Mysterious Awakening

“Have you observed anything out of the ordinary about yourself, Strong?” Miles questioned, his gaze holding him with a penetrating intensity.

Strong was shaken by the events unfolding in the surveillance video. His mind raced, trying to piece together fragments of memories that seemed missing, like a jigsaw puzzle with misplaced pieces. On the surface, nothing seemed untoward. He was just at work, doing nothing of particular note.

“Miles, are you insinuating that I’ve been altered like the individuals in the footage?” Strong’s expression turned incredulous.

“You seem oblivious to your own state. Do you remember your whereabouts before you found yourself in this surveillance room?” Miles probed further.

“I was…” Strong began, but halted abruptly. How did he end up in the surveillance room? Was it after the blackout? Which path did he take? Had he interacted with anyone, seen anything out of the ordinary?

The answers eluded him, either from genuine forgetfulness or because those memory segments were just missing.

“Take a look at your surveillance recordings,” Miles suggested, “The mall’s cameras typically have night vision. Even in pitch black, you should be able to discern what happened.”

“I’ll review it,” Strong declared, immediately launching into an examination of his surveillance archives.

It wasn’t long before he stumbled upon the relevant sequence.

The footage rewinded to the spectacle of Master Catch performing his rituals. The mall’s visitors were all huddled on the ground floor, and their eyes were transfixed on the spectacle. Miles, finding the unfolding drama mildly amusing, interrupted Master Catch, instigating a fiery exchange.

However, Strong in the footage seemed nonchalant about the whole event, quietly exiting the scene unnoticed.

“Why would I venture into the power room?” Strong’s shock was evident as he viewed his own actions in the clip.

According to the recording, a brief moment after Strong entered the power room, the mall plunged into darkness. The blackout was Strong’s doing.

“An absent memory doesn’t equate to an absent event. Keep watching,” Miles advised.

Following the mall’s descent into darkness, Strong remained stationary as if in a trance. But this lasted only momentarily before he was on the move again, this time towards the first-floor restroom.

It all clicked for Miles. The phantom they had previously encountered in the restroom was none other than Strong.

“This cannot be. Why can’t I recall any of this?” Fear washed over Strong as he sprung up from his seat, turning a pallid face towards Miles.

Miles stepped back, calmly stating, “During your memory lapse, you weren’t human. You were a specter, or at least replaced by one. Your memories are preserved because your head is intact, still resisting decomposition. However, once decay sets in, your memory will dissolve completely.”

“You’ve technically been dead for a few days. Feel your neck, the scar from the head replacement should still be there. Without ghostly interference, such a wound is unfathomable.”

Without a second thought, Strong brought his hand to his neck, tracing the small incision. Beneath his fingers, he felt the raw, bloodied flesh, accompanied by a pungent stench. He was decomposing. “This can’t be! I’m not dead. I’m alive, and I’m perfectly alright!”

Strong’s agitation escalated as he persistently prodded at the wound on his neck, desperate to debunk Miles’s claims. However, if he had indeed been swapped with a spirit several days ago, the wound shouldn’t have been so fresh. As he poked and prodded, the injury expanded, and his skin began to flake and slough off.

The putrid scent of decay intensified.

“What do I do? I don’t want to die. Miles, can you help?” Strong pleaded, panic gripping him. His hands were smeared with blood, and his rotting head hung at an unnatural angle. His gaze landed on Miles, skewed and imploring.

Strong’s eyes reflected fear, desperation, and despair. Miles replied with a heavy voice, “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. Your best option is to call your family, and say your goodbyes. It’s all that remains for you.”

Strong fished out his phone with trembling hands, preparing for the call he never imagined making. His eyes brimmed with tears. However, as he bent his head down, his displaced head lost its balance.

There was a sickening thud as Strong’s head detached from his body, rolled across the floor, and finally came to a stop against the wall.

His headless body stood frozen in place, the phone screen still glowing, the call never placed. Casting a look at Strong’s lifeless face, now pallid and colorless, Miles exhaled a sigh. Another casualty of the vengeful spirit.

Turning his gaze away from the gruesome sight, Miles noticed River quaking in terror against the wall. He strode over, roughly clasping her delicate face and pressing her head against the wall. His fingers traced over her neck with a forceful scrutiny.

“You’re not a ghost?” He sounded genuinely surprised, finding no scar on her neck.

Scared yet defiant, River snapped back, “Did you seriously think I was a ghost?”

“I had my suspicions. You’re an employee here too. Who’s to say your head wasn’t swapped? All those who’ve had their heads replaced are spirits, unbeknownst to them,” Miles let her go.

“So, what’s our plan now? How do we escape this place with those entities lurking outside?” River questioned, her tone devoid of anger. Her eyes implored him, a fearful plea as she gripped his hand.

“We still have survivors in the mall. I’ll round them up and exit. The key to the main door should be with Sister Pear. Once we have it, we can make our escape,” Miles explained.

“Before we leave, you’ll need to stay put and scrutinize these recordings. Try to determine the ghost’s true identity. Find out where it came from if you can.”

“No, I can’t stay alone. I want to accompany you.”

River’s voice hitched as she tightened her grip on Miles’s arm. He shook his head, “No, I need you to monitor the surveillance. How else would I know if a ghost is nearby? Or verify the ghost’s identity? I can’t afford to lose time here. It’s nearing nightfall, and the mall will become too dim to discern anything, which isn’t to our advantage.”

“But… Strong is here. I’m afraid,” she murmured.

Unswayed by her fear, Miles picked up the phone from Strong’s lifeless grip and dialed his own satellite-connected phone.

“Keep this line open and report any developments promptly. And bear in mind, never turn your back on anyone. The spirit can only substitute heads from behind. If you’re facing it, with your head misaligned for its intent, it won’t strike,” Miles instructed before placing the phone in River’s hand.

“But, I’m still frightened,” she confessed.

“Do you recall the promise you made to me on the first floor? If you don’t comply, you won’t make it out of here alive. You’re smart. You understand what’s required. Be courageous and you’ll have no trouble. Enough talk now. It’s time to act,” he said firmly.

With these words, Miles exited the surveillance room without further ado.

“Wait!” River tried to detain him, but the door shut with a decisive thud. She made to follow but quickly rethought, realizing the dangers lurking outside were far greater. Only a guard as dauntless as Miles could dare to roam a mall infested with phantoms.

After a moment’s hesitation, she steeled herself, pushing aside her fear as she headed to the control desk, gripping Strong’s phone tightly in her hand. As for the sight of Strong’s decapitated body and the head resting against the wall, she couldn’t muster the courage to look again.

“Hey, can you hear me?” Miles’s voice rang out from the satellite phone as he navigated the eerie mall.

“Yes, yes, I hear you. I can see you on the monitor,” River’s voice came back, tinged with anxiety.

“Excellent. Stay vigilant and update me on any movement in my vicinity.”

Miles affixed the walkie-talkie style phone to his chest, directing his path towards the unfortunate group, which included Mr. Calm and Sister Pear, the latter already a ghost without the group’s awareness.

“Will I lose that million?” Miles mused, “But if River collaborates efficiently, I can bag this money without resorting to the power of the ghost eye.”

As he moved, the once silent and vacant mall began to liven up. Shadowy figures materialized from hidden corners and shuttered shops. Their faces were pale white with shut eyes and stiff movement.

Upon seeing this unfold on the monitor, River blanched in fear. The shadows near Miles were closing in.

“They… they’ve come out,” River alerted, her voice shaking.

“I’m aware. Keep updating me about the phantoms’ positions. Remember my earlier advice,” Miles’s cool voice did wonders in pacifying River’s frayed nerves.