The White Mask: Part Four

The next day, on a Sunday, Dylan goes to work with the white mask on his mind. He didn’t touch it at all, and it’s still sitting on his table. While he’s working at Sam’s Club, Dylan contemplates if murdering Dan is the only way he can be with Melanie. He also wonders if he can completely trust Cupid. He wants to know Cupid’s motives with him and the white mask. What reason does Cupid have to giving Dylan such a powerful, frightening mask? What does he gain out of Dylan killing Melanie’s husband? These questions and many more plagued Dylan’s mind at work.

At around lunch time, Dylan decides to have lunch with Elijah. They decide to drive to McDonald’s and eat there. As they’re driving in separate cars to McDonald’s, Dylan looks at his phone and wonders why Melanie hasn’t responded to any of his text messages from yesterday. Dylan prays that everything is alright with Melanie, and he hopes that she’ll respond soon.

Dylan and Elijah make it to McDonald’s and park right next to each other. As they’re getting out, Elijah comments, “Bro, I just realized that we could’ve just taken one car or something, instead of driving separately.”

Dylan laughs and agrees. Elijah looks at Dylan’s car and notices the red roses in the car. Elijah smiles and says, “So, I’m guessing your date didn’t like the roses, then?”

Dylan didn’t understand Elijah’s comments, until he sees the four red roses in the backseat of his car. Dylan remembers how Melanie couldn’t really accept them because her husband wouldn’t appreciate them, but she loved them. Dylan knows that. Dylan tells Elijah to shut up, and Elijah teases Dylan for getting his date flowers. Elijah sees that his teasing is bothering Dylan, and he quickly stops and apologizes. They just head inside, order some food and get a table. While they’re sitting down and eating, there’s a few minutes of silence. Then, Elijah says, “So, who did you go out on a date with yesterday?”

Dylan is a little surprised with this question, and he’s not sure if he should tell Elijah about his relationship with Melanie. He’ll have too many questions, and Dylan just doesn’t want to be bombarded with them. At the same time, Dylan does need some advice, and maybe Elijah can help with that. Dylan decides that he wants to tell Elijah about his relationship with Melanie. Dylan says, “Alright, I’ll tell you who I went out with, but you have to promise not to say anything about it to anyone.”

Elijah promises not to say anything, and Dylan tells Elijah that he had a date with Melanie. Dylan goes into detail about their date yesterday. He talks about how they connected and how he thinks that they’re ready to take things to the next level. After hearing everything, Elijah says, “Ok cool, um yeah, I love Melanie. She’s so awesome and cool, but are you sure that you want to be involved with someone that’s married? I mean, I know her husband is an abusive piece of trash, and she hates him, but she’s still a married woman. Are you sure about her? ”

Dylan quickly responds that he is absolutely sure about Melanie, and he’s ready to take things to the next level. Elijah understands and responds, “Ok, I feel you. Now based on what you told me, are you sure that you went out on a date with Melanie?”

Dylan is confused and asks for Elijah to explain. Elijah explains how it kind of just sounds like Dylan and Melanie just had lunch together, and it wasn’t necessarily a date for her. Dylan gets defensive and responds, “No, it was a date, Elijah. Yeah, we only spent an hour together, but it was special with her. I got her roses, I opened doors for her, I paid for her fries and we connected like crazy yesterday. It was a date, Elijah.”

Elijah decides to not argue with him anymore, and he says, “Ok cool. And yesterday was when you got her number too, right?”

Dylan says yes, and Elijah could see that his questions were bothering Dylan. So, Elijah says, “Hey man, I’m proud of you for going on a date with Melanie and getting her number. You’re doing good, man. So, how’s the texting been? What have you two been talking about?”

Dylan thanks Elijah for his kind words and tells him that she hasn’t responded to his messages. Dylan looks defeated, and Elijah adds, “You know, she’s probably just really busy right now. Plus, Melanie and her daughter are in Ohio visiting her sister. I think Dan stayed here, and Melanie and her daughter should be back on Tuesday.”

Dylan asks Elijah how he knows that, and Elijah explains that he saw it on Facebook. Melanie and Elijah are friends on Facebook. Melanie had taken some photos and posted some this morning. Elijah gets his phone out and shows Melanie’s pictures to Dylan. Dylan looks at the time these photos were posted, and he sees that they were posted in the morning and afternoon. Then, Dylan wonders why Melanie didn’t respond to his messages, but she was able to just post on Facebook. It isn’t right to Dylan. Why couldn’t she respond to his messages?

Elijah sees the concern on Dylan’s eyes, and he’s compelled to tell him something. He asks Dylan if he can be real with him. Dylan reluctantly gives permission for Elijah to be real for him, so Elijah says, “Look, man, I just don’t think that she’s into you at all. I think that she just mostly sees you as a friend, and I think it would be better for you two to just be friends because you two work together and she’s married. Plus, I know there’s someone better out there for you. Better than Melanie, I promise you. You just have to be patient.”

