The morning passed quietly after breakfast. Most of the kids were still waking up, and some of the adults were already making plans.

"We're going to IKEA," Mr. Sanders said, adjusting the strap on his bag. "Need to grab furniture and supplies for the rooms."

Rodney nodded, already lacing up his boots. "They said it's still mostly intact—just dusty. But we'll have to go through the second-floor corridor, past the water exhibit. Keep your weapons ready."

"I want to go too," I blurted out, stepping forward. "I can help."

"You're too young," Rodney said firmly. "It could be dangerous."

"And you're a little girl," one of the older men muttered. "We can't risk you getting hurt."

I clenched my fists. The words stung. I wasn't just a girl. I wasn't just a kid. But no one was listening.

Jill noticed my face and nudged me gently. "Let it go. We'll find something better to do."

I watched them leave, frustration burning behind my eyes.

Once they were gone, Jill, Madison, Hunter, and I decided to explore the mall. It was still quiet in this part of the building, except for the occasional echo of laughter or muffled voices behind store gates.

We wandered past old shops repurposed as living quarters and eventually came across a large electronics store with a glowing blue sign above the glass doors.

ZYNTEK TECH + ENTERTAINMENT

"Zyntek?" Hunter squinted. "Never heard of it."

"It's probably the Best Buy of the future," Jill shrugged.

"Looks fancy," I said, already walking toward the door.

Inside, the place was massive—rows of sleek devices lined the walls. Screens played looping holograms of ads. Everything was dim but powered. One corner had a section labeled 'Retro Gaming + Archives' and another marked 'Media Stations – Offline Use Available.'

"I wonder if we can get online from here," I whispered, rushing over to one of the computers.

A few terminals were unlocked. I booted one up, crossing my fingers. The interface flickered to life.

Zyntek's system was weird—sleek, but clunky somehow. Took me a minute to figure out how to navigate it. Jill watched over my shoulder as I typed in the Minecraft server info again.

The loading circle spun. Spun again. Froze.

"Come on..." I muttered.

After what felt like forever, the server list popped up.

js420 – Online

I gasped.

"She's on!" I shouted. "My sister's online!"

The others gathered around. I quickly logged into my account—NatTheKing—and joined the server.

It loaded slowly, just like last time.

Finally, I spawned in. Same world. Same builds.

I pressed Tab.

[NatTheKing]: Jennifer???

No reply.

I ran to our usual meeting spot on the server—a huge quartz bridge we built together before the world went to hell. I waited.

"Maybe she's AFK?" Jill offered.

I typed again.

[NatTheKing]: It's me! Please say something. Please be there...

Still nothing.

But then—

[js420]: ???

[js420]: Nat?

My chest tightened.

[NatTheKing]: YES! I'm alive! Are you okay??

[js420]: Where are you??

"Guys, it's her," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes.

Before I could type another word, the screen glitched.

The server kicked me out.

Connection Lost: Timeout Error

"No!" I screamed, hitting the desk.

I tried to rejoin, but it wouldn't load. The Wi-Fi was gone. Dead again.

Madison rubbed my back. "At least you know she's alive."

"She doesn't know I am," I whispered.

I stared at the screen, heart pounding. I wasn't giving up—not yet.

I didn't move. I just sat there staring, hoping the server would magically come back. It didn't.

"She was there..." I mumbled.

Jill put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll find her again. At least now you know she's alive."

"I just wish I could've said more." My voice cracked.

Hunter kicked a loose bit of plastic on the floor. "Well, moping here won't fix anything. Let's go do something."

"Like what?" I said flatly.

Madison pointed toward the upper floor. "Didn't Jamie say there's an amusement park in the middle of the mall?"

That perked me up a little.

Jill smiled. "Yeah, I think it's called... Ice Village?"

"Oh right!" I stood, brushing off my jeans. "Jamie said it used to be called Knott's Camp Snoopy. Then just Camp Snoopy. Then something boring like The Park at MOA. Then Nickelodeon Universe. And a bunch of other names before they finally gave up and called it Ice Village."

"Ice Village sounds cooler than Nickelodeon Universe," Hunter said, making a face.

"They had Spongebob," Jill reminded him.

"Spongebob's been dead since the 2090s," Madison added with a smirk.

We left Zyntek and made our way toward the center of the mall. As we walked, the ceiling grew higher, and the air colder. A soft hum of generators echoed around us, mixed with the occasional squeal of machinery.

Then we saw it.

The old amusement park still had remnants of every version it had ever been: faded signs with snowflakes over chipped green logos, rusted roller coaster tracks, cartoon murals on the walls half-covered by ice-themed banners. A huge sign arched overhead:

WELCOME TO ICE VILLAGE

Below it stood a small gate—open, with a flickering 'operational' light.

We stepped inside.

I gasped. It was beautiful in its own weird, broken-down way. Fake snow blanketed parts of the ground. Giant frosty trees lined the walking paths. Some animatronic snowmen still moved, albeit slowly and creakily.

