The Mask: 1

THE CONFRONTATION

It was shocking indeed. Being told that a monster is just outside your house will make every hair on your body stand. Why are they here? Is their purpose for going here is to devour Nico’s family? Nico can’t answer these questions and is too nervous to even go out his room. He is too scared. Even though he knows that if he doesn’t go out, his grandparents will be killed including him. As he was too scared and nervous, he didn’t even realize that the mask is now on his body, all wrapped.

“What are you doing?” silently asked by Nico.

“You are being defeated by your fear, you can’t move a muscle. And it’s not good, you know that. If you don’t take action and go out, what do you think will happen to your loved ones, think, Nico, think.” Says the mask.

With him realizing his responsibilities, Nico took off the mask, put it in his pocket again and went outside. He quickly searched for his grandparents first, trying to make sure that they’re not outside since his grandmother loves to water the plants outside and his grandfather is there to smoke some cigarettes. And when he saw that his grandmother is doing the laundry and his grandfather is laying on the floor and fell asleep from watching the news, Nico felt relieved.

“Are you ready?” whispered Nico before he opens the door.

He didn’t receive any answers but he knows that this mask is ready and prepared to have a fight. Nico then gathered all his courage and opened the door. There in front of their small gate stood a mailman who was wearing his blue uniform and cap.

“Good morning, sir Richards? We’ve got a package for you.” Says the mailman.

The mailman then showed a box and asked Nico to sign some papers, and due to his nervousness Nico approached him and started to sign. Then the mailman began to sniff Nico who couldn’t move an inch but he can feel the mask vibrating in his pocket. Then he noticed, the mailman smirked and snickered.

“So, you’re one of us? No, your mask is superior for what I am sensing right now, am I right?” the mailman asked.

Nico slowly lifted his head and looked at the mailman’s face and it made him tremble in fear. He was wearing his mask and smiling at Nico and showing its sharp teeth. Then the mailman eventually took off his mask and sighed in relief.

“Forgive my mask, he is kinda impulsive, you know?” apologized the mailman.

Despite being utterly terrified, Nico noticed that the mask of this mailman is different from his. This mailman’s mask is a white so does its body. Nico doesn’t know the meaning of that since his own mask haven’t explained it to him yet. There’s a lot of things that Nico needs to know because he might die if doesn’t know what he is facing, seeing, feeling or fighting. The mailman then smirked at Nico again.

“Got time to talk? Don’t worry, you’re mask has stopped its vibrating which means he doesn’t consider us as enemies or have any hostile intentions against you.” Says the mailman.

Nico doesn’t know what to answer, and when is about to say no, the mask peeked over Nico’s pocket.

“We’ll go.” He said then went back inside.

Since his mask says yes, and Nico can’t possibly not go because his mask will control his body and go there anyway. So, Nico put the box inside first then told his grandparents that he’ll just go for a walk and then Nico exited their house and followed the mailman. Nico then felt the mask slither on his chest and went near to Nico’s left ear.

“Listen here, you i***t. Coming with this guy is also an advantage. It is to know what we’re up against, and if a fight breaks out, be sure to be ready to die.” Says the mask then went back to Nico’s pocket.

He had no choice but to follow the lead of this mask of his since this might be the only way to protect his loved ones. Nico followed the mailman until they reached an abandoned building, they went inside. It was a dark and creepy plays. There’s a lot of cobwebs and you can hear mice running around the second floor. If a fight really breaks out, then battling inside this confined space is too much of a risk but Nico also knows that this meeting is beneficial for both of his and his mask. The mailman then took out a cigarette from a box from his pocket and started to smoke. Nico never liked the smell of smoke from a cigarette but he got used to it since he continues to inhale it because of his grandfather.

“So, let’s get to the point already,” says the mailman then walked and stood in front of Nico “I am going to be blunt with you, know the news that is circulating? The murder of civilians all over this city?” asked the mailman.

Nico nodded then this mailman started to tell him. The suspect of the crimes is none other than them. They roam around the city at night then devour every human they see. He explained that the reason for the corpse not having any flesh anymore is that they feed only to the organs and flesh of humans since that the most delicious food for them. The mailman then took something out of his pocket again and once he showed it to Nico he immediately puked since he couldn’t take it. The thing that this mailman has shown is a heart that is still bloody. But despite the fact that his host is throwing his life up, the mask of Nico jumped out his pocket and asked the mailman to give him the heart, the mailman gave it saying that he is already full from devouring 2 families that he had delivered mail to. The mailman tossed the heart and Nico’s masked jumped and caught the bloody heart with his mouth then began to munch on it. The mailman found it interesting, the fact that a black mask has chosen this high school kid who can’t even look at a bloody heart. And he also found it weird that he witnessed a host not being insane after being separated from its mask especially when this kid is in possession of a black one. Nico’s mask then finished eating and the man smoked another cigarette while Nico is still puking.

“So, what do you want to talk about?” asked the black mask.

Nico finished his puking to listen. The mailman puffed a lo of smoke from his mouth then put his cigarette out.

“I’m just here to warn you. There’s about a thousand mask in this city alone, and not all of them are as kind as me. I will promise not to eat this kid’s parents if you promise not to go into our feeding grounds. Is that a deal?” says the mailman.

Nico’s mask then laughed with its malicious and growling laugh.

“Why would I follow you? And there’s no need to warn me, ‘cause I got no intention on devouring humans anyway, what I want is to eat my own kind.” He said then then mailman laughed.

“You, devouring us? Don’t make me laugh, at your current state you will not even be able to go up against me! And I must tell you that I’m the strongest mask in this city, and I know you can feel it.” Says the mailman.

Even he hates to admit it, the black mask agreed to what this mailman has said. His mask is a strong one, and if he is to fight them here, both Nico and him won’t make it out this building alive. Even if they did, they will only get out half dead. The mailman then looked at his watch and announced that it’s now late and he needs to deliver more mails. He then began to exit the building, but before he could get out the door, he stopped and looked back.

“One wrong move and this brat’s family will be slaughtered including you two. Don’t even think about fighting us, both of you are weaklings!” mocked the mailman then disappeared.

The mailman left the one two embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. They now hate it, and they then promised to each other to get strong quickly and attack them one after the other, because Nico himself can’t trust the words of a mask if it’s not his. And this confrontation will just give one meaning, Nico and his mask needs to be strong enough to match their strength. Once they’re strong, they will plan to eradicate those masks in this city to protect everyone in it and Nico’s family and might as well declare an all-out war.