Purple Eyes: Part Four

There’s a decision that must be made tonight.

It’s a hard choice for anybody to make.

The woman with purple eyes wanted him to have that choice.

She would not say which was the right choice,

It was for him to decide so late into the night.

Could he fight his personal feelings and finally find peace?

Or is peace no longer an option?

It’s frightening and scary to see my own body,

I can’t believe I was butchered and slaughtered like a pig.

I can’t believe so much blood left my body.

It’s sickening to see all the stab wounds on my body.

I was brutally murdered in this alley,

And no one could save me.

Wait,

That’s not true at all.

Some people could have saved me from my pain and suffering,

But they just chose to watch.

They watched as I was crying,

They watched as I was losing the will to live,

They watched as I was begging for mercy,

They watched and did nothing about it,

They watched me slowly die.

The woman with purple eyes lets go of my hand,

And walks deeper into the alley.

I reach for her,

But she continues to move further and further away,

Until she suddenly stops

And has her arms wide open for me.

I’m realizing now that I have to make a choice.

I can go to her,

And be free from this terrible, dark world

And welcomed to paradise,

Or I can be brought back to life,

But do I really want to come back to this cruel place?

All alone late at night in the city,

Where nightmares are a reality for me.

An inescapable prison of my own making.

I decide to reject the woman with purple eyes,

And be brought back to life.

For I have unfinished business that I must attend to,

I need revenge,

I need to make them suffer like I did.

I need it more than anything,

And it’s the only way for me to move on.

The woman with purple eyes disappears,

And leaves me all alone and broken,

But I don’t care.

I don’t care about peace or freedom,

Nor do I care about the woman with purple eyes.

Purple Eyes: Part One

The city is different at night,

It’s not as lively or chaotic during the day,

There’s this eerie, strange quietness of the city.

A different world with nearly no one in sight,

Yet there’s potential danger around every corner.

You never know what to expect,

Yet you should expect nearly every possibility in your imagination.

Leave no room for fascination or curiosity,

Especially when you’re alone late at night in the city,

Where nightmares can become reality.

I find myself alone in this city during this time,

I’m patiently waiting for a bus to take me out of this dark world,

And take me to a better place,

A place that I can call home.

Where I can be protected from the dangers of the city.

I long to just go home.

I’m waiting and waiting for the bus to come,

But it seems to be late,

Later than usual.

Why is it taking so long to get here?

How long must I remain in this scary city?

I can’t bear to be here any longer.

I need to get home.

I’m shaking as time continues to pass.

Fear is causing my heart to beat faster and faster,

I’m forgetting how to breathe normally.

I’m sweating and struggling to calm down,

I have to get a hold of myself,

Before someone sees me,

Before someone tries to hurt me,

Just calm down,

I scream in my mind.

I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder.

I turn around and see it’s someone in a hoodie.

I move back and try to run away,

But I’m stopped by the person.

I think about fighting the person,

But I lock eyes with the person and stop thinking.

I can’t see the person’s face,

But this person’s eyes were something else.

They were these alluring, gorgeous jewels.

I couldn’t even think about anything else,

I was bewitched by these almost heavenly purple eyes.

The White Mask: Part Five

Dylan is in shock to find out that he killed Dan. He can’t believe it. His heart is pumping like a speeding train, and he can’t seem to control his breathing. He looks down and sees the white mask in his hands. He quickly throws it across the room, then he looks at Cupid. Cupid tilts his head to the right and smiles ever so slightly at Dylan. Dylan finally gets control of his breathing and says, “Please, tell me that I didn’t kill Dan.”

Cupid’s smile widens. He tilts his head to the left, laughs and whispers, “Oh, you killed Dan. I saw the whole thing, and it was honestly a work of art. The passion and the drive you showed was breath-taking. It was kind of romantic.”

Dylan shakes his head and says, “No, I just put that mask on a couple of seconds. There’s no way that I killed Dan. There’s no way that I could ever do such a thing. I don’t remember doing anything like that.”

Cupid chuckles and responds, “Well, that’s good because you weren’t supposed to remember anything. However, if you don’t believe your blood-stained hands, change of clothes and that bloody knife in the bathroom, I would be more than happy to go in detail of all the torturous, sick, twisted things you did to Dan.”

Cupid slowly tilts his head to the right. He continues to smile at Dylan, but it’s freaking Dylan out. Then, Dylan gets up to see if there was a bloody knife in the bathroom. He gets up and walks to the bathroom. Dylan’s hesitant to peak in the bathroom, but Cupid yells for him to take a look. Dylan exhales, and he’s disappointed to see a bloody knife in the sink. He drops to the ground, and he starts crying. Cupid starts laughing and says, “You know, it’s interesting seeing you be so regretful in killing Dan.”

“Why is it interesting?” Dylan asks.

“Because you enjoyed every minute of torturing and killing him. It was fun for you, Dylan. In fact, watching you murder Dan was like listening to a song. You were killing him softly, and I loved every minute of it,” Cupid says.

Cupid smiles as he reminisces about the brutal, horrific murder he witnessed minutes ago. Dylan looks at Cupid, and he’s frightened by his look. Cupid quickly snaps out of his daze and says, “Let’s not forget why you did what you did to Dan. Remember, he was a monster that mistreated your beloved Melanie. You saved her, Dylan, and now you two can be together.”

Dylan realizes that Cupid is right, and he can finally be with Melanie. Her husband can no longer get in the way of their love for each other. Dylan thought to himself that he was going to have his Juliet. There’s a sense of relief from Dylan, then Cupid gets up and heads for the door. Dylan asks Cupid why he’s leaving, and Cupid responds, “Oh, you don’t need me right now. You’ll be fine, but don’t worry, I’ll be back in a couple of months.”

Cupid opens the door, but Dylan stops him and asks why he’ll be back in a couple months. Cupid smiles, looks at Dylan and says, “Just to check on you and keep you motivated. Also, I want to visit you on my favorite day of the year.”

Dylan frowns and explains that Valentine’s Day is next year. Cupid chuckles and says, “Valentine’s Day? I can’t stand that day. No, I’m talking about Halloween. Something tells me that it’ll be an interesting Halloween for you and Melanie.”

