Dinkle’s Ginger-Shed House

Chapter 1: A Sticky Situation

“I swear I didn’t mess with any of the knobs on the Gum-o-Matic, sir,” you say, head down in shame. But there you are, the only elf working the overnight shift at the candy factory, with Tropical Berry Blast all over your face - and all over the kitchen. 

“My word,” Head Elf Dinkle says in shock, watching at the sticky pink mess snail down his walls. “It looks like we need to clean this up.”

“Please don’t fire me on my third night here!” you plead. “I need this job Mr. Dink-“

He interrupts. “Go get the mop from the Ginger-Shed House out back.” He hands you a walkie-talkie made out of chocolate to talk to him remotely. Your shoes make an embarrassing SHLLURP, SHLLURP sound as you head out the door.

You grimace as you take your first steps outside. The strong winds chill your bones. Your chef hat would surely blow off into the night, if it weren’t now hermetically sealed to your scalp. You approach the shed.

You see that the door to the Ginger-Shed House has a padlock on it, with 4 numerals needed for the code. You call to Dinkle on the chockie-talkie to ask for help.

“I can’t remember what the door code is,” he responds. “But I know I left myself a clue in the general vicinity if I ever did forget! You’ll have to figure it out. Over.”

You resign yourself to a night of detective work and start searching the scene for clues…