Parchment Paths

         One night, you drive by your old childhood mall, which has been closed for several year s, only to see the lights on and cars in the parking lot. You park and go inside to investigate . Once inside, you can’t tell if you've fallen into the past, a dream, or even a haunting; all you know is that whatever you have foun d, you feel safe. It’s been a long, disappointing day . Your workday seemed to be one dumpster fire after another . When did weekends become full of unsatisfying work rather than friends and fun? Oh, yeah , when you grew up and got a job. If only you could be a kid again, you think as you drive by the old mall.   Flashes of light catches your eyes as you almost completely pass the mall. Wait, are the lights coming from the mall? The parking lot as well as the store signs are actually on . Since the last store closed years ago , no one has bothered to turn on the lights , in fact you assumed the power had been shut off. Has t...

       It’s amazing how being alone somewhere at night can change the entire vibe of the place. Take a museum for instance. N ow, some people will say   that a museum is creepy any time , and that can be true, but walk through one at night and it will definitely be creepy. Shadows come out in once well l it exhib its , blending reality with imagination.   Still, you like the museum at night. It’s earie yes, but peaceful as well. Y ou like to imagine that the artifacts have secrets to share in the silence, secrets that one night, they may share with you.   You move through the dim halls and rooms, doing your nightly rounds. You see nothing out of the ordinary that needs your attention. You can enjoy the exhibits at your leisure as long as you continue to check the entire building for suspicious activity . You find no doors unlocked that should be locked, and the security cameras show that everyone left when they should have. You can take a l...