The Mallrat Chronicles
Introduction
I spend ever waking hour I can at the mall. I don't go to the mall to shop, and I don't go to the mall because I have a job there working at one of the stores. I go there to escape for a while from the world around me. The mall is my refuge from the world around me. I know the layout of the mall like the back of my hand, I can tell you what stores offer hand-outs and what stores to avoid. I'm a loner and a drifter. I have no friends, But I do record what I see on a daily basis on scrap sheets of paper. So, I hope you enjoy these stories, they are a collection of small stories, and small segments of my daily life. I call them “The Mall Rat Chronicles''.
If you saw me, then you would not have seen much of anything. What would have seen is a thin as a rail androgynous teenager with long brown hair, brown eyes, who speaks with a slight southern accent Dressed in a pair of fading washboard bluejeans, thread bare sneakers, and a pink Real Tree Hoodie. Most people think I'm a tomboy and the girls at Forever 18 are always bugging me to come in and get some new clothes. Most people think I'm some kind of undercover shopper, because I'm always seen caring around a tattered satchel that carries the tools of my trade, a notebook, a few pens and some extra spending money.
A few more bits of information about me, while I tend to roam a lot, visiting all the stores in the mall in the course of one day, a few I tend to visit certain stores more often and spend considerable amounts of time in. The first store on the list is EB Games, I'm a gamer, I've always admired people who could game. EB Games is like my home away from home. The staff know me, I'm on a first name basis with them. I have something of a crush on the cute college age guy at the counter on weekends, the shift leader, and his boss hates me. She is a real bitch, who often talks down to me and rolls her eyes whenever I come in. She kind of tolerates me flirting with the guy, who's name is Noah by the way.
Anyway moving on, the next place I often visit is Book's-A-Billion. I spend most of my afternoon's here, reading, and sometimes I buy something. The staff are cool and allow me to read as much as I want. And I normally end up buying a book or two. Moving right along, FYE is next on my list, I spend my time listening to CD samples there and looking at the used Anime DVDs they always have on mark down. I normally buy one or two just to keep the staff off my back.
Up next is Diamond Jim's Arcade. If I have any pocket change left over from my day of roaming the shops, I often swing by Diamond Jim's to empty my pockets of loose change. The staff are cool, if I'm low on funds they would often let me play for free or would spot me a fountain drink. They're cool, I guess and don't see me as a pest as most people do.
Up next we have the Food Court, now the Food Court is the heart of the mall, after all everybody has to eat. Place's here tend to come and go depending on the season. Most people tend to gather here and regroup after a long day of shopping. You know, getting a bite to eat before heading back home. I often tend to end up here around late afternoon, when my small breakfast has finally left me. There is one corner toward the back that I tend to lurk in, here I go over my notes for the day, count my money, get something to eat and you know collect myself before heading home.
One last place I'd like to go over with you. It's not really part of the mall, but in a way it is. It is a movie theater. The theater is this beast of a thing you know, it's one of the biggest ones in Ridgeland. There are also some pretty nasty rumors that surround the place. One rumor says there is a guy who hangs around the darkened hallways of the theater. He said to stalk his prey like a lion is said to stalk the open plains of the savanna.
And that's it. Looking back, I can see this is kind of a half ass introduction. But I hope you stick around, trust me, things get wild at the mall. What in store you might ask? Dunking booths, pie tosses, gunge tanks, exploring a haunted changing room at JCPenney, running in with the mall's rent-a-cop, and an unfiltered look at the teenagers in the wild. So if you made it this far, please stick around.
I guess I should tell you guys, before we get into things, about the people you'll meet once you get into the stories, that right stories, sometimes stories form arc's like in some weird video game. I think that what my daily life is, a video game. I just wish I could see the bloody health bar some days, I guess some can. Anyway, some stories form arc's, others are just stand alone stories. I felt like you guys on the internet might enjoy reading. I hope some of you guys have read the introduction first, if not please go back and do that. Anyway let's move on shall we. I'm going to call this segment “Cast of Characters' ' Here you would learn about me, the principal character in this story, and people who make my time in the mall either a living, breathing hell or joy.