Dylan asks Cupid what he means, but Cupid only smiles and doesn’t answer his question. He quickly leaves and disappears into the night. Dylan locks the door, looks to his left and sees the white mask lying on the floor. He goes to it, picks it up and stares into it. Then, he shakes his head, takes it to his room and puts it in a box. Dylan hopes he never has to see the white mask again, and he can just put it behind him. He smiles because him and Melanie can be together finally with no interferences. He would have his Juliet.

A few months passed, and Dylan was still having a hard time getting closer to Melanie. Dylan understood that Melanie needed time to figure things out, but he was still hurt that she didn’t try to make an effort with him after some months passed. He would text her daily, but he would barely get a response from her. Most of the time she would reply a day or two late, and it really bothered Dylan. Also, he was buying her flowers, chocolates, perfume and food, at least two or three times a week. Sadly, it still didn’t make a difference. He didn’t understand. Why couldn’t she see how much he loved her? Why couldn’t she see how much he needed her? Dylan starts to think to himself that she’s not taking their relationship seriously, and it’s a problem from him. Dylan killed Melanie’s abusive husband. He saved her from a monster, but it feels like she doesn’t appreciate everything he’s done for her.

Today, it’s Halloween. Dylan is not working his typical 2-11 shift, but he’s working a 9am-6pm shift at Sam’s Club. He comes in 30 minutes early, and he’s excited to be spending time with Melanie. They have a date today. When he arrives at work, he walks into Sam’s Club with a dozen roses and a wrapped present for Melanie. He’s feeling bold and excited today because he’s finally gonna have lunch with Melanie again. It’s been four months since their last “date,” and Dylan’s ready for his special Halloween date with Melanie.

He puts all of his things for Melanie in his locker. He thinks about his sweet Melanie and texts, “Hey beautiful, I can’t wait to see you for lunch. I’m so excited! Also, I have a surprise for you that I know you’ll love.”

After he texts that, he closes his locker. All of a sudden, he’s confronted by Elijah. He tells Dylan that he needs to talk to him. Elijah and Dylan go to the break room, and they find a table to sit at. Thankfully, it’s empty. Dylan urges Elijah to tell him what’s going on. Elijah sighs and says, “Okay, you’re doing too much with Melanie, man.”

Dylan doesn’t understand. He asks Elijah how he knows he’s doing too much, and Elijah adds, “Because she told me, Dylan. You’re making her very uncomfortable with the gifts. She told me that she’s been trying to be nice to you, but she’s close to telling a supervisor about you.”

Dylan thinks that Elijah is lying to him, and he doesn’t want to hear anything else from him. Dylan says, “Then, why is she having lunch with me, Matthew? If she didn’t want to be with me, then she wouldn’t agree to go on a date with me.”

“Bro, it’s not a date. She’s just trying to tell you what I’m telling you. She’s honestly hoping that you listen to me, instead of her telling you when you have lunch with her,” Elijah explains.

Dylan shakes his head because he can’t believe what he’s hearing. Why is Elijah trying to sabotage his relationship with Melanie? Elijah says, “Listen, I understand that you…like her, but she doesn’t feel the same way about you. No amount of gifts or text messages is going to change that. She’s not interested in you, man. You need to let her go and move on.”

Dylan is angered by Elijah’s words and replies,”I’m not giving up on her, Elijah. I’m a hopeless romantic. That’s just who I am. I’m giving her my all because I love Melanie so much. I’m sorry that I can’t be all nonchalant and hide my emotions like you do Elijah. I want Melanie to know how I feel about her. I’m not afraid of embarrassing or exposing myself to girls like you are. I feel bad for you Elijah because no girl is ever going to love you because you’re a coward that doesn’t know how to take a chance on love. It’s pathetic and sad.”

Elijah is a little hurt by Dylan’s insulting words, but he gives a chuckle and responds, “You know what, have fun on your date? It does take a lot of dedication and wasted time to be obsessed with a girl that doesn’t want you. In fact, you give everyone here at Sam’s Club something to laugh about. It’s funny, for four months, you’ve been harassing a newly single mother that recently lost her husband. You’ve been making things uncomfortable for her at work with your stupid gifts that she just throws away in the trash. So, I can’t wait to hear what precious gift you got her for your little date. It should be interesting to hear from her because she does like to talk to me. She’s a real fast responder too, but you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Dylan is silent and angry. He wants to punch Elijah in the face, but he controls himself. Elijah laughs and walks away. Then, he turns around and yells, “Oh, and happy Halloween, Dylan. Have fun on your little date, you piece of trash.”

Dylan couldn’t believe the words that Elijah spoke to him. A few minutes later, he gets a text from Melanie. He’s excited to see the text message, but he’s disappointed to see that it reads that she won’t be able to have lunch with him because something came up. He doesn’t understand. Dylan asks why she has to cancel, but there is no response. Ten minutes later, he clocks in. As he’s walking to the backroom, he stumbles upon Melanie. She arrives an hour early to work, and Dylan sees this as the opportunity to get close to her. Dylan says hi to Melanie, and she replies hi back. Then, she asks Dylan if Elijah talked to him, and he responds, “Kind of, but look. I actually got you a present that I think you’ll love.”

Before Melanie could object, Dylan begs her to see the present he has for her. She says fine, and he rushes to his locker to get the roses and the special present for her. Dylan makes it back to Melanie as she groans at the roses and present. Dylan tells her that she’ll really like this present if she just gave it a chance. Melanie sighs, takes the presents and opens it up. When she opens it, her mouth drops. She can’t believe the present that Dylan gave her. She simply responds, “Oh my God.”

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

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.”

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

The White Mask: Part Three

The man in the red suit tells Dylan that his name is Cupid, and he’s here to help him. After a few seconds of silence, Dylan looks to his right and sees his shotgun near his coat rack. Cupid discovers where Dylan’s eyes are looking. He gives a devilish smile and whispers, “I wouldn’t advise shooting me. You could damage your furniture.”

Dylan didn’t care to think about Cupid’s words, he reaches down for his shotgun. He grabs it, turns the safety off, cocks it and says, “Alright pal, you got five seconds to get out of my house before I shoot you. I don’t want no trouble, you hear?”

Cupid laughs and says, “Alright, I’m leaving. Don’t need to get your panties in a twist. But before I go, don’t you want to know how I can help you?”

“Not interested, pal. Just get out of my house,” Dylan says.

