Eight years ago, the construction of the new mall was supposed to be a financial windfall, bringing new life, and business to the small town. However not three years after the final teeny bopper clothing line was in place, a fire ravaged the south side, effectively shutting down retail buzz and decisively ending the already short lifespan of the High Hopes mall. Now abandoned, this two story investment sinkhole sits just east of the edge of town, surrounded by dust filled antique shops, and bookshops, both mystical and mundane, struggling to eke out an existance.
Its appearance, once heralded as a shining beacon in the dark, is now a dingy stone color, random places a darker shade of mold, the windows and glass doors all boarded up. However, for being five years in disrepair, its outside looks pretty good, with no breakings in the exterior structure to let the outside world in.
The inside however, is another story, with the smoke and fire damage throughout only being part of the problem. Boarded up and broken storefronts make the building’s first floor seem forlorn. The stairs and escalators are still in good repair however and give easy access to the other two floors. The south side is completely burnt through, a wide hole burnt in the second and third floor on that side. Smoke damage pervades most of the rest of the building that is otherwise in working disrepair, with only the slightest chance of being beaned by falling debris. Light only enters around closed doorways and high level windows, rarely reaching any part of the building past the edges and below the third floor. This makes it a treacherous environment to traverse for any kid wanted to prove his bravery.
The water damaged structures compete with the fire charred frames in more dangerous areas, with the parts of the south side nearly inaccessible. It seems like a perfect spot for any vagrant to want to stay for an extended period of time. However, not a single homeless person has been located around the area of High Hopes. When inquired about, the answer seems to be a mixture of superstition and magic, tales of demon nests and lost bodies running rampant. Only a fool would go past the entryway, let alone climb the broken escalators to the second or third floors where creatures have been allowed to linger and breed.
Its appearance, once heralded as a shining beacon in the dark, is now a dingy stone color, random places a darker shade of mold, the windows and glass doors all boarded up. However, for being five years in disrepair, its outside looks pretty good, with no breakings in the exterior structure to let the outside world in.
The inside however, is another story, with the smoke and fire damage throughout only being part of the problem. Boarded up and broken storefronts make the building’s first floor seem forlorn. The stairs and escalators are still in good repair however and give easy access to the other two floors. The south side is completely burnt through, a wide hole burnt in the second and third floor on that side. Smoke damage pervades most of the rest of the building that is otherwise in working disrepair, with only the slightest chance of being beaned by falling debris. Light only enters around closed doorways and high level windows, rarely reaching any part of the building past the edges and below the third floor. This makes it a treacherous environment to traverse for any kid wanted to prove his bravery.
The water damaged structures compete with the fire charred frames in more dangerous areas, with the parts of the south side nearly inaccessible. It seems like a perfect spot for any vagrant to want to stay for an extended period of time. However, not a single homeless person has been located around the area of High Hopes. When inquired about, the answer seems to be a mixture of superstition and magic, tales of demon nests and lost bodies running rampant. Only a fool would go past the entryway, let alone climb the broken escalators to the second or third floors where creatures have been allowed to linger and breed.
description written by sleeping_seraphim
