There was only silence left after the blood-curdling scream. They pleaded for their life, but the killer was not moved. He stood there emotionless, looking down at the victim’s body and the dripping knife in his hand. The room was a complete mess. The cabinets, drawers, and closets were all broken into. He slowly walked himself into the room’s tiny bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror. He tried to remember who he was and where he even is. It’s been a while since he’s spoken with them.
“H…Henry?” He mumbled out.
It felt like years since he heard that name. He could barely even refer to himself as that anymore. He looked around the entire room until he saw what he had in his other hand. It reminded him of what he was actually here for. The killing was secondary to what he found inside the old cabinet.
Henry took a deep breath and discarded his dark coat in the bathtub. He gently took off his mask and faced it to himself. It was stained with blood, but that did not ruin the beauty of the design. The mask had its own name. It called itself the Forest; it didn’t speak verbally, but Henry could hear it in his head. The mask’s shape and design reflected its name. The face of the mask was made out of a wolf, a bear, a squirrel, and a deer. Each part was authentic, containing real parts of the animal’s face. The stitching was far from perfect; however, that was what made the mask perfect. He puts the mask under the running water of the sink. The blood is washed away slowly.
Henry walks back to the window that he shattered and prepares to step out, until the phone in the room rings. He was told not to answer any of the calls. He picks up the phone out of curiosity.
“Hello? Is this room 27?” Said the concerned person on the other end.
“Yes? It is.”
“We heard some strange noises over there. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I was… It’s a little embarrassing, but I was trying to cook dinner after I got back from work, and I cut myself with my own knife while chopping the vegetables. It cut deep into my skin. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I can…”
“Oh. We just wanted to make sure. You know, there’s been a lot of warnings recently about the killer on the loose. Make sure to call us if you need anything.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t need to.”
The City High Review 