Scanning the long corridors of the mall to the left and right, you note the continued destruction that seems to be a common theme. Many of the stores are looted, and as you move along the pathways, you spy a certain trend. Electronics stores seem to be the heaviest hit, followed by film and video stores. It seems that the higher the price tags, the more damage seems to have been done.
You pass a sporting goods store, and notice that the damage here seems to be a bit more recent, and concentrated on the hunting and camping sections. Not good, you reflect, imagining a hundred versions of the maniac you killed, all armed with guns. The thought sends chills up your spine, but you quickly suppress the thought as you look through the remains of the store.
With a little digging through piles of detrius, you manage to come up with a box of nine millimeter rounds that was overlooked. You smile grimly as you slide the box into a pocket after replacing the few shots you've already expended. You don't like to think that you'll have to use them, but it's better to be safe.
You spend some time scouring the rest of the store, finding a few things that you think would be a good idea. A nice pair of boots that fit perfectly is one of your choices, since you don't know when you'll be able to drive again. A nice pack that doesn't impair your movement much is another selection, followed by a camping stove and several bottles of gas. You've been sick to death of eating cold food since the power went out. You just hope the darn thing is still under warranty.
As you finish with the store, the sound of someone clearing his throat attracts your attention. At the front of the store, blocking your path to the exit is a large man. His eyes are roaming over your body, and his mouth is formed into a rather unpleasant smile. He isn't the most attractive of men, reminding you of a characture of a mafia hit-man.
"Hey there," he grins, looking at you again. His gaze sends shivers up your spine. You place a hand in your pocket, grasping the gun. Your thumb finds the safety, and you click it softly off.
"Hi." you say, watching his every move.
"You look kinda lost in my mall." He grins at you, and brings a hand from around behind him. In it he holds a pair of handcuffs. "The name's Officer Eddie. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you in."
"Excuse me?" you reply. The first human you've seen in three or four days, and he just had to be an asshole.
"Gonna have to run you in to the station," he smiles again, taking a step forward. "Don't you know looting is forbidden by law?"
"Then let's see some ID." you reply.
"I left it back at the station today. Look, don't make this difficult." He takes another step forward, closing the distance between you to about twenty feet. His eyes are roaming over your body, and you think that you know what he has in mind. "What's your name anyway?"
"Uhm, , ." You reply while rapidly thinking about your few options.
The question is, should you just try to talk your way out of this, or just let him have it? |