Gather up anyone left alive

••••••

As Autumn rounded the corner, she spotted Mark breaking from the crowd and sprinting to the side. She chased after him as he ran into the women's clothing section.

"Mark!" She called. He peered over his shoulder but didn't stick around to wait for her to catch up. Mark weaved in and out through the clothing racks until he was freed from that area and stumbling into the customer service division.

He tripped over a box that had been left out and landed with a loud thud.

"Are you alright?" Autumn asked when she finally had caught up with him. She reached out a hand to help him up, but he slapped it away.

"No!" He shrieked, cheeks flushed and eyes glossy. "I don't want to die!"

The store's volume had become decreasing steadily, but now it was dangerously quiet.

"Shh."

Mark always had a calm and uncaring demeanor, and she was taken aback, seeing him so terrified. Then again, she couldn't control the rate of her breathing, nor could she stop herself from quaking. "We'll figure this out."

"You know how dumb you sound!" He snapped. Jumping to his feet, he gave her a small shove. "There are people with guns, and you want to sit around and come up with a plan?" Autumn peeked around the room, weighing their options quickly.

They could hide behind the desk, which would leave them utterly exposed the second a gunmen entered.

They could find another spot in a different area. That ran the risk of being seen and taken out by the shooter.

Her eyes landed on the unisex bathroom.

"We'll lock ourselves in the bathroom," Autumn pointed to the door. Mark didn't even blink; he moved so fast he practically reached the door in two strides. He opened it just enough for his body to fit through and stuck his head inside.

Autumn set a hand on the door and tried to push it open, but Mark fought her.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was brittle.

"There are no stalls, it's just the one," he blankly said.

"So?" She tried to squeeze past him, but Mark pushed her, hard. She landed on her back with a heavy smack. "Mark, this isn't funny." Before she knew what was happening, tears were racing down her cheeks.

A man yelled nearby, which was then followed by a single gun shot. A cluster of people ran by; someone was coming.

Autumn returned her attention to Mark.

"Please. I love you."

"We've been over for a long time, babe." Mark shut the door.

Autumn jumped to her feet and reached for the handle, the lock clicking the second her fingers brushed the knob.

"Mark! Please!" Autumn begged, wrapping her fist against the door. Her tears blinded her view, and she wasn't positive she'd ever manage to catch her breath again. "You son of a bitch!"

Autumn left the customer service area and crept into the empty hall.

The only way to save herself was to hide.

The place looked like it had been looted and left to rot. Shelves were broken, racks were knocked over, and boxes of items were spread out and smashed.

"What do you mean they're gone?" Someone barked. They sounded too close for comfort.

She rushed forward, searching for a hiding spot. Up ahead, she could see a few shelves had fallen on top of each other, creating a small hole.

You can make it.

Autumn went as fast as her legs would take her, leaping over a tipped clothes rack. Rounding the corner, she skidded to a stop.

Someone was lying in front of her.

They were under a table that had fallen on top of them. The pants that had been sitting on it were draped over them.

"They're here, I know it." The voice returned, closing in. Autumn was going to go to the man on the ground before she realized who it was.

It was him.

The blonde haired-blue eyed stranger. Autumn didn't understand the weird energy that ran through her body, but whatever it was, it was strong enough to make her ignore her safety to check on him.

Crashing to her knees, the first thing she noticed was the gash on his forehead. Blood pooled down the side of his face. Autumn set her hands on his cheeks, shaking him in a desperate attempt to wake him up; he wouldn't.

Out of time, she grabbed him by the hand and began to pull. If she'd been in any other situation, she wouldn't have been strong enough to move him. But the fact that death was literally walking towards her gave her the strength to drag his body across the carpet and under the shelves.

Autumn joined him, hiding as far in as she could.

"Gather up anyone left alive."