The friends moved through the mall in silence, their expressions grim and weary. The control room data had provided them with valuable insight, but it had come at a cost. The Ex-Marine had almost caught them in the act, forcing them into a game of cat and mouse that left them exhausted and on edge.

Lex led the way, her steps quieter than usual, and the others mirrored her caution, each one scanning their surroundings as if expecting something to leap out of the shadows. But there was only silence—a tense, stifling quiet that made every creak of the floor and distant echo seem unnaturally loud.

Damien muttered under his breath, frustration simmering in his voice. “This place is a tomb. If we don’t get a break soon, one of us is going to snap.”

“We’ll get a break,” Lex said, her voice steadier than she felt. “We just need to reach the food court. We can scavenge some supplies, maybe find a place to catch our breath.”

Maya nodded, glancing over her shoulder. “Are we… sure he’s not still following us?”

Her words hung in the air, uncomfortably close to the truth they all feared. Somewhere in the maze of darkened halls and broken storefronts, the Ex-Marine was out there, watching. They’d lost sight of him during their escape from the control room, but his presence lingered, like a shadow in the back of their minds.

Sophie shook her head, forcing a thin smile. “If he was still on our tail, we’d know it. He doesn’t seem like the type to hold back if he wanted to take us down.”

“Yeah,” Brandon murmured, clutching the makeshift weapon he’d fashioned from a broken pipe. “He’s not subtle. But that doesn’t mean he’s given up.”

They continued through the dim hallways, passing by abandoned storefronts and displays covered in dust. Every so often, one of them would catch a glimpse of movement in the shadows—a flicker, a shifting shadow—but when they looked again, there was nothing there. Lex’s jaw tightened as the feeling of being watched grew stronger, each passing second stretching her nerves thinner.

It wasn’t until they reached the wide, open space of the food court that she felt she could finally breathe. The sight of the familiar tables and scattered chairs, though overturned and abandoned, gave a strange sense of comfort. It was a reminder of normalcy, a remnant of the world before it had all gone wrong.

The group spread out, each of them gravitating to different areas of the food court in search of whatever supplies they could find. Canned goods, bottled water, the occasional granola bar—nothing fresh, but enough to keep them going.

As they scavenged, Lex kept her gaze on the edges of the food court, her body tense as she listened for any hint of movement. She knew the Ex-Marine wasn’t far. He had followed them this far; he wouldn’t give up so easily. But for now, he seemed content to watch, studying their actions, biding his time.

The quiet was almost worse than an attack.

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Somewhere in the shadows, the Ex-Marine observed them through narrowed eyes, his face impassive.

He moved silently along the edges of the food court, slipping between columns and using the dim lighting to his advantage. His tactical experience served him well; each step was measured, his movements blending into the background as he tracked their every move. He noted the way Lex instinctively took the lead, her gaze always sweeping the area first. Damien’s impatience, his tendency to break away from the group and scan the shadows as if daring something to come out. Sophie’s quiet efficiency as she gathered supplies, her eyes darting to her friends every few moments, as though grounding herself.

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The Ex-Marine knew their patterns now. He understood how they worked together, how they supported each other, the weaknesses in their unity.

They would be easy to dismantle.

For now, he remained in the shadows, an invisible predator assessing his prey, waiting for the right moment. They were worn down, exhausted. They’d stumble soon, and when they did, he’d be ready.

But he wasn’t the only threat lurking in the darkness.

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Lex had just finished stuffing a few cans of food into her backpack when she heard it—a faint, metallic scraping sound, distant yet sharp enough to set her nerves on edge. She froze, her gaze flicking toward the far end of the food court, where the sound had come from. She could see nothing beyond the dim lighting and the shadows pooling at the edges of the walls, but the noise continued—a rhythmic, almost methodical scrape, like metal dragging across tile.

“Did anyone else hear that?” she whispered, her voice barely carrying above a murmur.

Damien glanced up, frowning. “Yeah. Sounded like… metal?”

Maya swallowed, clutching the edge of the counter. “It’s coming from over there.” She pointed toward a shadowy hallway leading deeper into the mall, the sound growing louder as if something massive was approaching.

The group exchanged uneasy glances. They’d all heard it, that unmistakable scrape of metal, punctuated by a low, ominous rumble. Lex’s stomach twisted with unease. Whatever was making that sound was close—and judging by the slow, deliberate pace, it wasn’t in any hurry.

“We should go,” Sophie said, her voice tense. “Now.”

They started to back away from the direction of the noise, but as they turned, Lex’s eyes caught a brief flicker of movement. A shadow—a massive, hulking figure lurking at the edge of her vision. She barely had time to register it before the noise grew louder, closer, as if the creature were picking up its pace.

The scraping of metal grew sharper, echoing through the food court. It was too dark to make out details, but Lex could feel the oppressive weight of the creature’s presence, a sickening aura that filled the air like a noxious cloud. She had a feeling, deep in her gut, that whatever was coming was unlike anything they’d faced before.

Without another word, she motioned for the others to follow her, leading them toward a narrow corridor at the edge of the food court. They moved quickly, slipping between overturned tables and counters, their footsteps muffled by the low rumble of the creature’s approach. But as they reached the corridor, a loud crash echoed from behind them, followed by the screech of metal grinding against tile.

Lex turned, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the faint outline of the Slasher emerging from the shadows, its towering form blocking the exit they’d just come through. It was massive, a grotesque blend of decaying flesh and metal, with blade-like arms that dragged along the floor, leaving deep gouges in the tiles.

“Oh god…” Maya whispered, her face pale. “What is that?”

“Run,” Lex ordered, her voice steady but laced with urgency. “Now.”

They broke into a sprint, darting down the corridor as the Slasher lumbered after them, each of its steps shaking the floor. The walls seemed to close in around them as they ran, the creature’s heavy footsteps echoing through the narrow space, growing louder with each second.

The Ex-Marine, watching from a safe distance, observed the chaos unfolding with cold amusement. This was not his battle, not yet. Let the Slasher soften them, weaken them further. He’d learned enough from watching them—he could afford to wait.

In the meantime, he’d let them face the Slasher alone, knowing that whatever strength they had left would be drained by the time he reemerged.

The friends, unaware of the Ex-Marine’s watchful presence, ran with all their strength, their only thoughts on escaping the relentless monster behind them. But even as they fled, they knew that they couldn’t keep running forever. Eventually, they’d have to face this new threat head-on.

The hunt had begun.

End