When darkness falls over Crestview Department Store, three unlikely allies are thrust into a heart-stopping encounter with a sinister cult, turning ordinary objects into weapons for survival.
Please enjoy this horror short, part of a series experimenting with artificial intelligence. I fed the location, characters, scenario, and mood into ChatGPT and asked it to craft a story, then used Stable Diffusion XL to create illustrations. How did it turn out? Well, you be the judge.
Detective Dan Williams strode confidently into the vast, modern Crestview Department Store just as the fluorescent lights began their gradual dimming, signaling the store’s imminent closure. He was investigating a series of odd thefts in the area—mystical artifacts with legends stretching centuries had been vanishing. The latest, an encrypted tip from an anonymous source, suggested that some suspicious activity might transpire tonight, right here.
As he walked past aisles showcasing the latest fashion, electronics, and more, his gaze landed on a makeup counter where a young woman was busily tidying up the last-minute mess left by hurried shoppers. Her almond eyes, beautifully shadowed with gold, widened slightly upon seeing him. Her already pale complexion seemed to lose a hint more color, and her delicate fingers trembled as she tried to reorganize a toppled display of lipsticks. The name ‘Lila’ shimmered on her name tag, reflecting the dimming overhead lights.
Dan approached her with a friendly demeanor, hoping to ease any concerns. “Good evening, ma’am,” he began, showing his badge discreetly, “I’m Detective Williams. I’ve received a tip regarding potential suspicious activities in this store tonight. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?”
Lila blinked, her long lashes fluttering, and then glanced around, seemingly gathering her thoughts. “Not really, Detective,” she replied, her voice quivering slightly. “Just the regular late-evening shoppers. And Mr. Reed,” she added, pointing towards the checkout counters where a tall, lanky man stood.
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