The mask

Part 3

"What's your name?"

...

"Does it matter? Call me whatever"

You frowned at the notepad as he flipped it to a clean page. The tile of the bathroom floor was cold. The sun had set and it was dim inside the house except for the candle the masked man lit.
"Why won't you speak? Surely it can't be because you don't want me to recognize it later. I can't even see your face!"

He giggled and wrote.

"You would never forget a voice like mine"

"Is that so.." you muttered and crawled a bit closer to him. His mask didn't even show his eye color, and his hair was covered by a hood, "Perhaps you're just ugly?"

He laughed a bit louder, a deep toned laugh with a bit of a hic.

"Yeah sure, something like that"

"Your sarcastic tone bleeds through your words.." you smiled a bit placing your hand on his thigh, "You must be handsome, I can't tell.."
Slowly you put your hands firmly on his mask, "Just let me see.."

He grabbed both your hands gently and set you aside with ease.
You waited for him to write but he didn't. Instead, he just sat there waiting for another question.

"How much are they paying you?"

He paused before writing,

"$500,000. The most I've ever received. This person must really like you, or want you dead"

Your blood ran cold.
"500,000 dollars?!" You exclaimed standing up which caused him to do so aswell. "When is this person coming?! I'm being sold?! How many times have you done this?? What.. what if they want me dead?"

The masked man shrugged.

"I can finally retire. Usually I only get 10 grand.. They're coming soon. Maybe even tomorrow"

After reading the notepad, your heart froze. You began shaking your head, "Who could it be?? Have you met this person?"

"Nope, I never do until the exchange. Don't worry, you'll be in good care. 500 grand is a lot " he waited before adding, "Plus he made me make it romantic.. so he must love you"

You had enough. Everything about the man was fake and cold. From his mask to his notepad.
It's like he wasn't even human.

"Take me back downstairs.."

...

He locked the shackles back on you. He proceeded to light all of the candles in the room before leaving again.
You waited a bit in the dead silence before pulling out the filer. You began hastily filing the metal chains, and to your surprise it was actually working.

After a hour, you were able to file the chain on your right arm down to the point you could break it off.
You smiled but heart dropped when you heard the door open.
You moved the chain in a position which looked as though it was still connected.

The masked man had a plate of food which consisted of hamburger helper.
You smiled at him and he placed the plate down as he brought out his notepad.

"Smiling at me? Must be in a good mood"

"Drop dead" you grinned and his laughter put you on edge.

"I want to see you take a bite"

You were hesitant but nodded as you picked up the fork with your left hand. You put it in your mouth and he cocked his head a bit.

"Left handed? I never noticed"

...

He left the room and you let out a sigh. Immediately you got to filing the other shackle. It took awhile, but you got it to break like the other one.
Your face practically lit up as you stood up and walked up the stairs.

Your wrists still had the metal wrapped around them but you knew the police could get it off.

You placed a hand on the doorknob, and surprisingly it was unlocked. It was still night out. Slowly you crept down the hall and to the living area where the front door should've been.

But it was bolted shut.

You looked for the back door, but when you found it, it was bolted too. You began to shake as you felt a presence behind you.

"What are you doing?"

The notepad read and you gulped. "Escaping!!" you yelled and he chuckled as he wrote more.

"I got a message that he'll be here in the morning. You're not going anywhere without my money"

You had nothing to fight with. No furniture at all. You backed away slowly as he stepped forward.
You glanced at the window in the room and decided to take your chance.
Picking up your feet quickly, you bolted into the glass and on the grass outside. You wasted no time as you began to run like your life depended on it.

There was no chasing as you ran into the woods.

You ran until you came across a street light and what seemed like a park. Horror settled in as you realized you weren't in your home town.
You walked with a fast pace as you went down the sidewalk. The park was completely empty, giving off an eerie vibe.
The adrenaline began to where off and you could feel the cool air on your wounds from the glass.

"Ma'am are you alright?"

You jumped as a tall man approached you. He was wearing a black trench coat and what looked like expensive brand slacks.
He had black hair and was fairly young.

Immediately you began to freak out as you asked for help.

"You have to help me!!" you cried out and the man was startled, "I was kidnapped! I have no idea where I am!!"

The handsome man in the trench coat pulled out his phone.

"Is there anyone I can call for you?"

♥️