The journey through the mall felt like a twisted game of hide-and-seek, with shadows stretching long across the floors and every flickering light feeling like a warning. Lex led the group down a narrow, darkened corridor, her makeshift spear held tight in her hands. The air was stale and thick, and she could almost taste the fear hanging between them.

"Control room’s just ahead," she said, keeping her voice low. "But we’re going to pass the cinema on the way. Stay alert."

Damien, who was right behind her, tightened his grip on the wrench he’d been carrying. "Yeah, because nothing bad ever happens in a dark, creepy movie theater," he muttered, trying to mask his anxiety with sarcasm. But no one was laughing.

"Let’s just get through this," Maya whispered, her eyes darting around. "The sooner we’re done, the sooner we’re out of here."

As they approached the cinema entrance, Lex signaled for them to stop. The large, glass doors were slightly ajar, and the darkness beyond felt like it was swallowing the faint light from the hall. She could see remnants of what had once been a busy theater a popcorn machine overturned, soda cups scattered across the floor, movie posters hanging lopsided on the walls.

"It looks clear," Brandon said, peering into the dim space. "But I don’t like how quiet it is."

"None of us do," Sophie said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let’s just keep moving."

They slipped inside, trying to make as little noise as possible. The floor was sticky beneath their feet, and every step felt like it echoed down the empty halls. Lex’s heart was pounding, her senses on high alert, but she forced herself to stay calm. They needed to pass through this section to reach the control room, and there was no other way around.

Then, they heard it—a faint, distant sound. At first, Lex thought she was imagining it, but as they crept deeper into the cinema, the noise grew louder. It was a soft, almost musical hum, rising and falling in a strange, rhythmic pattern.

"What is that?" Maya asked, her voice shaking. "It sounds like... singing."

Lex shook her head. "Not singing. It’s more like... a cry."

The sound continued, drifting through the darkened hallways, and it was getting closer. The group exchanged uneasy glances, and Lex could see the fear in their eyes. They were all thinking the same thing on whatever was making that noise wasn’t human.

Suddenly, the faint hum turned into a high-pitched, ear-splitting scream, and the group clamped their hands over their ears, wincing. The noise was deafening, like nails on a chalkboard, and it echoed down the empty halls, growing louder and louder.

Brandon’s face paled. "That’s not normal."

"No kidding," Damien said, looking around frantically. "Where is it coming from?"

Before anyone could answer, a dark shape darted out of the shadows, moving with a speed that took them all by surprise. It was another infected, but not like the Crawlers or Runners they had faced before. This one was thin and tall, its limbs elongated, with a mouth that stretched open far wider than it should, revealing jagged, uneven teeth. And it was screaming—an unearthly, piercing wail that echoed through the cinema, making the walls seem to vibrate.

The Shrieker.

"Get back!" Lex yelled, raising her spear. "Cover your ears and keep moving!"

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But as they tried to retreat, the Shrieker let out another scream, this one louder than before. It was almost unbearable, and Lex could feel it rattling inside her head, making it hard to think. She stumbled, trying to keep her balance, and saw the others struggling, too—Sophie’s hands were clamped over her ears, tears streaming down her cheeks, and Damien was gritting his teeth, his face twisted in pain.

Brandon managed to pull out one of the walkie-talkies he had rigged earlier and cranked up the volume, blasting static noise. The sudden, sharp sound cut through the Shrieker’s wail, causing it to recoil slightly, its head jerking back.

"It doesn’t like loud noises!" Brandon shouted over the static. "If we can make enough noise, we can disorient it!"

Lex’s mind raced. They had to find a way to disrupt the creature’s scream long enough to get away. She glanced around, her eyes landing on a display stand for movie memorabilia. It was full of small, metal keychains, and an idea formed.

"Brandon, hand me that chain!" she said, grabbing one of the keychains and wrapping it around the end of her spear. "We’re going to make some noise."

Brandon tossed her a length of chain he’d been carrying, and she quickly looped it around the spear, making a crude, makeshift rattle. Damien, catching on, grabbed another chain and wrapped it around the wrench, adding more keychains to it for extra noise.

The Shrieker began to approach, its limbs twitching unnaturally, its mouth opening wide again. Lex could see it gearing up for another scream, and she knew they didn’t have much time.

"Now!" she yelled, swinging her makeshift rattle. The spear clanged loudly, the metal keychains clinking against each other, creating a sharp, jarring noise that echoed through the hall. Damien did the same with his wrench, and soon the hallway was filled with a chaotic, clanging sound.

The Shrieker paused, its scream faltering, and Lex could see it twitching, almost like it was in pain. For a moment, it seemed confused, as if it couldn’t figure out what was happening.

"It’s working!" Maya said, her voice filled with relief. "Keep going!"

They kept swinging their makeshift noisemakers, creating as much racket as they could. The Shrieker writhed, its long limbs flailing, and it let out a frustrated, strangled noise that was more of a growl than a scream. It staggered back, giving the group a few precious moments to act.

"We need to take it out," Lex said, her eyes fixed on the creature. "Brandon, see if you can distract it. Damien, with me."

Brandon pulled out another walkie-talkie, cranked up the volume, and tossed it across the floor. The device skidded to a stop near the Shrieker, blasting out harsh, static noise. The creature turned, its head snapping toward the sound, giving Lex and Damien the opening they needed.

Lex lunged forward, driving her spear toward the Shrieker’s midsection. The creature tried to dodge, but the loud noise had thrown off its movements, and the blade sank into its side. The Shrieker screamed again, but it was weaker this time, more like a desperate wail.

Damien swung his chain-wrapped wrench, smashing it down on the Shrieker’s leg. The creature crumpled, its limbs buckling as it fell to the floor, thrashing wildly. But it wasn’t dead yet, and Lex could see it trying to push itself back up.

"Not today," Damien growled. He raised his wrench one more time, bringing it down on the creature’s head with all his strength. There was a sickening crack, and the Shrieker went still, its limbs twitching one last time before going limp.

The group stood there, panting and shaken, as the echoes of the fight slowly faded. The cinema was silent again, except for the faint buzz of the walkie-talkie still crackling nearby.

"That was too close," Maya said, her voice shaky. "If there are more of those things, I don’t know if we can handle it."

"We’ll handle it," Lex said, her breathing still heavy. "We have to. We’re learning more every time, and we’re getting better at fighting them. We’ll figure this out."

Sophie wiped her eyes, still trembling. "But why are there so many different types? It’s like... they’re not just random mutations. It’s like they were made this way on purpose."

"Maybe they were," Brandon said, his tone grim. "But we’re not going to find out standing here. We need to get to that control room."

Lex nodded. She could see how rattled everyone was, and she didn’t blame them. But they couldn’t let the fear stop them. "Let’s move. We’ve still got a job to do."

As they left the cinema behind, Lex couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder one last time. The Shrieker’s twisted, broken body lay sprawled on the floor, a reminder of just how dangerous this place had become. But they had beaten it. They had found a way to fight back, even if only for a moment.

And somewhere in the darkness, she knew the Clown was watching. Waiting for his next chance.