Masked Man

Funny, no?

Copyright @ merman-in-my-teacup  2014

Chapter 1 

"Funny, no?"

The voice was like ivory, smooth with a little husk in it, like they, the speaker, hadn't spoken in a long time. They had a slight accent, making it sound like fanny.

"What?"  you began, without taking your eyes off the masterpeice.

"Funny, no?" It was definitely male.

You turn your head to where you expected the male talker to be, but there was no one there, in the dark tent, except you. A chill ran down your back. You could swear you had heard a voice, you could even feel thier eyes baring into you. You look around the Circus' Art Gallery tent. 

Nothing.

A sudden breeze swept by and another chill slithered down your back. You crossed your arms, trying to keep warm. The eyes on your back seem to  bare into you even more but when you turned around, like berfore, no one was there. Only you. On a cold, dark night. In a Circus Art Gallery. All Alone. That word crawled into your head. 

Alone.

Alone.

AloneAloneAloneAlone.

It brought back unwanted memories of all those night alone, in the dark..... The screams, the cries.

"NO!" You whispered aloud to yourself, trying to shove all the memories away. They couldn't come back now, not here. Anyone could be here. Anyone could be watching. You took a deep breath. 

"Its okay, (y/n)." you told yourself, as you did so many times before, " its all gonna be alright, no one is here. No one was talking to you, it could just be the wind."

Your little pep talk seem to help somehow, though doubt still coursed through you, as you felt the penetrating gaze on you back seem to turn into a curious one. You put your consentration back on the masterpeice you've been looking at-for how long? Probably hours. It was called the Masked Man.

It was beautiful. 

Half of the background was dark, but had a tint of hidden light. The other side of the background had forkloric creatures, filled with joy. With light. The dark half was filled with raven and crows. With darkness. 

Darkness. A vioce mused in your head, remeber the darkness. The cold. The fear. The- 

"Shut up, shut up. SHUT UP!" You yelled. You clucthed your head in your hands. "Shutupshutupshutup." You whispered it this time, as the thoughts slowly made there way back to the corners of your mind. Where you try to forget all the stuff you didn't want to think about. Or at least tried to forget, anyway.

Clearing your mind, you look back at the painting. It was more than beautiful. Everything about it. Every crow. Every creature. Even the half- masked man, heck, the man was Gorgeous. Even the side covered by the mask was gorgeous. Thinking this, a wry smile made its way to your face.

Another breeze sweeped by, but this one was stronger. You shivered and hugged yourself, even tighter than you did before. You glance your watch. 12:00 a.m.

Midnight.

Twilight.

Your eyes widen, you couldn't have been here that long! You quickly grab stuff, which really, was only a monkey-face backpack. You sling it over your shoulder and start to head out of the tent.  As you start toward the tent flap, you couldn't help but give a last wistful glance, wishing things could be different. Wishing that you could maybe be living in this gorgeous man's world. Suddenly the light blinked out a couple of times before shutting of completly. Leaving you in the wide, total darkness.

Vulnerable.

"No!"

Terror seized you as thoughts, visious thoughts filled you head. 

Darkness.

You remeber it, don't you.

You can't hide from us now, can you?

No more staying up at night. 

You stuck with ussss.

"Nonononnononononnoonono!" You clucth you head even harder this time, as though you could squeeze the thoughts out. This couldn't be happening. Not now. " It's okay,it's okay,its okay" You whispered. But it wasn't okay. And they knew it. 

Remeber it?

Remeber the nights. 

Alone.

Oh so lonley.

So dark.

You felt tears prick your eyes. 

Oh your gonna cry, aren't you?

Little wimp.

Pathetic. 

Crying won't help.

Remeber?

It won't help now, it didn't help before, did it?

No.

It didn't. 

Tears were streaming down you face by now. You fell to your knees, still clutching you head. 

You stuggled to breathe. 

"Funny, no?" With a start, you relized the voice was back. Though this time the tone of voice was different, almost caring. You felt thier presence, near you. Your breathe caught in your thought and you whip your head around. You couldn't see anything. It was dark. 

Dark. 

Oh don't we love the dark.

So big, so powerful.

It takes over all.

Remeber?

No. You didn't want to remeber. But either way, the memories flew throught your head, blinding you.

"NONONONONONO!" 

Not again. Not again. Not again.

Suddenly, you felt arms around you and you were lift up and strung on something hard. Something like a shoulder.

You struggled, but the grip was like iron. This was strange. This usually never happened. Scenarios filled through your head and for a paniced second, you thought maybe it was Them. 

Them.

You open to your mouth to scream.

Oh look, the little wimps'  gonna scream for help.

That didn't work the last time, did it?

Remeber?

Pathetic. 

You tried again, but all that came out was a wimper. 

Wimp.

You felt something near you neck, and with a start, you relize that it was a hand. A gloved hand. 

You struggled more, but suddenly you felt something press again your neck.

Then, you black out.