Cast of Characters
Thomas ``Tabitha” Quinn Stonewall: That's me, the protagonist of these stories. Nothing to really say about me, beside I'm androgynous, I have shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes, I wear lose fitting clothing, and I'm an avoid gamer. I'm also into anime. Four years ago when I was twelve I happened to stumble upon reruns of Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Dragon Ball Z, and Pokemon on Toonami. After that I was hooked. Later, while staying up late one summer I discovered such cult classics as Yu Yu Hakusho, Inuyasha, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. All these aired on the Adult Swim Block.
Around this time I discovered roleplaying on some message boards. I joined a few sites and decided on the name Tabitha as my user name and later as the name for my first main character. As I played her more, she became something of an alter ego. When I'm at the mall, she kind of comes out more often than not and I like to think I'm Tabitha at the mall. Does it sound like I have mental issues? Maybe, maybe not. Who really knows at this point.
Ashley Baylock: Up next we have Ashley Baylock, Ashley is in college, she is also the weekend manager of EB Games. Trust me when I say this, she hates to see me come into the store. I mean, I guess because I kind of shamelessly flirt with the cute guys that work the counter, but then I'm always really nice to her when she is the one who checks me out. She often throws in bitchy comments about the video games I'm buying and often asks “If I have any REAL friends to hang out with”.
Noah Hinds: The cute guy who works the counter on weekends, he is really sweet, and kind of cute too, he often takes time when the shops are not really busy to chat with me about anime he's watched, or animes I've watched. He also sometimes recommends new video games for me to play and would even allow me to use his employee discount when buying used games. He's a real sweetheart, I wish I was a few years older, I would totally date him.
Officer Sean O' Keen: An Irish Mall Mall Cop who often takes time to chat with me. He often depends on me to be his extra set of eyes and ears when the peak shopping times come around. Like most Irish cops, he's a devoted Roman Catholic. His Irish Accent is okay.
Amanda Fair: Manager at Forever 18 always wants to play dress-up with me.
Tiffany Anna Percy: She is the general manager at Diamond Jim’s Arcade. She is something of a big sister to me and I guess she kind of adopted me, because she treats me like a little sister. When I’m low on pocket change she gives me free drinks and a few tokens to play the games. She keeps begging me to come to work for her. Sometimes though I do some work for her off the clock and she pays me in script, like tokens and tickets and stuff. Her uncle is a big time lawyer in Greenville, Ms. And somewhere down the line she kin to William Alexander Percy who inspired me to write this collection of stories.
The Phantom of the Mall: A ghost that is supposed to roam the mall early in the morning and late at night before the mall closes. I've never spotted the ghost before, but from time to time I'll hear people say that the mall is haunted.
Anyway, there are other people who come and go. But this is the main cast. Stick around there more to come soon.
About these stories.
There are eight stories I've collected for this first edition of The Mallrat Chronicles. I don't expect these stories to be popular. I don't expect people to like them. If you're looking for ground breaking prose, then look somewhere else. My prose is terrible. I'm not here to win a Pulitzer Prize or anything. I'm not trying to be the next William Faulkner, I'm trying at best to tell a story. I've been inspired to write these stories by William Alexander Percy, who's Lanterns on the Levee I was forced to read by an old English Teacher. These stories are not told in chronological order, so keep that in mind. They are also written in what I hope to be simple, plain English. Anyway I hope you enjoy them. Most of them are under two thousand words long, some maybe a little longer. They are short stories, plain and simple
Darkness in the Northpark Cinema
Behind the mall there is a cinema called 'Northpark Cinema' . It's haunted, but it's not haunted by a ghost or a demon. No, what is haunting it is something more sinister than that. The first story I'm going to include in this collection of stories is one that has changed my life. Nobody believes me when I tell them this story, and I doubt you would. The story opens on a cool, crisp October day.
