The silence of the mall was like a heavy, suffocating blanket, broken only by the soft, cautious footsteps of the group as they moved through the darkened corridors. Lex led the way, her eyes scanning every shadow, every flicker of movement. The Clown’s taunting voice still echoed in her mind, but she forced herself to focus. They had a plan, and they needed to stick to it.

"We need to get to the control room without running into trouble," Lex whispered, gripping her makeshift spear. "Everyone stay sharp."

"Trouble's already here," Damien muttered, glancing around nervously. "I can feel it."

They moved through the hall, passing empty storefronts with shattered windows and overturned displays. The eerie stillness made it feel like they were walking through the bones of a dead city, each step echoing a little too loudly. Lex was just starting to think they might get through without any issues when Sophie froze, her flashlight flicking up to the end of the hallway.

"Do you hear that?" she whispered, her eyes wide.

A faint, rapid patter, like bare feet slapping against the tiles, reached their ears. It was coming closer, getting louder. Fast. Too fast.

"Get ready," Lex hissed, her heart pounding. She tightened her grip on the spear, her mind racing. If it was another one of the infected, they needed to be quick. No room for mistakes.

The sound grew louder, and then, suddenly, a shape darted out of the shadows, sprinting toward them at a speed that made Lex’s stomach drop. It was a human figure, but its movements were all wrong—jerky, frantic, almost like it was being pulled by invisible strings. Its skin was pale and stretched, its eyes wide and glassy, locked onto them with a terrifying stare.

The Zombie runner was on them in seconds, closing the distance with horrifying speed. Damien reacted first, swinging his wrench in a wide arc, but the Runner ducked, skidding to the side and leaping at him. Before it could make contact, Lex lunged forward, jabbing the spear at its chest. The blade sliced into the creature’s side, forcing it back, but it didn’t stop.

"It’s too fast!" Sophie shouted, scrambling to find something to defend herself. "What do we do?"

"Slow it down," Brandon said, his voice tight with fear. "Trip it up, trap it—whatever we can!"

Maya spotted a display stand, still stocked with scattered magazines and newspapers. Without thinking, she shoved it hard, tipping it over just as the Runner lunged again. The metal stand crashed to the ground, spilling papers everywhere, and the Runner tripped, hitting the floor with a bone-jarring thud.

"Now!" Lex yelled. "Take it down!"

Damien didn’t hesitate. He swung the wrench down, aiming for the Runner’s head, but the creature twisted, lashing out with a kick that knocked his legs out from under him. It scrambled to its feet, its movements wild and frantic, and lunged at Maya, who barely managed to dodge.

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Brandon fumbled with his backpack, pulling out a can of spray paint and a lighter. He flicked the lighter on, holding it in front of the spray can, and pressed down. A burst of flame shot out, catching the Runner in the shoulder. The creature screeched, thrashing wildly, but the fire didn’t stop it. It rolled on the ground, putting out the flames, and then sprang back up, faster than ever.

"They don’t burn easy," Brandon said, panic creeping into his voice. "We need to think of something else."

Lex’s mind was racing. She looked around, searching for anything they could use. Her eyes landed on a set of metal poles, leaning against a nearby display. They were meant for hanging banners, but they were sturdy, with sharp edges where they’d been cut.

"Get those poles!" she shouted. "We’ll pin it down!"

Maya and Sophie rushed to grab the poles, their hands shaking but moving quickly. The Runner was already back on its feet, snarling as it charged at them, its mouth twisted into a terrifying grin. Damien swung his wrench again, trying to keep it back, but the creature was too fast, ducking and weaving around him.

"Over here!" Brandon shouted, waving his arms. The Runner turned, distracted for just a moment, and that was all they needed. Sophie thrust her pole forward, jamming it into the creature’s side and pinning it against a wall. Maya followed, stabbing her pole through its leg, pinning it to the floor.

The Runner screamed, thrashing against the metal, but it was stuck, its limbs twitching as it tried to pull free.

"Hold it!" Lex shouted, running forward. She raised her spear high, and with one swift, decisive motion, she drove it through the Runner’s head, pinning it to the wall. The creature went still, its body slumping as the life drained out of it.

For a moment, nobody moved. They all stood there, panting, staring at the creature’s still form. The silence was deafening, the faint sound of an echoing drip of water from somewhere deeper in the mall.

"Well," Damien said, his voice shaky but trying to sound casual. "That was... something."

"Is everyone okay?" Lex asked, looking around. Her hands were still shaking, adrenaline pumping through her veins, but she forced herself to stay calm.

"We’re fine," Sophie said, though her face was pale. "But if there are more of those things out there..."

"Then we’ll be ready," Lex said, more to convince herself than anyone else. She turned to Brandon, who was still holding the spray can. "That was smart, using the flame. Keep it handy. We’re going to need every trick we can think of."

They regrouped, taking a moment to catch their breath and check their weapons. The encounter had shaken them, but it had also shown them something important they could fight back. The Runner had been fast, but they’d been faster, more resourceful. They could handle this, if they kept their wits about them.

"We need to move," Lex said, glancing down the darkened corridor. "There’s no telling how many more of those things are out there, and we can’t afford to get caught off guard again."

"Where to?" Maya asked, still gripping her makeshift pole.

"The control room," Lex said. "We stick to the plan. We’re not going to survive this by hiding and waiting for something to change. We have to make it change."

They started forward again, this time with a new sense of purpose. The encounter with the Runner had rattled them, but it had also steeled their resolve. They weren’t just running for their lives—they were fighting for them. And that made all the difference.

As they moved deeper into the mall, Lex kept her eyes sharp, watching for any sign of movement. The shadows seemed to shift and writhe, like they were hiding secrets, and she knew that the Clown was still out there, watching, waiting for his chance to strike. But as long as they stayed together, as long as they kept thinking on their feet, they had a chance.

And that was all they needed.