Mall Walkers Contest |
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Death by Muzak
by S. Matthew Fullenwider
"Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus..."
Joe glared at the speaker above his head and wished (not for the first time that night) that he had a shotgun. "Lord, if you let me get out of this alive, I promise I will never last-minute shop again!" Joe let out a deep breath and stared for a minute at the baseball bat in his hands, an item that had originally been intended as a gift for his son. Clutching the bat in his hands even tighter, Joe peeked around the clothes rack he was hiding behind and looked out through entrance of the shop to the mall plaza outside.
"Right down Santa Claus Lane."
All seemed clear for now, but Joe knew from experience how quickly that could change. He got up and crept to the store entrance. The bright, cheery Christmas decorations set up in the plaza belied the waking nightmare that had taken place earlier. Where children had lined up to give Santa their lists and get their pictures taken, was now empty and silent. Joe was a little surprised at how well everything had stood up, barely even being disturbed in the chaos that had ensued.
"Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer..."
On the other side of the plaza, directly across from where he stood, Joe could see the mall's front entrance. Shattered panes of glass barely held onto the frames of doors which stood ajar, broken and twisted. These ruined doors and the bodies that littered the hallways told the true story of what had happened earlier. Looking down at the bits of gore that still clung to the end of the bat, Joe shuddered as he thought of the horrors he had witnessed and taken part in.
"Pullin' on the reins."
The sound of gunfire from somewhere further back in the mall brought Joe out of his reverie. He gave a quick prayer for whatever poor soul was still alive in this forsaken place and thanked him for the distraction. Stepping over the mutilated body of a security guard, he began to cross the plaza, quickly making his way to the mall's front doors. "If I can just make it out to the parking lot and my car, I'll be okay."
"Bells are ringin', children singin'..."
As he got closer to the candy cane fencing, fake snow and animatronic elves of Santa's Toyland, Joe could see the old fat guy still sitting in his throne. Unfortunately, Santa didn't look so jolly, as his suit was soaked with blood and it looked like something, or rather, someone had been gnawing on him. Even St. Nicholas hadn't been safe from hordes of walking dead who had besieged the mall.
"All is merry and bright"
As Joe passed the center of the plaza, he noticed a half-open bag lying near an outstretched, disembodied arm. Inside the bag was an Interactive Talking Georgie 3000, the toy that was at the top his daughter's wish list this year. Since the arm wouldn't be needing it anymore, he snatched up the bag. Patting his pocket which still contained a necklace he had nabbed from the ruined counter of a jewelry store earlier, Joe decided maybe he hadn't done so bad shopping this year after all. Just then, something grabbed his leg and bit into his calf.
"Hang your stockings and say your prayers..."
Joe screamed and turned around to see the previous owner of the bag (and arm) gleefully chewing on the back of his leg. Swinging the bat as hard as he could, it made a satisfying dull, wet thud as it connected with the zombie's head. Joe then noticed that he was no longer alone as either his scream, or perhaps the blood running down his leg, seemed to have awakened Santa and a few of the other unlucky shoppers who had so recently been lying dead on the mall floor. Joe swung the bat wildly, knocking back a few of the undead, but he was quickly surrounded and outnumbered. They overtook him, pulling him down to the ground. Just before he lost consciousness,
Joe's last thought was: "Would someone please shut off that damn music!"
"'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight!"
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