The Collector

by Z Hanny

  “That’s if we get out of here,” Jared said, and she elbowed him. “We need to do something, make something happen. If we try to stick it out, then we might never see the sunrise.”

  “We’ve tried,” Blaine argued, “there’s no way out.”

  Jared went silent as he considered their options. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it, glancing at his companions unsurely. Sighing, he began: “There’s probably some sort of fuel source for power tools on the first floor. Maybe we can oil up one of the walls and start it on fire, wait a minute for it to burn up, and then run through and to the outside.”

  “That’s insane,” Jennifer said.

  “I do sort of agree with Jennifer,” Blaine said. “What if it doesn’t work and we’re trapped in here with the entire building catching fire? Then we’re just killing ourselves.”

  “At this point, I’d rather go out that way then find out what this building is going to do,” Jared said lightly, then scanned the darkness, fearful to see yet another disturbing horror wandering the place.

  “Alright,” Blaine said. “Let’s do it.”

  “Do what?” Jennifer asked, floored. She couldn’t believe he was agreeing to this.

  “Let’s light the building on fire,” Blaine said.

  Chapter Twenty

  Arson

  “You can’t be serious, Blaine?” Jennifer asked. “That has to be the stupidest decision we could make other than staying the night in this place.”

  “Well we did do that,” Jared said with a slight chuckle. “Or at least...most of the night. Let’s head back to the elevator and wait for the stairs, it’s right below us.”

  “What if all those mannequins are there?” Jen asked.

  “If those things are really bent on coming after us, then they would’ve found a way by now,” Jared said. “Come on, we can light them up too.”

  They walked to the elevator and waited.

  “I’m starving,” Blaine complained, letting his head fall back against the wall. At the mention of food, Jared’s stomach growled. Jen glanced at him, eyebrows raised.

  “I could go for a sandwich right now...” he admitted. “Or pancakes. Or a steak. Anything really.”

  “Let’s make a deal,” Jen said seriously. “As soon as we’re out of here, we’ll stop at that diner down the street that we passed. It’s 24-hour. It’ll be open. We’ll eat as much as we can, until we’re sick.”

  The boys nodded, each with a hand on their rumbling stomachs. It was a good idea – it gave them hope, something to focus on instead of what they were about to do.

  They turned back and found the stairs. They walked cautiously down the steps and to the main level. It relieved them that they could see a bit more on this level and that none of the mannequins prowled the area. Dawn was beginning to soften the windows, but it would still be hours before anyone showed up to open the store.

  Weaving through the beds, the teens reached the tool section and searched for anything that required oil or gasoline to operate. Blaine found the snowblowers and figured that most of them ran on gas.

  They searched meticulously around the blowers for some sort of fuel, but they were unsuccessful, so they looked for more tools. Jen came across the chainsaws and underneath the display section were boxes full of different types of gas and oil mixtures.

  “You two,” Jennifer called to the others, “I found what we’re looking for.”

  The boys came over and started looking through the boxes with big grins on their faces.

  “I think you guys are enjoying this idea too much,” Jennifer reprimanded, arms crossed. “Do you even know which ones are flammable?”

  “Think about it,” Jared said. “We get to start a big fire and we get to burn the creeps in the building to the ground. We’re doing everyone that works here a favor. As for what’s flammable, that’s easy - we mix them all.”

  “How exactly are we going to start it?” Jennifer asked while the others unboxed the gasoline.

  “I saw lighters over by the grills,” Blaine volunteered. “We can push some of the mattresses and bedding up against a wall, then douse those and start it up.”

  Jennifer sighed. She heard something and looked sharply to the right. The boys were too occupied with their plan to notice, so she grabbed Blaine’s phone and held up the light. She glimpsed something crawling on the floor, but it hid at the sight of the light.

  “Guys,” Jen whispered hurriedly as she moved the light in several directions. Neither responded. “Guys, I think Fish Face, or the Collector, or whatever you want to call that thing… I think she’s here.”

  Jared paused and took a hammer from his pocket that he’d found while searching for the fuel.

  “How?” he asked, but Jen looked at him helplessly, unable to answer.

  Blaine grabbed the hatchet he’d found near the grills. Each of them stood and prepared for the menacing monster to reveal herself, but nothing happened.

  After a few tense moments they set a variety of gas and oils into a box that could be carried and walked on, Jennifer guiding them with the light. She quickly found a large wrench to carry. Jen searched frantically for the creature, but nothing moved at the light’s edge or among the aisles.

  She convinced herself that she’d imagined it, scared because of everything that had happened to them. They had reached the bedding, and Blaine was pulling off comforters and body pillows, kicking them toward the nearest wall.

  “Where do we put it all?” Jen asked, turning back to her friends.

  “Right up against a window?” Jared suggested, shifting the box so that he could kick things along too. “It looked like the frames might be made of wood and the glass might break in the heat, which is what we want. That would be the safest way to go.”

  “Yeah, but if that doesn’t work,” Blane said with a smile, “then we have a lot of gasoline to play with.”

