Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge

A figure steals clothes and a crossbow, triggering an alarm as the chase begins. A guard catches the thief, who stabs the guard with an arrow. This instant act sets the tone for the killer’s menace and the mall as the deadly playground.

Melody and her friend Susie land jobs at the mall, entering a bustling environment that will soon become their battleground. The new start places them at the center of the story's unfolding drama. The mall becomes the primary setting for the ensuing violence.

Eric spots Melody around the mall and leaves flowers and gifts for her. His fixation becomes increasingly clear as he watches from the shadows. The moment foreshadows his later confrontations with Melody.

Eric breaks open a head to fashion a half-mask, signaling his transformation into a killer. He then kills a worker by forcing a head into a running fan, demonstrating his brutal methods. The disturbing actions mark a sharp turn toward violence.

Eric attacks anyone who threatens Melody, killing a guard who spies on women via video by crushing him into a panel with a forklift. The act expands his reach from stalking to outright murder. This escalation shows his willingness to use industrial equipment as a weapon.

A mugger attacks Melody in the mall parking lot, and Eric shoots him with the crossbow. The mugger is revealed to be the pianist, hinting at a hidden backstory. Later, Eric kills him on the toilet with a snake, sealing the killer’s grim repertoire.

The mall owner's son harasses Melody's friend Susie, escalating the danger. Eric uses a lasso to pull him into an escalator, killing him in a brutal, cinematic moment. The violence widens its net across the mall grounds.

Reporter Peter Baldwin becomes interested in Melody and tries to learn if Eric is still alive. His curiosity drives a forensic impulse through the narrative, pulling in outside attention to the escalating events. The investigation promises to complicate the killer’s plans.

Eric Matthews' house is destroyed in a fire which traps and kills him. The tragedy ostensibly removes him from the immediate danger yet sets off further complications in the plot. The event marks a dramatic pivot in the story’s momentum.

Guard Christopher Volker confronts Melody and Peter at gunpoint, boasting that he is the arsonist. Eric leaps onto the mall roof; Volker attacks again. Eric fights him, then kills Volker using a crusher and carries Melody to his lair, tightening his control over the situation.

Buzz tricks a guard away from the booth so he and Susie can search for Melody. Melody awakens and talks with Eric, telling him she does not love him anymore. He reveals that he has planted the bomb, insisting she will die with him anyway.

Eric deploys the snake to kill Peter. He fights to kill him, but Melody’s shout that she loves Peter stuns him briefly. Peter takes the chance to knock Eric out, allowing the pair to escape and warn Buzz and Susie about the bomb.

Eric revives and kills those involved in the arson and the mall’s construction, including owner Harv Posner and Mayor Karen Wilton. Melody and all the patrons escape as Eric’s bomb explodes, ending the immediate threat but leaving a cratered, destroyed mall in its wake.