Sweep and Clear

Sitting here is a fast way to get yourself killed. Your first impulse is to race towards the sound and help, but old reflexes stop you. Rushing in is also a fast way to get yourself killed.

You ascend the stairs, your eyes scanning all possible hiding spots. You know now that the mall is occupied by someone or something, and screaming is a sign that it's quite probably hostile.

You check each corner carefully, moving along the darkened halls toward the sounds that are becoming more and more intelligible. You can make barely out individual words, and they seem to be coming from the general direction of the food court. They are guttural and male, interposed with sounds of grunting and gasps. You strain your ears, but can't make out much more. It does seem to be only one male voice however.

The sign for the food court hangs from one fraying cable. It swings slowly over the scene, lending a sinister aspect to the already desecrated and defiled area. It looks like most of the tables have been smashed, thrown or generally molested. Torn clothing lies scattered about the area, you immediately notice, and it looks like it was thrown there recently. Women's clothing.

The sounds are unmistakable now: Sexual and violent and coming from the back corner of food court.