The Mall (Evenstad Media Presents Book 2)
Read The Mall (Evenstad Media Presents Book 2) Online
Authors: Voss Foster
Evenstad Media Presents
THE MALL
VOSS FOSTER
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places,
and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons is entirely
coincidental or beyond the intent of the author.
The Mall © Voss Foster 2015
Cover art © Dar Albert 2015
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the
reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is
forbidden without the written permission of the author.
Requests to use the material will be considered and may be
directed to:
Voss Foster at: [email protected]
For
Lani, who saw the author in me before I ever did.
TO: Eddie
FROM: Laurie
SUBJECT: New Position
SENT: 12/29/2074 AT 7:19 a.m. EST
I heard you got the job with Evenstad. I’m glad to hear it.
Although I shouldn’t be surprised. We made you out to be some damned
super-genius, and you came very highly recommended to his desk.
This is the beginning for us. The world will have to start
listening at this point.
I’m sorry that you were the one who had to do this. I know
the idea didn’t thrill you, but you’re the only person I know with the
technical know-how to do what needs doing. We’ll just agree I owe you one.
I’m not going to repeat anything I’ve told you here, just in
case things go too far wrong. We can’t have any big correspondences between us
through these addresses, only files and information. If either of us gets word
that somebody might start looking into these messages, send word to the other
and deactivate the account.
I don’t expect a whole lot from this, but I’m willing to
hope. For the sake of everyone out there who’s suffering, I want you to keep up
that hope, too.
Don’t reply to this.
Evenstad Media's Controversial Reality Show Returns for
Second Season
10/28/2074
In the beginning of the year, we saw the launch of a daring
new reality show from Evenstad Media. Twelve contestants brought together from
all walks of life to compete for twenty million dollars. Locked up in a trailer
park, they only have two choices: kill, or die. Only one could leave, and we
saw an unlikely victor in Rita Needles, a bartender from Portland, Oregon. That
was The Park, the television sensation that held the world rapt the whole first
half of the year.
Now, Evenstad Media has announced the show's return to the
airwaves in January of 2075. According to a spokesperson from the production
company, "The new season will bring in many exciting changes, not the
least of which is a new venue."
While no other information has been revealed of yet, there
has been much speculation as to what these changes might entail. Yet while the
fans of the show are caught up wondering, there is still a very vocal group of
detractors who refuse to support the program. While all contracts were examined
after the run of the first season, and proved to be legally binding, many are
unsure of the morality of murder, no matter the legalities involved.
Will Evenstad Media's opponents gain enough traction to
impact the launch of their second season, or will the show continue to stand
strong in the face of controversy? Only time will tell.
Sir or Madam,
You are receiving this letter because you have been selected
by Evenstad Media to fill one of twelve exclusive roles in The Mall, the sequel
to last year's highly successful program, The Park. You have already been
collected, your information processed, and delivered to the set. Please do not
attempt to leave the arena without explicit permission.
Your goal during your engagement at The Mall is simple:
survive. There is no time limit. A minimal food supply has been provided, and
will not be replenished. Use it wisely.
Unlike last season, we will not be arming you for the task
at hand. You will be required to make use of the items available to you in
order to defend yourself. There will also be players there not eligible to win
the competition. They operate under a very specific set of rules different from
your own. They have been included to further challenge you during your stay,
and will not hesitate to use lethal force.
The arena will be monitored fully at all times in order to capture
the true essence of gameplay for the viewers. Further details of recording and
broadcast were explained in your release clauses.
No criminal charges shall be filed against any action(s) performed
during the duration of your participation in The Mall. All city, county, state,
federal, and/or international laws are to be considered suspended during your
time here.
The arena will remain closed until only a single player
remains alive. The winner will receive twenty million (20,000,000) dollars
(USD). The families of the losers will be provided for.
In your pocket, you will find a tablet and detachable
keyboard for you to keep a journal. While this is not required by the rules of
The Mall, it is recommended. Extended periods of time spent in the arena may
cause psychological trauma. Our experts believe that writing a journal may help
to keep the mind sharp and stave off the possible ill effects of your stay.
No other information will be provided, so as to protect the
integrity of gameplay.
We wish you the best of luck,
Evenstad Media
JOURNAL 08QUINN
ENTRY 001
DATE: 1/1/2075
Well shit. You get off on leave for a couple days to see
your husband and wake up in some hellhole. I guess if I can believe this letter
I had stuck to my chest, I'm on some reality show. I heard about the first one,
but I was a little too busy to watch it. You know, off in Egypt, trying to stop
some stupid terrorists. Doing my duty for God and country. Nothing too
important, right? Not that I would have watched it anyway. There's enough
people getting killed in the world. I see it day in and day out as it is. I
don't need it on my TV screen, too.
But I guess now I'm a part of this whole thing, whether I
wanted to be or not. I'm in a mall, but it looks like it's seen better days.
There are a few of us here that I've seen so far. Old black lady with a perm
who reminds me of my grandma, big, gruff-looking white guy, a femmy Asian dude.
