Page 21 of Inescapable Ties
“No, Dino is shorter than you. And he has black hair.”
“Ah, Dino Barbaro. I’m Dino Barbato.”
Of course they almost had the same last name.
“Ok, you’re Tall Dino,” I said. “And I’ll let the other Dino know he’s Short Dino. TD and SD.”
Tall Dino raised his eyebrow at me, but didn’t argue.
“Alright TD. We’re headed out to check out this abandoned strip mall. It’s about forty-five minutes away.”
“Alright,” he said.
“But let’s get coffee first.”
Tall Dino was nothing like Short Dino. When we went through the Starbucks drive through, he ordered a Frappuccino that was so sweet it could make someone develop diabetes. Short Dino was a firm believer in black coffee, and he drank it so hot I was surprised he hadn’t burned his tongue off yet.
Tall Dino also liked to talk a lot. He chatted with me about anything and everything as we made the drive to the outskirts of New York. Short Dino rarely spoke unless spoken to, or it was necessary.
As we neared our destination, the flow of traffic dwindled and eventually vanished. The abandoned strip mall stood before us in eerie silence.
“I didn’t even know this place existed,” he muttered as the two of us exited the car.
“Most don’t.”
“How did you find it?”
“It’s a secret!”
Tons of research. Going into the depths of the internet that no one had seen in years. I used an internet archiver to pull old urban exploration websites from the early 2000s.
“So, are you just going to take some videos of the outside and we’ll head out?” he asked.
“Uh, no. We’re going inside.”
“Excuse me?”
“Are you afraid? A bit ironic with your job title,” I raised my eyebrow as I hauled my camera equipment out of the backseat, and he fortunately missed my questioning gesture.
“I’m not afraid, I just don’t want tetanus, or rabies from whatever animals may live in there.” He narrowed his eyes at me.
“Stay out here, then.”
I picked up my camera gear and started walking towards the building.
“Fucking shit,” he muttered, and I heard his footsteps behind me.
We approached the entrance of the abandoned strip mall, the once vibrant sign now faded and covered in graffiti. Tall Dino hesitated, eyeing the crumbling facade warily as he hovered behind me. With a mischievous grin, I gestured for him to follow as I pushed open one of the creaking glass doors.
The air inside was thick with dust, creating an otherworldly haze that filtered the sunlight streaming through shattered windows. The old tiles beneath our feet lay in disarray, with weeds and moss creeping through the cracks. Tall Dino’s eyes widened at the sight, clearly taken aback by the eerie beauty of decay.
As we ventured further into the mall, each storefront told a story of its own. Forgotten mannequins stood frozen in time behind dusty windows, their fashionable clothes now tattered and out of style. We passed by remnants of a bygone era - a broken neon sign flickering sporadically, an overturned shopping cart filled with decaying merchandise.
Tall Dino trailed behind me cautiously, his footsteps echoing through the desolate corridors. But despite his initial reservations, I could see a spark of curiosity igniting within him. His gaze lingered on the remnants of a once bustling food court, now populated by pigeons roosting amidst overturned tables and chairs.
I grabbed footage of everything from different angles. It was almost nice having him there - he could lift the camera higher and get shots I wasn’t able to.
“What’s that?” I muttered.
