It Could Have Been Worse

I'm sitting on the bench in the mall. I'm waiting for my sister to get out of work. I'm on my phone, browsing Instagram.

       BOOM!!! A loud noise came to me.

Flashback:

       It's the day after Thanksgiving. It's November 29, 2019, Black Friday. My sister was working at the mall until six pm. My phone ding. I got a message.

Franny: Done with work. Still at the mall. (4:23pm)

Me: Coming. (4:26)

        I walked to the mall. It was windy. I finally made it to the mall. I texted her.

Me: Where are you? (4:45)

Franny: Lego Store.

Me: Where is that? (4:46)

Franny: Above the Disney Store. Pass the Build a Bear store.

Me: Okay.

I thought: I know where that is.

       But then, my mind played tricks on me. So, I texted her.

Me: Do I have to go up? (4:48)

Franny: Are you on the first floor?

Me: No.

      She called me.

Me: Hello.

Franny: Where did you came in from?

Me: The bridge thingy.

Franny: Just go in the old section.

Me: Okay.

      I made it to the old section. I still didn't see her.

Me: I see Build A Bear but I don't see Disney Store.

Franny: That's because you're above it.

Me: Oh.

Franny: I'm coming up.

Me: Okay. ( looked for her)

Me: I don't see you.

Franny: Well, I'm next to the elevator.

      I looked but didn't see her.

Franny: Let's meet where old and new section meet.

Me: Okay.

     I turned and and started walk and I saw her. She hanged up the phone.

Franny: Where were you? Did you go on the bridge or go where we original go?

Me: Bridge.

Franny: Oh, that's why.

    We walked passed Build A Bear store. Then I saw sign that had "Lego" on it.

Me: It's so close together.

     We went in the Lego store.

Helper: Welcome.

      We passed her.

Franny: Which one do you think Emily would like?

Franny: This one? Or this one?

     I looked somewhere else.

Franny: Well, it needs to be 30 dollars or less.

Me: Okay.

    I was looking at "Lego Friends".

Franny: I was thinking about them too.

Me: This one looks cool.

Franny: How much is it?

Me: Oh, it's...oops. (the price was a lot)

    I quickly looked for another one that she might like. I saw a treehouse.

Me: This one looks fun too.

Franny: Yea.

    We kept looking. She found one. It was an ice cream truck.

Franny: What about this one?

Me: Aww....yea.

Franny: Well, this is 15 dollars. I should get her another gift.

Me: Yea.

Franny: I just think it should be even with all the kids.

Me: Okay.

      She saw another one that she liked.

Franny: I'm going to get her this too.

Me: Okay.

Franny: Now, I have to get something for Nick.

Me: I thought you already did.

Franny: No, only Micheal. He had them on layaway. I don't know what he got him. I hope we don't get him the same things.

Me: Probably not.

     She was looking at Toy Story 4 and Marvel legos.

Franny: Which one do you think he will like?

Me: Maybe the Toy Story.

Franny: Well, this doesn't cost a lot. So, I should get him another one.

    We went where helicopter and cars. Legos are. She got the helicopter.

Franny: I'm ready to buy these.

Me: Okay.

       We walked to the checkout.

Cashier: Hello, find everything okay?

Franny: Yes, thank you.

Cashier: That comes to...

        She bought it and we left the store.

Me: Now where?

Franny: Five Below.

Me: Okay, I have to get Lizzy something.

      We walked to Five Below. We walked in the store.

Me: I should get her art supplies. She likes to draw.

      I saw drawing notebooks.

Me: Hey, here's one that looks like the one I got for myself.

     Franny picked up a light blue one. She looked at different ones.

Franny: Which one should I get?

Me: I think you should get the one that has a lot of pages.

Franny: It's the light blue one.

Me: Maybe I should get her a book that asked her questions.

   But the one I was looking at, I didn't like.

Me: I'm going to look at other things on the stand.

      Franny went a different way. I was still searching for a gift. Then I found it.

I thought: Hey, I remember her playing a guitar at her friend's. I can get her a guitar. It looks plain. I should paint it black. Black is her fav. color. Maybe I should paint a galaxy.

      Franny was looking for markers. She has everything that she needed. We cashed out.

Franny: I'm hungry.(5:39)

Me: Me too.

Franny: Where should we go?

Me: I don't know.

Franny: Let me see my coupon book and see the sales.

Me:Okay.

     After some minutes...

Franny: Let's go to Koto Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi.

Me: Okay.

     We walked to it. We were seated. The waitress came.

Waitress: Hello, my name is Iris. I'll be your server. What can I get you to drink?

Franny: Can I have a Sprite?

Iris: Sure, and you?

Me: Can I have hot tea?

Iris: Sure, what kind?

Franny: Now, do you get refills on it?

Iris: No, but we do give you a teapot.

Franny: Okay, thanks.

Me: Can I get the Passionfruit hot tea?

Iris: Sure, I'll be right back.

      We took our coats off.

Franny: Look at that, it's six. If I was still working, I'll wouldn't be eating right now. (I can't remember if Iris took our order before or after she said this)

      I just smiled.

      Some minutes went by and Iris came back.

Iris: Do you know what you're gonna eat?

Franny: Yes, can I get the lobster and steak one?

Iris: Okay, white, brown, or fried rice?

Franny: I have white rice.

Iris: And how would you like your steak?

Franny: Medium rare.

Iris: Okay.

Franny: It says it comes with soup. What kind of soup?

Iris: It only comes with one soup. Miso soup.

