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I am at work with Laynie, though this place looks completely different. It is two stories and mostly an atrium space. It seems that the mezzanine floor branches off into the shopping spaces. There are sets of double doors to the outside right below the mezzanine floor. We are interrupted by me noticing a known shoplifter coming in the doors. He is carrying a bag and dragging another rolling one, and I recognize him as one of the two guys that gets a few pairs of Levi’s every few days. I think we just wait to see what he does and then lose him for a bit (it’s fairly busy in here). When he reappears, he is on the ground floor, bag a little fuller, heading for the doors. I start sliding down some wide, green pole type thing. He starts to double back so I hesitate and then finish sliding down when he starts back for the doors. I guess I don’t feel like stopping him but just getting a plate. He glances around before going out right behind a small group, going off at the doors. I think he notices me going out right behind him, but probably thinks I’m just a customer. I take out my phone and call Laynie but it is Dad who answers. I only pay a little bit of attention to the conversation as I’m watching the guy meet up with the other outside of a white van. I think it has Arizona plates, and I can’t memorize it without drawing too much attention to myself. I keep walking past it to blend in and notice two vans to my right. They both have Grateful Dead stickers and are parked close together; I think they must be together. The cars have thinned out by this point and I stop walking. I stand for a little and then head back. The white van starts pulling out and I think I’ll get a great look at the plate, until it turns and starts coming this way, the wrong way (with no front plate). The man driving it has tan skin and scruff and is either bald or has very short hair. He glances at me as he passes and I wonder if he’s seen me before and recognizes me. I now see the other guy walking away from a maroon car. He has a backpack on and is going back into the mall. I just about step in front of a taxi in the road, but he sees me, stops, and waves me forward. I wave back, slightly self conscious of being on the phone and not paying attention. I hang up and meet up with Laynie inside. We, and quite a few other people, are on the second floor, sitting. We are sitting in what almost feels like bus seats arranged in a circle or half circle around the mezzanine/atrium. Two younger, Hispanic guys in grey/darker hoodies and beanies arrive, and one starts shooting off a handgun. There are windows next to our seats, which he shoots out. I think he is shooting above heads to scare, but I don’t rule out the possibility of him shooting to injure or kill. I listen to the shots ring out, more than there should be in a pistol’s magazine. He makes his way back this way and I brace for the possibility of getting shot. He announces that this is because the two men thought they noticed someone following them. I genuinely think that must’ve been someone other than me. He says something about a Hyundai and then trails off, probably realizing it wasn’t smart to give away the make of car. He seems like he is being made to do this. I think the world, and now even this town, is becoming a scary place.

I am driving up to what looks like some event outside of a school or something similar when I notice Makayla and Mom walking this way on the sidewalk. My window is down and it seems like a very pleasant day. Makayla is holding an imperial pint glass that looks like it is full of very light Guinness or nitro cold brew. I roll up to her and the first thing I say is “my goodness… my Guinness.” She says it’s actually some flavored iced coffee (hazelnut?). I try a sip and it’s really frothy and not all that bad. I think I already have an iced coffee as well. I realize that I’m in the middle of the road and start moving again. There is one intersecting road to the right where I am going to try to turn around, but I think someone has already gone around me.




I am at work when I notice a sketchy person heading towards the men’s shoes. I think he already has some merchandise and a small, empty looking, black plastic bag. When we see him turn the corner again, the merchandise is gone and the bag looks full. We agree that this makes him good to stop, so I try to get downstairs before he does. I do this pretty easily and get by the door that it looks like he is going for. I try to look inconspicuous, and when I look back I see that Bobby is right by him, talking to him, still in the store. I wonder what he could possibly be doing, until I see him start walking him back. This really irritates me. Back in the office, the guy is hesitant but compliant. He seems homeless. He says his name is Kenneth Cox and that he is 46? I get all the paperwork done before calling PD. I ask his birth date, realizing I’ll need it, and he says something like ‘5 o’clock’. He keeps giving me bullshit answers, and I can’t tell if it’s on purpose or if he’s just not all there. I realize he doesn’t have an ID, so PD’s going to have to come anyway. I think of how they may need video and how Bobby stopped him while he was still in the building, which irritates me more.

