Chapter 33: The Pretend Model
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
In the midst of a bustling shopping center, Miles’s phone buzzed to life, revealing William’s voice. “Hey Miles, it’s been quite some time since we caught up. I’ve been feeling restless and was thinking maybe I could pop over to your place? We could perhaps try out some of the local street food tonight?”
As Miles hastily pulled on his new security uniform in a changing room, he replied, “I’d recommend not coming over to my place right now. I had a run-in with my dad there just last night, and trust me, it wasn’t a good experience. I’ve recently started this job that offers accommodation, so I’ve been staying away from home.”
Confused, William asked, “I thought you mentioned your dad wasn’t around anymore?”
Miles sighed, “He’s not. That’s precisely why I’m avoiding the place. It’s haunted now.”
William audibly gasped, “Haunted? As in spirits roaming around your apartment?”
With a chuckle, Miles said, “Yes, but honestly, I’d rather deal with specters than an old, broken man. Anyway, what prompted the call?”
“I’ve just been cooped up at home for too long and wanted to hang out,” William admitted, wiping away nervous sweat from his brow, grateful he hadn’t impulsively decided to visit Miles. “So, where are you working these days?”
“I’m working at a mall,” Miles replied.
Intrigued, William inquired, “Any job openings? School’s on a break, and I could use some work.”
Miles hesitated before warning, “I wouldn’t advise working here. It has its own eerie vibe. There have been cases of people mysteriously disappearing. The authorities are trying to figure it out, but I suspect those missing are somewhere hidden in this mall.”
A chilling silence ensued on the line until William finally proposed, “Look, if things are getting too intense, you can always stay at my place. I have a spacious bed, and I’ll ensure you’re well-fed.”
Miles seemed to ponder this before saying, “Just so you know, Coral’s been acting strange lately. She feels like something’s tailing her. Her dad rang me up about it earlier today. You might want to be careful. Also, please warn everyone in our chat group about this.”
“Alright, enough of this,” William interrupted, his voice shaking, “I’ve just set up a brand-new gaming PC. How about you drop by? We can immerse ourselves in anime and games and forget the outside world. If things get too bad, I can look after you.”
While the world around them grew weirder, the bond between friends seemed more essential than ever.
“I appreciate it, but I’ve got to work,” Miles said, having fully changed into his uniform. As he stepped out of the changing room, he added, “Just keep yourself safe, okay?”
As Miles exited, the earlier young security guard named Strong, a recent college graduate who’s working at the mall, greeted him with a joke, “Took you long enough, eh~ I was thinking you might have lost your cool and ran off.”
Inside the vast shopping complex, Strong began outlining their responsibilities. “According to the protocol, we have to complete a patrol of the entire mall five times daily. We have to cover once in the morning, once at noon, once in the afternoon, and twice during the evening. Given that it’s already 4 p.m., we should begin our rounds,” he proposed.
Miles, absorbing the details, was quick to question, “Wait, is the security of this massive structure entirely dependent on the two of us?”
Strong nodded, “Unfortunately, yes. There used to be another guy on our team, but he mysteriously disappeared. They haven’t replaced him since, so I’ve taken over his duties in the meantime.”
“Disappeared?” Miles echoed, brow furrowed. “Considering all the rumors about this mall and the alleged disappearances, how do you still muster the courage to continue working here?”
“I recently graduated and moved from another city. It’s not easy to find a job offering a decent salary, meals, and lodging. So, for the time being, I’m pushing through,” Strong clarified. “On a different note, aren’t you a high school student? Shouldn’t you be preparing for the college entrance examinations?”
Miles shrugged, “I’m on a break, and I’ve decided not to sit for those exams.”
Respecting Miles’s decision, Strong shifted the topic, “I usually start the patrol on the fifth floor and then gradually make my way down. After covering all the indoor areas, I finish by checking the ground floor parking lot. Should there be a power outage, remember to use the stairwells.”
Intrigued, Miles pressed, “During your time here, have you ever experienced anything… odd?”
“Odd?”
Strong took a moment, “Honestly, no. Nothing beyond the ordinary.”
“But haven’t you ever encountered any eerie smells here?” Miles continued.
“At times, there’s a somewhat unusual odor, but I always attributed it to rotten produce or malfunctioning freezers. It will be addressed and cleaned before the mall opens again,” Strong explained.
Miles didn’t relent, “I’m more so asking if you’ve ever felt like this place might be, you know, haunted?”
Strong couldn’t contain his laughter, “Haunted? You’re still in high school and you believe in that kind of stuff? If this mall were truly haunted, I’d have seen some ghostly activity during my numerous rounds by now. Although, to be fair, the management seems to entertain the idea. They’ve even hired a supposed ghost hunter at one point, but it yielded no results. The owner is now seeking a more renowned expert.”
Miles countered, “But how do you rationalize the unexplained disappearances? If people are last seen in this mall and then are never found again, isn’t that concerning?”
Strong retorted, “It doesn’t conclusively mean they vanished within these walls. The last available CCTV footage shows them here, but for all we know, they might have met with unfortunate incidents after leaving. However, I must admit that the disappearance frequency did decline after the mall was temporarily closed.”
Suddenly, a shadow of concern crossed Miles’s face, causing him to stop in his tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Strong asked.
With a slow finger, Miles pointed ahead, “If we’re the sole security staff tonight, then who exactly is that?”
A solitary figure stood in the semi-darkness ahead, eerily still, reminiscent of a store mannequin.
As Strong shone the beam of his flashlight towards the unmoving figure, its true nature was revealed: a mere mannequin.
Relief flooded Strong’s voice as he remarked, “It’s just a discarded mannequin. No need to get spooked.” He confidently walked over, picking up the figure and navigating to a nearby store where he intended to place it back.
Entering the store, it became evident that it served as some sort of temporary storage for mannequins. Parts of the plastic models lay strewn about—torsos, arms, and heads, all covered with a fine layer of dust from their apparent disuse.
Brushing off the unnerving scene, Strong commented, “We still have another floor to cover. Let’s keep moving.”
Miles, still unsettled, pressed, “How did the mannequin end up blocking our path like that? Didn’t you notice it during your previous patrols?”
Strong shrugged, “I didn’t come across it during my earlier rounds. Sometimes, store employees like Sister Pear use them for clothing displays and forget to put them back properly.”
Miles nodded, “Makes sense.”
Despite the logical explanation, Miles couldn’t shake off the faint scent he’d detected earlier—a smell that reminded him of decay. It seemed to be intensifying.
As the duo continued their rounds, unbeknownst to them, back in the mannequin store, one of the figures was eerily positioned facing the exit, its head almost imperceptibly tilted in the direction they had left.
When they concluded their rounds, the mall was as quiet and unremarkable as one would expect after hours.
Miles began to question his initial suspicions. Perhaps this was merely a mundane criminal case devoid of the supernatural elements he had begun to suspect.
The promise of a hefty reward from the mall’s owner for figuring out the mystery was proving more elusive than he had initially imagined.
Internally debating his next steps, Miles decided on a plan. He would give the job three days. If things remained as uneventful as they seemed now, he’d hand in his resignation. Time was precious, and he didn’t intend to waste it chasing shadows.
As he settled into the security office, looking forward to a short respite, his phone buzzed to life. The caller ID flashed: Mr. Beach, the father of his friend, Coral.