The Perfect Society

Chapter 10

Clyde and I stood in front of a tiny shop. I stared at the black shop. "Henrietta's Masks? Sounds...cool?" Clyde said or more like questioned.

I shrugged and walked in the bell chiming. People walked around surveying the masks. I walked up the counter Clyde running off to stare at some porcelain masks. I rang the bell at the counter "coming!" A voice rang from the back.

A boy walked out sporting a red streak in his black hair. "Your Henreitta?" I questioned a bit surprised. He sighed and face palmed "do I look like a fucking girl to you?" I shook my head "sorry" I said a bit embarrassed. "I'm Henrietta." A girl walked out now. A black apron on, her hair pulled back by bobby pins.

"So what can we do for you?" She asked a small smile on her face. "Uh yeah I came here to get a mask?" Showing her my pink slip. She nodded "Michael! Another one!" This time the two walked to the back only to be replaced by a lanky teen. He walked up to me.

"So exactly what kind do you want?" He questioned already getting to the point. I thought and said "What kind do you have?" Michael smiled and walked around the counter. "We have plastic which most go with but those for a diffrent taste we have porcelain and cotton over here."

I stopped and stared at a particular mask. It reminded me of the ones they wore back in England when the Black Plague was serious. I touched the case. "What about this one?" Michael smirked "That one's made by Pete. He only does special design masks so your going to have to ask him." I turned to him and nodded.

Michel went back to the back and came back with the guy with the red streak in his hair. "You interested in my doc mask?" He asked a hint of surprise in his monotone voice. I nodded. Pete stared at me then nodded gesturing me to follow him.

We walked behind the counter and to the back. Henrietta sat at a table cleaning up a porcelain mask, every now and then picking up her cigarette. A boy who looked to be around twelve working with plastic his hair tied back as he did. Michael sat down taking a deep breath of his cigarette before writing things down at his own work bench.

"So what exactly do you want it to look like?" I thought for a moment while Pete measured my face and such. "I want it to look like the one you designed except, red eyes, everything black, and instead of it covering my entire head just straps ." Pete started drawing on a notebook.

After five minutes he held it up. "Like this?" I looked at the drawing and nodded. "Yes!" I said trying my hardest to keep my cool. He grinned "alright let's see...judging by the materials and time I'll need to shape it to you face structure is should be done by. Thursday morning." Pete finished grabbing my pink slip.

"Cool so uh, how much do I owe you?" Pete looked at me perplexed as he wrote on a piece of paper. "Right your new!" He face palmed as he slipped me back the pink slip. "Down here we use coins and stuff, but this is all paid off by the village." Pete said slipping the white piece of paper into his notebook.

"How can I get money?" Pete looked to be in thought for a moment before answering "since you signed up to be in the OS you get paid for that, same as we all have. If shop keepers or kids want masks they have to pay themselves." I nodded understanding the currency system. "Actually little Firkle here wants to be in the OS but he's too young." Pete said chuckling.

The boy working with plastic huffed and threw a spray can at him. "Shut up Pete! Next year I'm joining! I'll be thirteen that's just the right age!" He said flipping Pete off before going back to work.

Pete chuckled again picking up the spray can. "Remember thursday morning. Now go get your color Tucker." I thanked him and went back our to the front. Clyde smiled and waved running up to me. "Why were you in there?" He questioned as we walked out of the store.

"I was getting my mask duh." He poked my cheek and complained about how I don't tell him anything as we tried to find where to get my color.