Mysterious Awakening

Miles’s gaze lingered on the empty space where the body had once been, his expression growing progressively grave.

They’ve played way too big, and now the rumored ghost haunting this mall had truly come out. But where did it disappear off to now?

The area was shrouded in a murky gloom. Although it wasn’t pitch black, the darkness was thick enough to render anyone beyond arm’s reach a mere silhouette.

At this juncture, the trio of Mr. Calm, Manager Pear, and the self-styled ghostbuster, Master Catch, had ceased questioning why the lights had flickered out. To them, they only felt their nerves being gnawed at by the creeping dread from the corpse’s disappearance.

Could it really be a ghost?

With only the soft glow of two candles flickering on the ritual table, their orange flames were the only tiny spec of light source dispelling the shadows. Unfortunately, with so many people moving around, their wavering shadows only added an extra layer of unease to the chilling atmosphere.

“We must leave at once!” Master Catch’s voice cut through the fearful silence. “Our earlier attempt angered it. If we don’t exit now, it could be disastrous!”

Convinced they were facing a real ghost, he was desperate to abandon their ghost hunt.

The swindler’s words made one of the female staff members panic. Her scream sliced through the quiet, and like dominoes, the rest began to scramble in confusion.

However, they quickly hit a wall – literally.

Both the main entrance and emergency exits were locked, effectively trapping them inside. This was a security measure as per Master Catch’s insistence.

“Where are the keys? Security, open the door immediately!” cried Mr. Calm, futilely pulling at the locked door.

“Didn’t I say it before, why on earth did you folks lock the doors? Did you seriously believe we could trap the ghost inside? Now we’re the ones locked in!” Miles retorted, his flashlight cutting through the darkness.

“In any case, young man, do you have the keys to the main entrance? Open it right away!” Mr. Calm’s voice shook with panic.

Miles shook his head in denial. “I don’t have the keys. I’ve barely started working here. Today’s only my second day, and Sister Pear is in charge of the keys. Besides, why don’t you have your ghost-catching expert here deal with it? That way we will be saved.” That said, he shifted his gaze towards the sweating Mr. Catch.

“You dare blame me for this? If it weren’t for you interrupting my ritual earlier, we wouldn’t even be in this mess. Now, that thing’s been angered, and it won’t be so easy to deal with anymore!” Master Catch flies into a rage and directly accuses Miles of the fault.

Retorting with clear disdain, Miles smirked: “And to think you’re an adult, how can you even have the face to blubber such excuses? Do you not have any clue about your own ability to catch a ghost? Just take a look at yourself, you are scared silly right now. With that cowardly face, you would be the first one to flee when the ghost returns.”

“I can’t rid us of this entity, that’s true,” Master Catch snapped, “but I can guarantee it won’t be able to harm anyone here as long as I’m around.” He then turned towards Mr. Calm, adding, “You’ll be safe under my watch. I promise you that.”

Mr. Calm gracefully nodded since he trusted the old fraudster more, “I’m counting on you then.”

“Absolutely,” Master Catch replied, brimming with unearned confidence.

Miles could only shake his head at the spectacle. Somehow, Master Catch had managed to charm Mr. Calm with his seemingly persuasive demeanor.

Suddenly, a faint sound drew his attention. Training his flashlight onto the floor, his beam landed on a horrific sight.

Beneath the light, a severed head rolled toward them.

It was Blush, the cashier whose body had vanished after her scream. Her hair was still neatly combed, a macabre detail in this gruesome spectacle.

Master Catch, trembling, sank to the ground against the wall, his pants stained with yellowish fluid. Simultaneously, Mr. Calm and Mall Manager Li could only stand with wide, horrified eyes.

The disappeared corpse had been troubling enough, but to see a once-living employee’s head was far more terrifying. It was now evident that this was no ordinary haunting.

“Is the ghost murdering people now?” Miles mused, a frown furrowing his brow. He hadn’t used his ghostly vision yet, preferring to hold back his supernatural ability unless truly necessary.

