Page 42 of Hollow

“What if you do not like it?”

“Then my Christmas will be ruined, and it’ll be all your fault.” Jack gave Dimitri a big, menacing smile with shadowy, jagged teeth. “No pressure, right?”

“You are impossible.”

“Don’t overthink it,” Jack said. “Just try to have fun looking around. If you see something that reminds you of me, makes you think I’ll like it, then grab it.”

Dimitri sighed. The pair agreed to meet back by the fountain in an hour. Dimitri believed he’d need much longer to search for a decent gift. With his phone pointed ahead, Dimitri recorded his every footstep.

A woman glared at Dimitri’s bare feet as his clawed toes clicked against the sleek marble flooring of some clothing store. Dimitri was reminded of the signs at the gas station near the wooded entrance he frequented, informing patrons they required shoes and shirts if they wished for service.

Dimitri already wore an itchy sweater underneath his jacket; he had no intention of wedging his feet into shoes. Thankfully, he didn’t intend to waste much time in the clothing store. The stiff fabric of the clothing was unappealing, and the mannequins’ faceless stares followed Dimitri throughout the store. He glanced toward the woman who had glared a moment before, but she’d lost interest in Dimitri. Still, the eerie sensation followed him until he abandoned the store.

It wasn’t like Jack seemed particularly in love with clothing, so Dimitri wandered from one store to the next, hoping to catch sight of something Jack might like. Eventually, he landed inside a store comprised of toys and games. A whole wall of video games. They also had tiny little action figures everywhere and stuffed animals of every kind.

It was impossible to recall every single game Jack had, as it seemed he had more video games than perhaps this store’s inventory held. Instead, Dimitri focused his efforts elsewhere. The toys seemed like nostalgic trophies to celebrate the love players held for their games. Dimitri searched for something Jack could put on display when playing his video games. Something to cherish when blowing things up and cackling.

“This is horrific.” Dimitri smiled down at a stuffed animal.

Dimitri aimed his phone to zoom in close. He wasn’t sure how all the other videos got so close to something without hitting it. Every time Dimitri moved his phone closer to zoom in, he always ended up smacking the stuffed animal. No matter. The footage was good enough. Jack could make the video better.

As Dimitri continued looking for something else to add to his gift, he felt pinpricks on the nape of his neck.

Dimitri scanned the nearly empty store and peered through the glass windows. There was no one looking at him from inside the store or the mall itself. No one he could see at least. Still, the haunting feeling followed him as he paid for his gifts, as the clerk bagged them up, as he roamed around until he reached the fountain.

It was difficult to describe, the ominous sensation of someone’s hateful gaze landing on him. Dimitri couldn’t prove it, couldn’t explain it, couldn’t find the source, but he knew someone somewhere watched him with malice in their heart. A wicked gaze that stalked him.

“How’d it go?”

“I bought the gifts,” Dimitri replied, scanning the mall.

“Gifts as in plural?” Jack smiled. “Well, aren’t I special?”

Dimitri nodded in response, more on instinct than actual attentive listening.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone is watching me.”

“Who?” Jack turned to join in the search, finding nothing and no one much like Dimitri.

“I do not know.” Dimitri swallowed hard. “Perhaps I am being of the paranoid persuasion.”

“It’s not paranoid, given everything.” Jack’s expression turned somber. “I didn’t think about it when I dragged you out. I figured it’s gotta be less stressful than a whole ass festival.”

“I enjoyed our outing,” Dimitri replied, turning his focus back onto Jack, and ignoring the lingering sensations that came with being haunted. “I believe I may have just reached my limit.”

“Every introvert’s gotta recharge those batteries,” Jack said with a light laugh. “No worries, I will be on extrovert buffer duties until we get home.”

Dimitri gave Jack a small smile and followed him out to the car. As they drove back, Dimitri didn’t dwell on the goosebumps of his own anxiety and instead focused on Jack’s wording. Home. A place open to Dimitri, a place offered to him for refuge and comfort and opportunity. His life had changed a hundred different ways in such a short time, but he was learning to appreciate this second chance.

Once they got home, Jack instructed Dimitri to wrap his present.

“Why?”

“So, we can open them.”

“But it will be easier to open if I just leave it in the bag.”