, he wears a black, heavy rubber apron splattered in blood, and a burlap sack haphazardly fashioned into a mask with eyeholes and affixed to his head with rope. He is most commonly seen carrying a sledge in his right hand to knock victims unconscious. At some points in the game, he was observed using a meat cleaver and a chainsaw.
During Chapter 3, there is a chance that The Butcher will undress after saving, which leaves him naked and blood-splattered, wearing only his mask, apron, and shoes for modesty.
During Chapter 4, The Butcher may switch his usual shirt, pants, apron and gloves for a white boiler suit.
History[]
Much of the information that can be extracted from this otherwise unnamed man's background is gleaned from notes and the in-game environment. He lives in a large farmhouse in Cedarville, an otherwise abandoned ghost town in the Oklahoma countryside, where he lives with a wheelchair-bound elderly woman, widely believed to be his ailing mother. One of his notes implies that he had once held Christian beliefs, but eventually grew tired of "waiting for answers [and] rewards". Coupled with the total abandonment of his hometown due to economic decline, it was likely during this crisis of faith where he came into contact with an alternative religious group known as CFV, which had gained traction in the local area and ironically contributed to the mass exodus of small towns in the region on account of their twisted interpretation of the Bible. Under their tutorship, his beliefs were renewed, he was taught new "routines" and, as part of his new membership, eventually became the keeper of a man-eating outer-worldly being kept in the recesses of the fallout shelter in his cellar, which gave him a new mission in life. It is uncertain whether this conversion was entirely of his own volition, as a hidden research facility, apparently belonging to the CFV, can be found beneath his property, with some notes indicating that his sudden fanatic fervor may have been the result of prolonged exposure to radiation, which he might not have even been aware of.
Although the details are extremely muddy, the being and the Butcher appear to have formed a sort of mental symbiosis, granting the latter superhuman abilities to complete his tasks more effectively in exchange for the Butcher's undying loyalty, the most prominent being some form of telepathy that allows him to observe his targets and captives, as well as their thoughts, if focused, which might explain how he is able to keep track of potential escapees in his house. Other alterations, if certain gameplay mechanics are taken into account, possibly included increased strength, heightened durability, a regenerative healing factor and limited teleportation. The state of his mother, who appears to be partially decayed and the presence of the mutated baby also point to either him or the creature possessing the power of organic life manipulation. These abilities did come at a major drawback, as the entity was also causing the Butcher to become increasingly deranged and lose cognitive functions, as seen in his progressively worsening syntax and grammar in his journal entries.
The monster has a very particular palate, in that it prefers its meals in a state of emotional distress, specifically fear, as it gives them a "sweet" taste, which also allows it to "feel more". To maximize this experience, his victims are kept in squalor and are imprisoned in either large cages inside of his house or in his backyard inside two reutilized chicken coops in cells of six. Victims are doomed to one of two fates: they are either killed by the Butcher or are left to starve to death before being strung up on a hook to be processed in his kitchen, or are alternatively carted off to an uncertain fate inside the basement of the house. Their ultimate fate is dependent on how much of a fight they put up, i.e. whether they attempt to escape or not, thus showing either a will to life and fear of death, which makes them perfect for live feeding, or resignation of their inevitable end, in which case they are of no use alive and instead chopped up into more conveniently kept fodder. This bizarrely specific method of killing and processing his victims has earned him the nickname "The Butcher" by his captives. So far, there's only been one prior confirmed escapee, whose corpse can be found in a bedroom, dead from either blood loss or a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
One note indicates that he could initially satiate the creature with either dead bodies, likely acquired through grave-robbing, or his own farm animals, but soon enough, upon the being's wishes, the Butcher moved on to getting it "fresher meat", which was also the time where he began accepting the being as the listening, all-fulfilling god he had always desired. Starting out with homeless people he would coax into his home, the creature showed a distaste for them, forcing the Butcher to seek out more low-risk targets, who would be more likely to "struggle". In order to fulfill his duties, he has taken up kidnapping as one of many involved in a purportedly wide-spread network of killers and abductors across the nation. As such, he is responsible for a series of kidnappings across the western part of the state, primarily clustered around Custer County. He drives a van and stalks his victims, typically night-time workers at isolated businesses, during the late hours before ambushing and taking them to his house, thus earning him the name "Night Shift Abductor" by the media. Though first thought to be unconnected, it was only when he abducted his sixth victim near Mill Creek, that authorities realized they were dealing with a prolific single offender, finding he had also been responsible for disappearances in the town of Cordell and in Blaine County, but even with this revelation have been unable to put a halt to the culprit. In light of this, having started out afraid of being found out, the Butcher grew more and more bold, soon coming to believe that he has transcended human capabilities, thanks to his new god, and is now convinced that he cannot be stopped.
