Mall of Vetis

Parker had just got back from her lunch break when Frank ran by with Tarra.

“You have to hide inside of the mall this time!” Frank said to her, as Tarra chuckled behind her hand. “Yes, I‘m talking to you Parker.”

“Whatever, you guys are just mad that I didn‘t get found for three days.”

“You hid at your house, that doesn‘t count.” Tarra called from behind Frank’s back.

“Sore losers,” Frank rolled his eyes at Parker’s comment, and started to run away. Parker stuck out her foot, and sent Frank sprawling. Tarra looked up at her from the ground with a hurt expression, as Parker giggled.

“I was on his shoulder!”

“You think its okay though, because I love you.” Parker laughed kissing her on the cheek, and watched the two stalked off to tell everyone else about the game. She turned to put down her bag when she remembered that Zack had been sick for the past week.

Parker spent the next few minutes standing at the doors of Macy’s, with her arms crossed over her chest, and her hip cocked out. At that moment her bitchface could give Spencer a run for his money. She was glaring at her co-workers as they ran past her to find hiding places. She was thinking of ways to torture Frank when Ray walked by. Going against his better judgment, he decided to see why she looked so angry.

“Do you plan to be the first one caught?” Ray asked, and glanced over his shoulder at the different employees running throughout the mall. “Usually your running around, and choking people to death to get a good spot.”

“Zack‘s not here! He‘s always my partner when we play hide, and seek.” Parker pouted, staring up at him through her eyelashes. “And I didn’t choke Johnny for that spot, he was trying to steal it from me.”

“You were standing on his neck when Heaven found you.”

Parker rolled her eyes, shrugging him off. “I’m serious though, who‘s going to give me piggy back rides, or hug me, or let me sit in their lap? I‘ve gone a week without him already!”

“Technically, Zack never let you do those things. You forced yourself on him.”

“Like technicality matters these days.” Parker snorted, then her face quickly changed to a shit eating grin as she attached herself to Ray’s arm. “You‘ll be my partner for today!”

“Sure.” He replied eying the way her fingernails were digging into his forearm. She dragged him to the store no one ever went into. The survival store; only douchebags, and rednecks ever went into that store. It was also owned by an ex-General, which made the store even less appealing for most employees of the mall. When they walked in, General Mrotek was passed out behind the counter.

“Is he okay?” Ray asked, staring at him to see if he was breathing. Parker shrugged her shoulders.

“That‘s where we‘ll be hiding.” Parker grinned over at Ray, pointing to the display tent in the back of the store. She honestly just wanted to pretend that she was in the woods, and there was a serial killer out to get them. It was all for her own amusement, of course.

About twenty minutes into the game, Parker, and Ray heard footsteps near their tent. Parker brought her finger to her lips as she unzipped one of the door slightly, and peeked out. Gerard was sneaking around the store, she grinned, and reached into the tent and grabbed the first thing that touched her hand. Which happened to be a heavy solar energy lantern.

“What are you doing?” Ray whispered, as she threw the object at his head.

She chuckled to herself, as Gerard crumpled to the floor. Ray’s mouth dropped as he stared between Parker, and Gerard’s body. The two crawled out of the tent to where Gerard was lying.

“Great, you just killed him. Now I‘m going to have to find someone else for the store.” Ray said looking down at his co-worker.

“Oh, silly. I did no such thing.” Parker snorted, dragging him back to the tent, and started to tie him up.

“Where did you get that rope?” Ray asked as Parker finished the knot by Gerard’s hands.

“Why do you think I picked the survival store to hide in?” She replied, rolling her eyes.

“I‘m getting a little hungry.” Ray muttered, rubbing his stomach, with a slight pout.

“Well by the looks of things, I highly doubt we going to get caught soon.” Parker said, pulling a white bandana out of her pocket, and tying it around her forehead. “I‘ll go find us some chow.”

“Where are you getting all this random shit?” Ray asked bewildered, pointing at the bandana. Parker just grinned, and crawled out of the tent.

-------

Parker was pleased with the fact she made it Picasso Pizza without running into anyone. As she was grabbing different slices of pizza, she heard a weird scraping sound, but decided not to pay attention. One of the bottom cabinet in the island began to slowly open. Parker froze, staring at the island with wide eyes.

“Do you got any cheese?” Joe asked, poking his head from behind the cabinet door. Parker sighed in relief. “Mine‘s all gone.”

“Do I look like the fucking cheese fairy coming to town to bring the damn cheer?” She whispered angrily, looking over the counter. She couldn’t see anyone but Brendon walking by, but she wasn’t honestly worried about him. He always lost the game.

“There is a cheese fairy?” Joe asked, his eyebrows pulling close together like he was thinking really hard about what she just said. “That‘s amazing.”

