"The Man In The Red Mask"

“The Man In The Red Mask”

By Cody Williams

 

            “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual Reggie and Sally Norman Masquerade Ball!” Reggie Norman, the owner of the house said as he stood up on stage and welcomed the guests. Reggie is about five feet tall and was wearing a red Hugh Heffner type robe. He had short blonde hair and a thick blonde mustache.

            He began looking around the room into the masked crowed. Every mask in the crowed was unique to him, but one caught his eye almost instantly. In the darkness behind the crowed he noticed a man. The man was nearly seven feet tall and had long black hair that reached beyond his shoulders. Covering his face was a red mask that resembled what he thought the devil would look like. He felt a lump in the throat and an overwhelming feeling of terror when he saw the mask. He closed his eyes for a moment as the crowed fell silent.

            Please God. Give me strength. Reggie said to himself as he closed his eyes and bowed his head. He lifted his head back up and opened his eyes staring into the darkness. The mask was no longer there. He felt relieved as he continued.

            “On behalf of Sally and myself…Have a great time!” Reggie said as he turned off the microphone and handed it to his butler. He walked off of the stage to his wife, Sally. Sally was wearing a long black dress and Perl earrings. She had long red hair that was up in a bun and was wearing long white gloves that reached from her fingertips to he elbows. She grabbed her husband and pulled him in to embrace him.

            “Honey, what’s wrong? You completely froze up out there?” Sally asked him. Reggie put his hand over his face and wiped off the beads of sweat from his fore head.

            “I don’t know what happened. I felt fine until I stood up there and saw the mask.” He told her.

            “Honey, it’s a masquerade party. There are masks everywhere.” She said to him. He pulled away and shook his head.

            “No, you don’t under stand. This mask was different. When I saw this mask, I didn’t feel safe.” Reggie said in attempt to explain it to his wife.

            “How do you mean?” She asked him. Reggie shook his head again.

            “I don’t know. I felt dread and terror when I saw it. It felt evil.” Reggie said. Sally looked at him in a way of disbelief.

            “Are you saying you have found the winner of the scariest costume award?” Sally asked still not understanding. Reggie shook his head and glanced over at the bar. Sitting at the bar was his younger brother Eddie. He pulled his wife’s hand from his face and walked over to greet his brother. Eddie had wavy blonde hair and was six feet and three inches tall. He had a blonde beard on his face. All around Eddie on the bar surface were shot glasses once filled with tequila. Reggie placed his hand on Eddie’s shoulder.

            “Eddie, you know your not supposed to be drinking.” Reggie informed his brother. Eddie was now a regular at the local AA meetings and has been “on the wagon” for nearly six months. Eddie looked up at Reggie. His face was almost paper white.

            “What’s the matter?” Reggie said as he pulled out a chair and sat beside his brother. Eddie looked back down at the bar.

            “Don’t worry about it. You wouldn’t believe me anyway.” Eddie said.

            “What?” Reggie asked. Eddie let out a deep sigh and looked up at his older brother.

            “I saw a man. A man in a red mask.” Eddie said. Reggie jumped up from his chair and began breathing heavy.

            “This man, did he have long black hair?” Reggie asked. Eddie nodded.

            “When I saw him, I felt this terrible feeling of dread and hate.” Eddie told his brother. “It sent chills up my spine. It felt as if I was looking evilness in the face.” Eddie continued. “Who is that guy Reggie? Is he a friend of yours?” Eddie asked seeing that his brother was also clearly in distress. Beads of sweat once again began pouring down the face of Reggie.

            “No. I have never seen him before.” Reggie told him. Eddie looked back down at the bar.

            “You probably think I’m insane.” Eddie said disappointed. Reggie say back down at the bar and once again placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

            “No I don’t! I saw him too! I understand what you mean. It sent chills up my spine when I saw him from the stage.” Reggie informed Eddie. Eddie looked back up at him.

            “Who is that guy Reggie?” Eddie asked.