By the time of Stay Out of the House, his home has become as decrepit as the ruined buildings of the rest of town, with barricaded windows and doors, junk scattered all over the floor, rats running around, the walls covered in mold and paint peeling off. Satanic symbols, such as the number of the beast (666), upside-down crucifixes, and crudely scribbled pentagrams can be found on the walls. Having become a fervent believer of CFV, he constantly has numerous televisions inside the house running, showing an interview with the supposed head of the organization, even forcing some of his captives into watching the report during imprisonment. His backyard is surrounded by a large fence that's preventing his victims from escaping. Underneath his house is a large bunker where he keeps some of his farm animals, and, inside a specially sealed chamber, the pulsating mass of flesh the Butcher calls his master.
As shown in Night Shift, the Night Shift Abductor is also working alongside another man, a neighbour of his, who acts as a lookout and decoy of sorts, checking the gas stations for potential witnesses before his partner ambushes the workers.
Night Shift[]
As a prelude to Stay Out of the House, the protagonist is an initially nameless night-shift cashier (later revealed to be Debra Kopiske) at an Ecoo gas station outside of Mill Creek who becomes a target of the Night Shift Abductor. Throughout the game, a white van, which is later seen in a garage at the Butcher's house, routinely circles the gas pumps, never stopping, but always slowing down when nearing the front of the station. Near the end, a suspicious customer enters and asks the cashier whether she is alone tonight before purchasing a beer and leaving the gas station. Shortly after, a door is heard creaking in the back of the shop, revealing that the previously locked bathroom has been opened. If one either waits long enough in the restroom or goes back inside, The Night Shift Abductor will attack with his hammer, either outside or inside the store, beating and knocking out the cashier with a single blow.
The Butcher patrolling the house
Stay Out of the House[]
Chapter 2: Prologue[]
Nine days after Debra's kidnapping, Brendan and Roxanne pass through Custer County during a road trip, with the former deciding to make a pit stop at a roadside restroom. When he doesn't return, Roxanne goes looking for him, finding no one in the bathroom, but Brendan's driver's license behind the back. Searching the whole area for him, she is met with a dog, who leads her across the area, finding many more items, such as broken glasses, a teddy bear, a briefcase, a junked pickup and even a trashed Microbus with clothes and an ID card left behind. Close to all these is a fenced-in farmhouse with its lights on. Roxanne enters the property by passing through the cornfield and approaches the home, discovering the front door unlocked and the house in a terrible state. All doors, safe for one, are locked and as she descends the staircase behind it, she hears the whimpers of the dog, caught in a bear trap. As Roxanne frees the dog, it rushes back upstairs and through the front door, which suddenly locks. Almost immediately after, Grandma comes barreling down from upstairs, who, in spite of her seemingly dead appearance, screams aloud, whereupon Roxanne is ambushed and knocked unconscious by the arriving Butcher. If one chooses to linger around outside the house near the ruins instead of following the dog, The Butcher may appear there to attack Roxanne.
Chapter 3: The House[]
Roxanne wakes up hours later, trapped in a cage and with extreme stomach pains. Before she can think about the cause of her condition, she finds her prison easily broken, now determined to escape the house with her life.
The Butcher's property.
At some point in the game, Roxanne will come across Brendan, naked and tied to a chair in a room beneath the vent she is crawling through. First, believing everything to be a sick prank, he pleads with his captor before he is decapitated by The Butcher with a chainsaw, who then leaves the room.
Strategies[]
The Butcher patrols the whole house and sometimes leaves bear traps on the floor. Any time the butcher spots Roxanne, he screams out loud and attacks with a hammer. To avoid being spotted by him, the player has to stay out of his sight, avoid making noises, hide under the beds and avoid his traps. If the Butcher spots the player hiding under the bed or under the table, he will flip the bed/table over and attack. The Butcher also reacts to light so the player needs to be careful when using the lighter. If the Butcher sees Roxanne in the ventilation system, either if she was spotted getting into the vents, or if Roxanne keeps the lighter on in the Butcher's presence, he will release suffocating gas into the vents, forcing her to get out of the vents before the oxygen runs out.