Cupid laughs and says, “I promise I’ll get out, but I have an interesting proposition that I think you would like to hear. Why it’s about your beloved Melanie.”

Dylan didn’t understand how Cupid could possibly know about Melanie. However, he was interested in learning more about what Cupid knows. He starts lowering his shotgun and relaxes. Then, he asks Cupid what all he knows about him and Melanie. Cupid smiles and says, “Oh, I know everything about you two love birds.”

Cupid goes on to explain how he knows that Dylan has been in love with Melanie for about a year now. Also, Melanie and Dylan had just gone on their date today, and Dylan had just gotten Melanie’s number. Dylan is stunned by Cupid’s knowledge of his relationship with Melanie. It’s surprising to him, and he asks, “So, are you actually the Cupid? The Cupid, the angel or god of love?”

Cupid chuckles and responds, “In a way, but I’d like to think of myself as the god of passion/desire, if you will. That’s my area of expertise, honestly.”

Dylan nods his head and Cupid continues, “Enough about me, let’s talk about the solution that I have to unite you and Melanie together.”

Dylan is still hesitant with Cupid, and he doesn’t know if he can trust him. He asks Cupid why is he wearing red sunglasses in this dark room. Cupid smiles and whispers, “Let’s just say, these sunglasses help me see things and people more clearly. Now, can I please tell you my solution to your problem?”

Dylan still isn’t sure, but he decides to hear Cupid out. Cupid smiles and says, “It’s quite simple really. All you have to do is kill Melanie’s husband.”

This comes as a surprise to Dylan. He starts laughing, and Cupid joins in with the laughter. After a few seconds of laughter, Cupid quickly stops smiling and laughing. He just stares at Dylan. Dylan is filled with fear now, and he asks if Cupid is serious about murdering Dan. Cupid tilts his head to the right and says, “Why wouldn’t I be serious? Melanie can’t leave or divorce Dan. You have to know that killing him is the only way for her to be free of Dan’s torment and in your arms.”

“That’s just crazy! That’s ridiculous!” Dylan yells.

Cupid giggles, tilts his head to the left and responds, “I know. However, the greatest love story of all time is crazy and ridiculous.”

Dylan has this confused look on his face and Cupid continues, “It involves two, young hopeless romantics who fell in love with each other at first sight. Their love led to lies, deception, and most importantly murder. It ended with the star-crossed lover killing themselves because they couldn’t live without each other. Do you know the story that I’m talking about?”

Dylan knows this story all too well, and he whispers, “Romeo and Juliet.”

“Yes, Romeo and Juliet. Why, isn’t Melanie your Juliet?” Cupid asks.

Dylan sighs and responds, “She is my Juliet, but—

Cupid interrupts and asks, “And would you not kill for the woman that you love with all your heart?”

Dylan nods his head without hesitation and Cupid says, “Melanie is wondering where her Romeo is. Why aren’t you there for her? You’re her Romeo, are you not?”

Dylan says, “I am her Romeo, but love is—

“Love is crazy. Love is ridiculous. Love is passionate. Love is murderous,” Cupid interrupts.

There’s a long silence between Cupid and Dylan. Dylan knows that killing Dan is crazy, but it makes so much sense to him. However, he could never do such a thing, even if he wanted to. He couldn’t go through with killing Dan. Cupid knows what Dylan is thinking and whispers, “Dylan, what if I gave you the ultimate tool to kill Dan with ease? In fact, what if I told you that there was a way for you to not remember killing him in the first place?”

Before Dylan can say anything, Cupid puts something white on the coffee table. Then, he brings a lamp closer to the table and shines the light on this sinister-looking white mask. The white mask has evil eyes, sharp teeth and a sinister smile. It isn’t scary to Dylan, but it’s rather comforting to him. He walks closer to the table and reaches to touch it, however he’s stopped by Cupid. Cupid says, “Wait, let me tell you about this mask before you go and put it on.”

Dylan stops himself from touching the mask and listens to what Cupid has to say. “Now, this mask will give you the drive, the determination and the motivation to do what’s necessary,” Cupid says.

“Okay, that’s kind of a little vague. But how am I not going to remember what I did?” Dylan asks.

“It’s quite simple really, all you have to do is put the mask on in front of a mirror. As long as you put it on in front of a mirror, you’ll be fine and forget whatever deed you commit once the mask is off. Think of a mirror as a protective blanket from the white mask. But be warned Dylan, if you forget to put on the white mask in front of a mirror, then you will be lost forever wearing the white mask,” Cupid explains.

The last part scares Dylan. He’s still not sure if it’s necessary to murder Dan. Cupid smiles and says, “I tell you what. I’ll give you two days to determine if you want to utilize the white mask or not. If you don’t want it on day two, then I’ll just take it back it’s that simple. What do you say?”

Dylan isn’t sure. Cupid adds, “I promise, I’m only trying to help you get the girl. Nothing more.”

“I guess wouldn’t hurt to think about it some more,” Dylan says.

“Excellent! Then, I guess I’ll see you again soon,” Cupid smiles and whispers.

Cupid leaves the white mask on the table and walks past Dylan. Dylan manages to get a little look at Cupid, but not enough to see his face in the dark room. Then, Cupid opens the door, looks at Dylan, smiles and says, “You know, I am rooting for you, Dylan. I’m honestly just dying to see a sweet, hopeless romantic like yourself get the girl.”

Before Dylan can say anything, Cupid goes out and disappears into the night. Now, Dylan is alone with the white mask.

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

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

I will be sharing and posting “The White Mask: Part Four” Saturday on the Warfield Zone.

The White Mask: Part Two

Melanie is just so gorgeous to Dylan. Despite being in her uniform, Melanie is just irresistible to Dylan. He can’t help but look at her cherry, red lips and her long, brown hair just draped on her shoulders. She has the prettiest smile to Dylan, and it always seems to melt his heart. Her light brown eyes are intoxicating and hypnotizing to his soul. Melanie is short and skinny, and it’s perfect for Dylan. Melanie is Dylan’s perfect angel that he will gladly worship and adore on his date with her.

Dylan rushes to the other side of his car to open up the passenger door for Melanie. She’s surprised by the this and remarks, “Wow, such a gentleman, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, my lady,” Dylan cheerfully says.