            “I don’t know.” Reggie replied. He began to get this strange feeling. This time, the feeling as if someone was watching the both of him or her. Both men stood from their seats and looked up into the dark corner of the balcony only to stare in the red eyes of the man in the mask. Both men jumped back and gasped. “Come on Eddie!” Reggie screamed to his younger brother as he grabbed him by the arm and darted over to the staircase at the center of the room. They ran up the stairs and across the balcony to a deserted shadowy corner.

            “S**t!” Reggie said. “I could have sworn I saw him up here. You saw him too…right Eddie?” Reggie asked looking over to his brother.

            “Yes I did!” Eddie said as he nodded his head. Reggie grabbed onto the black guardrails of the balcony and looked out over the crowd. Looking intently for the man who haunted them. The man in the red mask.

            “Hey Reggie! Hey Eddie!” A woman named Rachel said walking up to the men. Rachel was a dear friend of the family.

            “Hey Rachel. You haven’t seen a rally tall man wearing a red mask around here have you?” Reggie asked her.

            “Seen him where?” She asked them.

            “He was right here!” Reggie said pointing to the point where they spotted him.

            “What are you talking about? I’m the only one who has been in this corner tonight.” She told them. Their mouths dropped open.

            “What is this some kind of f*****g joke?” He asked her angrily.

            “Calm down Reggie! What’s the matter?” She asked him. Reggie began to mumble under his breath as he and Eddie angrily darted away from the corner and back down the stairs.

            “I just don’t understand.” He said when Rev. Little walked by.

            “Hey Reggie and Eddie! Great party huh?” Rev. Little asked them.

            “Yes it is Rev.” Reggie said as he began to burry his head.

            “And who is that guy in the red mask? He has the scary category locked up!” Rev. said.

            “Wait you’ve seen him?” Eddie asked as Reggie looked at him.

            “Saw him? When I ran into him I almost pissed my pants!” Rev Little said. They began to feel that feeling again as if someone was watching them. They turned to the front door and there was the man staring them down. He turned around and walked out the door.

            “That’s it! It’s time to get to the bottom of this.” Reggie said as he walked over and out the front door into a dark ally while motioning for the two other men to follow him. They each walked out the door where the man was standing with his back to them.

            “Alright sir, who the hell do you think you are crashing my party like that? And what the hell is up with that a*s ugly mask?” Reggie asked him. The man stood there silent for a moment. “Hello? Can you hear me you big dumb a*s? Who the hell do you think you are you sick son of a b***h?” Reggie said again to the man.

            “You are only as sick as your secrets.” The man said.

            “What the hell do you mean by that?” Reggie asked.

            “The only reason you three gentlemen could see me tonight was because you each have sick secrets. You each have sinned. I’ve come here to take you home with me.” The man said. They looked at each other confused.

            “We haven’t done a thing.” Reggie said in a smart a*s way.

            “Oh yeah? You sir are guilty of the murder of your widow.” The man said to Reggie. Rev and Eddie looked at Reggie shocked.
            “Guy’s I can explain…you don’t have any proof!” Reggie said. The man chuckled.

            “I don’t have to, I was there.” He said to Reggie.

            “Did you really Reggie?” Eddie asked him.

            “Don’t go judging him Eddie! You’re not much better. Does your wife Hillary know about that young perky blonde you styed with down in Mexico on your business trip?” The man asked him. Eddie bowed his head in shame and covered his face with his hands.

            “How could you do that to your wife Eddie?” Rev. asked him.

            “Don’t even try to be all innocent Rev. I know you didn’t cheat on your wife with another woman, but I know little girls are more your game.” Tears began to roll down his face with shame. “You see guys you are only as sick as your secrets. And your secrets are pretty dark. It’s time for you three to go where you belong. With me! To hell!” The man said as he began to remove the mask. The mask fell to the floor and he turned around. The man had long red horns and sharp jagged teeth with long black hair and a goatee.

            “Welcome home.” He said as the three men began to scream with fear.

 

Copyright 2013 by Cody Williams

Courtesy of TRUE TERROR PUBLICATIONS

A division of TTP Entertainment

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Author's Note

I remember this line from somewhere. "You are only as sick as your secrets." I wrote the line on a yellow notepad and stuck it to my desk knowing that one day I would get to use it in a story. It was just too good of a line not to use. The more I write, I realize that as ideas come and go, the good ideas never leave.

