8 Days before Halloween [PART A]

♫ Stars will always shine to guide you out of there

Even if the hope is frail, sorrow everywhere

Just keep on wishing

Keep on praying

And believe in... ♫

The melodious sounds were travelling fast across the place as the musical notes bounced off the dark brown pillars, the grey marble floors, the silver handrails of the balcony, the glass ceiling, the colourful store signs and…

*BEEP

Before the notes could bounce any further, the music had ceased from playing, all of a sudden.

With her glove on, the girl who dressed in all black, switched off the cell phone and gingerly slid it back into the pocket of the man who was struck mute and was now lying on the floor of the empty mall with all his muscles locked down, stiff as a flat line on a heart monitor.

But his wide-opened eyes followed her intently, remaining "alive". This had never happened before…

'Who the hell came up with this shit idea of Miracles happening if I pray?' The girl wondered. 'Screw that! You can't just sit there and pray without doing anything.'

She shook her head at the motionless man at her feet whose eyeballs were now directed at the glass ceiling above him.

'What's there to look at?' The girl curiously followed the line of his gaze.

'I guess you believe in this shit...crap too...' She thought when she spotted a bright "gem" flowering in the dark sky outside the glass ceiling above them.

'Okay…' She folded her arms. 'Let's see whether "miracles" will come and save your sorry ass then.' And she too began to stare at the glittering and sparkling figure, waiting to see whether something was going to happen or someone would appear suddenly before her eyes to prevent her from doing what she was about to do.

Yet, second by second passed and she heard nothing. She saw nothing. There was nothing peculiar happening but silence. Just cold, cold silence...

'It's just bullshit after all!' She smirked while her eyes cast back to where the motionless man was at.

Then, she kneeled. And the moment she did that, the pupils of the paralyzed man immediately dilated and his breathing became much harsher than before.

The girl took note of the sign of melancholy.

"Let's make this clear first. I don't have a choice either- I never did!" she denoted and extended her hand slightly.

In reaction, the man's eyeballs began to dart all over the place, desperately hunting for something or someone that could bring salvation.

"Hey! Hey!" The girl slapped at the man's face. "Stop it! No one's gonna rescue you. It's destined to happen!" she denoted. "It's your fate! You can do nothing about it!"

Considering that the girl's words might be right, the man's eyes came back to her, again locking on her face with a pleading expression that sent an earthquake down the very bones of her soul.

"Stop it…" she voiced weakly against the man's intense stare. "Stop looking at me like that!", and swiveled away from him, forcing herself to pay no more attention to his eyes.