The fluorescent lights buzzed, casting a cold, sterile glow over the security room. Lex stood by the bank of monitors, her arms crossed, staring at the flickering screens. The silence in the room felt heavy, like everyone was waiting for someone else to break it.

"We can’t just stay here," Damien said, his voice cutting through the quiet. He was leaning against the wall, tapping his wrench against his leg. "We need to do something, come up with a real plan. Hiding isn’t going to cut it."

Lex turned to look at him. "I know, Damien. But rushing out there without a plan will just get us killed."

"But you heard what the announcement said," Sophie spoke up softly. "The whole mall’s on lockdown. The exits are sealed. We’re... trapped."

"Then we’ll find a way to unseal them," Brandon said, his tone surprisingly firm. Usually, he kept to himself, but right now, there was a determination in his eyes that Lex hadn’t seen before. "Or another way out. We’re not going to sit here and just wait for something to happen."

--

For a moment, everyone became quiet for a moment. Lex could see the fear on everyone’s faces, but she could also see the determination. They weren’t ready to give up, and neither was she.

"Sophie," Lex said, turning to the girl who’d been working at the computers earlier. "You were trying to get into the security feeds, right? Did you find anything useful?"

Sophie nodded, her hands still trembling a bit. "Yeah, I managed to get a basic map of the mall up. The cameras are a mess—some are just static—but I can see key areas. The entrances are definitely locked, but... there’s a control room near the back of the mall. If we can get there, maybe we can override the lockdown."

"It’s something," Lex said, nodding. "But we can’t just sprint there blind. We need supplies, you know food, water, and anything we can use to defend ourselves. We can’t get caught off guard."

Damien let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "So what’s the plan, Lex? We split up, cover more ground, and hope we don’t get ripped apart like those poor souls out there?"

"Yes," she said, and her voice was firm. "We split up, grab what we need, and meet back here. We’ll hit the key spots—the supermarket for food, electronics store for gear, and maybe, if we’re lucky, some first aid supplies at the pharmacy. After that, we head to the control room."

--

The suggestion hung in the air, heavy with risk. Splitting up meant they’d be more vulnerable, but sticking together would slow them down too much. The group exchanged uneasy glances, but nobody argued. They knew it was the best shot they had.

"Fine," Damien said, breaking the silence. "I’ll go to the supermarket with Maya. We’ll grab food, water, whatever we can carry." He glanced at Lex, his jaw clenched. "We’ll be quick."

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Lex nodded, grateful he was on board. "Brandon, Sophie you guys check out the electronics store. Look for anything useful, especially tools or equipment we can use to communicate. I’ll head toward the pharmacy and scout the area near the control room."

Sophie’s eyes widened. "Wait, you’re going alone?"

"I’ll be faster on my own," Lex said, trying to sound confident. "And I need to move quickly. We meet back here in one hour. If someone doesn’t show up, we assume the worst and figure out what to do from there."

--

Damien’s expression softened and for a moment he saw a hint of concern. "You sure you’re okay going solo, Lex?"

"I’m sure," she said, though her stomach twisted at the thought. "I trust you guys. Just... be careful. All of you."

Maya managed a small, nervous smile. "We’ll be fine. We’ve made it this far, right?"

"Yeah," Brandon said, adjusting the strap of his backpack. "We’ve dealt with worse."

Lex didn’t know if that was true, but she couldn’t let herself show doubt now. The group was barely holding together, and they needed her to be strong. "Alright," she said, exhaling slowly. "Let’s do this."

The mall felt like a tomb as they stepped out of the security room, each pair heading in different directions. Lex’s footsteps echoed down the empty corridors, the flickering lights casting long, shifting shadows. She forced herself to keep her mind sharp, eyes scanning for any signs of movement.

As she made her way toward the pharmacy, she noticed how eerily quiet everything was. No distant chatter, no background music just the faint hum of the lights overhead. It felt like the entire mall was holding its breath, waiting for something.

Her radio crackled, making her jump. "Lex, this is Brandon. We’re at the electronics store. So far, it looks clear."

"Copy that," she replied, trying to sound steady. "Stay sharp."

Meanwhile, Damien and Maya had reached the supermarket. The automatic doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing dark, empty aisles. The shelves were half-empty, the place abandoned in a rush, with shopping carts overturned and goods scattered everywhere. Damien tightened his grip on the wrench, scanning the area.

"We’ll make this quick," he said, glancing at Maya. "Grab what we can and get out."

Maya nodded, but her mind was elsewhere. She kept thinking about the people they’d seen—the families, the kids, the ones who didn’t make it. She had to bite down on her lip to keep from crying. They didn’t have time for that now.

"Hey," Damien said softly, catching her eye. "We’re going to be okay. Just focus, alright?"

"Right," she said, giving him a small, grateful smile. "Let’s do this."

--

Back in the electronics store, Sophie was rummaging through the shelves, grabbing cables, batteries, and a portable radio. Brandon was nearby, inspecting a set of walkie-talkies he’d found.

"Think these will work?" she asked, glancing over.

"They should," Brandon said, testing one. "If we can stay in touch, we’ve got a better shot at making it through this."

Sophie nodded but didn’t look convinced. "I still don’t get how all this happened. The lockdown, the infected... None of it makes sense."

"Maybe it doesn’t have to," Brandon said, his voice quieter. "Maybe all that matters is getting out of here alive."

As Lex reached the pharmacy, she scanned the shelves. The place had been ransacked the cabinets torn open, pill bottles strewn across the floor. She crouched down, picking up a few stray items: painkillers, gauze, antiseptic wipes. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

She checked her watch. Time was running out. But as she turned to head back, she heard a faint, distant sound—a noise that sent a chill down her spine. It was soft, but unmistakable... laughter. Lex’s blood ran cold. It was the same laugh she’d heard earlier, echoing through the empty halls, but this time, it felt closer.

She grabbed her radio, her voice tight. "Everyone, listen up. I’m hearing something weird. It sounds like... laughing. Be on your guard."

"Copy that," Damien’s voice came through, sounding tense. "We’ll be careful."

"One hour," Lex said, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. "Meet back in one hour."