Melanie steps inside the car, and Dylan runs to the driver side of his car. He gets in and presents the roses to Melanie from behind his back. “These are for you, my lady,” Dylan says.

“Oh, these are lovely…um thank you,” Melanie responds.

The hesitation bothers Dylan, and Melanie quickly adds, “They’re absolutely lovely, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that I know that my husband will get a little mad and jealous if he sees these flowers, so I’m probably just gonna have to keep them in my car and let them die.”

Dylan is devastated that Melanie can’t take care of the roses or fully accept them. Melanie sees the disappointed look and says, “But I do appreciate the sweet gesture, bro. These are beautiful. You’re such a good friend.”

Dylan perks up a little bit because Melanie appreciated the sweet gesture of the roses. He knew he didn’t mess up with getting Melanie roses. So, Dylan smiles and says, “It was my pleasure, my lady. Now let’s go get something to eat.”

He has his energy again, and he’s ready to kick off his date with Melanie. He starts the car and drives them both to Chick-Fil-A.

As they’re driving, Dylan asks Melanie how things are with her husband. Melanie replies, “Still a disaster. I still hate him and can’t stand him. I just want to divorce him, but I can’t. I hate Dan.”

Dylan knew this all too well. He knows that Melanie’s husband, Dan, is physically abusive towards. In fact, everyone at Sam’s Club knew this because she would always talk about it with coworkers. He’s 6’4”, overweight and 20 years older than Melanie. He would slap her, push her, kick her and punch her almost daily. Melanie always has to wear makeup to cover up the fresh bruises and cuts her husband would give her. It hurt Dylan to see his precious angel take such an abuse from a monster. She was young and naïve to get with him in the first place at the age of 20, Dylan thinks to himself. She needs to be saved from him.

It only takes a few minutes to get to Chick-Fil A because they’re so close to it. When they park, Melanie tries to open up the door, but Dylan stops her. He insists on opening the door for her. He gets out of his car, rushes to the passenger side and opens the door for her. They walk together and make it to the entrance. Melanie reaches to open the entrance door, but Dylan stops her because he wants to open the door for her. He does so and there’s another door presented. Melanie reaches to open that door, and Dylan yells for her to stop. Melanie sighs and waits for Dylan to open the door for him. Then, they finally make it inside the restaurant.

They wait in line until it’s eventually their turn. Dylan orders his food and asks Melanie what she wants. She insists on paying for herself, but Dylan is insisting on paying for her. Melanie sighs and says that she’ll just have a large fry. Dylan orders the food, and they find a booth to sit in.

Dylan and Melanie start laughing and talking, and Dylan feels such a strong connection with Melanie. It was real and special to him. Eventually, their food comes, and they start to enjoy it. As they’re eating, Melanie starts talking about her three-year-old daughter Violet. Melanie loves Violet with all her heart and can’t imagine life without her daughter, she explains to Dylan. “Yeah, I just can’t afford to leave Dan. Also, I don’t want Violet to grow up without a father. I want to give her the best life possible. He’s a decent father to her, and I guess that can be good enough for me.”

Dylan shakes his head and says, “I understand that, but is it good for your daughter to see you getting hurt all the time? What example are you setting for your daughter?”

Melanie gets a little uncomfortable and replies, “I don’t have that many options seeing as how I barely have enough money to divorce him. I’m just pretty much stuck with him. It sucks, but it’s just the way it is. I wish there was a way for Dan to be out of my life and somehow have a good life for Violet. But there isn’t a way. Now, we can just please change the subject, I’m tired of talking about my abusive husband.”

Dylan understands and changes the subject. They talk for 40 more minutes, and Melanie realizes that it’s time for them to go back to work. They start gathering their stuff, and they throw their trash away. Dylan tries to open the doors for Melanie, but she opens them on their own. She says, “It’s fine, bro, I got it.”

When they’re outside, Dylan runs past Melanie and opens the door to the passenger side. Melanie sighs and gets in the car. Dylan closes her door, runs to the driver side, gets in and drives back to Sam’s Club. They make it back to work with five minutes to spare. They’re sitting in the car, and Melanie tries to get out. Dylan stops her, and Melanie says, “It’s okay, Dylan, I got it. I’m fully capable up opening my door.”

“Oh okay. Well, I just wanted to let you know that I had a really great time with you, and I definitely would love to do this again,” Dylan says to Melanie.

“Oh yeah, for sure,” Melanie responds.

There’s an awkward silence, and Dylan awkwardly asks, “Hey, um I was…um… wondering if maybe….um… I could have your…um…phone number, possibly?”

Dylan has been meaning to get her number all day, and he was just ready to take the next step with her. Melanie smiles and says, “Yeah sure, bro. Let me just put it in my phone.”

She types his number in her phone and sends him a text message. Before he could say anything, Melanie rushes out the car and yells, “Hurry up, we’re gonna be late clocking in.”

There’s a big smile on Dylan’s face because he had finally gotten Melanie’s number. It’s a dream come true for him. He starts getting out of his car and humming “Singin’ in the Rain.” The date was a success for Dylan, and he couldn’t wait to swoop Melanie off her feet and be her knight in shining armor.

The rest of the day for Dylan goes by fast. He does good work, and he finds himself thinking about his sweet Melanie. Around 8:00, he texts her that he can’t stop thinking about her and is looking forward to seeing her again. There’s no response from her. At 10:00, he texts her, “So, when do you want to have lunch again, Mel? I think the days that we’re working together are on Tuesday and Thursday of next week, so let me know what works for you.”

Again, there’s no response. It bothers Dylan a little that she’s not responding, but he quickly assumes that she’s just busy working. Around 11:00, it’s quitting time for second shift. Dylan rushes to clock out and runs to his car. When he gets in his car, he texts Melanie if she’s alright. He knows that Melanie finished working at 8:30, so it made no sense to him that she wasn’t responding to his text messages.

He drives home worried sick about Melanie. When he makes it home, he thinks about calling her. He opens the door to his house and hears a male, deep voice in his dark house say, “Hello, Dylan.”

This startles Dylan, and he looks around his house to find the person saying hello to him. He can’t see anything, then he hears the sound of his lamp turn on. He looks to the far, left corner of his house and sees a man in a red suit with red sunglasses on. Dylan can’t see his face and his heart is pumping like crazy. Who is this man? Why is he in his house? How did he know his name. So many questions were running in his mind. Then, the man in the red suit smiles and whispers, “Hello, Dylan. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Cupid, and I’m here to help you.”

