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Kristi's Crypt

•  The Mall

   ©2006  Word Count: 1.100

• Earl was looking.
  
  Wandering.
  
  Searching.
  
  Gathering strength, a barrage of mixed signals accumulated in Earl's thoughts. Soon he could only comply with the needling urgency that ate at his brain. The darkness that emanated from Earl drew the creature from its rest. After all, it had had centuries to practice its craft between hosts. Practice had grown into manipulative expertise.
  
  The creature that had merged with his mind and now controlled him, though he was unaware of the change. He felt more powerful and sure of himself. Earl's looks began to change slightly over a period of a few days.
  
  The former dull eyes took on a macabre amusement. Flashes of hate, anger, and fury shine in his eyes. The reed thin body changed into sinewy muscles that could normally only come from hard work. His physical movements remained graceless, but now seemed a little forced.
  
  Earl had never been gentle with people or animals, but now this was coupled with a tense predatory look. The expression alone could take the dignity away from even the most strongly willed opponent. Earl was suddenly enjoying his new personality, with the additional reserve of endurance and strength.
  
  It nudged Earl to do its bidding.
  
  Take one.
  
  Feed me.
  
  Earl responded instantly.
  
  Looking around the mall, he searched carefully, intently studying body language of the women who meandered into the stores. Weakness and vulnerability flashed like a beacon, calling him closer. One was approaching, walking quickly toward the escalator. The staccato beating of the thoughts pounded his brain like a low voltage stun-gun. He had to act to make it stop. Experience had taught him this lesson well.
  
  Earl put himself directly in her path, sidling up beside her quickly. She bumped into him, more stunned that someone had been so close, and she hadn't seen him. Barely even turning her head, but taking note of the stranger; black leather jacket, thick silver chain snaked to a pocket, and the dark short greasy hair.
  
  She never looked directly at him, but sensed his height. They both apologized brusquely. Not slowing her pace whatsoever as she stepped onto the escalator. The incident was already forgotten. She was just a bit early for her lunch date, and was lost in thoughts of plans for the coming weekend.
  
  The escalator hadn't moved for more than a few seconds when her skin prickled as she sensed someone just a little too closely behind her shoulder.
  
  "It was my fault," he said simply, quietly.
  
  He mumbled something a little too low for her to hear clearly. Now she did turn. He stared straight ahead, not looking directly at her. The hair was a little different than she had thought. He wore it slicked back, caught in a very short ponytail. Very pale skin, with a half moon scar on his chin. Eyes. Something odd about the eyes. She grew nervous at the implied intimacy in his stance, close enough to touch his shoulder to hers. Everyone else on the escalator had space to themselves. He stood close enough to give the impression that they were merely a couple, casually shopping the afternoon away.
  
  "No, I am sure I wasn't paying attention. Sorry," she stated nervously , assuming this would end the conversation as the escalator reached the top floor.
  
  She moved off to the left, still not giving the incident any thought. There was still about a half hour before her lunch date. As she moved past the meeting spot, she quickly glanced, wondering if he might be early. Nope. A stationery store drew her attention. A smile touched the corner of her lips, wondering what kind of trouble she could start with a nice little Halloween card for her date.
  
  She read a few cards, picking them up, flipping them open, putting them back; she felt that nervous tension, again.
  
  Someone standing MUCH too close.
  
  SHIT!
  
  Her hand stopped in mid-air, holding the last card. She stood straighter, looked directly up, waiting just a second, before turning her head to the left, meeting the scrutinizing stare of Black Leather Jacket. He was breathing just a little heavy and looked as thought he had rushed into the store and came instantly to her side in a quick halt. The silver chain swung against the bottom of the jacket, against his hip.
  
  What really unnerved her, was the look in his eyes as if he was seeking a reward for his efforts of cleverly tracking her. Both hands were in his pockets and he had one hell of a 'I found you, now whatcha gonna do?' look on his face.
  
  It wasn't a smile. The expression seriously chilled her. The eyes didn't smile, but his stance was menacing. He stood, blocking her from view of the salesclerks at the counter. The hands never left his pocket as he leaned toward her, most of his weight on his right foot. He may have even had his left elbow propped on the card display, seeming ever so casual, as if this was in no way a chance meeting.
  
  She showed no expression, either, keeping her eyes steely; not giving a hint of anything that might wrongly be construed as interest. He was scary. She didn't care for his game. It was too polished. She now knew that she was not the first person he had 'accidentally' bumped. Of that, she knew for sure.
  
  "I am meeting someone for lunch, I'm just..."
  
  The thought dissolved. What was she saying??
  
  His expression showed slight amusement, accompanied by an imperceptible nod of his head. She could almost hear his thoughts. 'Sure you are, it's me you are leaving with.'
  
  ".....waiting," she finally, nervously, finished her sentence, shoving the card back, not caring where it went.
  
  He just grunted in response, not really saying anything, but suddenly making her sound to herself as if she were not telling the truth. Again, she felt as though she read his thoughts. "Sure you are." Tossing one nervous glance over at the salesclerks, she saw that noone even noticed them. No help there.
  
  Nodding her head in a slight dismissal, she brushed past him and headed toward her meeting spot.
  
  As she walked, she kept a normal pace, fought the urge to glance over her shoulder and break into a sprint. She would call her date and have him meet her in another restaurant. Suddenly she could no longer spend another minute in that mall. The feeling was so intense, she almost felt like it would take a long hot shower to remove the creep from her thoughts.
  
  Scanning the plate glass windows for any reflection of him, she became increasingly wary, and maybe a little jumpy as she made her way to the lower parking levels. The urge to find mall security was strong. However, the need to get out was stronger. Wanting nothing more than the safety of her car and cell phone, she hit the elevator button for the parking garage.
  
  
~The End~


• Author Bio: Kristi Lynn is the author of many short stories, appearing online at Darker Images, Blood Pool, 3am Publishing, as well as several online collections. She holds Funeral Practitioner licenses in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and lives in Rochester, NY. Email: 

  Kristi Lynn