“What do you think? Pink or blue?” Stacy asked, holding up two blouses.

This weekend they’d decided to go shopping and visit their favorite cafe. It was just the two of them, which was nice for a change. Jake had the tendency to hog all of Stacy’s attention.

“I don’t know. They both look good,” I said, pretending to look at the nearby tops. Fashion wasn’t my thing, I preferred old t-shirts over frilly blouses, but this was something Stacy enjoyed so I didn’t mind going.

“Uhg. You’re useless. I’ll just go with the pink one.”

The mall was bustling with activity as they exited the clothing store. Stacy carried several shopping bags over her arm from her many purchases. I sipped my sugary coffee as we walked, chewing on the mangled straw.

“You have to buy at least something,” Stacy said, sounding annoyed. “I look ridiculous shopping by myself. I always feel guilty dragging you around all day.”

“Why feel guilty? I told you before that I don’t care.”

“Yes. You say that. But you never look like you’re having fun.”

“Well, yeah. Shopping isn’t fun to me. But why does that matter?”

Stacy groaned and shook her head. “You just don’t get it. Whatever.”

I didn’t understand why she cared if I bought something. It was never just the two of us anymore, since Jake was always around, so I enjoyed the time we spent together, whether we were shopping or anything else.

We passed a nearby figurine stall and I spotted something pink and frilly out of the corner of my eye. It was a Valentina replica, around ten inches in height, complete with her bird familiar perched delicately on her shoulder. 

I stopped and walked over to the figurine box.

“I’ll take this one,” I said, pointing to it.

“Well, at least you’ll buy something for Rini,” Stacy snorted.

“I don’t think she has this one. Maybe I can bribe her into cooking dinner,” I said as the clerk rang up my purchase. He put it in a white bag and handed it to me.

I noticed Stacy eying my credit card as I slid it back into my wallet.

“Yes, they’re still paying for it,” I said.

“Are… you sure?” Stacy said carefully, “if you ever need help—“

“We’re doing fine,” I cut her off, “don’t worry about it.” 

We didn’t need anyone’s pity. Absentee parents weren’t a big deal. It could be worse. At least we had money. I wasn’t even sure what country they were currently visiting, and hadn’t heard from them in months. It was standard practice for them and nothing new.

Stacy sighed, “Alright, fine. Where to next? Should we go to—“

THUD.

A loud bang shook the floor beneath their feet, toppling nearby merchandise off the shelves in a cascade of colorful boxes. Wham. An unseen force sucker punched me in the stomach, bringing me to my knees and forcing the air from my lungs. Sparks dotted my vision as I instinctively forced myself to stay conscious. Beside me, screams reverberated throughout the mall.

“Demon!” Someone near me shouted in terror. A distinct, high pitched alarm sounded throughout the mall just then. It was something they’d taught them about in school but I’d never heard it in person.

The demon alarm.

In front of me stood a black, withering… creature the size of a car. Its barbed tail faced me, back turned toward us. Spikes ran along its spine like a jigsaw puzzle, resembling a scorpion. Wafts of black smoke curled up above its large frame. The sudden stench of rotten eggs filled my nose, burning my lungs.

I held my head with my hand, trying to steady my vision. Stacy sat on the floor next to me, her body visibly shaking, her shopping bags now strewn across the floor. People sprinted away in fear, running as fast as they could down the hallways. Some ducked into nearby stores to hide, while others tried to escape the building. Mothers dragged their crying children and employees fled the nearby stalls, abandoning the merchandise. 

“We have to run,” I said roughly as I stood, flinching as pain seared across my stomach. Was something broken? Fear crept its way up my throat like a burning fire, but I swallowed it back down. I’d worry about it later.

“I…I can.. can’t,” Stacy stuttered, face stricken with terror, eyes glued to the back of the monster. She tried to stand but her legs gave-way beneath her like a newborn fawn. 

The demon hadn’t seemed to notice them yet, and was preoccupied with something ahead of them. Where had it come from? It seemed to have appeared from thin air.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins. I could do this. I needed to carry Stacy.

One. Two. LIFT. I swept my arms under her legs and tried lifting her into a princess-carry…

Thud. Stacy fell back to the ground.

“Ouch!”

My noodle arms weren’t strong enough. I don’t know why I expected anything different. All the times I spent ditching gym class flashed across my mind. 

I need to get us out of here.

I spotted a tarp the collectible store had been using as a decorative roof. It sat disheveled on the ground, a pile of broken figures on top.

I grabbed the tarp, tossing off the figures, rolled Stacy on top, then tied the two corners around my waist like a belt. 

Right as I turned to run, my elbow nudged a priceless figure contained in a large glass display case. 

The figure crashed to the ground, glass shattering to the floor around them. 

Great. Fucking great.

I didn’t need to turn to know that the demon had heard the sound. Its creepy legs skittered across the floor, the sound of its flesh-smoke-like curtains dragging across the floor as it turned toward us.

Welp. Guess it was time to run.