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

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

Next week, I will be posting and sharing parts three and four of “The White Mask.”

The White Mask: Part One

Dylan is patiently waiting in line at a floral shop. He has five stemmed roses in his hand for a special girl on his mind. They’re having lunch together for the first time on this Saturday, and Dylan is anxious, nervous and excited about it all. There are only three people in front of him, and he is in no rush at all. He’s in his uniform because he has work in about an hour at 2:00. He’s working a full eight-hour shift at Sam’s Club as a stocker. The floral shop is only a few minutes away from it. He’s excited because there seems to be a pretty, attractive girl at the register. She’s a brunette with blue eyes and a pretty smile. Dylan tries to look at her nametag, but he can’t see the name on it. He needs to get a closer look. Eventually, it’s his turn in line. The girl smiles at him with her perfect white teeth and motions for him to come to the register. He approaches the register, and he can finally see that the girl’s name is Emily. She says, “Good afternoon, sir, how are you doing?”

Dylan smiles and responds, “I’m doing alright. I’m just little anxious, nervous and excited, so a pretty good combination.”

Emily laughs and asks why Dylan feels the way he feels. Dylan explains, “Well, I’m taking this pretty, amazing girl out on a date for the first time today, and I’m so scared. I just want it to be perfect and for us to take things to the next level and all.”

Emily nods her head in understanding Dylan, and she says to him that all he has to do is be himself and everything will fall in to place naturally. “Plus, you’re on the right track too with the roses. I know that she’ll definitely love them. I wish guys at my high school would give me roses, but they just want to ‘shoot their shots on IG or snap,’ and it’s just so lame. You know what I mean?”

Dylan shakes his head and explains that he doesn’t have social media. He’s really old fashioned. It came to a shock to Emily, and she asks him how old he is. Dylan responds that he’s 30 years old. Emily is impressed that he doesn’t have social media, then Dylan smiles and asks, “So what does shooting the shot mean? Is it like a bucket or something?”

Emily laughs and says, “Oh my gosh, you seriously don’t know? I mean, it’s something like that. Hold up, let me get my phone out and show you what I mean.”

Emily gets out her nice iPhone and shows Dylan some messages of guys “shooting their shot” with her. He got close to her and saw all kinds of weird messages and pictures on her phones. Dylan shakes his head and says, “Ok so let me get this right. Guys send you messages about how ‘bad,’ ‘delicious,’ ‘exquisite,’ and ‘fine’ you are, and if their compliment is good enough to you, then you proceed to talk to them?”

“Yeah pretty much, romance and chivalry are dead,” Emily says.

“Whoa, whoa, don’t say such things. Yes, there are guys that are no longer chivalrous or romantic, but there are a few of us that are hopeless romantics in this world. Don’t worry, your knight in shining armor is coming to save you.”

Emily appreciated the words, and Dylan paid $18.50 for his five roses. He thanked Emily, looked at his roses and handed her one of the roses. Emily smiles at the sweet gesture and thanks him for the rose. Dylan smiles and says, “It’s no problem young lady, you’re absolutely gorgeous and deserve all the roses in the world for your sweetness.”

Emily blushes, and Dylan for a second thinks about asking for her number. However, he changes his mind because he already has a special girl waiting for him.

Dylan heads to work with his four roses, and he makes it to Sam’s Club with 30 minutes to spare. He walks in and says hi to a few people along the way. Then, he finally makes it to the back room and sees a few people eating their lunches in the break room. He looks to his right, and he sees the only black person in the break room, his coworker and friend Elijah. Elijah is listening to music on his phone and scrolling on Facebook. Dylan sees Elijah and yells, “Yo, what up my brother?”

Elijah hears Dylan, pulls out his headphones and looks at Dylan. He shakes his head, chuckles and says, “Hey what’s up man.”

“Nothing much, just happy and excited to be here. Happy to be alive, what are you listening to ?” Dylan asks.

“That’s what’s up, man. And I’m just listening to J. Cole’s ‘No Role Models.’ Such a good song, man,” Elijah responds.

Elijah starts singing a little bit to Dylan, but there’s a little part that’s weird to Dylan. It’s part of the chorus, it’s “Don’t save her, she don’t wanna be saved.” Dylan didn’t understand that part. Then, Elijah asks, “By the way, what do you got in your hands? Do you have a secret admirer or something?”

Dylan didn’t understand, but then he realizes that he has the four roses in his hand. He forgot to put them in his locker. He quickly ran to his locker making sure he was hiding the flowers. He didn’t want them to be seen. Then, he opens his locker and places the roses in his locker. Then, he rushes back to the break room to Elijah. He’s out of breathe, and Elijah asks him if he’s alright. Dylan tells him that he’s fine and begs Elijah to not tell anyone about the roses. Elijah promises to keep the roses a secret, then he asks Dylan about the roses. However, Dylan doesn’t want to say. He doesn’t want Elijah to know who he’s taking out on a date. Elijah asks him how come he doesn’t want to tell him, but Dylan tells Elijah that he’s just not comfortable in sharing information about the roses. Dylan expects Elijah to persist with the questions, but Elijah decides to drop it. This is a relief to Dylan, but then Elijah adds, “I don’t understand why flowers are so romantic to girls sometimes.”

Dylan frowns and asks Elijah what he mean. Elijah continues, “I mean, flowers are the most inconvenient romantic gift ever to me. Like those roses you got probably cost $20 maybe $30 dollars top. Roses are just so expensive for no reason. Then, a girl now has to buy a vase for the roses because if she doesn’t then they’ll die. So, it’s not really a romantic gift if each party has to pay some money for said gift.”

Dylan just shakes his head and says, “No bro, like you don’t understand. You see a rose is like a delicate, sweet poem. It speaks a different language to a woman. It makes her feel loved and appreciated, Elijah.”

“You know what else makes a woman feel appreciated? Food, time, candy, chocolates, poetry, a love letter, hot Cheetos and so many other things, like where’s the creativity and ingenuity at these days? Flowers are just gonna die, and it’s such a waste of money. There are plenty of other things to give a girl than flowers, I swear,” Elijah exclaims.