It was a weekday, and I should have been in school. I decided that morning that I wanted to play hookie, now I live only a mile away from the mall. Of course I told mom and dad that I was going to school, but instead of catching the morning school bus, I started to walk toward the mall. I mean, what is the point in going to school anyway? It's school, plus its not like anybody will notice me being gone. I don't have any friends to hang around with, my teachers all hate me. So, me playing hookie was like me giving them a break and myself a much deserved break.
Once I reached the mall, I changed out of my normal school clothes, those being khaki trousers with a brown belt threaded through the loops, a white button down shirt with brown buttons and long sleeves. A pair of white socks and brown dress shoes. All of those clothes were bundled up and stashed into a locker I rented out by the front of the mall. Five dollar month, money well spent I suppose.
And what did I change into? A long short sleeve, pink blouse and a white tiered skirt that reached down just to my knees and of course wedge heel shoes and to top it all a faux leather purse that held my wallet, student ID, phone and a bottle of perfume, mouthwash and such. And of course a hairbrush, I then brushed out my shaggy brunette hair and added some big, bouncy curls with a curling iron that I had stashed with the outfit.
And like that Thomas was gone and Tabitha had once again come out. Of course since I was going to see a movie I decided to take the extra fifteen minutes to apply a bit of blush, some lipstick, pink in color and touch of eye-shadow. Once I did my face I walked out of the bathroom of the mall and smiled. I knew I had a good thirteen hours of freedom ahead of me.
Freedom to stroll around the mall and sample the wares of all the shops, freedom to flirt with the cute guys that worked the sale's counter. Freedom to see how many numbers I could get. Total freedom. Breakfast was the first order of business though. And so with that in mind I headed toward the food court that was located at the far side of the mall.
It took me around thirteen minutes to reach the Cinnabon kiosks located across the Steak Escape Kiosk; both were located at the outer bounds of the foot court. Once you passed them you would be in the heart of the food court, the food court was a line of eight kiosks located on the side with thirty something tables scattered around in front of them. At the far side of the square could see two double doors, through those double doors you could see the looming shadow of Northpark Cinema. And just beside it, hidden and out of view though you smell it was a marsh, here all the waste water of the mall was pumped out. On warm summer days and evenings you could smell it even here, were I standing at the heart of the mall.
Anyway, breakfast was a cup of coffee and a pastry. Once that was done I decided that I wanted to see a movie, with it being October, and so near to Halloween slasher films were all the rage. And in the spirit of the Holiday I wanted to see a horror movie. And just my luck there was such a movie playing. It was called “The Summoning” and the tagline went as follows. “Teenagers should not play with dead things.” that sold me right there and then.
Breakfast finished I walked through the food court and out the doors. I then noticed something, something was off, the wind had started to rise and was blowing hard across the deserted parking lot. Dark storm clouds heavy with rain were gathering overhead. The trees were starting to sway with the direction of the wind.
I rolled my shoulders and walked across the parking lot, despite everything telling me to turn back. A few minutes later I was standing in front of the ticket counter, a girl about four years older than me was standing behind the ticket counter, her jet black hair was streaked with bands of purple, green, and blue. She was chewing a wad of bubblegum and flipping through the glossy pages of some fashion magazine. I must have stood there for like fifteen minutes before she looked up, blew a big bubble, the bubble popped and she returned the bubble back into her mouth and she resumed chewing.
“One ticket for 'The Summoning'.” I said smiling.
“You should be in school.” The woman said as she peered toward me.
“It's a holiday.” I said smiling.
“Bullshit.” She said as she turned toward her computer. She punched a few buttons and a ticket shot up. “That would be seven fifty.” She added.
I handed the woman a tell dollar bill. She handed two, one dollar bills and a fifty cent piece.
“Be safe kid.” She added. “Like, there is a rumor going around here that there is some weird guy lurking in the shadows. And like, if something happens to you, we'll have to call the cops. And like that movie for the eighteen or older crowd. Really you should watch 'Candy land Express' or some kiddie movie. But I don't want to hear your whining so I went ahead and sold you the ticket. Anyway watch yourself and don't cause trouble for me, cause you should really be in school, but that's between you and your mom and dad.” She added. “So just be safe, okay. And remember if something happens to you, that's on you. Not on me.”