Intrigued nonetheless, he crouched down to examine Blush’s head under the harsh glare of his flashlight. “There’s no blood,” he observed, gently prodding the head. Immediately, the sickening smell of decay wafted up to his nostrils. “And it doesn’t seem fresh. It’s as if she’s been dead for days, yet the head is remarkably preserved.”

“But that’s impossible,” he muttered to himself, “she was alive just minutes ago. How could she decay so rapidly? Unless the ghost has unleashed some unknown power…”

Lost in thought, Miles tried to piece together the information. With limited evidence and having yet to witness the ghost, he could only guess at its abilities and intentions.

After a while, he rose, turning to address the trembling crowd. “There is indeed a real ghost in this mall. It has killed and might kill again. I urge you to flee as fast as you can.”

“But how can we leave when the doors are locked?” Mall Manager Li asked, panic coloring his voice. “Can you help us find Sister Pear? She has the keys.”

Miles shrugged. “This mall is enormous. For all we know, Sister Pear could be anywhere. I won’t risk looking for her. But I can tell you this: though the ground floor exit is locked, the emergency exit on the fifth floor isn’t. You could get to the roof from there and find another way down.”

“Yes, of course! I had completely forgotten about that. Thank you for reminding me,” Mall Manager Li exclaimed gratefully before darting off without another word.

“What about the rest of you? Aren’t you leaving?” Miles prompted, looking at Master Catch and Mr. Calm.

His question seemed to jolt them back to their senses, and several employees immediately sprinted after Mall Manager Li, desperate to reach the stairs to safety.

“Young man, we can’t thank you enough for your guidance,” Mr. Calm said, his voice shaky as he grasped Miles’s hand in gratitude.

“Save your thanks for later,” Miles replied, a calm exterior belying his anticipation to observe if the ghost would reveal itself during the chaos. “You should get moving and not waste any time.”

Secretly, though, Miles had a more pressing concern – the call of nature.

“Aren’t you coming with us?” Mr. Calm asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

“No, I need to visit the restroom. You all go ahead,” Miles said nonchalantly.

Mr. Calm stood dumbfounded. At such a critical moment, he was thinking about using the restroom?

Meanwhile, on the fifth floor of the mall, Ethan managed to get a clear look at the figure by the railing. It wasn’t a person, as he’d first thought, but a mannequin. In the dim light, it could have easily been mistaken for a human. Like the decaying body he’d found earlier, this mannequin too was missing its head.

“The ghost isn’t on the fifth floor,” Ethan realized, peering down the stairwell. Suddenly, the entire mall plunged into darkness, save for the two candles flickering eerily. A woman’s scream echoed from below, and the ensuing panic set people scrambling in all directions.

“A diversion?” The thought flashed across Ethan’s mind. Could a ghost be that cunning?

“Damn it.” Despite his apprehensions, Ethan steeled himself to rush down to the first floor. But then something caught his eye, sending chills down his spine.

The headless mannequin that had been standing by the railing was no longer there.

He scanned the area, but it was as if it had vanished into thin air.

Then he heard it. A soft shuffle echoing behind him.

Ethan spun around, only to be met with a shocking sight. The headless mannequin was now behind him, its arm extended as if reaching out.

“Enough of this!” With a roar, Ethan seized the mannequin’s outstretched arms.

Instantly, his hands started glowing a bright red, and an overpowering scent of blood filled the air. Blood seeped from his clenched fists, staining the mannequin and spattering onto the floor.

In response, the mannequin collapsed to the ground, its parts scattering around. The eerie silence returned.

“Is this the ghost?” Ethan muttered, eyeing the fallen mannequin pieces with suspicion.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Despite being covered in his blood, it remained an inanimate mannequin.

“This is a tricky situation,” Ethan murmured, furrowing his brows.

To his surprise, the blood splatters on the floor began to move of their own accord, creeping up his hand and slowly sinking into his skin.