Chapter 8
Inside the mall, panic hung thick. The air vibrated with terrified murmurs, choked sobs, and the frantic rustle of people huddling together.
People clutched each other or their belongings, faces pale and eyes darting towards the barricaded entrances where the frustrated snarls and scrabbling claws of the monsters still echoed faintly outside.
They were trapped, and the terror of what they'd witnessed – the giant spikes, the creatures, people dying – was a physical weight pressing down on them.
People were trying to call the emergency number on their phone, but there was no response.
"Waaahhh!!! Mama, I wanna go home!" A child's high-pitched wail cut through. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, mixing with snot.
Her mother, kneeling on the cold tile, pulled her close. The woman's own hands trembled as she smoothed the girl's hair.
"It's okay, honey," she whispered, her voice tight, trying to sound calm but unable to hide the tremor of fear beneath.
"We're just having... a big, unexpected game at the mall today, that's all there is to it." The words felt hollow even to her. She avoided looking towards the chained doors.
The child sniffled wetly. Her wide, tear-filled eyes landed on Elias, who was still in his stiff yellow apron.
"Hey, mister," she hiccuped, pointing a tiny finger at the barricaded entrance, "is this a game, mister? Like hide and seek?"
The simple, innocent question pierced through Elias's lingering shock. He forced himself to take a slow breath. He crouched down slightly, meeting the child's gaze. A lie felt necessary, a white lie.
"Yes, kid," he said, his voice rough but gentle while showing a gentle smile. "It's just a game. A really big, noisy game. Don't worry about it."
Nearby, a cluster of workers in similar yellow aprons, their faces etched with confusion and fear, approached Elias.
Arnold, their supervisor – a stout man usually radiating calm – looked harried, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Elias!" Arnold's voice was strained. "What in God's name is going on? Why are the guards chaining the doors shut like a fortress and blocking them like a barricade?"
He gestured wildly towards the nearest barricaded entrance. "I was helping restock the back when suddenly all hell broke loose. What happened?"
"Yeah, what's going on?" another worker piped up, her voice shaky. "I saw people running towards the east exit. What were they running from?"
"I heard... I heard people screaming about dog monsters outside," a younger stock boy stammered, his eyes wide. "Is that... is that true?" He clutched a box cutter like a talisman.
Elias met Arnold's worried gaze. "It's true," he confirmed, his voice low but carrying. He quickly recounted the eruption, the huge structure, the single-eyed hounds, the desperate fight at the entrance, and the swarm.
"That's likely where the earthquake came from," he finished grimly, gesturing vaguely towards the spike-dome beyond the walls. "Something broke through."
"So... there are monsters," Arnold breathed, the color draining from his face. The confirmation sent a ripple of fresh terror through the small group of workers. Whispers of "Monsters?" and "Outside?" spread like a chill wind.
"That's why the guards are blocking everything," the first worker murmured, understanding dawning with horror.
"But... what now?" another asked, his voice cracking. "We're locked in with... with those things out there?" The workers shifted nervously, looking towards the reinforced doors as if expecting them to burst inward.
Elias scanned the high ceiling. An idea sparked. "Boss," he said, turning back to Arnold, his voice gaining a thread of purpose.
"The roof. The access ladder is near the maintenance hall. Can we get up there? See what's happening outside from above? Get a better idea of... everything?" He needed perspective, a way to gauge the threat, the size of the horde, maybe even a potential escape route the monsters hadn't covered yet.
Arnold stared at Elias for a long moment, his mind working silently.
He glanced at the terrified faces of his workers, then towards the distant, barricaded entrance where a low, guttural growl vibrated faintly through the floor. Finally, he gave a slow and heavy nod.
"Alright, Elias," he said, his voice gravelly with fear but resolute. "Let's see what we're dealing with."