I was taken back at what she said. But I still pocketed my ticket and walked into the lobby. The lobby smelled like popcorn and soda. Now The Northpark Cinema has two floors. The movie I wanted to see “The Summoning” was on the second floor. Each floor also had its own snack bar or concession stand if you will. To save time I decided to get my movie snacks at the one on the second floor.
There was something ominous about the girl's words. I just could not shake them as I walked into the long hallway that was lined with movie posters. The hallway was dark, totally void of life. The carpet smelled of stale popcorn, spilled cold, and puke. The air too was stale. The smell was stale and pungent and kind of reminded me of rotting wood.
Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted somebody, a man who appeared to be around his mid forties was peering out at me. A sneer was plastered across his face as peered at me. At first I thought he might have been the general manager or somebody. But then I noticed he seemed to be following me, like I said my movie was on the second floor and to get there I had to climb a flight of stairs, the stairwell was dark, and cold and I could just smell the mildew in the walls.
Worst of all that man was still behind me, he seemed to be following me. Stalking me was more like it, he seemed to make each step I took. It was unnerving to say the least. But nothing I thought I could not handle. I mean he might be going to the same movie as me. And so I tried to push the thought of the man out of my mind.
A few minutes later I was standing in line to get something from the concession stand, the line was moving slow, like real slow. There was only one guy working the counter and he looked like a reject from a Marilyn Manson music video. He reminded me of the guys that work the sales counter at Gothic Topic or Spencer's. His jet black hair was cropped short, he had a nose ring in his nose, his fingernails were painted black, he wore a tight form fitting black shirt that featured a flaming skull with a snake crawling out one of the eye holes.
And he seemed depressed and mad at the world at the same time. And that guy was still standing behind me, peering at me, I could feel his hot breath breathing down the collar of my blouse. I wanted to turn around and ask him what his problem was. But I just tried to block him out. I mean was a Yellow Belt.. did that mean anything. I have no idea. I've never been in a fight before. But if push came to shove, then I'm sure I could at least hold him off. I could always kick him in the balls if I had to.
Finally it was my turn to place my order. The first thing the Marilyn Manson reject said to me though, as he peered right at me was.
“You should be in school.” He said in a half drugged tone of voice. His breath reeked of Marijuana and pizza sauce and melted cheese.
“Field trip.” I said smiling.
“Bullshit man.” He said rolling your shoulders. “Anyway you want. Hurry up there people waiting in line and like this line growing!” He snapped.
I turned around and noticed that beside me and the strange man before there was really nobody else in line. The man must have been high off his ass. I smiled a little and in my best Southern Belle tone of voice. I said.
“I would like an extra large popcorn, and an extra large soda.. and a box of M&M's.” I said pulling my purse around to dig out my wallet.
“Your going to get fat.” Is all he said as he peered at me. I felt my cheeks flush with color as I peered at him. I wanted to reach over the counter and slap the ever loving shit out of him. Instead I smiled and watched him fix my order. It took around ten minutes because he was moving very slow and I guess he was still hung over from the weekend. It was an early Monday afternoon after all. No doubt he spent his weekend raving and partying and doing all manner of drugs.
“Here.” He said at last as he placed the requested items down upon the counter top. “That would be like eighteen fifty.”
I handed him a twenty dollar bill.
“Have a nice day.. bitch.”
I turned around and smiled.
“Were my change?” I asked.
“I kept the change as hush money.” He said as he peered right at me.
I wanted to say something, instead I blew a stream of hot air from my mouth, tossed my hair around, collected my drink and snacks and walked away. It took about ten minutes for me to find my movie. The room too was dark, and the carpet that ran along the seats smelled of mold. Hell even the walls had that sour smell to them, the whole room smelled like rotting wood. Well rotting wood and bad farts. And the cushion on my seat was sticky and my skin started to crawl the moment I sat down.
And to make matters worse that man appeared behind me again. He appeared a few rows behind me and I could feel him peering toward the back of my head. I sat through the opening credit, with the guy still looking at the back of my head. And well I tried to just focus on the movie you know.