If Roxanne is spotted by the Wheelchair Lady, the Butcher will respond to her screams and immediately run towards the room she's in. If the players kill Wheelchair Lady and the Butcher sees her headless corpse, he will start screaming in outrage and will flip beds and tables. On the second day, The Butcher will install security cameras inside the house. When the camera spots the player, it will alert The Butcher.
Butcher trying to free himself after stepping on a beartrap that was set up by the player.
The Butcher's own bear traps can be used against him. If The Butcher steps on a bear trap, he will drop to his knees and will start screaming while trying to free himself, giving players time to flee. If Roxanne gets close to him, he will try to hit them. After a certain amount of time, Butcher will free himself and continue searching for Roxanne.
If one shoots him with the pistol or stabs him enough times with a kitchen knife, The Butcher will run away and lock himself in a room with metal doors that cannot be accessed by Roxanne. After a certain amount of time, he will leave the room and continue his usual routine.
Once Roxanne exits the house into the backyard, The Butcher will turn the stadium lights on and start patrolling the backyard. A set of reutilized cages hold five still-living human captives, Debra, Evelyn, Hank, Kyle and an unnamed injured woman, the first four of whom can be freed and ordered to follow or wait behind in sets of two people. They can provide a distraction for The Butcher during exploration, as he will focus solely on the companion and run after them, kill them once he's caught up to them, and bring them to his kitchen for processing, all buying Roxanne precious time to use to explore the house unhindered by The Butcher's interference. If she instead guides the survivors to the saferoom in the vents, she can talk further with them and later, after unlocking the exit, promise to bring back help. Otherwise, The Butcher will periodically appear with a cart, snatch up a victim from their cage and dismember them in the kitchen, doing so until no more prisoners remain.
If caught[]
If Roxanne is caught by the Butcher for the first time, she will faint and wake up in the attic without any items that were previously gathered (besides the lighter that can be found on the floor). If she is caught for the second time, Roxanne will wake up in the basement tied to a stretcher. If the Butcher catches her for the third time, a short cutscene will play where Roxanne is loaded into a laundry cart and taken through the red corridor by the Butcher. Once she reaches the door at the end of the hall, the cutscene will cut to black and screaming can be heard, resulting in a game over.
Chapter 4: Bunker[]
Once Roxanne unlocks the fallout bunker, The Butcher will begin to patrol the underground halls. If caught, Roxanne, regardless of the previous times getting caught, she will wake up in the CFV facility, trapped in an enclosure with two mutant hogs feeding on human corpses, which allows her to get through the broken wire fence unnoticed. From this point forth, The Butcher will now wander the structure accompanied by the Demon Dog.
Endings[]
Sacrifice Ending[]
Upon being caught the third time, a short cutscene will play where Roxanne is tied to a gurney and taken through a red corridor by the Butcher. The word "Sacrifice" will repeatedly appear on screen and once she reaches the door at the end of the hall, the cutscene will cut to black and screaming can be heard.
Rebirth Ending[]
The Butcher, waiting behind a door, knocks Roxanne out after she enters the bunker and brings her to his unholy deity, standing next to it as the creature produces a tooth-lined appendage and devours the terrified woman.
Escape Ending[]
Upon finding that Roxanne has unlocked the front door, the Butcher makes a mad dash for her and tries to intercept her with a chainsaw after she passes through the cornfield. His victim, however, is able to reach a nearby trailer settlement, whereupon he quits his chase, disappears, and leaves the rest of the work to his partner, who lives in the trailer Roxanne goes to for help. The man watches unflinchingly as the girl in front of him pukes blood and a worm-like creature wriggles its way out of her mouth.
Mother Ending[]
After entering the bunker, Roxanne finds her way into the secret CFV facility below, either by herself or after getting caught by the Butcher. From that point on, he patrols the area with his Demon Dog. Roxanne, optionally after escaping the cage, explores the bunker area while avoiding Butcher and his mutated pet. Following the instructions of a dying man, she collects two keys and a launch code, which activates the lab's self destruct system. Roxanne reaches the facility garage when suddenly the enraged Butcher appears with a chainsaw and confronts her. Roxanne manages to fend him off as she clears the way out and escapes to safety before the entire area detonates, The Butcher's fate being left unknown.