“So, I’m guessing you’re never gonna buy a girl flowers then,” Dylan asks.

Elijah laughs and responds, “I’ll probably reluctantly buy flowers for my soulmate or something if they mean so much to her. It’ll probably be if we’re dating for years or something, never the first few dates at all.”

Dylan is confused as to why Elijah wouldn’t buy flowers for a girl on a first date. They both look at the clock and realize they have five minutes left till work. So, Dylan asks Elijah why he wouldn’t give a girl flowers on a first date. Elijah responds, “Well, excluding the cost and inconvenience of them, they bring off the wrong impression. They show that you’re desperate to impress someone with a gift and not by your personality. Also, you’re dependent on a material thing making you look good to a woman. And it sends off the wrong message to a girl in a way.”

“What message is that?” Dylan asks.

“In my opinion, roses are only given because of what you look like on the outside. You see, roses are pretty to look at, and you’re basically telling a girl that she’s pretty to look at with roses. I’m just speaking about a first date, by the way. It’s not the case if you’ve been with someone for years.”

Dylan just shakes his head and tells Elijah that it’s not true at all. Dylan explains that flowers are so romantic to girl, and Elijah just wouldn’t understand because he’s never experienced love. Elijah laughs and says, “That’s true, I’ve never been in love. Maybe you know more than me, and I’m tripping. Also, if those flowers are for a date, I would just do a single rose, but that’s just my advice.”

Dylan shakes his head and reluctantly thanks Elijah for the advice. They talk for a few minutes later, then 2:00 hits. They clock in, and it’s officially time to work.

Dylan and Elijah are working together stocking in their area. They do good work, and it’s eventually 6:00. It’s time for their hour-long break.

Dylan rushes to the backroom, clocks out and rushes to his locker. He grabs the roses and puts them behind his back. He’s about to leave the backroom, when he’s stopped by Elijah. Elijah asks him if they’re having lunch together, but Dylan explains that he has plans with someone. Elijah doesn’t ask any other questions and lets Dylan go. Dylan rushes out of Sam’s Club, goes to his car and waits patiently for his “date.” He’s holding the roses behind his back. A few minutes pass, and he finally sees the woman that’s on his mind. She’s walking to him with her Sam’s Club uniform on as well, and Dylan can’t help but show off a big smile. The woman eventually reaches the car and says, “Hey Dylan what’s up?”

“Hey Melanie, are you ready to go?” Dylan asks.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

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

Be sure to like, share and comment your thoughts on this short story.

On Thursday, I will be sharing and posting part two of “The White Mask.”

The Green Mask: Part Two

Just to recap, it’s the summertime for Matthew, and he’s having a hard time adjusting to his new school. It was the sixth grade for Matthew, and he struggled to adjust to his new school and make new friends. In addition, Matthew finds himself tormented by his troubled past with his old school, more specifically with Bryan. Matthew recalls seeking vengeance against Bryan, but it would come with a cost. Matthew would lose his innocence, condemn Bryan to a terrible fate and bear the red aviator sunglasses. Now, Matthew walks alone in his neighborhood, gets an ice cream cone from Sal’s Ice Cream shop and finds himself alone at the park. As the sun starts to set, Matthew takes off his sunglasses and begins to cry. Matthew prays to God to help him stop crying, but he’s quickly soothed by a kid around his age. Matthew realizes the kid is wearing a tiger mask covered in yellow. He thanks the kid for calming him down, and the kid tells him it’s no problem. Then, the kid says, “By the way, my name’s Goldie, but a lot of people just call me the kid in the yellow mask.”

Now, it’s time to get into “The Green Mask: Part Two.”

Matthew quickly puts on his red sunglasses and tells Goldie that it’s nice to meet him. Goldie tilts his head to the right and this confuses Matthew. Matthew asks Goldie what’s wrong, and Goldie responds, “Oh nothing, it’s just that you’re so interesting to me, Matthew, and I honestly want the best for you.”

There was a concerned look on Matthew’s face because Goldie knew his name. Also, why did he want the best for him? Before Matthew could respond, Goldie excitedly asks, “So, how was the ice cream from Sal’s? Was it good? Was it the best ice cream you ever had? Did you have sprinkles on it? Please, please, please, I have to know.”

Goldie got close to Matthew waiting for an answer. Matthew told him that Sal’s ice cream was great, but he didn’t get any sprinkles on his ice cream. Goldie says, “Oh, that’s so awesome. Now, I definitely have to give them a whirl. I just love ice cream, especially ice cream with sprinkles. I have a feeling you will too, eventually.”

After Goldie says that, he proceeds to laugh and starts running around. He talks about how beautiful and amazing the park and summer is for him. Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle at Goldie’s excitement. Matthew could tell that Goldie was a very enthusiastic, positive kid. It seemed like the world was all sunshine and rainbows for Goldie, but it was a red, dark world for Matthew thanks to his red sunglasses.

Goldie stops running around and rushes back to Matthew. He sits back on the swing next to Matthew, tilts his head to the left and asks Matthew why he was crying. Matthew responds that it was for no reason. Goldie tilts his head to the right and says, “It doesn’t look like it was for no reason. Were you bothered by Bryan and your new school?”

Matthew is shocked and asks Goldie how he knows about Bryan and his struggles at his new school. Goldie shrugs his shoulders, tilts his head to the left and responds, “I just do. I’m very, very, smart kid, bro. So, were you thinking about Bryan, school or something else?”

Matthew quickly replies that it’s nothing, and he thinks about running away because Goldie was starting to freak him out. Matthew starts to get up from his swing, but Goldie stops him. He says, “Please, don’t be scared, Matthew. I just want to help. Please, just give me a chance.”

Goldie’s touch calms Matthew down. Matthew thinks to himself that he could trust Goldie, and it’s a weird feeling. Matthew believes in Goldie. Matthew responds, “Alright, I’ll give you a chance. Tell me what have to do.”

Goldie tilts his head to right and says, “I know you can’t see it, but I’m actually smiling. I’m glad you’re letting me help you out, bro. Just follow me.”