I am at work watching cameras when I see two kids with backpacks walk up to the Levis section. I think they’re both girls. One appears to hang a pair from the handle on her backpack so it is laying between her backpack and back. I think the other just puts a pair or two in her backpack. They then quickly head downstairs. It was all weird and quick, but it’s still enough to stop them, so I go onto the floor in case they leave right away. They do end up leaving quickly, and I am a little behind them. It is very dark outside. There are two Sephora employees walking together that throw me off for a second until I see the kids ahead of them (now a girl and boy). They see me and start running, and I have to chase them. I ask for some backup but it seems no one comes. I think Laynie and someone else are working. I catch up to the kid and tackle him, despite the policy. I think I end up getting the girl too. I ask Laynie what she’s doing and she just says “watching PTZs”, which irritates me. I am talking to the boy and he seems young (6 or so?). Without prompt, he tells me that they are runaway kids. I know we’ll have to get PD involved. He says he is 11 when I ask his age. I figure his birth date at 2009, but write 2007 at first. The kid actually tells me something impossible very confidently, characteristic of younger kids, like the day, two different numerical months, and the year. I write what he says, just to have it all down on paper. In blue ink, I cross out the 2007 and a few other things. I think about redoing the whole sheet later. The whole situation is stressful.

I think I am working, but I think I’m at a Walmart. There is a younger, Hispanic? guy who goes in the fitting room with Levis and I think wears some out under his jeans. He then grabs a belt and holds it in a loop but makes no other attempt to hide it as he walks out with it. Now, I am either chasing him or I am the guy, running. I am chasing him and I think we both get on a train. We end up in another, larger building and he gets onto an elevator. I get in another, trying to catch up. This building looks like a shopping mall, and it is on the ground floor where we finally catch him. There is another girl what works LP here too. The guy seems pretty down at having been caught, but we are pretty lighthearted and impressed with him. I make a comment to the girl about how they’re good for catching him and maybe I should work LP here.

I am at work, I think with a male coworker. We are watching cameras when I notice a group (maybe 4+, mostly girls?, probably in their late teens) upstairs on the main aisle by the Levi’s. I notice one girl in particular; she is holding a few shirts still on their hangers. I zoom in and incredulously remember her, as I tell the guy here, from a dream. I tell him I’m having a deja vu and know which of the shirts she is going to steal because I have seen it already in a dream. I think she’s wearing camo and so is the shirt.

I am at work when, on camera, I see a girl who I recognize come in. She goes straight to the shoes, which is what I think she’s tried to steal before. She has a backpack on and a stroller with a kid in it. I watch as she takes at least two pairs, at least one out of the box. Bobby and Laynie are here, so I say we can finally stop her. She then leaves the shoe department and I think grabs a few more things before going into the bathroom. Laynie and I look out of a little window in the wall or door, I think to see how busy it is. It looks pretty busy and it also looks like a high school hallway. We go out there now, outside the two sets of doors past the bathrooms. I think about how we’re supposed to clear the bathroom but are not going to because it’s not like she’s going to leave the stuff behind. The door opens from someone going in there, and I see Laynie mouthing something at me. I have to have her repeat it a few times before I figure out that she wants me to look in there while the door is open. I go over there and somehow the door is still open, very slowly closing. I can’t really see much inside. I go back and now the lady is coming outside just holding the jeans she picked up earlier. I’m not sure she had the stroller anymore. I stop her and initially she tries to put up a fight but then she starts coming back. I think I use the kid as leverage. I think we get her back in the office. Now, I am sitting at a table in what looks like a back or side yard. It’s a large, square table with a tablecloth and a cake set out. There’s also the lady, Mom, and about two older/middle aged white men who I think are judges or something like that. They are interviewing me, but are smiling, friendly, and seemingly biased against the lady. One of the points the man raises is how when he was turned in a group of papers, mine was the shortest. I reply “I believe in quality, not quantity, thank you.” He seems to accept this answer, and I also see Mom smile at me. This goes on for a bit longer.




I am inside a Burger King? and it feels like I am working and on my break. The only others I see here are two girls (I think from work) sitting at a table. I am going through a drive through inside? I think by walking or by moving a table in front of me through it. The voice over the speaker sounds garbled and incomprehensible. I try to figure it out, can’t, and look over to the girls. They say they have no idea either. I just move up a little closer.

I am at work with Laynie, but it looks more like we are in a large house. We start watching a woman with blond hair in a bun because she looks like she would steal. Sure enough, she starts to. (I think she came in with an empty Sephora bag?) There is a car waiting outside one of the doors; I see that nobody is in it but the keys are in the ignition. I know this is her car and, thinking it stupid of her to do this, take the keys out and pocket them. I don’t care what she’s got at this point, because her not being about to leave in her car is worth it. I go into what looks like Makayla’s room and hide the keys in a stack of clothes on a shelf. I think there’s no way she’ll find them, but I also worry slightly about the legal consequences. Now, (*I’m almost certain this part happened after I woke up and fell back asleep again) the woman has left but come back again.