The movie turned out to be a solid 'B' horror film, the plot was so thin you could read the newspaper through it. Pretty much a bunch of teenagers use the Ouija board in a graveyard, smart right? Anyway they use the board and make contact with ghost named 'Donny' the sessions start of fun and light heart and group decides to adopt 'Donny' as kind of a ghostly little brother and then two of the girls tell 'Donny' that they can stay with him because his grave was lost in a recent urban development and because of that he was homeless.
Anyway it turns out that 'Donny' was really a demon and the demon starts to torment the teenagers, finally causing one of them to lose control of their car as they drive across the bridge. In the end, two well known paranormal investigators come to a swooping end, discover it's a demon, they then go to the Roman Catholic church who grants them permission to perform an exorcism and drive the demon away. But not before ruining the lives of all those who played with the Ouija board. I'll give it a solid 'B' had some pretty decent jump scares, but the plot was old and rehashed.
Anyway once the movie was finished I decided that I needed to use the restroom. A quick look at my phone told me it was only three o' clock in the afternoon. School was just letting out and the mall would soon be filled to the brims with people, mostly students. It was hard to believe that the movie had lasted about four hours. I guess I got my money's worth.
Anyway, I went into the bathroom, now the bathrooms at the Northpark Cinema are something to be desired. For one they always smell like bleach and ammonia, two the toilets are never, ever cleaned all the way, three despite the overpowering smell of bleach and ammonia you can still smell the piss and shit on the floor, four the walls are covered in grim, and last but not least its dark. There is only one burning light bulb in the whole room.
Anyway I was just finishing my business when the door popped open, there in the doorway stood a man, a giant of a man, with broad shoulders, a head that looked like it had been screwed on and arms the size of hams and fingers the size of beef franks. A monster of a man, before I could scream he was on me and I felt myself being tossed down on the floor.
I screamed, but the man rolled me over and a moment later I felt blood in my mouth as the man brought his huge hand across my face, I saw stars and colors. It was like in those old Saturday morning cartoons, when something heavy, always an avail falls on a character's head and they see cartoon stars. Like that. Only the wave of pain that follows makes you shiver and cry, and before I could catch myself salty tears were rolling down my cheeks, another slap followed and I felt something, a rag of some kind being stuffed into my mouth. Fear took over, at that moment I thought I was going to die. I kind of wish I died at that very moment. A few seconds later I felt myself being rolled over.
Once I was rolled over, I felt my arms being pinned behind my back. The man moved like greased lighting and before I could process what was going on, I felt my skirt being flipped up and my panties sliding down my legs. A few seconds later I heard the ripping of fabric.
“Bastard!” I yelled.
He turned me over once more and slapped his hands across my face a few more times, I could feel my cheeks starting to swell. He then turned me back down. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck and taste my own blood in my mouth. Then it happened, if he had killed me there and then, it would have been a small mercy, instead I felt him go inside me, no he rammed his dick inside my ass, I felt the splitting pain and all I could do was cry out. My cries echoed off the bathroom walls.
Then my world went blank.. pain that all I felt each thrust of his dick into my ass brought a fresh wave of pain flooding into me. I cried, and choked on my tears. I begged God to send one of his angels down to help me, but nobody came. For a long stretch of time the only thing I felt was pain, pain and fear, then I felt it, something hot, hot like molten lead shot into me.. I coughed and hung my head. I knew what had happened, he had just cummed inside me, he had taken me. I felt sick as I felt his seed come flooding into me, it ran down my leg and then instead of pulling out he resumed, this time he was going harder, and harder.
“You fell so good you little slut.” He whispered into my ears. “You fucking little cunt.” He whispered again as he reached up, took a bundle of my hair into his beefy hands. He then yanked hard and tugged my neck up and at that moment it jizzed again. I yelled and prayed for death as I could feel him shooting off inside me. It was a feeling of pure hell.
