The group moved cautiously through the mall, their flashlights cutting through the dark. Lila walked close to Brandon, her eyes darting nervously around, as if expecting something to jump out of the shadows at any moment. Brandon noticed how she clung to his side, but he didn’t mind. If she felt safer that way, he was okay with it.
"So, what’s the plan?" Damien asked, glancing at Lex. "We’re just wandering around hoping to stumble on a way out?"
"We’re not wandering," Lex said, her voice firm. "We’re exploring. We need to learn more about what’s really going on here. If we can find more clues, maybe we can piece together a way to end this."
"I’m all for that," Sophie said, adjusting her airsoft rifle. "But we need to be careful. The last thing we need is to walk into another trap."
"Then we keep our eyes open," Lex replied. "And if we see anything suspicious, we stick together."
As they continued down the hallway, the air felt colder, the silence heavier. Every so often, the faintest sound would echo through the corridors—a distant clang, a rustle of paper, a quiet, almost imperceptible whisper. It was enough to make their skin crawl.
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They came to a junction, and as Lex checked the map, she noticed two different paths—one leading to the food court, the other down a service corridor.
"Food court might have more supplies," Damien said. "But the service corridor is less exposed."
"We could split up," Lila suggested quietly, looking at Brandon. "You and I could check out the food court, while the others take the service corridor. That way, we can cover more ground."
Lex immediately shook her head. "No. We’re not splitting up. It’s too dangerous."
"But we could be missing out on important supplies," Lila insisted, her voice almost pleading. "If we stick together all the time, we’re moving too slowly."
"We’ll take that risk," Lex said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We’ve been through this before. It’s safer if we all stay together."
Lila’s expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of frustration crossing her face, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "Of course," she said softly. "Whatever you think is best."
Maya watched the exchange carefully, noting the way Lila’s eyes lingered on Brandon. She still couldn’t shake the feeling that something about Lila was off, but she kept her thoughts to herself. For now.
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They decided to head down the service corridor, moving quietly and staying close to the walls. The corridor was narrow and dark, with maintenance equipment and old cardboard boxes stacked against the walls. It felt like a forgotten part of the mall, a place no one was supposed to see.
"Keep an eye out," Lex whispered. "Anything looks out of place, say something."
As they moved deeper into the corridor, Sophie suddenly tripped, her foot catching on a piece of wire stretched across the floor. She barely managed to catch herself, but as she looked down, she saw the wire connected to a small, makeshift trap—a bundle of cans that would have made a loud noise if she’d fallen.
"What the hell is this?" Damien said, crouching down to inspect the trap. "Who’s setting up these things?"
Stolen novel; please report.
"Looks like someone wanted to know if we were coming," Brandon said, his eyes scanning the shadows. "Or wanted to make sure we didn’t sneak up on them."
"But why set up traps here?" Maya asked, glancing around nervously. "This part of the mall is supposed to be deserted."
Lex’s eyes narrowed. "Unless someone knew we’d be coming this way. Let’s keep moving, but stay alert."
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The traps grew more frequent as they moved down the corridor. Small things at first—wires, cans, bits of debris designed to trip them up or slow them down. But then they found something more alarming, a door that had been deliberately barricaded from the outside, as if to keep something trapped inside.
"Do we open it?" Damien asked, his hand resting on the handle.
"No," Lex said, shaking her head. "We don’t know what’s behind there, and I don’t want to find out the hard way."
"Smart move," Lila said, stepping closer to Brandon. "You never know what might be lurking behind closed doors."
Brandon glanced at her, noticing how close she was standing. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle. "You seem… tense."
Lila smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "I’m fine. Just… glad you’re here."
Maya watched the exchange, her suspicion growing. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t want to sound paranoid. Instead, she kept her eyes on Lila, trying to read her expression, but there was nothing the it was just that same, serene smile.
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The group pressed on, and as they rounded a corner, they saw another barricade but this one blocking off a small room at the end of the corridor. The barricade looked newer, hastily put together, and there was a faint light flickering from beneath the door.
"Looks like someone’s in there," Sophie said quietly. "Should we check it out?"
"We need to be careful," Lex said. "It could be a survivor… or it could be another Psycho."
"Or both," Damien muttered. "I’m starting to think anyone still alive in this place is half-crazy."
Lex motioned for them to stay back as she carefully approached the door, peeking through a crack in the barricade. The room was small, barely more than a storage closet, and she could see a faint, flickering light like a small camp lantern. But there was no sign of movement, no indication of who or what might be inside.
"I’m going in," Lex said. "Stay back, and be ready."
She pushed the barricade aside, slowly opening the door and stepping inside. The room was empty, save for the lantern and a small, tattered blanket in the corner. But something about it felt… wrong. Like someone had just been there, and had left in a hurry.
"There’s no one here," she said, turning back to the others. "But someone was. Recently."
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As the group gathered in the doorway, Lila’s eyes darted around, her expression unreadable. "Maybe they’re hiding," she said softly. "Or… maybe they’re watching us."
"Let’s not give them a reason to," Lex said, glancing around. "We’re moving on. We’ve spent too much time here already."
"Wait," Lila said, her voice sharper than before. "Shouldn’t we… I don’t know, leave a message or something? In case whoever was here comes back?"
"Why would we do that?" Maya asked, her eyes narrowing. "We don’t even know who they are."
Lila shrugged, her smile returning. "It just seems… kind. You never know who might need help."
"Or who might be setting traps," Damien said, his voice low. "We’re not leaving any notes, and we’re not splitting up. End of discussion."
Lila’s expression tightened for a brief moment, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "Of course. I’m just… trying to be helpful."
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The group left the barricaded room, moving back down the corridor. But as they walked, Lex couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, that they were missing something important. The traps, the barricades, the flickering lantern—it all felt too deliberate, like someone was guiding them, pushing them in a specific direction.
"Do you think we’re being followed?" Sophie asked quietly.
"I don’t know," Lex said, her eyes scanning the darkened hallway. "But we need to be ready for anything."
"I’m starting to think we shouldn’t trust her," Maya said softly, falling back to walk beside Lex. "Lila. Something about her… it just doesn’t feel right."
Lex glanced at Maya, noting the seriousness in her eyes. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but she couldn’t deny that she’d had her own doubts. "We keep an eye on her. But until we have proof, we treat her like any other member of the group."
"Fine," Maya said, though she still looked uneasy. "But if she tries anything, I won’t hesitate."
Lex nodded, and as they continued down the corridor, she felt the weight of uncertainty settle over her. They were walking into the unknown, and it was becoming harder and harder to tell who they could trust.