Dylan rolls his eyes and says, “Be patient? Elijah, I’m 30 years old and the clock’s ticking for me. I need someone in my life right now, and I know that that someone is Melanie. I want to shower her with gifts and flowers, and I want to be her knight in shining armor. I want to give her all my love. I love her.”

“Really? You love her after one date,” Elijah says.

“Yes, I do. And I don’t expect you to understand because you’ve never been in love before. You don’t what love’s like. It’s beautiful, it’s crazy, it’s…murderous.”

Elijah is confused with Dylan saying “love is murderous,” but he shakes the thought out of his head. Then, he says, “Look, I understand that love is whatever, but all I’m saying is—

Dylan interrupts, “And all I’m saying is I don’t want anymore advice from you, and we should just eat and change the subject.”

Elijah shakes his head and changes the subject.

They eventually leave McDonald’s and head back to work.

After work, Dylan heads home and thinks about Melanie. He has to save her from the monster that is Dan. Dylan has to show Melanie that he would do anything for her. He wants their relationship to blossom into something deep, meaningful and wonderful. How could he do such a thing?

When he arrives home, he opens the door and immediately sees the white mask. Then, he sees a figure sitting next to the white mask on the couch. Dylan squints and discovers that it’s Cupid sitting in the chair next to the white mask. It’s dark as usual with a little light from a lamp next to Cupid. Dylan tries to turn the lights on, but Cupid stops him. Cupid says, “Please, Dylan, I’m actually more comfortable in the dark, so I would prefer for the lights to still be off with the exemption of the lamp, if that’s okay with you?”

Dylan understands, and Cupid motions for Dylan to have a seat next to him. He slowly comes over to Cupid and sits down next to him. “Yeah, that’s fine. But dude, I thought you were giving me another day to think about wearing the white mask.”

Cupid smiles and says, “I was, I was, but an opportunity presented itself for you that you have no idea about.”

Dylan asks to hear about this new opportunity, and Cupid explains that tomorrow would be the perfect time to kill Dan. It is the perfect opportunity for Dylan because him and Dan will be off tomorrow, and Melanie and her daughter will be far away and won’t be back till Tuesday. Dylan says, “Ok, but how am I gonna figure out where Dan lives, the right way to kill him and when to kill him?”

Cupid chuckles and tilts his head to the right. Then, he responds, “Well, that’s the beauty of the white mask. It will amplify your abilities and motivate you to figure out whatever your true heart desires. It will do the work for you. All you must do is trust the mask.”

Cupid grabs the white mask on the table, holds it in his hand and simply tells Dylan to take it. Dylan is scared to cross a line with the white mask, but he knows that killing Dylan is the only way for him and Melanie to be together. Dylan grabs the white mask and tries to put it on, but Cupid stops him. He tells Dylan to remember to face a mirror when putting on the mask. Dylan tries to get up, but Cupid doesn’t allow it. Then, Cupid gets really close to Dylan. Dylan grins and says, “You can simply use the reflection in my red sunglasses to put on the white mask. It’s really more convenient and better for you.”

Cupid stares into the eyes of Dylan, smiles and whispers, “Just simply look into my eyes. And remember you need to save Melanie from Dan. You must do this.”

Dylan takes a deep breathe and asks again if he’ll remember anything, and Cupid assures Dylan that as long as he faces a mirror and/or a reflection, he should be fine. Cupid adds,  “It will literally be like two seconds for you, when you wear the white mask in front of a mirror. Also, you can decide if you want it to be visible or invisible to people.”

Dylan’s heart is pumping, and he’s not sure if he’s ready to do such a thing.  However, he’s ready to provide a better life for Melanie. He looks into Cupid’s sunglasses, and there’s some sort of weird feeling he gets. Dylan’s not so sure about it. He starts shaking, and Cupid smiles and whispers, “Relax, Dylan. You’re gonna be fine. I guarantee it. Just let it happen.”

The shaking continues for Dylan and pain starts to well up in Dylan’s chest. He’s never felt such pain before. Cupid only smiles and gets closer. Dylan tries to look into Cupid’s eyes, but he can’t see them. Instead, he sees something sinister in Cupid. Cupid laughs and says, “You need to focus on your reflection. Otherwise this won’t work. Put on the white mask now. It’s the only way to ease the pain now.”

Without hesitation, Dylan puts on the white mask.

A few seconds later for Dylan, he takes the white mask off. He finds himself sitting on his couch, and he notices that his hands are stained with blood. Dylan also discovers that he has a new change of clothes. Dylan gets his phone out and sees that it’s Tuesday, exactly 3:00 a.m. He doesn’t remember anything that’s happened, and it’s scary to him. Then, he looks to his right, and he sees Cupid sitting next to him with a big smile on his face. Dylan asks him why he’s smiling so much. Cupid’s smile widens, and he responds, “You did it. You actually did it. You crazy lunatic. You killed Dan.”

This is the end of “The White Mask: Part Four.”

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