Once he was done, I fell down on the ground and started to shake, I could feel myself shaking all over. My asshole felt like it was on fire, and I'm sure I was bleeding. I wanted to get up and run, but instead I just laid there, helpless like a fish out of water. Part of me wished for death, how could I face myself in the mirror after this?
“Tell anybody about this.” I heard him say as he stood up. “And I will kill you.”
I was too stunned to speak. I just laid there, still and emotionless. I then heard him take a picture of some kind. I saw the bright flash of the camera.
“I've taken a picture of your student I.D and of Learners Permit. I now know where you got to school, your full name, your address, your date of birth, everything there is to know about you. You say one word about what happen here and I will find you, and I will kill you, not only you, but I will kill your mom, your dad, and any siblings you have.” He threatened and with that he felt the me there to put myself back together the best I could.
I stayed home from school the next few days, I was sore and pretty beat up. Of course I told no one about what had happened to me. And I stayed locked in my room for a few days till the swelling went down. And then life went on.
I learned that day, there are real monsters in the world, and demons are not only found in Hell and that sometimes God turns his face always and lets evil have his way. Did I go to the police? Hell no, Ridgeland might bill itself as being progressive but it still has its fair share of transphobic cops on the force. And allow me to remind you that I was in drag at the time and in the girls bathroom nonetheless. Did I go to the hospital? Again, no. No, instead I made a vow that one day I'll get my revenge.
But I also made a vow to keep on fighting and to keep on marching. Like I said, I know I'm damaged goods now, but in a way we are all damaged. Now the best I can do is to keep on living my life the best I can, and try to put this behind me. But one day I'll have my revenge.
A conversation with a Phantom
The mall closes its doors at nine o' clock on the dot each night. On week nights I'm in bed by then, but on Friday and Saturday nights I'm still roaming the corridors. This was one such night, it was seven at night, the sun had set and a full moon could be seen against the backdrop of a dark, cloudless night sky. The mall was as quiet as the grave and a strange stillness was starting to settle over the building.
I'd spent that day roaming around the mall as normal. I was saving my allowance for the Christmas Sales, so I was traveling light. Two weeks had passed and I'd been forcefully taken in the movie’s bathroom. And I was still pretty torn up about that. In those two weeks I'd become withdrawn and sullen. Thoughts of suicide came and went throughout the day. Nobody seemed to notice the sudden change that had come over me.
That evening I found myself sitting on a wooden bench in a quiet section of the mall. One that was tucked away from the main flow of traffic. A large fountain with a few potted plants could be seen in front of me. The area was something of a square, with the fountain and the plotted plants forming the center of the square. And the wooden bench tucked to the side. Here on this wooden bench I sat and tried to collect my thoughts.
I was quite alone, till out of the corner of my eye I saw somebody, a man that appeared to be in his mid to late forties came strolling up to the wooden bench. He was wearing a blue and white tracksuit and his platinum blonde hair had been mowed into a buzz cut and he seemed to be deep in thought. At first I thought he was going to keep on walking. Instead he stopped and peered at me.
“Hey the mall is about to close, you know that right?” He said as he stuck his hands into his pockets.
“I know.” I said looking up. I then noticed eyes, they were icy blue. But they seemed clouded with sadness. His brow too seemed almost drooping under the weight of an unspoken sadness that he seemed to wear on the sleeve of his shirt.
“Just letting you know.” He said as he peered toward me. He then looked up. It was like he was looking at a certain place. He seemed deep in thought, “You know strange things happen around here at night. There is a silly rumor going around that this mall is haunted.” He said, forcing a chuckle.
At this point my curiosity took control of me, so I left my seat at the bench. And walked to where he was standing, I then noticed, and this must have been the first time I noticed it, because I could have sworn I passed that spot at least a billion times since I've started roaming this mall that zip tied to one of the rails was a plastic flower. It was like a maker of some kind.
“They say that back in the nineties. Some guy jumped from that spot right there.” He said pointing toward the plastic flower. “He was going through a nasty divorce and he was tired of working at his dead end job. He was a store manager for McDade's Family Market. Anyway one day he clocked out early and started drinking at Garfield's Restaurant and Pub. Finally they kicked him out, but he was two sheets to the wind. So what happen, poor guy just climbed over the railing right there and jumped and splattered like a egg right there by that fountain.” He said.