They both get up from the swings, and they start walking with Goldie leading the way. As they’re walking, Matthew finds himself getting a little tired and wear, and he sees just a clear path in front of him. Goldie yells that they’re almost there, and Matthew ends up closing his eyes for few seconds. He opens them up and finds himself in front of tree. How did a tree suddenly appear out of nowhere? He looks around for Goldie, but he’s nowhere to be found. Where could Goldie have gone? Matthew continues to look around, but the area is unfamiliar to him. Matthew’s heart is racing as confusion and terror run rapid in his mind. Did Goldie abandon him somehow? Matthew doesn’t know what to do. He begins to pray, but there’s a yell from above. He looks up at the tree and notices a treehouse on top. Then, Goldie pokes his head out of the treehouse and says, “Hey bro, there’s no need for that. I got you, just come on up man.”

Goldie motions for Matthew to go around the tree and climb the ladder that was waiting for him. Matthew starts climbing and makes it to the treehouse. Goldie opens the door and helps Matthew get inside. When Matthew gets inside, he notices that the treehouse is covered with masks. Then, Matthew sees a big mirror in front of him, but there was nothing else in the treehouse. Just a bunch of masks and a mirror. Matthew looks around at all the masks in the treehouse, and he finds himself intrigued by a white mask. The mask had evil eyes, sharp teeth and a sinister smile. Matthew reaches to touch it, but Goldie quickly stops him. Goldie looks him in the eyes and says, “Don’t touch that mask. Ever.”

Matthew asks why and Goldie explains that it’s for someone else with sinister intentions. “Trust me, that mask is not for you,” says Goldie.

Matthew gets away from the mask, and Goldie tells him to just stand in front of the mirror. Matthew listens to Goldie and just looks at all of the masks in the treehouse. Why did Goldie have so many masks? Before Matthew could think more about the masks, Goldie presents a mask to Matthew. It’s green, and it was just a face with a big smile on it. Matthew didn’t understand. Then, Goldie says, “This is the green mask, Matthew. This mask will help you in unimaginable ways, bro. All you have to do is give me your red sunglasses, for this green mask.”

This is the end of “The Green Mask: Part Two.”

This weekend, I will be sharing poetry. Also, I will be posting part three and four of “The Green Mask” next week.

The Green Mask: Part One

It’s the summertime for Matthew, but it is hard for him to enjoy the summer. He had moved from another state last year, and he had a rough year at his new school. It was the sixth grade for Matthew. He had a hard time making new friends and adapting to his new school. Although Matthew wasn’t bullied or rejected by others at his new school, he found himself tormented by his past at his old school.

At his old school, Matthew was bullied because he was different from others. The kids there would hurt him physically and verbally, and teachers could not or rather would not do anything about it. One kid in particular that pushed Matthew to the edge was Bryan. Bryan was like most of the kids at Matthew’s old school, but he had red aviator sunglasses that made him stood out from the rest. These red aviator sunglasses with a silver lining made Bryan royalty among his peers, and he was adored by them. Bryan would eventually cross paths with Matthew, and he would hurt him in ways that pushed Matthew towards vengeance. Matthew would eventually have his revenge, but it would come at a cost. Matthew would lose his innocence, condemn Bryan to a terrible fate and bear the red aviator sunglasses.

Now, Matthew is walking alone in his nice neighborhood. He sees nothing but a red world around him thanks to the red aviator sunglasses. For Matthew, it’s a blessing and a curse having these sunglasses. He constantly sees the true, dark colors of his world, and he can ever forget the truth. Even when he doesn’t wear the glasses, he still remembers the truth. It’s imprinted in his mind, and he longs for the red world to be out of his mind. Sadly, it’s impossible for Matthew. He can never escape the red world because of his experience at his old school. Matthew can only hope for a miracle to change his perspective of the world.

As Matthew is walking, he can’t help but think about Bryan, the reason he had these red sunglasses. Matthew recalls how Bryan was scared of getting suspended and being home. He cried that his father was going to kill him, and he was begging for forgiveness. Matthew didn’t care about his tears because he wanted his revenge. Now, Matthew worries about Bryan because he realized that Bryan had a genuine fear of his dad. Matthew didn’t know all the details, but he knew that Bryan’s father wasn’t a good man. He was a father that would hurt his son in unimaginable ways.

Matthew continues his walk, but he quickly notices that he’s about to pass Sal’s Ice Cream Shop. He loved the ice cream there, and he knew that he had to get a large, vanilla cone. He walked towards the ice cream shop and noticed there was a long line. Matthew went to the back of the line and excitedly waited for some of Sal’s ice cream. A few minutes later, it was finally his turn to order a vanilla ice cream cone. Matthew ordered a vanilla ice cream cone, paid for it and received it in seconds. Matthew took his ice cream cone and decided that he wanted to go to the park. He was considering to eat his ice cream at Sal’s, but he saw that he was making some people at the ice cream shop uncomfortable. So, he just decided that it would be best to eat his ice cream somewhere else.

Matthew walks to the park and notices right away that no one was there. He was thrilled. He was excited to have the park all to himself and to be alone with his thoughts. Then, Matthew goes towards the swings and decides to sit down on a swing. He starts swinging a little back and forth and continues to enjoy his ice cream. As he finishes it, Matthew hears the laughter of other kids having fun together. Matthew thinks to himself, “It must be nice to have friends.”

As the sun starts to set, Matthew takes off his red sunglasses and begins to cry. He tries to stop himself, but he can’t. His tears are uncontrollable. Matthew can’t understand why he’s crying all of a sudden, and he hates it. He despises the tears that are coming down his face, and he wants them to desperately stop. Matthew starts to have a hard time breathing. He can hear his heart pounding rapidly in his body, and he doesn’t know how to stop it. Matthew closes his eyes and prays to God. He prays for God to calm him down and help him pull himself together. Before he can finish, a hand touches Matthew’s shoulder and says, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. There’s no need for that, I promise you. I got you, bro. Just relax and take a deep breath.”

Matthew listens to the child-like voice behind him, and he starts to relax. Suddenly, a wave of relaxation and comfort flows through Matthew in ways he couldn’t imagine. Matthew decides to take a look behind him, and he sees a little kid. The little kid is around the same age as Matthew. The little kid is wearing some yellow tennis shoes, blue shorts and a yellow T-shirt. However, the little kid was wearing a tiger mask that was covered in yellow. It was weird and bizarre to Matthew, and he gathered in his head that this kid’s favorite color was yellow.