And a bunch of others. Not twelve, but it's totally possible that I wasn't the
first one to wake up.
There was sort of a silent agreement between everyone that
we wouldn't just start killing each other. I wouldn't have felt right about it.
Not to say I wouldn't have defended myself, but I wouldn’t have been the one to
start shit. So we all broke apart, went off into the stores. I debated that,
myself. It seemed like a great idea on the surface, trying to find some cover.
It also means you're trapped as soon as you go in. In the end, I went for it. Hit
the stairs to get to the high ground and found a big outdoor goods store.
Knives and fishing hooks and lots of things like that. Plus dehydrated hunting
food. Not good, but no worse than an MRE.
At this point, it's just a matter of waiting. I figure keeping
the stupid journal will make the time go faster until shit really starts to
happen. It's not like there's anything else to do, anyway. Not until the
fighting starts. I'm hoping I'll have an advantage, when it comes to that part.
Not about to go bragging, but I am a soldier, so I know a thing or two about
combat. I just have to hope it's the right thing or two.
ENTRY END
JOURNAL 06TESS
ENTRY 001
DATE: 1/1/2075
My God. What is this? I mean, why me? This is just so wrong.
So disgusting. I didn't do anything to deserve this. I don't think I did,
anyway. Maybe I've sinned somewhere along the way, but I've been wracking my
brain, trying to figure out where and how and see if there's any way I could
try to fix it and I can’t come up with a damn thing. My fate can't be this
cruel. I know it ain't any kind of a dream, which is the worst of it all. I
can't even lie to myself about that part. It's definitely real. I'm definitely
in a dirty old mall with a bunch of strangers and I’m scared to death.
I headed for the closest store I could find. Clothes. Little
summery things, frilly dresses. The kind of stuff for teenage girls. None of
it's going to do me much good, but… I don’t know what else I can do. Since the
very first second I woke up, all I've wanted to do is cry. See, I heard about
this show, even saw a few episodes of it once in a while. I wasn't a fan, but a
lot of times I’d fall asleep on the couch and wake up to see it on, or one of
my girlfriends would insist on watching it. So I know what this is about, and
the letter I got just confirmed it. They didn't have to come out and say it
word for word. I’m not dumb. This is about killing. Only one of us is going to
survive, in the end, and they get twenty million dollars.
All I want to do is live. I don't need the money. I've got
money enough as it is. I just don't want to die in here, alone and God only
knows where. I mean, if I die here, where am I going to get buried? I belong in
the family mausoleum, back in Savannah, not in the rubble of some crappy mall,
decomposing with strangers.
Which means I just have to live, I guess. If nothing else, I
need to get out, so I can be with Momma and Daddy, God rest their souls. I’m
just not quite sure how I’m going to manage that.
ENTRY END
TO: Niels Evenstad
FROM: Marta Evenstad
SUBJECT: Farming Numbers
SENT 11/5/2074 AT 3:08 p.m. EST
Brother,
The profits from the farming initiative are proving to be
far higher than anticipated. I've sent the exact numbers to your accounting
department for review, as you requested, but things are looking very promising,
if the short few months we've had can be used as any sort of indication. We've
already found new land to plant in India, which is projected to have an even higher
profit margin than the farmland in Egypt. In short, it's a success. You put
things into motion that stand to double Evenstad Enterprises' profits over the
next five years.
I hope this pleases you, Brother. I realize it's not my
place to interfere with your personal life, and the company email is certainly
not the right place to do this. I wouldn't think of it, but you've been
impossible to contact lately, and there's something I need to say to you,
whether you want to hear it or not.
I think it would be a wise decision for you to cut back on
your workload. The new show should be at a point where it's mostly autonomous.
Frederick knows almost as much as you do about it. Between him and your
secretary, they could finish putting the show together if you wanted to take a
short vacation. Or even a long vacation. Whatever it takes to help you relax.
You've been under so much stress lately, it just can't be good for you. You're
going to kill yourself, at this rate.
I hope you'll at least consider what I've said. If not for
your own health, then for the sake of your family, and all the other people who
care about you. Even Uncle Magnus is getting worried.
Marta Evenstad,
Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Farms
—
TO: Marta Evenstad
FROM: Niels Evenstad
SUBJECT: Farming Numbers
SENT: 11/5/2074 AT 8:16 p.m. EST
Marta,
I'm thrilled to hear about the numbers you've managed to get
from the farms. I think it could really be the start of a new chapter for our
family, and for our business. If you need any help running things, you know
I'll offer anything I can. I realize you weren't as well prepared as you may
have liked to be when we asked you to take control of that branch.
And you shouldn't worry yourself about me. I'm used to
working hard, and I wouldn't dream of stopping. Especially not this close to
the end. But if you're worried about my health, I promise you I'll go in to get
looked at. I just can't afford a vacation, right now. Not until this show is done.
If the second season is a success, we could continue to make money from this
for years. This is the kind of phenomenon that people wait lifetimes for, Marta,
and it’s in my hands. But I promise I'll relax once this is over with. I'm sure
you understand.
Niels Evenstad,
Chief Operating Officer, Evenstad Media