I blinked and blinked again.
“Okay.” I said, peering at the strange man. At this point I was starting to get a little worried.
“Kid, I don't know what you're dealing with. But let me tell you this suicide is not the answer.” He said turning around. He then looked me dead in the eye. “That guy left behind two children. And instead of saving them from trouble he caused them a lot of grief and a lot of pain.” He added.
“Okay..” I said looking away. “Listen guy I don't need some total stranger coming up to me and talking a load of bullshit. Listen, I know about the legend of the 'Phantom of the Mall' and half a dozen other insane bullshit urban legends kids tell to scare out of somebody. It's all smoke and mirrors.” I said, sighing as I folded my arms across my chest.
The guy turned around and looked dead at me. He peered at me for several long seconds. Then he slowly started to fade away. And I mean that, he started to fade away. First his feet started to fade, then his body started to fade and then his arms till it was just his head floating a few feet from me.
“Alright kid. Just remember what I told you. I'll be keeping my eye on you. Be safe and don't cause trouble for anybody.” And with that the head vanished too.
For a long time I just stood there rooted to that square piece of tile I was standing on. Then I slowly started to walk away. Then a prerecorded message came over the mall's PA system.
“Attention all shoppers, attention all shoppers. The Northpark Mall is closing now, I repeat Northpark Mall is closing now. Please join us tomorrow for another wonderful day of shopping.” The message repeated itself over and over at five minute intervals. I felt scared to say the least. I dreaded the walk home, that long walk home. In the dark.
Then I happened upon him. Officer Sean O' Keen the token Irish mall cop that spoke with a broken Irish accent that never failed to remind me of the Roman Catholic priest at my grandmother's church. Who spoke with the same, broken Irish accent.
“Tabby!” He said as he peered at me. “Don't you know the mall is closing, girl. I know you like to hang around at all hours of the day, but tomorrow is the sabbath. You need to be at home in bed. And don't you think your mom and dad are worried about you. I'm sure there will be a warm bottom in your future if you don't hurry up and head to the house.”
Like most mall cops Officer Sean O' Keen was dressed in a dark blue, form fitting police tunic, long woolen trousers that were also dark blue in color. Highly polished black leather dress shoes, and a black, leather belt across the middle. He also knew I hated being called Tabby but did so anyway. Anyway I was not amused and I was still a little freaked out.
“Officer Sean!” I said pointing over my shoulder.
“Yes, that is my name, don't overuse it.” He said, taking a deep breath.
“There is a man standing over there! And he vanished into thin air! Like a ghost!” I stuttered as I pointed over my shoulder at the fountain and the bench. “I swear to God, Mary and all the angels.” Knowing like all Irish and Mall cops, Officer Sea O' Keen was devoted Catholic, attending Mass daily and fasting on the shy. I knew that would get him thinking.
“Tabby girl.” He said, looking down at me. “It's almost Halloween time.” He said, looking me square in the eyes. “All the ghouls and ghosts will be coming out at this time of the year. Heck this place is filled with shops selling Halloween decorations, costumes and all manner of things. There is even a huge building across the road where the old J.H Holmes Building Supplies used to sit that bills itself as an 'Halloween Superstore'.” He said.
“Right..” I said, letting my voice tremble a little. “But I swear to you, I swear on my mothers good name, that this man vanished right before my very eyes.” I said, taking a deep breath.
“Then you don't think much of your mothers good name.” He responded as he peered toward me. “Because you're talking pure nonsense. Listen Tabby girl, go home and get you some sleep child. You're pale as a sheet and you look like you've seen a ghost. Go home, and rest now, and attend Mass tomorrow like a good little girl and make your confession.” He said, patting me roughly on the shoulder.
“Thanks I guess.” And with that I started walking home.