And in the middle of it all was a roller coaster.

Its white-and-blue track twisted above us like a frozen ribbon. A single coaster car sat at the base, looking lonely but intact.

"No way," Hunter grinned. "It actually works?"

"Power must still be routed here," I said. "Like the electronics store."

Madison tilted her head. "Is it safe though?"

"Nope," Hunter said, climbing into the car. "Which is exactly why we should do it."

Jill and I exchanged looks, then ran to join him.

"I am so going to regret this," Madison muttered, but she climbed in too.

There were just enough seats for the four of us. I buckled myself in and took a deep breath.

"Ready?" Hunter said, hands on the lever.

"No," I squeaked.

"Too late!"

He pulled the lever, and with a mechanical groan, the ride jolted to life.

The car clicked slowly up the first incline. We all leaned back, hearts pounding.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Jill laughed, holding my hand.

The top of the track crested into view. The entire mall stretched out before us—the rooftops of old rides, the frost-covered rails, the skylights above.

And then—

WHOOOOOSH!

We plummeted down the first hill, screaming our lungs out.

Twists. Turns. One loop. I thought I was going to puke and laugh at the same time.

And then, just as fast as it started, the ride screeched to a stop.

We sat there breathless.

"That..." I gasped. "Was awesome."

"Let's go again," Hunter said.

We did.

We were still laughing and catching our breath when we heard footsteps—fast ones—pounding across the tile.

Someone was running into Ice Village.

A teen boy burst through the entry arch, panting hard. He was around Jamie's age, maybe older, and his jacket was torn and splattered with dirt—or blood.

"Jamie!" he shouted, stumbling forward.

Jamie appeared from behind a nearby kiosk, her face already serious. "What happened?"

The boy clutched his side and looked around at all of us, wide-eyed. "We were attacked... inside IKEA."

That sobered everyone fast.

"Attacked by what?" Jamie asked, stepping closer.

"Not a Rottie," he said, shaking his head. "People. A small group. Three or four of them. They've been living in the back corridors—somewhere past the garden section. They must've been hiding there for days."

My stomach twisted. We had just been goofing off, riding roller coasters, and now—this.

"Are they armed?" Jamie pressed.

"One of them had a gun. The others had knives. They jumped us when we tried to grab some of the carts. Said we were trespassing. One of them—an older guy—kept saying this was their turf now."

"Did they hurt anyone?" Hunter asked.

The boy nodded. "Rodney's hurt. Not bad, I don't think, but they hit him with something. Mr. Sanders is trying to get him out now."

Jamie turned to one of the guards standing near the security booth. "Get backup. Quietly. No sirens. I want four of our best, and someone check the east cameras. I want to know how they got in and how long they've been there."

"Yes, ma'am," the guard said and took off.

Jamie turned back to the boy. "Thank you, Evan. Go see Joslyn and have her check your injuries."

He nodded and jogged off, limping slightly.

I looked at Jill, then at Hunter.

"So much for a peaceful supply run," I said.

"Guess that means the fun part of today is over," Madison added.

"Not quite," Jamie said, turning back toward us. "You four—get back to your rooms and lock up tight. I don't know if these people are going to stay in IKEA or start exploring the rest of the mall. Either way... we're locking things down tonight."

The air felt colder now than it had when we arrived.

We didn't argue. We left Ice Village quickly, our laughter gone, replaced by silence and the heavy weight of uncertainty.

The corridors leading to IKEA were dim and quiet, lit only by flickering emergency strips along the walls. Jamie moved fast, her boots echoing against the floor. Four guards followed her—two with rifles, two with high-powered stun batons. Every one of them looked alert. Tense.

But none more so than the figure beside her.

The Night Stalker.

It padded silently at Jamie's side, its dark fur seeming to shimmer like oil in the light. Its six muscular legs moved in sync, and its tentacles curled and flexed behind its shoulders like they had minds of their own. It barely made a sound—except for the low growl vibrating from its throat.

Jamie reached the edge of the IKEA entrance and stopped, raising a hand.

"They're back near the warehouse area," whispered one of the guards. "Thermal scans show movement near the exit doors—but we only see three heat signatures."

"Could be a fourth in hiding," Jamie said. "Let's keep it tight."

The Night Stalker suddenly stiffened, its tentacles flaring.

Jamie crouched beside it. "You smell them, girl?"

The creature hissed low.

And then—it took off.

It moved like lightning, barreling through the entrance, leaping over carts and shattered shelving. The guards scrambled after it.

They heard the intruders before they saw them.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Gunfire erupted.

The Night Stalker didn't stop. One of the intruders fired straight into its chest. The creature reeled back—just slightly—before righting itself and pouncing. Claws raked across the floor as it charged.

Blood splattered across the concrete as it slashed at one of the men—sending him flying across a stack of bedding displays.

Another attacker screamed, slashing with a machete. The blade sank into the Night Stalker's side—deep.

