Pteranodon Mall Read Online Free PDF Page A

all went a bit funny. This was unreal. Just because this guy tried to fleece him out of his money, they were now fast friends?
    “I think it’s a fire drill.” The youth assumed the air of authority when two other shoppers gazed in his direction. “Yeah, that’s got to be the reason. Give it a few more minutes, and the shutters will go back up.”
    Jefferson nodded and smiled before pretending to look at his watch. He spun around and lost himself in the crowd, squeezing his way through the throng, and headed for the edge of the walkway where the crowds were thinner.
    Where were all the police and the fire engines? He skirted around the crowd, deciding to go around the other side of the building. The emergency services should have already got here by now, if only to reassure the shoppers.
    It wasn’t a fire drill, that much Jefferson did know. Every staff member was supposed to escort the shoppers out of the building; they sure as hell didn’t lock them all in. “This doesn’t make any sense,” he repeated.
    On a brighter note, it looked like all the shops in the town centre were about to receive some much needed custom. The crowd was already dispersing, leaving the charity worker leaning against the wall with only a couple of pigeons for company. He picked up the pace, in case the guy tried to collar him again.
    What did that clown mean about people feeling weird when they got too close to the shutters? Did it mean anything, or was that guy making up rubbish so people would listen to him? Jefferson hurried past the huge window displays belonging to Martin’s Department Store, still unnerved by the complete lack of explanation to why the mall had just closed itself off from the rest of the town.
    There should have been somebody around to explain what was going on. Indigo’s Furniture Store had another entrance at the back on the mall. Jefferson would try to get inside through there. He knew there wasn’t any shutters installed over those doors. He slowed his pace, and then stopped dead at the sight of another set of metal shutters over the furniture shop entrance.
    “No, no way,” he said. He and David came through those doors this morning. Had they really installed a set of shutters in just over four hours? Jefferson walked over to them and placed his hand on the metal.
    His anxiety melted away. Jefferson loved his job. He had great friends and was really happy with his life. He ought to see this as an unexpected holiday. Why not visit that library? Maybe he’d meet a pretty girl in there?
    He snatched his hand off the shutter. “What the fuck was that?” he cried. It felt as though something had just melted the surface of his brain. Jefferson clamped his hand over his mouth, trying not to throw up. His handprint now stained the shutter. Through the shape, he saw what looked like glass. Despite his whole body suggesting otherwise, Jefferson put both hands on the shutter and pressed. Jefferson loved his job. He had great friends, and he was really—
    He fell to his knees and bent over. Jefferson slammed his hands on the tiled floor and groaned as nausea slammed through his guts. He managed to open his eyes to find himself in the store’s lobby. Holding his hands against his stomach, Jefferson turned his head to find the automatic doors leading outside were wide open. He slowly got to his feet and burped, grimacing as the taste of that pasty filled his mouth.
    Two young girls came into view. They stopped opposite him and stared, only they weren’t looking at him.
    “Oh, it’s closed,” said the blonde girl.
    Her companion swore before she took a lump of pink gum out of her mouth. Jefferson gaped in incredulity as it looked like she was about to give it to him. Instead, she pushed it against the fresh air. He saw the gum flatten out. It just stayed there, defying gravity, while the other girl let out a loud sigh.
    “Fuck it, let’s go to McDonald’s then.”
    The girls ran over the road, narrowly