Half an hour later, Sammy had lived up to her promise. She sat on the counter of a large toyshop while Marshall-Lee ran around excitedly. She noticed that he favoured the toy weapons, the plastic guns and swords, she wondered if it was just how he was or if it was an after-effect of their survivalist lifestyle.
Although she had never liked such toys when she was a child, she wasn't one of the judgmental type who might condemn them. She had taught Marshall-Lee right from wrong and he certainly didn't have an aggressive nature.
A few minutes later, Marshall-Lee had settled on a gun loaded with foam bullets.
"Now remember Marshall-Lee, no one owns this store anymore, otherwise this would be stealing." Sammy told him sternly, as they left the shop.
"Right." Marshall-Lee replied, nodding his head.
The two of them walked through the mall, gazing around at the various clothes and electronics shops.
"There's got to be a supermarket around here somewhere… and maybe a pharmacy." Sammy muttered thoughtfully.
The two of them walked onwards and turned a corner. As soon as they did, Marshall-Lee let out a shriek of fear. Sammy quickly covered his mouth and pulled him back around the corner. She closed her eyes and listened, barely breathing. Around the corner, were dozens of the oozing, green mutant creatures. Sammy had only gotten a quick look, but it seemed like they were dormant.
Her hand brushed against the cold metal of the tiara and Marshall-Lee looked at her fearfully. She wouldn't have to use it, so long as nothing woke them up.
Sammy silent gestured for Marshall-Lee to return the way they had come. They turned around and jumped. Three more gumballs were rolling along the floor, one the same size as the one earlier, the other two slightly smaller. They rolled past them and across the plaza. Then they seemed to turn of their own accord and roll away from the mutants.
Sammy and Marshall-Lee shared a baffled look, and then silently agreed it wasn't the time to worry about it. They continued back through the mall, the way they had come, but almost immediately, something else stopped them.
An enormous mutant, ten times the size of most of the others, lumbered out of a shop ahead of them. It made a loud, gurgling roar sound and started to advance.
Marshall-Lee screamed. Sammy didn't stop him, she was almost tempted to join in. Behind them, she heard the squelching, rasping sounds of the other mutants as they woke up.
Sammy's eyes darted around and they fell on a set of stairs to the upper level balcony. She picked up Marshall-Lee and ran, with the mutants in pursuit. When she was half way up the stairs, she heard a loud crack that made her turn around, the mutants seemed momentarily distracted too.
The crack had come from above them. Sammy and Marshall-Lee looked up and shuddered. The mall's glass roof was covered in hundreds of gumballs. Some the size of tennis balls, a few the size of boulders and most of them somewhere in between. The glass shattered and, along with the shards of glass, the gumballs rained down on the mutants. Their collective force made the entire mall shake on its foundations as the gumballs either embedded themselves in the ground with the force of their fall or bounced around the room.
Seizing the opportunity, Sammy raced up the stairs and along the balcony, maybe if they hid for long enough, the mutants would be distracted enough by the gumballs to forget about them.
They passed shop after shop, none of which offering any protection, especially seeing as they had no glass in their front windows. Eventually, they came across a door marked 'storage room'. Sammy pushed the door open and carried Marshall-Lee inside.
They sat silently, listening to the steady thumping of the gumballs outside and the chaotic moaning of the mutants. The room was lined with shelves, containing paint and tools and the like. The only light came through a tiny rectangular window, far too small for even Marshall-Lee to fit through.
Slowly, the noise outside began to fade, and eventually, all was silent. Sammy faced Marshall-Lee and placed a finger on her lips. He stared at her in terror, but amidst the fear, she saw trust in his eyes. He believed with all his heart that she would get them both out of this, and that was what stung the most, because she knew there was only one way she was going to do that…
She carefully placed an ear up to the door and listened. The sound of the gumballs and the mutants had stopped completely. Gingerly, she reached for the door handle.
There was a crash and the door bulged on its hinges. Sammy scrambled away as the groaning noise continued. From the sound of it, there were clearly several mutants on the balcony. Green goo began to seep under the door as it was bashed again.
"I'm sorry Marshall-Lee…" Sammy sighed. She reached for her belt… but the tiara was gone.
She looked around frantically, and she saw Marshall-Lee, standing on the other side of the room, clutching the tiara to his chest. He looked at her, wide-eyed.
"Sweetie, give me my tiara back, please." She asked, urgently.
"No Sammy!" Marshall-Lee shouted. "You might not come back this time!"
"I will Marshall-Lee, I promise!"
Marshall-Lee wasn't convinced. He continued to hold the tiara as the door was bashed again. The top corner broke off and several green, slimy arms began reaching through.
"Young man, you give me my tiara back this instant!" Sammy snapped.
Of course, she could easily overpower the small boy, but even in the face of imminent death, she couldn't bring herself to. With tears rolling down his cheek, Marshall-Lee held the tiara out to her. She took it gently and stood up.
"Now as soon as you get the opportunity, you run as fast as you can, back to the camp. I'll meet you there. Not… up for discussion." She added quickly, as Marshall-Lee opened his mouth to protest. She took off her glasses and handed them to him. "Can you look after these for me, buddy?" He nodded silently. She ruffled his hair and smiled. "Good boy…"
She turned around. Her heart felt like it was grasped by ice. The door seemed to fly off its remaining hinge in slow motion. And without hesitation, she lifted up the tiara and put it on her head.