I barely noticed the stares as I walked through the mall, only focused on finding a new shirt.
The shirt stuck to my back making me feel goddamn uncomfortable.
To make matters worse it makes some weird squishy sound as I walked.
"Hi welcome to…"
The receptionist raised an eyebrow as I walked through, her eyebrows raised, her eyes raking down my body.
I gave her a soft smile before making my way down the aisle.
After a few minutes of browsing, I spotted a white chiffon top on the top rack, simple and fitted. Just what I'd usually wear.
I reached up, finally grabbing it off the hanger, but as I looked it over, I realized I didn't like it as much as I thought. Too plain. I tossed it back and kept searching, ready to grab the next thing that caught my eye.
That's when I felt it, a faint, barely noticeable tremor under my feet. I frowned, looking around, but no one seemed alarmed. Just my imagination, probably. But then the floor shook harder, and this time I gripped a nearby rack to steady myself.
My phone blared a sharp alarm. The sound jolted me, and I pulled it out, squinting at the screen. One word flashed up in bold letters.
Earthquake.
Holy shit.
The realization hit me hard. Today's date... I knew it was familiar for a reason. Not here.
I had heard of the issue from the office because Jason…Jason was among the people who survived.
Oh my God.
I turned to run, my heart pounding, but just as I took my first step, something heavy fell from above, a metal beam or some display piece, slamming down on my ankle. I crumpled to the floor, pain radiating up my leg.
"Oh, shit," I hissed, trying to pull my leg free. But the weight was too much, and my ankle throbbed sharply with every movement.
The tremors were getting worse. The floor rumbled beneath me, the ceiling lights swaying and flickering. I tugged at my ankle again, gritting my teeth.
Come on, come on!
I can't die again. Please.
But then I froze. I looked up, and there, through the chaos and falling debris, I saw him.
Jason.
"Jason!" I called, my voice strained, desperate.
He turned sharply, seeing me on the ground, his eyes flashed with fear.
"Fuck."
Jason's eyes locked onto mine, and in two long strides, he was at my side, crouching low to assess the situation. His jaw clenched as he took in the mess of metal around my ankle.
"Seriously, you couldn't just shop in peace for once?"
"Glad to see you're sticking to sarcasm in a crisis," I shot back, forcing a grin through the pain. "But if you could also try being helpful, that'd be swell."
Jason reached for the metal, testing its weight. His fingers wrapped around the edge, and he heaved, but it didn't budge. "Yeah, about that. You ever consider skipping leg day?"
"Jason!" I winced, feeling the pressure shift in the wrong direction. "Is this really the time?"
"This is how I deal with stress. Regardless, I've got this," he said, tightening his grip on the metal. "Just… hold on to something."
I bit my lip, hands latching onto the clothing rack behind me. The ground shifted again, another rumble passing beneath us like a warning. My heart pounded. Jason's hand was inches from my leg, his knuckles white as he tried again.
"I'm holding on—barely." I sucked in a breath. "I'd rather be holding on to my leg."
"Quit complaining. It's not that bad," he muttered, still wrestling with the metal. "Looks like you're just having a… rough day, alright?"
"Oh yeah? Then come down here and try it for yourself," I shot back, wincing as he adjusted the metal again.
Jason's fingers brushed against my skin, just once, barely there, but the jolt of it traveled through me.
And he must have noticed because his eyes flicked up to mine, narrowing in that way he had, like he was reading my mind.
"Hold still, will you?" His tone softened, almost a whisper, like it wasn't just the collapsing building and metal between us.
But then, in one last heave, he finally lifted the beam just enough to slip my leg free. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the flash of pain as I crawled out from under it. The second I was clear, Jason let go, and the metal crashed back to the floor with a deafening clang.
"Alright, up you go," he said, hooking an arm around my waist to help me up. I leaned against him, my leg pulsing with every step, but I wasn't about to complain.
We took two wobbly steps before I felt it, the next tremor, more violent this time. The floor beneath us rippled like an angry sea, and I stumbled, clutching onto Jason tighter.
"Whoa, easy there," he muttered, steadying me as best he could. "What did I tell you about leg day?"
"Shut up. You're not exactly graceful, either," I retorted, trying to hide the panic seeping into my voice. The lights flickered overhead, swinging wildly, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
He scanned the room quickly. "We need to get out, fast. You think you can walk?"
"I don't have a choice, do I?"
"Not if you want to keep that leg intact." He adjusted his grip, holding me up even as the ground swayed beneath us. "Alright, follow my lead."
"Since when do you give orders?"
"Since your ankle turned into a balloon." He shot me a quick, crooked grin. "Now move. Unless you're into dying today."
I scowled but let him steer me down the aisle. The tremors were worse now, shaking everything in sight. I limped beside him, my fingers digging into his arm, my heartbeat racing as he led us toward what looked like a service exit.
"Think you can keep up?" he asked, glancing down at my leg. "You're not about to turn into dead weight, right?"
"Oh, I'd hate to be an inconvenience," I snapped, feeling the sting of pain with each step. "But sure, let's blame the injured girl for not sprinting."
"You're good at keeping up with my sarcasm. Just need the rest of you to keep up," he said with a smirk.
I managed a weak laugh. "If we survive this, remind me to punch you."
He tightened his hold, glancing around. "Looking forward to it."
Just then, the ground shook harder, sending us both stumbling forward. Jason braced us, wrapping an arm around me as a display crashed to the floor behind us, splintering into pieces.
"Looks like this mall isn't interested in staying together either," he muttered, pulling me along as he picked up speed.
My ankle throbbed, but the thought of staying in that crumbling building was worse. "Yeah, tell me about it. I thought malls were supposed to be safe."
He scoffed. "You live dangerously enough as it is. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get my attention."
"Oh, please," I said, shoving at him with my good foot. "You think I arranged for an earthquake just to have a moment with you?"
Jason chuckled, but his eyes stayed sharp, scanning the wreckage around us. "Alright, alright. Though I have to admit, you do have impeccable timing."
I rolled my eyes. "Glad you're enjoying yourself."
The exit door loomed ahead, but just as we reached it, a massive shudder rocked the building, sending a shelf of products crashing down in front of us. Jason halted, his hand flying up to shield me.
"Damn it. We'll have to go around." He turned us back, scanning for another way.
"We're running out of options here," I muttered, fighting the rising panic.
"Don't worry, I'll get us out," he said, his tone fierce. "But you owe me for this one."
"Owe you?" I laughed despite myself, the sound thin and shaky. "Pretty sure saving my life cancels out all previous debts."
"Oh, so we're keeping score now, huh?" He nudged me forward, but there was an edge in his gaze. "We'll see about that. Just keep moving."
The rumbling grew worse, and the lights flickered again, dimming to a sickly yellow glow. Shadows danced around us, and Jason's hand tightened around mine.
I squeezed back. "Just… don't let go, alright?"
"Wasn't planning on it," he replied, his voice softer this time. Then, almost like an afterthought, he added, "I'd rather not lose my favorite pain in the ass."
I laughed, feeling a flicker of warmth cut through the fear. "Ditto, Jason."
But before I could say anything else, the ceiling groaned, a low, ominous sound, and then a series of crashes thundered around us.
A row of lights shattered just above, sparking as they fell, sending shards scattering across the floor. In a single, instinctive motion, Jason yanked me sideways, pulling me out of the direct line of falling debris.
He pushed me to the ground covering me from danger.
I closed my eyes tight, bringing my arms around him, holding him tight.
This got to be it. The moment of my second death.