  They found even more bed sets near the window they’d chosen. It didn’t take long for the pile to grow and take shape. Blaine and Jared weren’t satisfied with the kindling, so they gathered more things to put against it - bed frames and small end tables.

  “Are you two sure this is a good idea?” Jennifer asked as she took a few steps back. “Because now that I look at this, I really don’t think it is. There’s no way we’ll be able to make it through the flames.”

  “It’ll be okay,” Jared insisted. “If anything, we can hide away from the fire and the fire department will show up and bust their way in.”

  That seemed to calm Jen a bit. “Okay,” she said as the boys began drenching the beds and other items with the gasoline. “We just have to get away from the smoke - that’s what everyone says is that thing that kills.”

  “Come on, Jen,” Jared said. “Blaine and I have been playing with fire since we were little.”

  “Ugh, you boys,” she said. “Pyromaniacs.” He shot her a grin, then turned back to their planned destruction.

  All three stopped what they were doing at the sound of objects falling somewhere on the floor. Jennifer pointed the light in the direction they’d turned toward and everything went silent. Jared and Blaine returned to dousing the kindling, but they moved much faster. Jen kept her light trained on the floor.

  The group started to walk away from the pile as Jared dribbled a trail along behind them. Jennifer guided them with the light, searching in all directions. When they neared the end of Jared’s gasoline can, they stopped and looked around.

  “Hopefully this fire will consume the Collector as well,” Jared said, digging the lighter he’d grabbed earlier out of his back pocket.

  “Do ghosts burn?” Blaine asked, and they all shrugged at one another.

  Jared flicked the lighter on, but didn’t move toward the gas. He looked at the other two. “Let’s stay down on this floor for a minute, and if a hole doesn’t open up for us, we can move up to the next flight of stairs and wait.”

  “Shouldn’t we go down - away from the smoke, not up
with it?” Jennifer asked.

  “If we go down, we’re trapped,” Jared said, “and I don’t want to go down to the mannequin storage floor with all those things there, that’s a double no.”

  “I don’t know,” Jen said nervously. “I’m starting to have second thoughts about this.”

  As she finished her words, more objects fell nearby, and Jared moved the flame down to the trail. It lit up and sparked quickly toward the window with a rushing sound. They backed away and watched, glancing around the room every now and then for any signs of the Collector.

  The flame reached the pile and the first mattress began to go up. The bed quickly began pouring out black smoke and the rest of the pile lit up. The rustling of objects came from further away, more frantic now, but the group was drawn by the light and heat of their makeshift bonfire.

  “The light of the fire might be scaring her,” Blaine said, motioning that they should all get a little lower. Smoke was billowing up across the ceiling.

  “Won’t this set off an alarm?” Jennifer asked hopefully as she looked up at the black smoke.

  “It might not if the power is off, but there are houses nearby – someone will see the smoke.” Blaine pointed at the stairway. “Let’s get closer to the stairs.”

  All three made a beeline for the stairs with the light of the fire and the phone to guide them. Though they could see further, the shadows between aisles were darker and more ominous.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The Collector

  The group reached the stairs and turned to watch as the fire grew larger, but they began to grow dismayed when they noticed that it wasn’t having any effect on the wall or the window. The pile became more engulfed and the smoke increased.

  They turned and jogged up the stairs, but Jen stopped for a moment and turned to look at the fire and the basement level. She noticed movement coming toward them – something was coming up from the lower levels.

  “Go!” she shouted, running and pushing the boys up quicker. They spilled out onto the second floor, tripping over one another.

  “Why’d you do that?” Blaine demanded, pushing himself up off the floor. Jared was holding his elbow and groaning. Jen leapt to her feet quickly and began to help him up.

  “I think the Collector is on her way up. Go and hide over there,” she explained quickly, nodding toward a large wooden pantry.

  They dashed into the pantry and closed it behind them, leaving just a small crack so that they could look out. A horrid scratching sound came from the stairs and they watched as the Collector raced up and scurried into the darkness, nose to the ground as if she was scenting them.

  The glow of the fire radiated onto this floor, making it a little easier to see. All three cautiously stepped out and Jennifer pointed the light up at the smoke still gathering on the ceiling, flowing out across the level like some strange reverse river.

  “Look you guys,” Jared said and pointed towards the elevator. “The stairs vanished again.”

  Their shoulders drooped.

  “That means the fire will eventually burn the floor beneath us. It could give out,” Blaine said as he placed his hand on the floor to feel for heat. “Strange - it isn’t even warm yet.”

  “Did you two notice that the fire wasn’t doing anything to the windows or the wall?” Jared asked. “At least more smoke won’t be able to make it up here.”

  “Yeah,” Jennifer said as she looked frantically around with the light. “I’m more worried about the dead woman sharing the floor with us. What do we do now if the windows and walls are melting and burning down?”

  Jared and Blaine held up the tools to defend against the Collector if she struck. They decided it best to wait for the stairs then go up another level.

  “I guess we just hope that someone sees the smoke from the fire and the building gets some attention,” Blaine said.

