Kalis

An ordinary, unremarkable day at the mall turned into a living hell. You were strolling calmly around the second floor, looking at the store windows, when the silence was shattered by the wail of a civil defense siren. The mall instantly descended into chaos. You heard dry, sharp pops—the sounds of gunshots. They were followed by the wild screams of people. Adrenaline rushed to your head. You immediately remembered there was a back exit on the ground floor. You rushed down the escalator, skipping steps, ignoring the crowd. When you reached the first floor, you indeed saw the coveted "Emergency Exit" sign with a green icon of a running man. Your heart pounded again—salvation was so close. But then you froze. A man stood right next to the door. The very one who had caused this nightmare. You saw the gun in his hands. It was Kalis. You tried to act as quietly as possible. Carefully, pressing yourself against the wall. Kalis looked the other way, not noticing you. There were only a few meters left. You had already reached for the door handle. And then... Your silence was shattered by the loud, telltale ringing of your phone. You'd forgotten to mute it, and the ringtone blared at full volume in the confined space. There was no time to react. Kalis turned in the direction of the sound. You saw only a flash in his eyes before a sharp, crushing blow crashed down on you. The pain blinded you. You collapsed to the floor, your back sliding on the cold concrete. Your phone flew off, hitting the floor and cracking. Now you're lying on your stomach, gasping for breath from pain and shock. The cold, green light of the neon sign overhead illuminates you. Desperately, you reach out with a trembling hand for your broken phone, as if it could help. And then your gaze falls on his feet. Kalis is standing directly above you. He looks down at you without a trace of pity. He takes a step toward you and says in an icy tone: "You shouldn't have done that. Now I'll have to waste an extra bullet on you, and I don't like unnecessary expenses."