The creature shrieked.

But it didn't fall.

The wound... started closing. Right in front of them.

Skin knitted together. Muscle realigned. Within seconds, the slash was gone—leaving only a streak of blood and the horror on the attacker's face.

"What is that thing?" someone shouted.

Jamie arrived behind the chaos, gun drawn.

"You're on our turf," she shouted. "Surrender now."

One of the attackers—older, wild-eyed, clutching a rifle—spat on the ground. "We were here first!"

He raised the rifle toward Jamie.

The Night Stalker roared and launched forward.

A tentacle wrapped around the man's weapon and yanked it from his grip. Another curled around his legs and slammed him flat on his back.

"Next time," Jamie said coldly, "I let her finish the job."

The others surrendered quickly after that.

The guards rounded them up, zip-tying their wrists and dragging them to a holding area deeper in the mall.

The Night Stalker returned to Jamie's side, its body still damp from the gunshot—but perfectly healed.

She stroked its fur. "Good girl."

We were almost back at our room when we heard the noise—heavy boots on tile, low murmurs, and something else. Something... wet.

Hunter pulled me to the side, and we ducked behind the corner near the escalators. Jill and Madison followed, crouching close.

That's when we saw them.

Jamie walked at the front of the group, calm and unshaken. Her eyes locked forward like nothing surprised her anymore. The guards followed behind her, dragging three beaten, bloodied men. One limped, one had a black eye swollen shut, and the third was completely silent—like he was somewhere else entirely.

But it wasn't the men that stopped my breath.

It was her.

The Night Stalker.

She padded just behind Jamie, her inky-black body still slick with blood—some of it hers, most of it not. Her side still shimmered faintly from a wound that had clearly already healed. I watched in awe as the last traces of a deep slash faded into smooth, dark fur like it had never happened.

"What is that thing?" Madison whispered, wide-eyed.

"A miracle," Hunter whispered back.

We kept low, staying out of sight, but I couldn't look away. The way it moved was almost unnatural. Silent. Fluid. Powerful. Its tentacles curled tightly at its sides, still twitching slightly—like it hadn't calmed down yet.

One of the guards muttered something to Jamie.

She stopped.

And looked directly at us.

I froze.

She didn't say anything. Didn't scold us.

Just offered a tired, knowing nod... and moved on.

The men were taken down the hall toward a side corridor labeled SECURITY in faded white letters.

The Night Stalker paused for a moment, her glowing violet eyes flicking to where we were hidden. Her gaze met mine.

She stared.

I didn't move.

Then, slowly... she walked away.

None of us said anything for a full minute.

Finally, Jill whispered, "I think I peed a little."

We all laughed—nervously, shakily, but it helped.

We stood up and walked the rest of the way to our room.

"That thing saved everyone, didn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah," Hunter said. "And if it wanted to kill us... it probably could."

That night, I couldn't stop thinking about the way it healed. Like something out of a comic book. Like Wolverine or something.

I wondered what else Jamie was hiding in this mall.

And I wondered what else was out there... even worse than the Night Stalker.

Later that night, we were all back in our room. Jill was brushing her hair on one of the beds. Madison had already fallen asleep. Hunter was pacing like usual, still riding the high from earlier.

I sat near the window, watching the soft glow of the mall's overhead lights. Everything felt still. But the kind of stillness that made you hold your breath.

Then—there was a knock.

Not on the door. On the glass wall.

I flinched and turned—ready to grab my sword—until I saw her.

The Night Stalker.

Standing beside her, calm as ever, was Jamie.

She slid open the door a few inches. "She wanted to see you," Jamie said gently. "After what you kids went through today, she's checking on everyone."

The creature stepped inside like a whisper. Smooth. Silent. Those glowing violet eyes locked onto mine again.

I swallowed. She was massive up close. But there was something... calm about her tonight. Her tentacles curled lightly behind her shoulders, no tension in them now.

"She doesn't have a name," Jamie added.

"What?" I blinked. "You're telling me this elegant mutant panther with glowing eyes and Wolverine powers... doesn't have a name?"

Jamie shrugged. "Didn't seem important. She's not a pet."

"She's more than that," I whispered.

I looked into the creature's eyes. She wasn't just a monster. Not anymore.

"Okay," I said. "You're not some 'Tentacle Kitty.' You deserve something better."

I paused, thinking.

Dark. Protective. Silent. Beautiful.

"Luna," I whispered. "Yeah. You're Luna."

The creature blinked slowly.

Then, to my surprise, she stepped forward—gracefully—and lowered her head to rest against my knee.

My breath caught. I didn't move.

"She likes it," Jamie said with the smallest smile.

"She's perfect," I whispered, resting my hand gently on her sleek fur.

After a moment, Luna backed away and padded out the door. Jamie gave me a final nod before following, sealing the door behind them.

And just like that, I wasn't scared anymore.

Not of the mall. Not of the dark.

Luna was out there.

Watching over us.