Behind The Mask (Jinxxley)

Chapter One

The rustle of sheets, a few sleepy murmurs then the quiet resumes. A tall man, naked except for boxer-briefs. He picks up the rest of his clothes that are scattered around the room. As he heads towards the door he casts a sparing glance at the sleeping blonde entangled in the sheets. His brown eyes are filled with what can only be described as disdain and contempt. With a final sniff, he turns away and leaves the room.

I can't tell you how it started, because honestly, I don't know. And I can't tell you how it will end either, because we haven't gotten there yet, but if you stick around long enough, I can tell you what's happening now, and how I went from being the most miserable man in the world, to one of the most fortunate. So like someone very dear to my heart said, "The only certainty is that we never know what tomorrow holds. We live for today, life is short, so let's enjoy it together while we can."

The Los Angeles streets were covered with a thin film of despair, it was the norm for this time of day. Pimps, druggies, and the homeless were the only ones walking around at 6am. I tugged up the collar on my leather jacket, stuffed my hands in the pockets, and continued my amble towards my apartment complex. I knew the route by heart so I didn't have to think much, which was good. I didn't want to think right now. I liked the numb feeling, it was better than the stinging pain I felt when I saw the person I loved with someone else. Knowing they were forever unattainable. I shook my head. No. No use thinking about this now.

Upon arriving at my home, I locked the door behind me took in my luxurious, but meaningless surroundings. Almost everything from the walls to the furniture, were a crisp white. This pattern only interupted by the occasional black and blue decorations splattered here and there. In the center of the living space was a grand marble stairscase that led to several rooms, including my own, though most of them were empty. It was adorned by a heavy, black-iron banister. I climbed the spiral staircase to my room. I needed to shower. I felt dirty and disgusting, my skin felt sticky with whore sweat. After shrugging off my jacket, kicking off my boots, and taking everything else off I stepped into the enclosed, glass shower. I let the steaming hot water cleanse me, I scrubbed myself with minty soap until my whole body was pink and raw. Only then did I step out onto the shower matt and wrap a towel around my waist. After donning a clean pair of dark red boxer-briefs I let myself fall backwards onto my king size bed.

Staring at the ceiling, my mind began to wander into a dark place. Have you ever loved someone so much that it caused you physical pain? Those who have, know how badly it hurts, how the very thought of them makes you heart clench, it throbs painfully in you chest, you feel every heartbeat with your whole body, and every breath you take only makes it worse. I sighed and gathered the blanket around myself and created a cocoon of warmth. Squeezing my eyes shut didn't stop the tears, they slid down my cheeks and into the corners of my mouth, I fell into uneasy sleep with their bitter, salty taste in my mouth.

"Stars on the sidewalk, the feel of fresh air. While the sunset's a masterpiece, for all those to share..."

My phone was playing Trauma Deville, I wanted to turn it off, but it was lost in the labyrinth of the blanket. Oh well, it would turn off eventually. And it did, but unfortunately it started up almost immediately.

"Ugh!" I kicked off the blanket." What the fuck do they want!" grabbing the blanket, I shook it up and down trying to find my phone. At last, it flew out and landed on the carpet on the other side of my bed. I snatched it up and answered just as it began to ring for the third time. "What!" I shouted into the phone.

"Sheesh, someone's angry." I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"What do you want Andy?" I said coldly.

"I want a lot of things." His voice was excited and I could just imagine him, jumping up and down as he began to ramble. "More Batman figurines for example, I'm feeling pretty hungry so McDonalds sounds good right abou--"