Every inch of me was primed for what lay ahead. My grip on the AR 15 tightened, the cool metal reassuring against my palms. Cassidy and Kaya were a few paces behind me, their footsteps echoing in my ears over the low drone of the undead. The mall door loomed ahead, its glass shattered, a silent testament to the chaos that once ensued here.
With a push of my shoulder, the door creaked open, its protesting sound swallowed by the vast emptiness of the Core shopping mall. The sheer size of it was awe-inspiring, even in its post-apocalyptic state. The stores that once showcased mannequins dressed in the latest fashions were now empty shells, their windows broken, shards of glass glittering on the ground like fallen stars.
The bright Alberta sunlight seeped through the sunroof, casting long, slanting rays that broke through the darkness of the mall. It was a beautiful sight, a moment of serenity amidst the stark reality of our situation.
But as we stepped further inside, the reality quickly caught up. Hundreds of zombies wandered aimlessly through the mall, their moans echoing off the walls. The sight was grotesque yet oddly mesmerizing. They lurched past store windows, tripping over escalators, stumbling through glass and debris. Despite their pitiful state, there was a silent, terrifying power about them. They were the undead, the unconquerable.
Climbing the stationary escalator, I led the way to the upper floors. My heart pounded in my chest as I maneuvered through the dead, my eyes darting in every direction. The zombies, however, ignored my presence, their vacant eyes passing over me as if I were invisible.
The air was filled with a pungent smell that was a nauseating blend of decay and dust. I could feel it clinging to my skin, my clothes. Yet, I swallowed the discomfort, keeping my focus on the task at hand. Every step felt like walking on a tightrope, the danger palpable and close, yet a strange calmness enveloped me.
Behind me, Cassidy and Kaya moved in sync, their steps measured, their faces set in steely determination.
I then turned around and signaled them to climb up to the 2nd floor with me. The responded with silent nods, then like a trio of stealthy cats, we made our way to the 2nd floor.
Being on the second floor gave us an advantage, a distance from the pack of zombies mindlessly following the echo of the chair that had crashed onto the first floor. The distracting noise reverberated through the hollowed-out mall, drawing in a horde of undead. The plan was simple enough - lure them away, buy us some time, and use it wisely.
With the zombies occupied, I motioned to Kaya and Cassidy to move. I saw their heads bob in agreement, their eyes mirroring my own determination. We had one chance at this, and we needed to make it count.
Our footsteps were hushed against the tiled floor, dulled by the distant sound of the zombies scrambling below us. We split up, each of us taking a separate direction to maximize our search. It was a race against time, and we had a whole mall to ourselves.
As I entered the nearest store, I quickly scanned the surroundings. The shop was once a haven for luxury goods, its once sparkling display cases now shattered, jewels strewn carelessly around. But in this world, traditional valuables had lost their worth, replaced by items necessary for survival.
I rifled through the drawers, shelves, and every nook and cranny, keeping my eyes peeled for any useful items. Packs of batteries, electronic devices, even an unopened box of cigars - each discovery was a small victory in itself. With each valuable, my bag grew heavier, its weight reassuring against my back.
Cassidy and Kaya were doing the same. I could see Cassidy in the next store over, her nimble hands moving quickly through racks of abandoned clothes, probably looking for anything we could use as cloth or bandage. Her brow was furrowed, the seriousness of the situation evident in her every move.
Kaya was a few stores down, her silhouette visible through the dusty glass front of an electronics shop. She was meticulously going through the shelves, her experience as a sniper serving her well in our scavenger hunt.
The minutes ticked by, each second echoing in the stillness of the mall. The constant fear of the approaching horde loomed over us, the urgency pushing us forward. It was a game of stealth and speed, a dangerous dance we were now all too familiar with.
With every passing second, our bags grew heavier, filled with the spoils of our search. The danger was real, the tension thick, but we kept going, our survival instinct driving us forward. As the sun began its descent, we knew our time was running short. We needed to get out and return to the safety of Banff.
But the booty...
The booty...
Is just too good.
Q: Have you ever gotten greedy in a game?