The Day Before

Dash trotted around, lifting his leg up to do whatever he had to do. I turned around, not wanting to look. I brought my gaze to the skylight roof, the moon was out in the spotlight, giving light within the mall. It gave it a dreary look, all the unused merchandise inside the mall. I heard echoing footsteps from my left and I snapped my head in that direction.

“Benji?” I squinted my eyes, the outline looked a lot like Benji and he was coming from Abercrombie & Fitch’s direction.

“Yeah.” I heard his voice say, he stepped into the moonlight, sitting down on the broken water fountain‘s ledge. I quickly made my way over to him, he was looking up at the moon with a look of confusion. I sat down as close as I dared, I got easily embarrassed, so I didn’t want to take any chances.

“Do you know what’s happening--” he cut off his sentence, his eyes looking straight past me. I looked to the back of me. Dash was standing rigidly, the back of his fur standing up, he bared his teeth at Benji, stalking slowly over to us.

I looked over at Benji, quickly standing up. He raised on curious eyebrow, pointing to Dash.

“That’s your--”

“Please, don’t tell anyone.” I blurted out before he could finish his sentence.

I waited for his answer nervously, wringing my hands together every so often. He nodded his head, slowly, still looking at Dash, almost as if maliciously.

I scooped Dash up, trying to calm him down. I was glad that he didn’t bark, because the mall was empty enough for sound to travel like lightning.

“Sorry. If Eli ever found out…” I trailed off, “Let’s just say he already hates me.” I finished off, taking a different approach. I petted Dash’s fur, he calmed down a bit and I shooed him into the water. He jumped off me without a second glance to Benji, trotting into the water like before.

“I get it, I get it.” he said with a sigh, “I promise I won’t tell, cross my heart.” he said, while making an ‘x’ with his finger where his heart was.

I nodded my head. “Thanks.”

“So, what’re you doing out here so late?” I asked him quietly.

“What’re you doing?” he repeated, extending the ‘you’ part.

I pointed to my dog, peeing all over the water, Benji looked and with an embarrassed ‘Oh’’ he looked away.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” I said a bit louder, gaining courage.

“I don’t know, I guess I couldn’t sleep. No one can, I’m pretty sure. It’s always been like this. Either one person just wanders around the mall or they’re all huddled together waiting for the morning to come.” he shrugged, looking up lazily.

“Oh.” I was about to tell Benji what I heard on the recorder when he abruptly stood up.

“Better get going then.” he called out to me, already heading back. All I saw was the back of his shirt as he made his way to Abercrombie & Fitch.

“Okay, then.” I said to nobody in particular.



I awoke to Ruth tapping on Aeropostale’s glass doors violently. I rubbed my eyes and told Dash to stay where he was, hidden from view.

I opened the door and let out a yawn. “Violet! C’mere!” Ruth instantly said, her green eyes bright with excitement. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the store. Inside the mall, the air felt stuffy and hot. I was scared that the crack in the wall was getting bigger and bigger, but Ruth’s eyes were shining with excitement.

We went to the Food Court and then to the employee bathrooms. Everyone was in there; Eli, Cove, Charlotte, and Benji.

“Took you long enough.” Eli mumbled in an annoyed tone.

I bit my lip and saw Benji shrug, waving at me. I smiled and waved back halfheartedly. That small part of me that wanted to please people was growing bigger and bigger. The more Eli hated me, the bigger the feeling got.

“Alright, so Charlotte being the plumber that she is--”

“Hey! I am not a plumber!” Charlotte yelled disbelievingly at Ruth.

Ruth smiled and kept on talking, “Well, anyway, we found this shower and she fixed it all up! So that means…!” she said with a big smile. “Shower, anyone?” Charlotte finished off for her. She turned the faucet and cold water sprang out from the showerhead. She quickly turned it off, completely satisfied with herself.

Benji smirked in response and Ruth cheered, Cove clapped his hands and Eli nodded approvingly.

“I go first!” Ruth called out, quickly shoving us out of the bathroom.

“Huh, who knew that my uncle’s skills would come in handy someday?” Charlotte said, gripping a silver wrench in one of her gloved hands.

I smiled at her, listening to her outrageous tales about Take Your Child To Work Day, which she actually went to. Eli looked out of it, so I didn't really think twice about him being with us.

“…Sometimes I would skip and sometimes I wouldn’t.” she shrugged her shoulders, finishing off her story.

“Charlotte, Cove needs your help.” Benji said quietly, pointing towards where JCPenny’s was.

“Oh, okay then.” she got up and excused herself, following Benji’s trail.

And now I was left all alone with Eli.