No Trespassing (story based on a dream I had)

Christmas eve, a night filled with excitement and anticipation. Where otherwise distant families gather to exchange gifts and indulge in a pre-mature Christmas dinner. A night where children endure a relentless struggle to sleep because they want Santa to deliver their presents.

For most, it's a magical night that segways into the day they consider to be the greatest day of each year. But for me, not so much. As far as I'm concerned it's just another day of the year that yields no celebration of any kind, and the same can be said for the friends I was with on this particular night. 

The four of us had gathered at Nate's tiny studio apartment, and were all leaned back against the wall or lying on our makeshift beds on the cold concrete floor. The room was silent, say for the YouTube Vine compilation playing on the TV, and our bodies were overcome by weed and vodka mixed with Mountain Dew.

We didn't often do too much on the sparse occasions we were able to get together, but we didn't mind. Though only one of us would say it aloud, we found solace in simply being in each other's company. Tonight, however, I wanted to do something rather stupid. I wanted to trespass in the new mall.

The Ultra Mall was a massive project that started I don't even know how many years ago, and it was fucking massive. There was rumored to be hundreds of different stores in there from popular chains, to restaurants, and even locals setting up their own small businesses. Not to mention a huge playground area on the ground floor for kids, plus a merry-go-round and a mini ferris wheel.

Anyway, to say everything about the project was impressive would be an understatement. I finally decided to speak up and suggest we go check it out for the hell of it. "You drive", I'm told. Fair enough. It was my idea after all. Slowly, we all get up and walk outside, making our way to the car.

Snow was steadily falling to the ground, illuminated only by the street lights as the moon took shelter behind the clouds. It was deathly silent, with even our footsteps barely audible due to the softness of the snow. One by one, we got into my car, and I immediately turned the radio way down. Partially because I didn't want to deafen my friends with metal smashing into their ears, but also because it was the sort of night that should be savored moreso than usual.

As I'm sure you can imagine, we were virtually alone on the roads. Even the highway was populated by only a few truckers desperately trying to make it home in time for the holiday, or needing the mental strength to press on, knowing that in order to provide for their families they in turn couldn't be home very often. Either way, I felt bad for them. I can't imagine how difficult it must be.

As we approach the off-ramp I can already see the mall. It look looks like it's 2 miles long and I can see a giant dome, presumably a skylight, where I imagine the food court and main entrance must be. I guide the car slowly down the ramp, and bring it to a stop as we enter the massive parking lot. My friends and I take a moment to stare in amazement, then I start driving again to find the security entrance.

Finally, we find it. The security entrance door is hidden underneath the overpass and hidden by foliage as well. Smart. I hide the car under the overpass just in case, and get the bolt cutters from the trunk. Slowly, we approach the door with our heads on swivels, and break the padlock.

We all freeze for a moment and I can only assume it's because we realized something. This place probably has an alarm. Fuck it. The car's right there for a quick getaway. Hesitantly, and with my hand shaking ever so slightly, I grab the handle and twist it as slowly as possible, letting gravity take over and the door opens itself as if inviting us inside.

We make our way in and no alarms go off. At least none that we can hear. The flashlights on our phones let us see that we're in a locker room, with segways lined up on each side and a green light on, probably to indicate they're charged and ready to go. We go through another door and walk in, finding ourselves in the security desk. I look to my friends and see their mouths are agape as well. There's 6 seats overlooking what's got to be over a hundred monitors.

We're speechless getting an overview at everything this mall has to offer. One monitor at eye level, I notice, is already glitching out. The picture keeps disappearing and reappearing as if the camera is trying to stay awake. I tap the glass which makes it turn to pure static. Oops. It stays like that for a few seconds before I see it. Or, does it see me?

Who can say for sure, all I know is that some sort of creature with big beady eyes and tiny white pupils is keeping direct eye contact with me, and I take a couple of steps back. I then look to see if my friends have noticed anything, and seeing that they didn't, I look back at the monitor. It's fine now, perfectly in focus with the picture now there to stay. I shake my head rapidly for a second, thinking it's just the weed and alcohol uniting to screw with my mind.

And as I casually turn to the left, I freeze. I'm practically a stone statue as I'm once again locked eyed with the creature, standing nearly 8 feet tall, long talons for hands and hunched over, and a smile so vindictive that Satan himself would take a second glance. "Shit.." Hearing this from one of my friends makes me realize they see it too, but it doesn't see them. It stays focused on me. I'm it's singular, primary target. 

I don't know who said it, but all I hear is "book it!" And we do. Our panting and footsteps ring loudly in our eardrums and are easily the loudest thing we've heard within the last hour or so. None of us look back. None of us hesitate. None of us know how far or close that thing is to us. All we know is that we need to get the hell out.

Even though the distance between the monitor room and entrance door is a mere few feet it felt like I was running a marathon. But there it was. The exit. We slam the door open so hard I wouldn't be surprised if it damaged one of the hinges. For the last time, at least in that moment, I see the creatures eyes, forced to look at its seemingly endless amounts of fangs while it lets out a high-pitch shriek milliseconds before I slam the door shut on its face, if you can call it that. We all trembled as we stepped back, one of the street lights in the parking lot illuminating us. Who knows how long we stood there, trying to comprehend everything. And never before, nor ever since, have I heard a more deafening silence.