Thanks for reading! This one was fun to write! Enjoy and please comment!

-CW

Reviews

[Marie]

Good story, Cody. I'll bet we all have secrets that could condemn us. I would hate dredging my own up. You're right to save all your ideas. You never can tell when they can be used.

I have to question this line:
“Oh yeah? You sir are guilty of the murder of your widow.”

Can a man murder his widow?

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Marie! I really don't know what you would call it!

-CW

[Clara]

I enjoyed reading this Cody.
Thank you for sharing!

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading!

-CW

[Nia Hope]

Definitely an interesting story I liked it keep up the good work

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading!

-CW

[Sami Khalil]

Good and suspensful till the last drop of sweat and blood. I have felt the dark secrets they are hiding and the fear on their faces...To hell was a good one too...Bravo

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Sami!

-CW

[Sami Khalil]

My pleasure...:)....................

[Leslie Philibert]

I have to admit I only scanned..but you have got this right !

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading!

-CW

[Dayran]

A great social setting and relation to the story ... less twilight zone and more readily perceived for content and message. Our individual conditions determine what we perceive ... or not. Nicely done.

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Dayran!

-CW

[Ohhhwillow]

A masquerade ball! What a lovely foundation for a story! I definitely enjoyed this one. Your movement between speech and narration was perfect. Next time perhaps try using deeper descriptions of the scene around your protagonist, creating a slightly more vivid sensory experience for your readers. Don't be scared to move into abstract imagery, I would say that sort of description would mesh so perfectly with your story! Thank you, and keep up the good work .:)

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Willow!

-CW

[Ohhhwillow]

No problem friend!

[Riding the Rainbow]

thank you for scaring me..again!!

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading it!

-CW

[Angel]

Ooooohhh....creepy!!!!

I do need to remember...
never, never, never, never, never, NEVER...read you when I'm alone in the dark..................

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Angel!

-CW

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading Angel!

-CW

[Angel]

You're welcome
You're welcome

Ha! My computer burps like that every now and then...

[Cody Williams]

Yep! I don't know what the dark is:)

[dw817]

⊰ℛℛ⊱
I must confess, this is an interesting twist on old Twilight Zone episode I saw. Whereas the face of the host changed in yours, in the TZ episode, the faces of the guests did.
http://bit.ly/G92n5

Both stories are unique and eerie. I've actually been watching films about portrayals of the devil recently, being a little curious to see incarnations, and - perhaps I'm a little disappointed by what I've seen so far.

The only one that really seems worth mentioning is Balthazar from Constantine, =THAT= was an exceptional portrayal of evil.

Once again, Cody. Another creepy gets-under-the-skin story from you. Sinful, sinister, and seriously penned by the Cody. :)

[Cody Williams]

Many thanks DW!

[Douglas White]

That is a good line to start with - you are only as sick as your secrets. This story here has good promise to it - develop it out a little more and take a little more of a roundabout way to the ending to build suspense before dropping the bomb, and this will make an excellent tale on the final draft. You're getting better at laying in enough detail without overdoing it, and sticking with what's important - good to see. Something else that could help is making your endings less blunt and predictable, and go for a little more ambiguity - let the reader build the ending for themselves.

Example:

The man still faced away from them.
"You see, gentlemen, you are only as sick as your secrets. And in the case of you three, that is quite sick indeed."
The Reverend whispered past the knot in his throat as the tears trickled down his face. "Who are you?"
A chuckle softly fell from the man as he reached up and pulled the mask from his face and turned to look the trio in their eyes.
The Reverend's face was as white as a sheet as the others fell to their knees under that dark smoldering gaze.
"I am the one who knows." the stranger said.

-end-

An ending like that is more chilling because you AREN'T saying "I am the Devil and you're going to hell". Allow people to name their own devil. Theirs is most likely FAR worse than yours. Try some writing like that - won't take you long to get the hang of it.

[Cody Williams]

Thanks for reading!