THE HAUNTED MALL

It was the last day of their holiday, and four friends—Maya, Arjun, Leena, and Rohit—wanted one last adventure before returning to their routine lives. They had heard rumors about the abandoned mall on the edge of town, a place people said was haunted. Curiosity and teenage bravado pushed them toward the rusty gates and shattered glass doors. The mall was silent, the kind of silence that pressed heavy on their ears. Dust danced in the weak sunlight filtering through broken windows. Their footsteps echoed as they stepped inside, the air thick with the smell of decay and forgotten memories. “Let’s split up and meet at the food court in twenty minutes,” Maya suggested, her voice shaky but excited. Arjun nodded. “Deal. But don’t wander too far.” As they parted ways, strange things began. Leena’s phone flickered with static and suddenly died. Rohit’s flashlight dimmed, then went out completely. Maya heard soft whispers but saw no one. And Arjun caught a glimpse of a pale figure disappearing behind a storefront. When they regrouped, their faces were pale and their voices hushed. “Did you see that?” Arjun asked, eyes wide. “I think… someone was following me,” Maya whispered. Suddenly, the escalator creaked and started moving — upwards, with no one on it. A chilling breeze swept through the mall, carrying a faint, eerie melody. “Maybe we should get out of here,” Leena said, gripping her friends’ arms. But before they could move, the mall’s lights flickered violently, plunging them into darkness. And that’s when the real adventure began.