Writing Prompt #38 Active Shooter

Your character is on vacation with his/her relative (spouse, grandparent, parent, child, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew). They are in an unfamiliar crowded marketplace with shops lining a maze of enclosed open-air mall areas. Your protagonist has realized he/she wandered away from the relative and is looking for him/her.

Shoppers are pushing through, nervously blurting "Go to the back!"

Your character assumes there must be a small fire. Not really concerned, but surprised by the rush of people, your character looks around for the relative who is nowhere to be found.

Rapid-fire shots explode from the front of the store.  Does your character see the shooter? Where is the relative? How many people are shot? Is there a stampede of people running to the back of the store? Trampling of merchandise? What is in the back? A dressing room? Storage room? Exit to tunnels? Exit to another danger? (lions, aliens, 1,000' drop, hostile country, portal to Hell etc)

Your character is extremely stressed because he/she does not know where the relative is or if the relative is a victim, hostage or hero.

There is no cell phone service or landlines or internet.

Suddenly the lights go out...