I am at work, I think just coming back from a break, because I have a Starbucks in my hand. By the mall entrance I see a group of two girls. One of them quickly takes a piece of jewelry off a display and starts to go out the mall entrance. It was quick, but I am close enough to have seen it all perfectly, so I go out to stop her. I can’t quite tell if they’re technically out of the store or not, with them being by the racks right on the edge of the store floor. I don’t think I have a radio on that could give away who I am, but they still look at me weird before they fully step out. I tell the one girl to come back, and she looks guilty but is also not coming back. The friend steps up, and I somehow convince her to come back with the other. I walk them back, staying very close to them. At the door, I tell them to leave their bags and phones on the desk, just for my safety. The girl who stole the earrings initially sits on the chair by the door, and I have to tell her to move to the ones against the wall. She makes a comment about never having been in trouble before. She has kinky golden hair and looks about high school age. The other looks similar, like they could be related. I start off being very cool with them, pointing to the Starbucks on the desk as I make a comment about being on break. I then notice the other girl is still holding onto all of her shopping bags and that they are both on their phones. I end up taking each phone from their hands and setting them on the far corner of the desk. I think the chairs are behind the desk, between it and the wall. They both don’t really seem to care about me or being here.

I am in my room and have gotten back some girl what has stolen. (She looks like the girl that put sweats in a bag and then a stroller the other day). She is in handcuffs and is casually lounging on my bed. When I look back over, I see she has gotten the handcuffs off. I am initially irritated, but she says they were hurting, so I have a little sympathy and try not to make a big deal out of it. I do trade them for a different pair. I am being pretty cool with her and also feel pretty confident. I sit with a clipboard and tell her it’s her chance to come clean on anything and everything. I try to sound lighthearted, rather than force anything, asking if she’s been hitting us everyday or anything like that. She says no and seems genuine. Scott is here now; I clasp his shoulder and say I miss him around here. He doesn’t say anything but takes on a genuinely sad expression.

I am at work when Susan calls from upstairs. She starts describing someone, and I ask if it’s the lady with purple hair, noticing her on camera near the escalator. Susan says yes, so I say I’ve got her and hang up. This lady is shorter and chubby, with a bob cut of a faded purple. She’s pushing a cart that has a handful of items in it. I noticed her earlier and only got a slightly weird vibe, but I guess not enough to watch her. She starts going down the escalator, so I go out there. She is making a beeline for the salon doors, so I try to hurry without being seen. When I get up there and glance over, she is standing in one of the shoe aisles, the cart facing me, now empty. I look to the right and see a man with short red hair carrying some clothes towards the doors. I hurry to catch up with him, asking if I can take him to the register. He doesn’t look at me and mumbles that he already checked out. I say “they didn’t give you a bag?” and start grabbing the clothes. I have to stand in front of him and call Bobby on the radio before the guy gives it up. He lets go and then starts running in the other direction. I walk back in from the vestibule and see that the girl is still here. I walk up to her and tell her not to come back here. There’s a somewhat younger looking boy with her now, and I tell him not to come back either if he’s with them.

I am at work when I see a woman come in the Sephora doors, quickly grab two items in Sephora, and then walk out and through the mall doors. It happened so quickly and unexpectedly that I didn’t really have time to do anything. Now, I am at some outdoor event where there are a bunch ot tents/booths. I notice the woman at one of them what looks like the two items right by her. I go up and confront her about it, and she gives me some excuse of not knowing she had to pay for them inside the store. I offer for her to go back and pay for them now, and she actually starts coming back. I get the idea to just take her back to the office and apprehend her as a shoplifter since I technically have all the steps. She actually comes into the office and sits down. I’m wondering if everything will look okay on video, just in case.

I am at work with Laynie. It looks mostly the same, but slightly different, like there might be a different floor plan. We’ve got someone stealing in Sephora. Zooming in, I see she has shorter, dark hair and a striped shirt (red and white, small stripes). She is pretty made up and actually looks like she’d be nice, which we comment about. Laynie and I decide that I’ll go out on the floor while she watches on video so we can be ready in case she leaves quickly. I tell Laynie I’ll be by dresses so I can be by both doors she’s likely to go out. I wander the floor a bit, trying to keep an eye in Sephora. I can’t find her, so I think she may be at the counter, paying for one thing so it doesn’t look like she’s stealing. At times, I end up close to Sephora, so I try to keep my radio hidden, stay against walls, and stay behind racks of clothes. I also pass two different security guards. I wonder if they know who I am or if they’re thinking it’s odd that I’m a guy walking through these racks of clothes. I now go out a door (I’m referring to it as Door 5 in my head, a door we don’t really have. It’s about where Door 4 is, though there’s also Door 4 here). Laynie now informs me the girl is heading for this door. I wait, but she never shows up and I never hear from Laynie. I take out my phone to just call Laynie, thinking it might help if I’m on my phone while stopping her (like Charmi said). Laynie finally answers, casually telling me that the girl went out a different door instead. A little confused at why she didn’t bother to tell me, I head back.

