The Right Choice

Michael had always felt that he was a loner and he never spent time with his friends or family. His schoolwork always kept him away. While he was in class, he got a call that an old friend wanted to meet for lunch. Confused since he has not heard form this friend in years, he was rather interested in seeing them. That was not the only curious detail. His friend wanted to meet in an old mall that Michael had thought was closed. Regardless, he decided to go and see this friend.

In an attempt to make it on time, he goes early to avoid missing his friend, and is glad that the parking lot is virtually deserted. It seemed that only the employees were here. He was relieved but relief turned to confusion when he entered and found the mall in such a rundown condition. There was plaster that had fallen off the walls, mold from what seemed years of neglect. The fountain was overrun with weeds. Michael was going to turn and leave when he heard a noise. Perhaps the mall was not neglected just vandalized the night before. He decides to explore the mall in search of the sound.

He walked and noticed that the mall had not been vandalized but abandoned. He figured that the noise was probably a bum using the mall for shelter. He turned to leave only to find the doors boarded up and maroon paint drying on the wall. The paint read: "Those who fell into the dark welcome their new sacrifice".
Michael heard a laugh followed by a scream. The scream was barely audible but he could tell it was human and in pain. He could not be certain but he thought that it was trying to say something, but he couldn’t tell what. He wanted out but there was no way he could get out through here.

He went down the hall and noticed that the record store was open. That is to say that the doors were ripped from their hinges. Inside there were no records of any kind in there. Instead, there were books. Michael turned to leave when he noticed a tape on the counter. He picked it up and searched for a place to play it. Nothing. He wanted to know what was on that tape since on the label it had the name James Need, a person that disappeared a few weeks ago. On the other side had his name. His friend has always been a practical joker but he didn’t think that she was involved. However, he had a hunch; if the music store has books then the bookstore should have music. He ran to the bookstore and found the doors locked.
On the door was a sign, “Gone fishin’, have a beer, hope no more for Death is here”.

The doors of the bookstore had a padlock, and instead of numbers there were symbols. They were: a bright star, a girl holding a mug, a fish, and the last was the girl but the mug was now her head. It appeared to be some sort of combination so Michael put in fish, live girl, star, and dead girl. That was when he heard a scream that froze his blood. It was a mix of pain, fear, and sorrow. He grabbed the note and turned it around. It said, “This is the way our guests come to stay.”

Disgusted, he noticed a store’s lights were on. He headed toward it and noticed the gift shop. He saw a sign inside that read “Open” and underneath there was a picture of a girl holding a mug. He couldn’t see what was next it since a coat was hanging on it. He figured it was the combination to the bookstore, so he tried to get in. It too was locked but the lock was flimsy and he was able to force it open. With a resounding crack he forced the lock open and heard a soft raspy chuckle. He walked into the store and the smell of something had died nearly overwhelmed him.

He staggered but kept walking towards the sign. He figured that someone or something was trying to slow him down. The sign was: Living girl, fish, dead girl, and the star. He then ran back to the bookstore and put the combination in. The lock open with a sigh and he opened the doors.

When he entered his hunch paid off. Inside were the contents of the music store. He found a tape deck and inserted the tape with some headphones. He checked his side first and there was nothing on it. He then tried the James Need side. Rather than playing on the headphones, the tape played on the stores P.A. system. It was someone screaming in agony. There was also someone chanting the name “James Need fell, James Need Rose, James Need fled and now James is dead”. The sounds of various chains being pulled and bones broken and a bizarre song were sickening to hear. Michael tried to stop the tape but it kept on playing. Not even throwing it into a wall and removing the tape helped. He left the store in an attempt to get away and noticed that there was an open door leading out of the mall. Not knowing what was going on and not caring he ran toward the light.

It was at this time when paranoia saved his life. He tried to slow down slipped and fell down two feet from the exit. When he got up the section of the roof fell right on the spot where he was standing. This was starting to seem as though he was never going to leave. He searched and decided to return to wall with the maroon paint. When he got closer, he realized that it was blood.

Pangs of panic were beginning to take over. He started look franticly around the mall. Since he had already searched the west end of the mall he headed east. He was nearing a nervous breakdown when he noticed there were two hallways going in opposite directions. If he wasn't so freaked out he would found the signs on them rather funny. To his right read: The "Right" Choice. To his left: The "Left" Choice.
The right hallway was a long hallway that appeared to end with an emergency exit. The left had darkness. When he looked back toward his other option he saw the bright sunlight and the parking lot. When he tried to run a sharp pain hit his shoulder. A harpoon-like hook burst through his shoulder and started dragging him into the darkness. All he could do was scream and struggle until he passed out from exhaustion and pain.

When he came to, he was in a mix of an operating room and a butcher shop. He was strapped on a table and the only thing that was helping him know that this was not a dream was a weird song that was playing as well as the throbbing pain from his shoulder. The song sounded as though someone took their fists and pounded on a piano but in a rhythm. Then it struck him where he heard this song before. He started struggling and saw a tape recorder and he knew his death was going to be recorded. That was when the chains tighten and broke his right arm. His screams and pleas for mercy had to have brought a smile to his unknown torturers' faces. His insults seemed to anger them as the chains grew tighter and forced the bone through flesh.

Through his tears, he saw a young girl enter the mall where he entered. When he got a closer look he saw that it was his friend. He screamed at her to leave, but it was drowned out by his cries of pain. It was at this time a voice said, "we must hurry and finish this one and move on to her". A second voice agreed and the chains were tightened as tight they could handle. His ribs, right leg, and his spine were shattered. He prayed for death and he got his wish. His mouth was forced open and a swarm of insects was poured in. These insects started devouring his body from the inside out and on top of the pain of being eaten alive, the bugs' excrement was a powerful acid that burned through his body. The last thing he heard before he died was that the girl had found the tape of his death.
The sacrifice continued.