What happened? The next morning I attended Mass because mom wanted me to attend Mass with her and dad. Now, Mom's folks are staunch Irish Catholic. Hell mom says she can trace her roots right back to “The Emerald Isle” and dad. We can't really place him. My guess is he's English or Scottish. I guess with a name like “Stonewall” it has to be English am I right? I mean it sounds like an English name? Anyway, back to the story.
I attended mass with my dad, mom, and her dad and mom at St. Patrick Catholic Church in rural Gluckstadt some twenty minutes away. Gluckstadt was not much more than a simple, brick Roman Catholic Church, a few scattered buildings, a Shop-N-Go, A general feed and seed store, and a gas station, truck stop combo that served the best southern style fried chicken for miles around. Mom swore that their Pecan Pie would have brought Jesus down from the cross and grandpaw promised that if Paul had drunk some of the coffee before nodding off asleep in the courtyard of that temple or garrison or whatever kind of building it was they were holding Jesus hostage in before his time on the cross. Then he'll still be awake to this very day. I never had the coffee, so I'm not sure of that claim. But I have had the Pecan Pie and it's alright, not the best in the world, I made the best, but you get a free slice when you buy a Sunday Plate Lunch.
Anyway I don't really remember what I was going to say, I mean I did want to ask a question, but when I'd finally worked up the nerve to ask it, it came out a jumbled pile of words. Words that seemed to just spew out of my mouth. I kind of vomited those words up.
“Father?” I said turning to the aged priest who had just finished saying grace. “I have a question to ask you if you have the time.”
“I always have time to answer questions.” Father said as he peered toward. “Now, what is bothering you Tabitha my lass.” He said as he piled his plate high with fried chicken and mash potatoes that he soon covered it in a thick, brown sauce.
“Do you know anything about how to put a spirit's soul at rest?” I said as I looked down at my own plate. Father paused and peered toward me and in a solemn voice said to me.
“Tabitha girl. You don't want to go around messing with spirits. Not at this time of the year.” He said as he reached over and took a sip from his tea glass.
“This time of the year, all kinds of people come out from the stone's they have been hiding under. This Halloween time is a wicked time, and the holiday itself is nothing more than a celebration of witchcraft and devil making. Some see no harm in dressing up. Aye but I've seen the devil hand in it. All these films coming out this time of the year, showing all manner of witchcraft and the bookstores selling tomes of ghost stories. Aye it makes my old soul weep it does. To see such tomfoolery afoot.”
I blinked and blinked again and most of the table went silent. Father it seemed was working up a good head of steam and once he got rolling it was hard to stop him, when Father got like this, he reminded me of a snowball that had been rolled down a very steep hill. As it rolled down the hill it gathered snow around it and grew bigger and bigger till it either hit something or lost steam and played itself out. And this being the south, nobody dared tried to change the subject, not while Father ranted and raved.
“Some holiday this is, the devil's birthday! A celebration of murder, witchcraft, zombies, vampires, and monsters. Harmless, they say, nothing but harmless fun. Oh but what damage they are doing to their souls! Oh what horrible twisted nightmares are they giving the good children who knee beside their beds at night and say their prayers with earnest hearts! Oh, should they be forced to see a parade of ghouls and beasts that come straight from the pages of Faust run up and down their streets and ring their doors and demand candy and treats or else they threaten the good master of the house with some mischief! A sham of a holiday, a mockery of the name.”
All blinked and blinked again.
“What a twisted, morbid holiday this 'Halloween' is.” Father said, sighing. As he reached over and drained his tea glass. A blonde hair waitress quickly refilled the glass and went about her way.
“Now Tabitha my girl, what was your question?” He said returning to the subject at hand.
It was at that moment I decided to hold off asking my question about spirits and ghosts. Father seemed in one of his rare moods today, a mood when anything smelling of the supernatural would turn him into a raging madman. And after all there was always google. That's right, I'll just google my question and search the vastness of the internet for an answer.
And that is how another chapter in “The Mallrat Chronicles” Comes to a close. This is the second story of eight I plan on sharing with you guys. So I'm hoping you're enjoying them so far. Drop a comment or something. I enjoy reading them. - Tabitha Stonewall.