✓ DEFENSIVE | Z. BERMAN

xii. THE KILLERS

OCTOBER 4th, 1994
12:07 A.M.

Quickly getting to work, the group splits up throughout the mall, Y/N and Ziggy working together to get ready to set up.

As they approach the tree, The Hanging Tree, the pair of them have similar flashbacks, yet Ziggy's makes a visible shudder go down her spine.

This was the place she last saw her sister, alive that it.

"This is it." Deena's voice rings out, snapping the pair from their trance with a jump.

"Yup." Y/N responds thickly, following Ziggy's lead, noticing the way her arms shook with the boxes.

Still, she follows without a word.

Dropping the tools and supplies by the foot of the tree, the five come together as Deena delivers a last minute pep talk.

Gathering at the center of the mall, Deena looks between everyone there and takes a deep breath, "Everyone says Shadyside sucks because it's full of shitty people, that bad things happen here because we're bad," She states as everyone nods along, "That we deserve what we have coming. That's how it was for Sarah, and that's how it's been for us. But it's all bullshit. Ok, just because we're weird and smart and different doesn't mean they can feed us through their meat grinder. Not anymore." Taking a deep breath, Deena's eyes set with determination. "It's been three centuries. No one else has gotten this far. It stops here... tonight. It stops with us. We're gonna kill this motherfucker."

Deena looks around their small group, her confidence building as she speaks, "For Sarah. For Kate and Simon. For Cindy. For Alice. For all of us. For Shadyside. Now let's do this."

Leaning down over a bucket of water, Deena uses Ziggy's knife to cut a large gash across her palm, the blood seeping into the bucket as she clenched her fist.

Standing confidently, the group gets to work.

Setting up various traps and black lights, the five use spray cans to mark the place, spraying messages and diversions. Using any type of noise maker, they place them at all of the entrances to ensure they'll know once the killers arrive.

Finally, they add some glow in the dark paint to the blood tainted water, filling up the water guns with the important liquid they'll use to lure the assassins and use it to make pathways towards the various shops.

Ziggy and Y/N work together to set up the rig of the bucket, which is hidden in the hanging tree.

The group also works to rig all of the shop doors, as many as they can.

After all, there was 300 years worth of killers and murders on their way.

After the final drop is sprayed, Deena calls over her shoulder to Ziggy, "Ok cut it!"

"Cut it!" Ziggy sends the message to Y/N and Martin who cut the power of the mall, except for one switch which illuminates the mall with the black light, the paint and spray paint now visible as the mall space is cast in the eerie glow.

And not long after, they hear the ringing of bells.

Everyone quickly getting into position, Ziggy makes sure to keep Y/N by her side. She was already the fault of her dying once, and she would let it happen again.

Ziggy dragged both Martin and Y/N to the main area as Martin complains, "Ouch! Be careful!"

Y/N quickly shushes him, "Be quiet! There's someone here!"

She makes eye contact with Deena as the five frantically look around from which killer could be there first, when a bright light is shone into their hiding spot.