The Mall (Evenstad Media Presents Book 2) (5 page)

JOURNAL 09YESENIA

ENTRY 002

DATE: 1/10/2075

I've been thinking about that guy, and how he got killed. It
wouldn’t have hurt. The first bullet would have been the end of it. Maybe half
a second of burning before it got through his brain, but I don’t think so. But
science doesn't know exactly. We don't have dead people to interview and find
out what it feels like, but that's the prevailing theory. His death could have
been much worse. A punctured lung, or stomach. Both would have taken much
longer. It could have been better, though. He could have not died. A hit in the
arm or the leg, as long as it missed anything important. Still could have bled
out from it, or gotten some kind of nasty infection, I guess. I think most of
the ways to die in this place are pretty bad and pretty slow. No good way to
die anywhere, really, but that guy was as lucky as he could have been, with
just a few shots through the head. I'd much prefer that to a lot of the other
options.

So far, I’ve only seen the one guy get shot by these guards.
It’s not any information to go on. Not really. But something definitely stuck
out as odd to me, watching it happen. The guards did it all very strangely.
Anyone could have seen him coming. I would assume they’re supposed to defend
themselves, and it was pretty obvious he was heading over to them with the
intent to do some serious damage. But they waited. They stood stock freaking
still until he got closer.

I could be focusing on stupid crap, but it just doesn’t make
sense. It’s a little thing, but it tells me there might be something else going
on. I don’t know what, but something.

ENTRY END

WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE MALL?

POLL 1

1: Bill (54%)

2: Quinn (23%)

3: Alexa (8%)

4: Lia (3%)

5: Yesenia (2%)

6: Evan (2%)

7: Marcus (2%)

8: Imran (2%)

9: Dana (1%)

10: Tess (1%)

11: Kim (1%)

12: Ned (1%)

(Information collected by The Cruise)

TO: Edward Andel

FROM: Niels Evenstad

SUBJECT: Last Week's Work

SENT 1/11/2075 AT 7:49 a.m. EST

Edward.

I saw the composition notes you made on the footage so far.
I realize you were having issues with some of the material in The Mall, but
given all that, you made some very intelligent choices. Filming directly from
Ned's back when he was shot was incredibly wise. It will, of course, look as
though he's been killed, but the angle will leave a second or two of doubt for
the viewers. I liked it so much, I've decided to use it in the coming episode.
I feel it will be dramatic enough to make a real impact.

I also would like to apologize if I was dismissive of your
feelings. Believe me, it wasn't the first choice on my list, making this
particular show, but it was so original and such a risk I couldn't help but
try. It turned out well for me, but it easily could not have. I want you to
take those risks, even when they look horrible. I'm not a murderous man, but I
eventually chose my family’s well-being and security over those discomforts. I
will understand if you would rather back out of this because of the content of
The Mall, but I sincerely hope you won't. It’s not likely I’ll find another
candidate for this position with a degree in social psychology, or one who is
so in need of this money. I want to help you, I truly do, Edward.

Just consider all options, and know that I won't hold
leaving against you.

Niels Evenstad,

Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Media

—

TO: Niels Evenstad

FROM: Edward Andel

SUBJECT: Last Week's Work

SENT 1/11/2075 AT 8:23 a.m. EST

I have a lot of things to consider. Until I've decided, I'll
stay and do the work. Chances are good I'll stay around, but I can't
technically know for sure. So just treat it as though everything is normal
unless you hear otherwise.

JOURNAL 02LIA

ENTRY 002

DATE: 1/12/2075

I just about killed my first person. I heard footsteps and I
grabbed a box knife. It was really the only thing I could find. Not the ideal
weapons, but it would have done the job better than a vibrator. I was ready to
have right at whoever was coming for me, and I found in that moment just how
capable of murder I was. Well, how capable of defending myself, really. Murder
makes it sound so bad. Self-defense.

