I went to the mall. I don't know why I went to the mall, but I went to the mall.
I just left, and came here.
Walking through the crowded stores, for no reason whatsoever. I just wanted to go out and not think about anything. Not about Ashton, not about what Gabby had said, not about anyone.
I just want to clear my head, and if walking through the mall will do that, then that's what I'll do.
But there is something eating away at me, but it's not about anyone. Something just feels off.
grace: where are you??????????????
me: at the mall will be back soon
I slide my phone into my back pocket. I should of left her a note, but I just wanted to go-
A loud bang makes me jump, before I look around quickly as people start screaming before another bang happens.
"Get down!" A random guy comes running up to me, his eyes wide, "Come on, get down!"
"I-" I stutter, before he just grabs my arms and pulls me to follow him as he tries to get into stores, but they keep the door locked.
"God damn it!" He bangs on the door, "Open it-"
"What's going on?" I panic, but he continues to bang on the door to Macy's.
"He has a gun," he shakes his head, "He fucking shot-"
"Get on your knees!" Someone grabs my shoulder and forcefully pushes me to the floor.
Tears fall from my eyes in fear as I look up at the guy who is holding a gun to my head.
Oh my god, a guy is holding a gun to my head.
"You too!" He shouts, pointing it at the nameless guy who can't be much older than me.
"Okay, okay," no name says calmly, "Okay, I'm down, she's down, we're both down, okay?"
The guy with the gun looks at her, before looking at me, and coming behind me and pushing the gun into my back.
I whimper as he pulls me to my feet, "Come on," he says, "Both of you."
No name and I are pushed to the middle of the hall of the mall, stores on both sides of us before were put on a bench.
Another guy ties my hands in my lap and my feet together. I'm too petrified to say anything, or do anything.
"What do you want?" A red head says, "I have money, just take it and let me go, please."
"Where's Bret?" One of the gunman asks, and the other shakes his head, "I don't know, man. He said to get some people here and wait for him."
They both start to walk away to talk to each other quietly.
"What's your name?" No name whispers from next to me. I look over to him, his blue eyes staring at me, his dark hair covering his forehead.
"Cat," I say quietly, looking over to the men, but it's like they couldn't care less about us, "You?"
"Asher," he whispers, "But call me Ash."
"I'm sorry," I shake my head, before looking back at the gunman, "Did you say Ash?"
"Yeah," he looks at me confused, "Why?"
"Nothing," I shake my head, before looking down, "I just- its nothing."
Of course his name is Ash, why the fuck wouldn't it be? For the love of God, why couldn't his name just be John or something.
Shit, I need to get out of here. I can't die here, not today. I haven't lived, I'm only 20 years old. I can't die. I can't leave behind Grace.
Fuck, Grace.
Does she know whats going on here? Does anyone know? Surely, someone called the cops who was in this mall.
"Asher," I say his full name, not being able to call him Ash, and he looks over to me, "My phone, I have my phone."
"Wait," he whispers, "They look like they're going to leave in a minute, just wait."
I gulp, my eyes feeling wet from crying. I look to my left and let out a whimper at what I see.
Theres a man, maybe in his forties or so laying there, blood rushing out of his chest. His arm is moving ever so slightly and I look back over to Asher, "He's not dead. Someones gotta help him, he's alive."
"Cat," he says quietly, "Just don't look at him, okay? We can't help him, just don't look."
I nod, but I can't help but glancing over at him. There is so much blood, how does a person even have that much?
I look around at everyone else who is tied up and study them.
There are six of us. Theres a girl who looks in her thirties with red hair. She's the one who spoke up before. Her leg is bouncing as she scans the area much like I did before. Next to her is a man who looks like he could be in his fifties, a determined and angry look in his eye. Next to him is another girl who has black hair. Its in a tight pony tail and her structure is tall, firm. She sits up straight with her head held high, not a look of worry or fear on her face. She looks like a ballerina, almost.
Next to her on the bench is a boy, a young boy, maybe around seventeen or so. His blonde hair is laying on his forehead as he fiddles with his hands that are tied up like the rest of us. Then, I'm next to him and Asher is next to me.
One of the gunmen walks up to us, his face covered by a ski mask, but his eyes are so bright and green that even though his face is fully covered besides his lips, you can see them.
"Why are you here?" He asks the red head, a playful smile on his face. I pull a face of disgust for the sick, sick man, before I realize that it could lead me somewhere, so I stop.
"I-I went to get my kid a jacket," She stutters, "My s-son, my son. I have a son," she cries.
He moves onto the uptight girl, and she says, "I needed shoes."
One by one people are saying why they came to the mall, and I rub my lips together, getting more sweaty and anxious by the minute.
"What about you?" he says, crouching down right in front of me. I sniff, feeling so fearful of the man who can take my life away with one movement of his finger.
"I needed to clear my head," I try not to look into his green eyes, "I just needed to clear my head."
"Clear your head?" he mocks, "What kind of an excuse is that-"
He's cut off by a gunshot, making me scream and jump. The guy gets up from in front of me quickly before looking over to the man who was in his fifties and tied up fall to the floor, blood pooling from his stomach.
"He tried to come at you," the other gunman says, and I let out a sob.
I'm going to die.
*
oKAY i know this is out of left field and like rlly bitch why you pulling this but im v much the type of person who likes reading, writing, and watching drama and high risk situations (hence the first book being called risks j'all feel) but i didnt want to do another car crash or something so lets just have this.
i know its not likely to happen ( well tbh who even knows anymore the world is fucked up ) but thats why this is a fiction story ok ok
also ive been watching greys again for like the third time and that show literally just makes me want to write traumatic events so imma do that
ok bye peeps see ya soon
