Heavier.
Like the air itself was thicker.
I walked fast.
Didn’t run.
Didn’t look behind me.
Just headed straight for the exit.
Then I passed Camera 12’s hallway.
And I stopped.
Because the light was on again.
Unit 14.
The door was open.
Wide this time.
And inside—
I could see more than before.
It wasn’t a normal store.
It was… the mall.
The same layout.
Same floors.
Same stores.
But everything inside was slightly wrong.
Darker.
Distorted.
Like a copy that wasn’t finished.
And moving inside it—
Were people.
Dozens of them.
Walking slowly.
Repeating the same paths.
Over and over.
Like they were stuck in loops.
And then I saw something that made my chest tighten.
One of them…
Was Arben.
The day guard.
He walked past the entrance of Unit 14.
Didn’t look at me.
Didn’t react.
Just kept walking.
Again.
And again.
And again.
I stepped closer without thinking.
The radio screamed this time.
Not static.
A full voice.
“DON’T.”
I froze.
“…that’s where they go.”
My heart was pounding.
“Who are you?” I asked.
A pause.
Then—
“…I didn’t leave in time.”
I felt cold all over.
“…I thought it was just a room.”
“…just a store.”
“…it’s not.”
I swallowed.
“What is it then?”
The answer came slowly.
Like it didn’t want to be said.
“…it’s where the copies stay.”
I looked back inside.
At the looping people.
At Arben.
At the broken version of the mall.
“…and if you go in…”
I didn’t want to hear the rest.
But it said it anyway.
“…you don’t come back.”
That’s when something moved inside.
Fast.
One of the figures stopped looping.
Turned.
Looked straight at me.
Then another.
Then another.
Until all of them…
Were staring at the entrance.
At me.
The lights inside flickered.
And then—
They all started walking toward the door.
At the same time.
I stepped back.
Heart racing.
And then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Behind me.
I turned slowly.
And there it was again.
Me.
Standing just a few feet away.
This time—
Closer.
Clearer.
And smiling wider.
“You took too long,” it said.
My voice.
Perfectly.
I couldn’t move.
Behind me, the people inside Unit 14 were getting closer.
Closer.
Closer.
The voice on the radio whispered one last time:
“…choose.”
I didn’t understand.
Until I realized—
It wasn’t telling me to run.
It was telling me there were only two options.
Stay out here…
Or go in there.
Because one of us…
Was going to take my place.
The thing in front of me stepped closer.
“You don’t belong here anymore,” it said.
And for a second—
I felt it.
Like it was right.
Like I didn’t fit anymore.
Like something had already shifted.
Behind me—
The crowd from inside Unit 14 reached the entrance.
They were right there now.
Faces blank.
Eyes locked on me.
Waiting.
I made a choice.
I turned—
And ran straight into Unit 14.
I heard it scream behind me.
Not human.
Not even close.
Then everything went dark.
…
When I opened my eyes—
I was in the mall.
Everything looked normal.
Bright.
Clean.
Quiet.
No distortion.
No shadows.
Just empty.
I walked to the exit.
The doors didn’t open.
I hit them.
Pushed.
Nothing.
Then I saw my reflection in the glass.
I wasn’t wearing my uniform anymore.
And my face…
Looked tired.
Familiar.
Like I’d been here a long time.
I turned around slowly.
And in the distance—
I saw them.
Walking.
Looping.
Repeating.
One of them looked up.
It was me.
The version that ran in.
Still trapped.
Still repeating.
And suddenly—
I understood.
I didn’t escape.
I just replaced someone else.
And somewhere—
In the real mall—
Something that looks exactly like me…
Just walked out.
Final Note:
If you ever see a place that feels slightly wrong…
A door that wasn’t there before…
A store you don’t remember existing…
Don’t check it.
Because if it’s open—
It’s already too late.