“Dear god,” She muttered, closing her eyes, and shaking her head. She loved Joe, but some of the things he said drove her crazy. “I have to go, Joe. Good luck on not getting caught.”

“May the force be with you.” Joe saluted her as she left, before shutting the cabinet once more.

Parker had to make one more errand before she went back to the ‘campsite’.

-------

Brendon was the second person to get caught. He didn’t really care that he never won though. What really made him mad was the fact that no one believed he could find anyone. The second he got caught, they had him get in line, and let everyone else find the one who were left. Not this time though, Brendon decided that he was going to find someone this time. Even is this meant he had to sink to new lows.

After a few minutes of searching through Macy’s, and coming out dry. He resorted to breaking out his secret weapon.

“Olly olly oxen free!”

A small chuckle came out from one of the clothes racks, followed by Heaven. She had been in there way too long, and was getting a leg cramp.

“Haha, I caught you!” He laughed, pointing at her. Heaven’s mouth dropped.

“What the fuck?!” She yelled, stomping her foot. “That‘s not how it works! You cheated!”

“No, I used it the smart way; being smart isn’t cheating.”

“Shut the hell up Brendon! People are trying to hide.” Parker yelled, and chucked a piece of pizza at his head. She crossed her arms, glaring at him. “You cheated. Quit being an asshole about it.”

“I totally caught her.” Brendon gaped at her as he wiped sauce from his hair. “And you‘re not hiding, so I caught you too.”

“You couldn‘t catch shit if it fell out of your ass.” She snorted, grabbing her bag, and ran from the store.

“I don‘t think I ever want to do that.” He said looking puzzled. Heaven shrugged, deciding to take pity on him. She followed him even though he didn’t really find her.

-------

Two hours after the closing of the mall, the group still walked throughout the mall.

“I don‘t think we‘re going to find them.” Adam said in defeat, looking at his friends. “This is Parker we’re talking about, more then likely if we did get close to finding her, she would end up killing us before we even see her.”

Tarra, and Heaven giggled, looking over at Johnny. He glared back at them.

“I‘m going home.” Vicky-T grumbled, walking away from the group. Soon after she left, they all started to leave, one by one. Brendon left talking to Nell about the fact that he ‘caught’ Parker, who ran away because she was a dirty cheater. Nell flashed Heaven a knowing smile as she shook her head at Brendon‘s complaints.

“Come on, lets go,” Tarra told a pouting Ryland, and dragged him out the door. “She‘ll pop up soon enough. She always does.”

-------

When Heaven walked into Macy’s the next day, two things were off. One, Parker was still missing, and Two, General Mrotek was standing stiffly next to her office door.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” She asked, with a fake smile.

“I believe I have something of yours.” He muttered sternly, glaring down at her. Heaven stared after him as he swiftly turned, and walked away. Heaven closed her eyes, mentally cursing him as she followed. He lead her to a tent in the back of his store, and motioned for her to open it.

She could hear a loud snoring as she unzipped the tent’s door. There was Parker, Gerard, and Ray cuddled together. They were all in their underwear with weird markings all over their bodies. Heaven had a feeling Parker was to blame for that. She chuckled to herself as she poked them. Parker mumbled something about Rambo in her sleep before turning over.

“I want them out of the store. Now,” General Mrotek growled, pointing to a large man who was wearing overalls, shirtless. “It‘s disturbing the customers.”

“I think Cooter over there is the only one doing the disturbing.” Heaven mumbled to herself.

“Hey! Get up! Now!” she yelled, clapping her hands by their heads, “Cooter wants you to leave.”

“Tell Cooter to go fuck himself.” Gerard grumbled groggily, Parker giggled as best as she could for basically still being asleep.

“Wait…Who found Beckett?” Parker asked, peaking over Gerard’s shoulder with a sleepy smile. “I saw him when I was finding food. He looked so weird.”

“Nicole found him.”

“Yes!”

-------

Later that day Heaven told Parker that Zack was finally back from being sick, but not to bother him because he still wasn’t very well. Parker just laughed, and ran from the store. Heaven grinned at a job well done. She felt Zack should be punished for not being around for the game. It was always easy to find Parker when Zack played, because she would never shut up when the guy was near.

“Ray, was my partner yesterday. He let me rub his head even though he’s not bald like you.” Parker said jumping onto the information desk. She crawled across it to where he was, with a huge grin on her face.

Zack made a face to her last comment. He wasn’t bald, Zack thought to himself, he just cut his hair really really short.

“And Gerard drew tribal shit on us too.” She said, pulling up her sleeve. “It was awesome.”

“Why is this important to me?” Zack asked looking up from his video game.

“He’s my new teddy bear, that’s why!” She shouted in his face. They both stared at each other until Zach started to laugh. Parker pouted, and climbed off the desk to go back to work. “Thanks for being sick when I needed you, asshole!”