After Matthew takes in all the yellow the kid was wearing, he thanks to the kid for his advice and for helping him calm down. The kid responds, “Oh, it was no problem, bro. I’m happy to help. Do you mind if I sit next to you on the swing.”

Matthew tells him that it’s fine, and the kid proceeds to sit next to him. Then, he says, “By the way, my name’s Goldie, but a lot of people just call me the kid in the yellow mask.”

This is the end of “The Green Mask: Part One.”

Also, be sure to check out the short story “Red Aviator Sunglasses: Parts One and Two” on the Dark Colors series, if you haven’t already. That short story will provide great context for this short story, and each part can be found in the Table of Contents page on the Warfield Zone.

I will be posting part two of “The Green Mask” on Thursday.

The Black Pill: Part Three

Just to recap, Kenneth is confronted by the man in the white suit after getting kicked out of a bar. Kenneth barely learns anything about the figure, and he ends up following the man in the white suit. As Kenneth is following the man in the white suit, he passes out and wakes up in a small room with an old TV set, and a bookcase with three books in it. There’s a red door to his right, and Kenneth finds himself seated in a red chair. Across from him is a coffee table and a white chair. There’s a single window with the man in the white suit staring out of it. The man in the white suit talks about The Matrix, life being open into interpretation and providing Kenneth with a choice that could ultimately change his life forever. The man in the white suit sits down on the white chair, reaches into his pocket and pulls out two pills. A white pill in his right hand and a black pill in his left hand. The white pill gives Kenneth his son, while the black pill gives Kenneth sobriety, a house and a job. He presents these two choices to Kenneth and tells him to make his choice.

Now, it’s time to get into “The Black Pill: Part Three.”

It was an easy choice to Kenneth. He didn’t even have to think about it. Kenneth knew that he had to go with the white pill. It would give him what he needed. What would the black pill do for Kenneth? It wouldn’t get him his son or give him the chance to be a father to Jeremiah. He needed him close and away from Monica and Shane. The white pill was the only right choice for Kenneth.

Kenneth tries to look in the face of the man in the white suit, but it’s covered with the shadows in the room. Why can’t Kenneth see his face? He didn’t like this mystery and started wondering if he could really trust the man in the white suit. He asks, “So, you’re telling me that this white pill in your hands will give me my son?”

The man in the white suit smiles and says, “Why of course. You’re guaranteed your son the minute you swallow this pill and walk through that red door over there. Then, you’ll wake up with your son living with you. It’s that simple.”

The man in the white suit starts caressing the black book in his hands, and Kenneth starts getting a little nervous. He thinks to himself that it’s not that simple. So, he asks, “What’s the catch? Does his mom die or something?”

The man in the white suit chuckles and responds, “There’s no catch at all. Also, that’s kind of dark, why would I do such a thing? I told you that I wasn’t the Devil.”

“But you also said that you weren’t an angel.”

The man in the white nods his head and replies, “That’s true. I’m no angel, and I don’t want to be. However, I am someone that can genuinely assure you that I won’t take advantage of you. You see, if you take the white pill, not only will you have your son but you’ll also have his love. Think of it as a restart with your son. In fact, I’ll even sweeten the deal by making him any age that you want. Turn back the clock. What do you say?”

It all sounded good to Kenneth, and he didn’t have anything to lose. He is ready to take the white pill, but the man in the white suit moves his hands before Kenneth could grab the white pill. “Now hold on partner, I do have another pill in my other hand. It’s the black pill. What are your thoughts on this pill? Do you want sobriety, a job and a house?” the man in the white suit asks.

“Not interested, I want the white pill,” Kenneth exclaims.

The man in the white suit smiles and says, “Well alright then, partner. If your heart is truly set on having the white pill, then who am I to get in the way of what you want.”

Kenneth appreciated the kind words of the man in the white suit and took the white pill out of his right hand. Kenneth asks him if he has some water and the man in the white suit replies, “Don’t worry, you won’t need it. It’s easy to swallow the white pill, it’s the black pill that requires some water. It’s truly a hard pill to swallow.”

The man in the white suit giggles at his comment and watches Kenneth take the white pill out of his right hand. Kenneth has the pill, puts it in his mouth and swallows it with ease. The white pill was a truly easy pill to swallow.

“So, how old do you want your son to be in this new life with him? If you don’t mind me asking,” the man in the white suit asks.

“Well, I was thinking four years old. No, five years old. I do like odd numbers.”

“Alright then, you’ll have your son when he’s five years old. All you gotta do is walk through that red door over there and you’ll wake up to a new life with your son.”

Kenneth stands up and starts walking to the red door. He approaches it, takes a deep breathe and slowly turns the knob on the door. Before he fully turns the knob and opens the door, he turns back to the man in the white suit. He says, “Thank you for this opportunity you’ve provided me. You’re truly a kind man. If you don’t mind me asking, who are you?”

The man in the white suit is silent. He doesn’t say anything for two minutes. He finally gets out of the white seat, grabs the black book, moves to the bookshelf and places the black book next to the gray book. Then, he says with a straight face, “You’re very welcome. And like I said, I like to remain a mystery. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. I’ll see you around.”

Kenneth didn’t understand the man in the white suit’s demeanor, but he decides to pay it no mind. He turns fully turns the knob, opens the red door and walks through it. He has no idea what to expect. All of a sudden everything is black.

“Dad! Dad! Dad! Wake up!”

Kenneth opens his eyes and finds himself on the floor in a living room with a major headache. He’s feels a lot of pain in his right hand, and it feels like he has a hangover. He slowly gets up and realizes that he’s in his old apartment. He looks at a mirror and notices that he’s younger, possibly in his 20s. Then, he looks down and notices a five-year-old boy in front of him. He instantly recognizes the boy. It’s Jeremiah, his son. He kneels down to his level and starts tearing up. Jeremiah is confused and asks his dad if he’s okay. Kenneth responds, “Baby, I’m more than okay. You’re here with me and that’s all that matters.”

He embraces Jeremiah and holds onto him tight. Kenneth finally has his son. Kenneth can finally be the father that he wants to be for Jeremiah.

This is the end of “The Black Pill: Part Three.”

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On Thursday, I will be sharing the fourth and final part of “The Black Pill” only on the Warfield Zone.