This is the longest it's happened. I don't even recognize where I am. Everything's dark and all these creepy vacant rabbit eyes staring at me. Some of them small, on shelves, others large, person sized, and…I just don't want to know, especially as there's a knife, clutched tightly in my hand. I want to drop it, but I can't bring myself to let go, because I feel as though there are things watching me, and any minute they're going to leap out and bite.
The buildings are gloomy, and right next to me, that looks like a carousel, but everything is quiet. I'm grateful. It would be even eerier if that thing started up. I'm starving. I could eat a horse.
Slowly, carefully, trying to make as little noise as possible I walk away from the bench, with the probably dead guy, and down towards the buildings which are beyond the carousel. Maybe there's a phone around here, that small and weakening logical part of my brain insists, we should call for help, call the police, the national guard even. I do agree, much as I don't want to see any police, things have just been getting weirder and weirder, and I can't talk it. Anything, even jail or rehab would be better than this. Maybe things wouldn't keep shifting around then.
My footsteps are echoing on the metal grids, and I can hear something grinding, whirring, as though things should be running, but the lights are barely on. Crackling. What? I have a radio in my pocket. Where did that come from? Why is it?
Oh, my God…that thing is huge.
I run, back around the other side of the walkway, back towards the bench. The half-dead bunny guy has to be better than that. I'm so out of breath. Ouch. Ouch. What was that? It looked…I can't even describe that.
The crackling's stopped on my chest. Okay. So, maybe that's going to tell me when the...whatever...that...was...when...they're close? Okay? But what are they even...why are they? I still need to either get to a phone, or get out of here. That second one might be better right now.
Nothing happens as I pick my way back through the walkway, knife held out in front of me, trying to will my hand to stop shaking so much. Slowly, I move out of the walkway and up the little street. It looks like it should be a happy, shiny place…but well, like someone shit all over it. I'm almost afraid to reach for the door handle, to go into one of the places, but I manage it. The door won't open. Okay, so the next…this one won't open either, nor the next…what is going on here?
I've almost given up when the next door practically falls open and I stumble in to the room, peering around after I narrowly miss colliding with a counter. There's tons of stuff here, my first thought is I could make a killing pawning some of it, but then it's grungy and heavy, and oh, god they have cookies, but…nnn…maybe I better not eat this stuff. I don't even know what's going on.
There doesn't seem to be anything in here. The cash register refuses to open, and I can't find anything to pry it with. No phone. Anywhere. Of course, I can't get in half of the doors, and they're not really the type to smash, either no glass, or that annoying wire reinforced…and I'm nowhere near strong enough to lift the cash register through it. So, back outside we go.
The crackling from the radio on my chest almost makes me curl up in a ball. There's more of those freaky things, and some little ones, about the size of dogs. Leaping at me. Get away. I slash out, pretty wildly with the knife, it connects, slushily, but I'm really not watching, one hand over my face. I hope it scares them off, given I don't think that I can really hurt them or kill them, but then I hear a sickening thunk, and chance a look, almost getting my nose…sucked? Off by the next one, and stab it in the face? Does it even have a face? I have no idea. It falls down next to the other, and they twitch. I kick them for good measure.
Now, I can hear again, crackling stopped. For some reason the other ones disappeared. I'm not going to complain.
I head off around the corner, what looks like it should be the way to the exit, when the crackling starts up again. You can't be serious. How many of these things…? I run and duck underneath, and then realize there is no ground, and nothing to hold on to. I try to remember what we're supposed to do, are you supposed to brace or relax? This is going to hurt like hell, and there's no one around to find me, so even if I don't—
I ache, but it doesn't seem to hurt as much as it should, as I pick my head up off the table and blink around the room. People are wandering around with food trays and someone in a horrendous purple and green uniform is frowning at me as they clean a nearby table.
I was asleep. I feel like laughing out loud.
So, it's not as bad as all that. I was asleep. All the weird shit that was happening, it makes sense I would be dreaming about it. After what happened with Jay. I need to get out of here. I'm still hungry, but the glares I'm getting for being asleep in here I doubt I can bum anything in the way of food out of any of them. I slide carefully out of the booth; decide against going to the bathroom, that's just asking for it.
All I can hear in my head is that stupid song Jay was singing when we first got off the bus here. It freaked me out then and it's not doing much for me now…welcome to my world she said, do you feel alive? She said it's all a bad dream spinning in your lonely head. Welcome to my world she said, separated world, she said, separated…
The mall is noisy with people and I'm on the phone before I realize it, but what can I say to him? As soon as he picks up it's all small talk and chit-chat, and me putting the phone down. I'm not going to give in. I'm still too stubborn. Cry and wail and tell Daddy he was right, that there are big scary monsters out here? Maybe it's just some genetic malfunction. He passed on the crazy gene to me and I've just never wanted to admit it. Push off his annoying P.I. right? I just talked to him what more do you want? Leave me alone.
The only safe place away from the PI is the bathroom. Guh. How I hate going into the bathroom. That's usually where things slip off all funny, but it's either that or get drug off with that guy, who…I should have asked Dad about him. Oh, well. What is that? The red paint on the mirror? Please tell me that's paint…I…