I stopped when I saw him, though. He had a baseball bat, but
his hands were up in the air and he just asked me to listen. I'm glad I did.
His name's Bill, and it sounds like he's got a pretty solid plan for how we can
last this game out. I'm all for that, assuming it actually works.

Basically, it comes down to storming over to the other side.
It's a lot of risk, and it’s not a very delicate plan, but he looks like he can
keep me pretty safe through the whole mess. He's a big guy, over six feet for
sure, and he looks pretty strong. I think it might be okay. With that baseball
bat, he was intimidating enough to scare me, so I'm hoping it works the same
way on everyone else.

Bill's big plan is to get to the food court on the other end
of the mall. It would have been a lot easier if we'd done this before the
guards showed up, but I still think it's completely worth it to at least try.
If we can get to the food court, then really all we have to do is wait for
everyone else to starve out, if that's what we want. Other than watching for
the guards, we could stop being proactive. The fact we’d have to watch out for
the guard guys at all means there’s probably food there, I think. Otherwise
they wouldn’t have them patrolling it.

If it works out, then yeah, it would be down to two instead
of one when it came around to the very end, but a guy so imposing isn't going
to think much of me as a threat. If I did it fast, I could take him out.

God, I don't want to think like that. Not unless I have to.
The problem is that I'm really hoping I have to. I'm really hoping Bill's plan
works, and that I get the chance to kill him for real, because that means I’ll
get out. And let me tell you, I want to be the one who gets out.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 01MARCUS

ENTRY 002

DATE: 1/12/2075

That poor man's just laying there on the floor. He's been
dead a few days now, and he's still just… there. A constant reminder of what's
truly at stake in all of this. But that's not why I want to do something with
the body. The gunmen we all have to worry about are reminder enough of the
lethality of this so-called game. I just feel a man deserves more dignity than
lying dead on a tile floor, broadcast for the whole world to watch his
humiliation. That doesn't sit well with me. Not at all.

Especially not when there's something I can do about it.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 05EVAN

ENTRY 002

DATE: 1/12/2075

Death is a part of our cruel reality. There is no escape
from it, nothing that can be done to ward it off. We can postpone it for a
while, take drugs and vitamins and such, diet and exercise, only take part in
low-risk activities. All of these things can give us more time to wait for the
reaper, but he will come eventually. I've accepted that fact, accepted it a
long time ago. Sometimes, I welcome death. But not today. I've come to another
conclusion, today.

I have to take a more active role. Not in my own death, but
in the deaths of those around me. It's either that, or I wait for someone else
to reach the same conclusion. I'd rather not do that. I'm a coward, and I'd
rather cling to what life I may have left, however shitty it is, than let it
all simply end. It's my burden to deal with, but I can't overcome it.

I can overcome my own inaction, though. It’s high-risk, but
given the way things are now, I believe high-risk might be the best chance for
buying more life.

ENTRY END

TO: Marta Evenstad

FROM: Frederick Evenstad

SUBJECT: Niels

SENT 12/27/2074 AT 4:22 p.m. EST

Marta,

I know you've been worried about Niels. I want you to know
that you're not the only one worried about him. I am, and so are Stian and a
lot of the other cousins. There's something causing him harm, but of course he
won't tell any of us what it is. I don't think any of us expect him to let us
know what the problem is. Whatever it is, I doubt the stress is making it any
better on him, assuming it's not just the stress causing these problems.

I realize this isn't comforting. We'd both like to find some
solution to this, or at least some kind of an answer, if nothing else. But
that's not currently an option, I fear. At this point, all we can do is wait.
Either it will all resolve itself, or he'll eventually tell us what the problem
is. Hopefully both, but I would take either at this point, and I’m sure you would
as well.

He needs to get better. I don’t want to see someone else
come in and take over for him, of course. It would be awful, particularly if
Uncle Magnus decided to resume his position there. But I would take that if it
meant Niels wouldn’t die. Right now, I’m afraid that’s what’s happening, and we
both just have to do our best and be ready to help, if he ever lets us, I
suppose.