Victims[]
- Unspecified number of homeless vagrants
- Unspecified number of travelers, including:
- Joanna Mann
- At least 6 night-shift employees, including:
- Alicia Sanchez
- Marvin Delaney
- Debra Kopiske (determinant)
- Brendan A. Wright
- Injured Woman (determinant)
- Evelyn (determinant)
- Hank (determinant)
- Kyle (determinant)
- Roxanne (determinant)
Trivia[]
- The large rural house he lives in, his cannibalism, as well as his role as an impromptu butcher, are highly reminiscent of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and its main antagonist Leatherface, while his appearance, specifically his sack mask, is heavily inspired by Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) and the Phantom Killer from the 1976 slasher film The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
- The fact that he lives with and has a seemingly close relationship with his corpse-like mother is a reference to Norman Bates from the original Psycho. A further indirect reference is made at the beginning of the game when the wheel-chaired matriarch is found in the basement with a scream, mirroring the infamous "Mother Reveal" scene from the movie.
- The Butcher's family is partially inspired by The Hills Have Eyes (1977), specifically the ending in which the protagonists kill off the remaining mutants.
- In the early versions of the game, the Butcher had a different model: he wore a grey-ish blue shirt, a burlap mask with smaller eyeholes, and wielded a cleaver.[1]
- Puppet Combo didn't like the model so he changed it in 0.2.6. version of the game[2].
- In early versions of the game, Mill Creek was often assumed to be the Butcher's base of operations, though this has since been disproven in the finished version.
- Coincidentally, an episode of the procedural police drama TV series Criminal Minds features a serial killer dubbed "The Mill Creek Killer", though all semblance end with their shared criminal activity in a town of the same name.
- In the final version, while the notes in the prologue refer to the town as Cedarville, after being brough to the saferoom, Hank will tell Roxanne that they are in Mill Creek, although that may have simply been a wrong suspicion of his.
- The Night Shift Abductor, along with the Easter Ripper, made a cameo appearance in the Haunted PS1 game's EEK3 2020 Virtual Show Floor. He can be found at Hell Burger, asleep and notably missing his apron.
- Curiously, one of his victims is named Marvin Delaney, which is the same name of a victim by the Unidentified Suspect in The Riverside Incident. It should be noted that this Delaney was headed for Durand, Wisconsin, had a girlfriend and is presumed to have been abducted from his car alongside her from a road by Shakopee, Minnesota, while the other lived in S. Melbourne, Oklahoma, was said to have no known family or close friends and was recorded being kidnapped on surveillance at his workplace in his hometown.
- The CFV box found on a table in his house is the same as the one fellow CFV member Billy received on the first day of Feed Me Billy.
- The Night Shift Abductor's height is often conflicted. In the game, it's stated that he is 6'4" (192 cm)[3], but on Puppet Combo's Twitter it's stated that he's 6'8" (203 cm).[4]
- The Butcher's eye color is unknown, however, back in older versions of the game, he had brown/black eyes.
Gallery[]
.png "Butchy (1).png (467 KB)")
References[]
 Stay Out of the House
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| Media | Stay Out of the House • Prologue • Documents • Soundtrack • Version History • Timeline • Puppet Combo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Characters | Players | Roxanne • Debra Kopiske | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NPCs | Amber • Katz • Brendan • Stranger • Esso Customers • Butcher's Captives • Katz • Dog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enemies | Night Shift Abductor • Wheelchair Lady • The Baby • Demon Dog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Items | Inventory | Ammo • Revolver • Knife • Battery • Duct Tape • Radar • Rocks • Bandage • Flashlight • Floppy Disk • Screwdriver • Drain Cleaner • Lighter • Backpack • Lock Picks • Hammer • Body Parts • Sound Meter • Keys • Pressure Valve • VHS Tapes • Wire Cutter • Wooden Plank | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other Items | Broom • Cash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locations | Setting | Mill Creak, Oklahoma | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Places | Esso Gas Station • Public Bathroom • Farm • The Abductor's House (1st Floor • 2nd Floor • Attic • Backyard • Bunker) • Hospital • Otherworld | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||