The Book of Masks (Vol. 1)

Making a Break for It

Previously: "The Two of You" 

by Kenny

You wait for a while before you head out of the basement, making sure the stuff you used to make the mask is safely hidden. This is a risk, to say the least. But you really need to talk to Caleb about everything that's just transpired.

—

The old elementary school is roughly thirty minutes away from your house. Luckily, you see no one else in sight when you make it to your home. You try to navigate your way around the backyard in hopes of entering through the back door in the kitchen. You peek through a window to see your mother preparing some snacks. Shit, you think to yourself. You can't be spotted by your mom looking like this. She knows that "you" are in the living room with your cousin Umeko. And seeing you come through the back door would raise some suspicion. You have no choice but to go through the front door.

You duck when you reach one of the windows looking out the living room just as someone starts to lift it open. You hear some muffled voices, and creep up just enough to make sense of the conversation. The voice you first hear is a familiar one: one of Robert's friends.

"But we just saw you outside the community center."

Your voice chimes in. "How would I be there when you're talking to me right now?"

"We swear to God. It was you!"

"Except it wasn't."

The conversation between Caleb and your dipshit brother's friends continues like this for a while, so you just disregard it and continue on to the front door. You reach for the doorknob and find it unlocked. They're still talking in the living room, so go up the stairs and into your bedroom. You manage to hide inside your closet, panting from the unneeded exercise. Please Caleb, you think to yourself, hurry the fuck up.

—

It isn't a good twenty minutes until you hear footsteps coming into your room. You can't see out who it is. Then, the door clicks.

"Goddamnit," you hear a voice say.

It's Caleb.

You peek through the slits in the closet door. He's pacing the room anxiously, muttering to himself. "What has Will been up to?"

This is your chance to ambush him.

"What I've been up to? What the hell have you been up to?"

That startles Caleb, which makes him fall back onto your bed. You stand in front of him to see his eyes bulging.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Will. What the hell are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I'm doing here?" you say in a low but angry voice. "I'm fucking hiding."

Caleb tries to compose himself, but his voice still wavers. "I know. Two of your brother's dipshit friends started storming inside the house and looked at me funny." He exhales. "They say they saw 'me' outside the old elementary school but I wasn't outside except—"

His eyes narrow at you.

"Fine." You throw your hands up. "I got bored, okay? I went outside to get some ice from the vending machine so that I could make some more masks. I didn't know I could get caught."

Caleb snorts. "Serves you right for going outside without checking your surroundings first."

"Don't fucking start with me Caleb," you retort. "I went the long way around the basement to lose them on my trail. Those fuckers almost found me. Thank God they didn't."

"Did you put the stuff away?"

"Yeah, I hid it around. There's no way they'll find anything lying around in the open."

"Good," Caleb whistles. "But still, it was dumb of you for going outside like that."

"Well, what can I do? You have my phone. How was I able to text you about it?"

He nods. You do have a point. Both of you don't have anything else to say at that point. You are still stunned to have managed coming back to your house without anyone noticing. You just look at Caleb for a while. It is still weird to see him wearing your face and your clothes. There's a different way that Caleb handles your persona unlike your own. You see your own body have this sort of confidence that you don't usually have.

It takes a while before Caleb starts the conversation back again.

"So, what're we gonna do?"

"First off, I'm gonna change into something more comfortable." You go back to the closet and change into a red shirt and some cargo shorts. You neatly fold the pajama bottoms that you discarded and set them on the bed. "I might still need this."

"What else?"

"We're gonna go back to the basement without getting caught. I'll go first. Wait a few minutes before you go next."

"But what if your mom sees us?" Caleb asks.

"That's why you need to wait before you go outside."

"Easy for you to say," he chortles.

You flip him a finger. "I'm gonna make sure no one sees two Wills going outside. Give me my phone." Caleb hands it to you.

As you are about to head out, you suddenly think of an idea. You go back to the closet and pick out a grey hoodie which you throw to Caleb.

"Here, wear this."

"I like where your head's at, Prescott," he says as he puts the hoodie on.

Quietly, you exit your bedroom holding a bag filled with some extra clothes. You check to see if there's somebody in the foyer when you come down. No one is there. You hurriedly make your way outside.

Once there, you text Caleb to come out. You see him come out the door and both of you make a run for the school.

—

But when you reach the school, you see that the door to the basement is open wide.

You hope it isn't what you think it is…

Next: "A Night in the Basement" 

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"Table of Contents (Vol. 1)" 
"The Book of Masks (Vol. 1)"