I’m sorry for sending such a depressing email. I just wanted
you to know you weren’t alone in your worries. Stay well, Sister.

Frederick Evenstad,

Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Technology

Family of The Mall Victim Hold Vigil

Posted 1/12/2075

This week, Ray and Gina Phillips are holding a vigil for the
death of their son, Ned Phillips, during the course of Evenstad Media's newest
reality show, The Mall. In a statement this morning, the 53 year old father
said "The vigil isn't just for our son. It's for everyone who will suffer
or has suffered because of this company and their show." Gina Phillips was
not available for comment.

Already, they've received word of over four dozen similar
vigils all across the world.

JOURNAL 11KIM

ENTRY 002

DATE: 1/13/2075

There's something, like, really weird about those guys that
came in. I figured I had to find a way to run and get food and stuff, since I
was already running pretty damn low on it. But, like, I didn't want to get
shot. So I stuck really close to the walls, right up by the shops, and just
snuck my way in. They looked at me, but nobody fired or even really moved. So I
guess they're on orders not to shoot until you cross a certain line or
something? I don't really know what it is, but I've done it a couple times
already and been totally fine.

The problem is that I don't know, for sure. I mean, it works
right now, but they didn't even show up until, like, a week into this whole
mess. How can I say this isn't going to change again after another damn week?
What I really need is someone who can help keep me safe, but that's not an
option around here. I don't have anyone to keep me safe, and I won't. At least
I can get food, for the time being. I won’t die of starvation, just of a bullet
or something.

ENTRY END

JOURNAL 06TESS

ENTRY 002

DATE: 1/13/2075

I finally got tired of having to just sit here and look at
that dead guy out there in the hall. Him and those damned guards, standing
around just holding their guns, ready to shoot at any one of us, no God-damned
rhyme or reason I’m seeing. I just couldn't do it anymore. I moved up all the
racks and stuff with the clothes to make a wall in front of the door. It sucks
for protection, but at least I don't have to watch what's going on. It means I
can't see what's going on if I need to either, but it's a price I can pay to
try to keep my own head about me.

I'm basically just washing my hands of all of this. I can't
see myself lasting long if I try to think about what all's going on around me.
Really, I'll die if I don't. Of course, I'll probably die anyway, but at least
now I'll be more peaceful when it happens. That’s been a goal for me for a long
time. When I die, I don’t want drama. I just want it to happen.

ENTRY END

TO: Gina Phillips

FROM: Laurie

SUBJECT: The Mall

SENT 1/11/2075 AT 7: 21 a.m. EST

You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. I’m truly sorry for
your loss. What happened to your son should never have occurred, and I hope it
never does again. I normally wouldn’t email someone at a time like this, but I
wanted to do it now, before the vigils got underway. I wouldn’t want to
interrupt your mourning. Know that I’ll light a candle for Ned as well.

There are a lot of people unhappy with Evenstad after The
Park, and now The Mall. You’ve seen that already, with the others joining in
around the world to mourn alongside you, but there are so many more than just
that. So many of them. Of us. And some of us are angry enough to start doing
something. We can’t manage much, but we’re doing what we can.

You have reason to be angry. I don’t want to feed that, or
introduce it if it’s not there, so stop reading now if you’re already on the
path to finding peace. All I’ll do to that is redirect you somewhere darker.
It’s not my goal to breed anger, just harness what already exists.

But if you’re already there, and you need an outlet, we can use
any help available. The handful of us willing to act against Evenstad right now
are seeking to open the world’s eyes to their evils, a little at a time, and
every voice is important in that. Chances are good we’ll do very little, in the
end, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t bother.

If you can accept all that, and you’re willing to help, I’d
be glad to have you. We all would. I won’t expect a response any time soon.
Your son is more important than any of this.

Please take care of yourself through everything, no matter
what you decide to do, Gina. There’s no way to bring Ned back, but I’m sure he
wouldn’t have wanted you mired in sorrow the rest of your life.