Franny: Okay, I like that soup.

Iris: What can I get you?

Me: I have the Chicken Tempura.

Iris: White, brown, or fried rice.

Me: White rice.

Iris: I'm going to put your order in.

Franny: Thank you.

      Iris left and I looked out from where I was . I saw the escalators and the food court.

Me: I don't remember the bar being here.

Franny: They just put that there.

Me: Okay.

Franny: I can remember when Micheal took me here for my birthday. We sat where we can watched them cooked our dinner.

     Some minutes went by and Iris came back.

Franny: Oh yay, my soup is here.

        Iris put the soups in front of us.

Franny: Thank you.

Me: Thank you.

Iris: You're welcome.

        She left. Franny tasted her soup.

Franny: I think it needs soy sauce.

      She puts soy sauce in the soup.

Franny: Do you want a sip?

Me: Okay.

   I took a sip of her soup.

Me: It taste good.

Franny: Soy sauce puts flavor in it.

      We ate all our soup.

       Iris came to our table with dinner.

Franny: Thank you.

Me: Thank you.

     Iris left.

Franny: Wow! ( about the food)

Me: I know, I didn't expect to look like this. I expect to be in a bowl with the rice on the bottom. Then the chicken and then the veggies. But it looks nice. It looks like a tower of chicken.

Franny: Yea.

I thought: I'm eating the rice first.

    I put soy sauce in it.

Me: It taste good.

Franny: Which one do you want to try? A piece of lobster tail or a piece of steak?

I thought: I don't like lobster so steak.

Me: Steak.

      Franny gave me a piece of steak. I'm eating the steak.

I thought: I forgot, don't like steak.

Franny: My lobster is overcooked.

        Iris came to our table.

Iris: Is everything okay with your meal?

Franny: Is my lobster suppose to look like this?

Iris: I don't know. I don't eat meat. I'm a vegetarian.

Franny:Oh, well, this is dry and rubbery.

Iris: Okay, I'll tell the manager.

Franny: Thank you.

        Iris left and walked to the front desk. The manager was there. The manager walked to our table.

Manager: Yes, is something wrong?

Franny: Yes, my lobster tail is dry and rubbery.

Manager: I can get you a new one, would you like that?

Franny: Yes please. Thank you.

       The manager left.

        Some minutes went by and the new lobster tail came.

Franny: Thank you.

       He left and she started to eat it.

I thought: Now it's veggies time.

     I took a bite of broccoli first.

Me: Mmm... take a bite of this.

    Franny took a bite.

Franny: It's nice and soft.

Me: I'm gonna try this one.

    It was white and crunchy.

Me: I don't like it, let's try this one.

     I took a bite of asparagus.

Me: Franny, take a bite of the one.

      Franny took a bite.

Me: Good?

Franny: Yea.

        Some minutes went by.

Me: I guess it's chicken time.

      I tasted it.

I thought: It was plain. It needed soy sauce.

      I put soy sauce on it. I took a bite.

I thought: Better.

         BOOM!! went throughout the food court. (7:00)

I thought: Something must of fell.

      Two seconds later..

A woman: Someone with a gun!!

    I saw the crowd going down the escalators. The look of terror on their face.

The manager: Everybody get in the back!!

     Everyone in the restaurant ran in the back, except Franny, she stayed where she was but went underneath the table. However, I was still standing so confused on what to do. Finally, I went underneath the table across from Franny.

           Some minutes went by and the manager went to the front desk.

Manager: What's going on?

A woman: A man shot someone.(crying)

I thought: Seems like she saw it happened.

     The crowd seems to calmed down so we got up. I walked to my table. I saw police and ambulance people rushing by.

Iris: We are closing. Do you want a box to go and the check?

Franny: Yes please.

Iris: I'm praying that no one got hurt. It could have been worser.

      Some minutes went by and we left the restaurant.(7:19)

Franny: We should go this way.

I thought: But that way was the gun was at.

Me: Maybe we should go this way.( pointing at the other direction)

Franny: But we would walked all around the mall to get home. This way is easier.

We were heading where the gun shot took place. We passed the food court but then...

Policeman: I'm sorry, you can't go this way.

Franny: Okay, let's turned around.

      We turned around and passed the food court. We were on the escalator and went out of the mall.(7:26)

Franny: Now we have to go all around the mall.

     Fear started to sat in.

I thought: What if they're outside. What if...this, what if that.

I thought: I just want to get away from here.

I thought: Look at Franny. She's not afraid but I am.

        We walked around the mall. Finally, we made it to the highway. We saw three people walking to the mall. We passed them.

Franny: Should I tell them that the mall is close?

Me: Yea.

Franny: The mall is closed!(yelling to them)

      One of them heard her and he told the other two. Then they walked our way so we walked towards them.

George: What happened?

Franny: Someone got shot.

George: Is that the reason why there's a helicopter over the mall?

    I nodded.

George: I can't believe it. Okay thanks.

      We went our separate ways. We passed the bridge and we saw another man running to the mall. He passed us.

Franny: The mall is closed.

The man: I have to closed Dunkin Donuts. They called me to close it.

Franny: Oh, okay.

      Then we went our separate ways.

   We finally reached our house.(7:46)

Franny went her way and I went mine.

I went inside.

Present:

I looked in the direction of the noise. It was only woman emptying a trashcan.

I'm thinking: Stupid, you got afraid for nothing.

A voice(an angel/God): You're not stupid. Something like that just doesn't go away.

      My sister is done with work. She walked to me and then we both left the mall.