  Before Jennifer could speak, she felt a pull on her ankle and fell to the ground. The Collector gripped her tight and began dragging her away from Jared and Blaine. Blaine tossed his hatchet and it struck the Collector’s head with a sickening sound. She hissed and released Jen.

  She ran back to the others and the stairway appeared.

  “Perfect,” Jared commented, glancing behind them for any sign that the Collector was making a comeback. From downstairs, a blast of heat and smoke rose up the stairway explosively. Flames licked up from the lower level. The group dashed upwards, hoping that the Collector would get stuck on the second floor.

  Jared caught a flash of movement coming up after them and ran for cover under a rack of clothing. He held up his hammer, anticipating there to be mannequins, but the level was empty.

  “Where are all the mannequins?” Jared called out.

  “Hopefully burning down below,” Blaine answered as he grabbed a metal rod to defend himself.

  The stairs still behind them, they could feel the heat as the fire moved onto the second level. The smoke still flowed up the stairs now that they were open.

  “Go!” Jared said, and pushed the other two forward. “Before they vanish again!”

  They dashed up the stairs just before the wall appeared and looked around at the second clothing level. Scratching could be heard through the wall.

  “She’s mad that we came up here without her,” Jared said, putting ear up to the wall. Jen was busily scanning this level for mannequins, fearful that they might still be here.

  “Those things are somewhere, and I have a feeling we’re going to see all of them soon,” she warned.

  “Here,” Blaine said and handed the others each a scarf. “Cover your faces. Look at how much smoke is on this level.”

  He pointed up and it looked like a sea of smoke resting on the ceiling. Their throats suddenly seemed tighter, and they all covered their faces with the scarves and crouched down.

  “What happens if the smoke isn’t exiting the building?” Jen asked. “Sooner or later the stairs will open up and we’ll be suffocated with it.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jared said as he leaned against the wall. “I really thought the fire was going to give us a way out of here.”

  “Don’t give up yet,” Blaine said. “Maybe the fire department is almost here. Someone has to be seeing this.”

  He walked over to one of the windows and tried to peer through the blizzard to the parking lot below. It appeared to still be empty. He pounded on the glass a few times with the metal rod to no avail – it hadn’t worked earlier, and it wouldn’t work now.

  He took a few steps back and a mannequin lunged for him, wrapping itself around his upper arms. He struggled to get it off as the mannequin’s whine blared in his ear.

  Blaine turned and ran himself and the mannequin into the window. He continued to bash his back and the mannequin against it. Each bash caused a crack to appear.

  “Keep using the mannequin against the window!” Jared shouted as he ran over. “It’s causing the window to break!”

  Blaine took a big step forward and pushed through the pain of the mannequin’s squeezing grip in order to use all of his might. He and the mannequin smashed through the window and Blaine fell backward out into the swirling snow and to the ground below.

  Jennifer and Jared ran over and looked down, shouting for Blaine. They could barely see the bottom, but they saw a figure moving. Blaine stood and brushed the snow off him, then kicked and the mannequin, which was no longer moving. He looked up to the other two and motioned for them.

  “Jump!” Blaine shouted, the wind trying to carry his voice away. “There’s enough snow.”

  The two of them got as close to the edge as possible, but before they could jump, they were both yanked backward. Jared rose up, flailing the hammer. The Collector hissed at him and pushed him back down hard.

  Jared fumbled back and tripped over the broken window, causing him to fall out. His last sight was of the Collector snatching Jennifer and darting for the elevator.

  “Jen!” Jared screamed as he fell several
levels into the snow below. The cold wetness of it was shocking. He dug his way out, gasping. “Blaine! She grabbed Jen! The Collector grabbed her and was going to the elevator!”

  Both boys ran to the front of the building and both froze for a moment when they noticed no fire inside the building. They pounded on the windows and pulled on the door, they couldn’t get in.

  “She had my phone,” Blaine said. “The nearest police station is a few blocks from here. We’ll tell them, and we’ll call – she has to be okay.”

  *

  The elevator opened and Jennifer screamed at the sight of the mannequin army waiting on the other side. Behind her, the Collector held her hands bound behind back and every time she wiggled or moved, a claw dug into her back.

  The droves of mannequins reached in and pulled her out. She struggled as she moved through the crowd. Their blank eyes examined her as she was passed around and all she could do was shout out at them.

  They dragged her toward a machine that roared with electric life. The Collector crawled on top of it and looked down at the mannequins pulling Jennifer. When she glanced up at the fleshy monstrosity, it pointed at an opening in the machine, drooling with excitement.

  Jennifer caught sight of spools of plastic and began fighting more frantically as the mannequins forced her into the opening. Her eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Grief

  The boys had run to the police station that early morning, but when they arrived at the department store and the employees were summoned to unlock the door, they found everything in pristine condition – as if nothing had happened. No sign of their nightly destruction or of the fire could be found.

  The cops humored them long enough to let them look around, but when they checked the elevator, there were no buttons to basement levels and all the employees claimed that there was no basement to the building. The police labeled Jen as a missing person or potentially a kidnapping after speaking to her parents, who confirmed that she hadn’t been in bed that morning.