It's sharks.

We didn’t get the chance to go to the mall as family that often, so this was honestly really nice. I looked over at my dad who had his arms full of bags and my brother who was enjoying a ice cream same as me. My mother was smiling which didn’t happen very much, so it made me smile.

“What store do you want to go to next?” asked my mom.

“Can we go to the game store?!” my brother asked excitedly.

My mom just smiled, and we began heading to the third floor where that store was located at. I knew these would be memories with me for awhile because I felt so happy in this moment.

We reached the third floor, and I don’t know what these things are we saw. They were going all over the place and people were screaming, what was this scene? They didn’t look like people; it didn’t really look like anything normal that was chasing all these people.

“Jackie what is that?!” My mom sounded terrified. She was grabbing onto my brother and I very hard by that point. I noticed my father had dropped all the bags he was carrying.

“Janet get the kids back. I don’t know what those are.” I never heard my dad speak with this tone of voice. He sounded a little scared himself, which was something I was not use to at all. As soon as my dad said those words though my mom jumped into action. She already had us close to a wall and behind my father. I kept trying to look past them, my curiosity always got the best of me, and this time was no different. I managed to push forward enough to get a clearer look at what was chasing everyone.

“I think they’re sharks.” I said it so calmly I think it bothered my parents. They looked at me then looked at the creatures. Sharks, they had what looked like astronaut suits on but with water in the head parts. I didn’t know why the sharks were attacking people, maybe they made them mad somehow.

“We got to get to the car.” My father looked as if he had got older in just the few moments, we had first saw the sharks. He was very quick to grab us all and start guiding us towards to parking lot. By this point people were running around the entire mall, it was a four-floor mall too, so it was very big. We got to the parking lot exit and noticed they all seemed to be following us.

“Why are they following us, Jackie!?” My mother was very scared by this point, and I started to have a lot of fear myself. I didn’t think sharks could come on land, and what was with their weird suits. Animals didn’t wear clothes so none of this was making any sense to me.

“Janet how am I supposed to know?! Just get the kids to the car!” My dad didn’t sound angry often, but this sounded like it was more than angry, if there is even a word for being even more angry than angry. Soon after we were at the car, and I guess they couldn’t find the keys. They usually always kept them in their pockets, but they couldn’t get the car open.

“Kids stay back here with your mother; I’m going to try and get the car open.” My dad’s voice sounded a little calmer than it had been and that made me feel better. We hid behind the back of our car as I heard my dad trying the car key. It got really silent, then all of a sudden all I could hear was my dad screaming and all this red stuff splattered next to us.

“DAD!!!” My brother screamed out and my eyes got wide as I realized what the red stuff was; it was blood, my father’s blood. “DAD!!” My brother screamed out again and almost as soon as the words left his lips he ran from behind the car.

“Caleb no!!” My mother yelled after him but we just yet another splatter of blood. My mother was crying her eyes out, I didn’t know what was happening. What was with these sharks in the...mall? It made no sense! My Dad and brother died to these things. Why? This was such a good day and now.

“Listen to me honey, I have to try and get the car unlocked and get us both out of here. I need you to stay right here and don’t make a sound until you hear the engine on, okay?” My mother put on her calmest voice she could, she wasn’t very good at that though. She looked at me with tears going down her face. “I love you honey.”

“Mom wait!” I tried calling out, but she had already gone. My brain was going so fast with so many thoughts it made my head hurt. I guess some of the sharks had left the area because I didn’t see her blood as quickly as I did my brothers. It felt like I was waiting forever.

I thought I saw the lights of the car, but the light was way too bright. I covered my eyes because it was hurting them with how bright it was.

I woke up in a sweat and heard myself screaming. My mom promptly came running into my room.

“What’s wrong?!” She sounded scared and honestly, I was very confused.

“You were all just…but we were just…” I couldn’t finish my sentence I started to cry so hard. I knew what I just saw, and it all felt so real. I quickly looked over to my brother’s bed and he was there sleeping soundly. It just made me cry even harder to see he wasn’t dead; I was so scared I had lost them.

“It’s okay baby, it was all just a dream.” My mom held me and began to sooth me. It felt like I was crying for hours. “Do you want to lay down with me? It’s still nighttime sweetheart.” I nodded my head yes and laid there hoping for better dreams.