It's never been a nice thing. This different man; person. Entirely different human being... If you can call it that.
The mask, the mask. Some have sharp edges and narrow, yellow and spiting eyes. Others have wide, blue and bold sockets. Some with whispering, relentless verdicts and others with shouting, uncaring barks.
But they're all the same. We're... All the same.
I reached into the wardrobe, the dirty apartment floarboards groaned exhaustedly under heavy boots. A ground through sigh. I take the dark, thick grey vest from my wardrobe and close the door to the wardrobe gently. She stands there, the love of my life. The only devotion until now, prying a smile. Blonde, ponytailed hair with a slim denim jumpsuit. Beautiful. She speaks, her lips moving like a soft painter's brush.
"Please be careful, Howard."
I would glance up at the artistic mouth. Her soft, stroking words soothed the anxiety; the fear. She paints a smile onto my grey cheeks and I sigh the pound of worries into the damp air. Zipping the rear of the kevlar vest.
"I'm nothing if not, darling."
I lift the plastic, rubber persona close to my face. I hesitate, glancing up at her. The lady of this life and the life to come.
"I shall... see you soon, Amber dear."
She nods, turning back into the main room to lead her to the kitchen. The mask coats my face. Covers my mouth, eyes, ears and nose. With a devoid, low buzz, a metal case rises to bridge my skull with the mask. One deep breath. Deep, reverbed breath and I step to the door, clunking and crunching boots against the moaning wood. Dismembered branches, formed and civilised. Fitting agianst each other, just about. The metal handle has no texture against my leather glove, the wooden door's creak a world different to the person whom opened it yesterday. Again, an unfamiliar creak as it closes with relief behind me. A leathery squeak to reach my face to my chest, where I speak to the others. Like me, some who whisper and some who bark. They're all the same. We're all the same.
"Unit 10-08, Patrol Cycle initiated..."