I am at work when I notice about three pre-teen/teen kids run out of one of the doors (*it looks like the kids doors at work). They all have merchandise and are wearing backpacks. I think I am seeing this on video, so I am able to zoom in really quick. After I decide that it does look bad, I hurry out there. I step outside and think I see them get into a bus or school bus. They are not really in a hurry and neither is the bus it seems. After a few moments, I head back inside and sit back down. Charmi is here, sitting down at the cameras also (it doesn’t really look like we’re in a camera room, but more out in the open). She’s talking about what just happened, suggesting that it could have been prevented if we were watching. I say that we were watching but that we can’t be seeing everything at all times. She just seems adamant and repeats herself. Scott now shows up and nonchalantly starts talking to me (and Laynie might be here?). Charmi looks up, sees him, looks a little shocked, but doesn’t say anything. Scott just pretends like she’s not here. Scott and I are now walking somewhere in the store - upstairs, I think. He is wearing a blue beret tilted slightly downwards and something else he wouldn’t usually wear. I notice him walking through the racks of clothes instead of on the main aisles. I wonder why for a second but then realize he’s trying not to be seen by associates.i get it, but also think it’s a little much.

I am at work when Charmi comes to visit. It almost looks more like a house. Scott is here and begrudgingly gets up to get the door for her. He opens it and immediately turns away from her. He talks to her detachedly but doesn’t really look at her. He is sitting and, for whatever reason, I notice his mustache moving slightly as he speaks. Now I think it is just Charmi and me. She asks if it’s been pretty slow, slightly derogatorily. Just as I say ‘yes’, I notice a group of two girls and one guy about my age what definitely look like they’re trying to steal. They all look clean cut and put together, but I notice the one girl carrying a stack of Levis and wearing a pretty full looking bag. The other girl is carrying a small armful of merchandise as well. They are just past what seems to be an opening in the floor for an escalator. I think they notice me eyeing and walking towards them. I walk up to them and don’t even need to say anything before they start tossing the merchandise down onto shelves and displays and walking out. I sort of wander around now and just so happen to walk up on the guy coming back in, on the phone. He notices me, but continues walking and walking with only a slight hesitation. I hear him casually say that he’s just gotten pinched/fucked? (or neither of those, but something similar?) I wonder if he is really trying to come back for something.




I am with Melissa in what seems to be the ocean, right about where the waves are breaking. We are waiting for them to come in and are riding them for a ways before going back out to catch another. It is simple yet fun. A few big ones start coming in and I fear that they’ll break on us, but they do not. The beach is a slightly sloped expanse of golden sand, upon which I notice only our towels and stuff set up. Everything seems to be lit, though the sky seems to be dark.

I’m with Laynie, and it’s like we’re at work, but right now we are on a street corner. There is a video monitor up on a pole, and I’m trying to pull back video on it. It ends up stopping on just someone’s feet, which we think is kind of funny. I briefly ponder the implications of leaving our recorded video playing for everyone to see. I think it’d be beneficial, but there’s no doubt someone would be offended. I now try to log out, pressing control, alt, and delete. We now cross the street and I see, on the other side of the street, a building that must be our work. It looks low and long, a glossy dark navy/grey, and more organic than not. I notice a sketchy seeming black lady who I think just got dropped off. She hesitates and then enters the building. I look over to Laynie, but she’s noticed her also. We enter the building but stall for a minute so as to give her just a little space initially. We’ve gone to the right and into a room that has a long, grey, ovular table (it may actually be a horseshoe shape, with empty space in the middle) with two men sitting towards the end. There is another video monitor, which I tap with a pen or something, just pretending to be doing something on it. The man seated facing more towards it sees this and chuckles, saying “kids.” I just laugh along with him and his limited perception, his not knowing what we’re really doing. We now enter the Sephora here and see the girl pretty much right away. She notices us also. We are not even near her or overtly watching her when she ends up by us, saying that she feels like she’s being watched. I reply quite lengthily, telling her that there are plenty of other people in here shopping that don’t feel like they’re being watched. I also tell her that I’ve been watched before while shopping but still bought what I was looking for, though I’m not sure that’s actually happened to me. She seems to understand, but still leaves without buying anything. I see her meet up with a white girl who also has a black purse. There is a sort of hallway or foyer between the Sephora and the glass doors to the outside. There’s then a small bit of pavement before a large, lush lawn. At the end of the pavement, they each throw a pair of shoes or sandals into a trashcan. I notice they’re both still wearing sandals, so I think they must’ve switched into new ones. I linger in the foyer and notice a black car parked in the shade of some trees near the top of the sloping lawn. The girls double back, but so have I, so that they see me walking past, but not overly suspiciously so.