Back down the hallway

Jen turned away from the exit and hurried back down the hall, regretting that she couldn’t be more certain about how long she would have to get out the door. Being that close to her goal and having it taken away like that didn’t sit well with her.

As the voices behind her started to grow louder, she picked up her pace. She could clearly hear the sound of her bare feet lightly slapping onto the tile floor but the sound shouldn’t travel far enough to draw any attention.

She quickly reached the end of the hallway and stepped aside and out of sight. Turning around, she peered down the hallway and waited for the ladies to come into sight.

Her attention was diverted by noise coming from behind her. Looking that way she saw nothing, but down the hall she heard a light rumbling sound.

What the heck is that, she thought, trying to identify the sound. It seems a little familiar…

Then it dawned on her. The trash cart she had encountered earlier. Someone was moving it now.

A few bags of trash were still stacked in the hallway and she knew the janitor was heading in her direction.

She glanced back down the hallway. She could still hear the voices of the two women, notably closer now. Jen cursed her luck, feeling that she would have had time to duck out the exit on that end of the hallway after all.

She spent a moment frantically looking down the hall then to her left, towards the janitor’s position. Her heart rate was steadily increasing as she tried to estimate the lesser of two evils. The ladies would likely pass right by the corridor, then Jen could head that way again. But if the janitor moved into view before then…

A quick glance to the right and Jen immediately made up her mind. The exit door from this hallway, leading into the parking lot was practically calling her name. She regretted not paying closer attention to the exterior of the mall when she and Eve first arrived, they had driven past this exit but Jen didn’t even glance at it. She wasn’t sure if there were any bushes next to this door. But she was sure that staying put in this hallway was getting riskier by the second.

Getting back to her feet she took a few fast strides across the width of the corridor. The approaching clerks still hadn’t come by, but Jen wanted to be out of here before they were. Reaching the tall steel door she opened it, peered outside just long enough to make sure she wouldn’t walk right into someone, then stepped outside.

When the night air hit her skin she realized that she’d been sweating a little bit, the cool air lightly nipping her skin. As the exit door closed Jen looked around and saw a cluster of plants next to the door. She felt the mall likely had some bushes or decorative trees next to every service exit. She quickly moved to the bushes and squatted down behind them, expecting the women to exit the door ahead of her any moment now.

She wasn’t wrong. Seconds later the door swung open and Jen was able to put a face to the voices. The ladies were about the same age, but a few inches different in height. They reached the curb and continued conversing, though now Jen was too far away to hear them.

A car engine roared to life and the women glanced towards the sound. A car’s headlights came on but the vehicle didn’t move. Jen stayed motionless as well, waiting for the women to leave.

Eventually they did, stepping off the curb and heading into the parking lot. Watching them leave, Jen saw a sedan sitting under a street lamp and knew that was their destination. In a matter of minutes they would be in their car and heading away, and all Jen had to do was wait them out.

She focused on watching the two clerks leaving. Minutes passed as the two women eventually reached the car and started driving away.

Jen was about to get to her feet when she realized another car was moving. Peering about the lot she realized it was the car that had started its engine moments ago. She decided to wait to see where that car was heading before moving herself, but seconds later she realized it was Eve, coming to pick her up.

It seemed like hours before the vehicle reached Jen, but once it pulled up she left the bushes and bolted for the passenger door.

“Did you get a little off course?” Eve asked, giggling.

Jen twisted in the seat to gather her clothes from the back seat, saying “you saw those women leave the mall.”

Eve pulled away from the curb and started heading for the exit while Jen sorted through her clothes.

“Well I guess that means they didn’t see you,” Eve said, still smiling, “did anyone see you?”

“No,” Jen said as she started putting her bra on.

Eve gave another short laugh, saying “I guess it couldn’t have been too bad then.”

Jen shook her head but opted against answering, wanting nothing more than to finish getting dressed in peace.