Writer Games: Mall Mayhem

Quarter Finals [Male Entries]

Richard Lore

I never would've thought I could ever have it in me to kill someone. Before last month, nobody I knew had ever died if you don't count fictional characters I'd gotten overly attached to. The entire concept of death was a stranger to me, and yet today it basically stared me right in the eyes. Even after Grandma and Zach - and Ritchie, really; I don't think I ever really left that damned funhouse - died in the Carnival, I didn't think I had it in me to kill an innocent. What right had I to put some strangers through the hell I've suffered?

And yet that's exactly what I did today.

"Are you alright?" 

Cole sneaks up behind me, a concerned look on my face; the events of today have made it so that we are the only two left on our team. This has apparently made us friends, which is something I've always lacked before. It almost feels as if I owe him something for keeping me on board, so (and partly because of how nerve-wracking last night's dream was) I decided to sober up. My hands are shaking and clammy, my forehead drench in sweat. I can't remember the last time it's been this long without my taking at least a shot. Then again, I can't remember much of that either.

"Fucking fantastic," I hiss. Cole winces at me, and I instantly send him my best apologetic smile. "Shit. Sorry man. I need a bloody drink."

"Then why not get one? You were surrounded by booze until yesterday."

"And look how that turned out. Nah, I promised myself I'd be sober when I kill the son of a bitch responsible for all this."

It's almost tragic, really; after everything I've been through, I stand in the middle of the mall with no weapon but a promise. And a broken wine bottle, but I'm trying to be metaphorical. Somehow I doubt it's working.

"If you insist." Cole looks around us at the mess, takes a deep breath, and brings his eyes back at me. "We should clean up."

I gulp. Around me lie all kinds of bodies and foods that I'd really rather not look at. I can still spot the body of the blonde woman I killed earlier. I keep reminding myself it was an accident, but that never seems to work anymore. I reminded myself not to get involved in the food fight - just to throw things at the walls so it looked like I had bad aim. I knew that somebody was bound to get hurt and I was right. Now Margie Ellis will never see the light of day outside this damned place, though at this point I still doubt that I will.

"I can't, Cole. I'm sorry, I promise, but I can't do that."

He taps my arm, keeping steady eye contact with me as if to remind me I'm not alone. "It's fine. I can handle this on my own."

All around me, everything is wrong. Darkness surrounds me, constantly caving in on me as I try to get away. Margie's body stands up on its own, for some reason lacking the head I know it to have. Grandma and Zach walk behind her, forming the perfect Mean Girls-esque triangle. I sweat and pant and scream, but it takes a while for me to spot the light and feel Cole's grip on me. But eventually he does manage to pull me back to reality, though he looks as if my experience shocked him more than it did me.