Masks

Chapter 43

The feeling of hard concrete beneath me felt foreign after so long in the forest, not to mention uncomfortable. I slowly lifted my head, confused over what was happening. Discomfort went through my wrists as I tried to move them and I glanced down to find they'd been tightly bound with zip ties along with my ankles. I struggled to pull my hands free, ignoring the small cuts as the plastic dug into my skin.

Footsteps cautiously walked closer and I turned to see Hoodie staring down at me while the man in the skull mask hovered behind him. Fear flashed through me for a moment and I scooted away from them with a glare, which most likely went unseen under my mask. Last time he'd captured me I'd been left for dead.

"Not this time... I'm not that weak anymore. Whatever he has in store for me won't be anything compared to what HABIT did."

Hoodie turned away, pausing to give his partner one last look before walking out of the small shed. The man in the skull mask stepped closer once Hoodie was out of sight and tossed something over me. I flinched as soft fabric draped over me before relaxing when I realized what it was.

"Your clothes are kind of torn up so... thought that might help." He settled down on the floor a few feet away, still watching me through the dark painted sockets of his mask.

I froze and felt uncomfortable at the reminder, though they at least mostly covered the most embarrassing bits. "I'll have to get new ones... quickly."

The silence began growing and I went back to trying to get my hands free. I'd almost managed to slide out part of my hand when he spoke again. "Who are you? Are you like us?"

I glanced at him but stayed silent. I barely knew what exactly he and Hoodie were- they weren't proxies but they didn't exactly just walk around like normal people either. "If he means royally fucked then sure."

"...You don't remember me."

I didn't bother reacting to him this time and focused on my restraints.

"I helped you get out before. You saved me then too from someone else."

"Does he mean the first time... like, when I was trapped there with Tim and ended up mauled to death?" My elbow slammed into the wall behind me as I yanked one hand free. "No one else was there... no one real at least."

The zip tie fell to the ground as I slipped it off my other wrist and I slowly sat up to start working on the one around my ankles. I could still feel his eyes on me but the man didn't try stopping me as I finally got free. With the blanket wrapped around me, I stood up and looked down at him briefly before walking to the doorway.

"You know Tim." His words made me freeze.

"Who the hell is this guy?" I stared back at him silently, wanting to ask how he knew that but unable to find my voice. "...I need to go before Hoodie gets back."

"Wait." The man's shoes scraped on the floor as he got up.

I gave a low growl of irritation before jerking back as he reached out to stop me. The man froze and I took my chance to turn and run into the night. Trees surrounded me on either side as I ran; nothing around me looked familiar. I slowed and turned in a circle, trying to see a way out. Nothing suggested the trees would thin out anytime soon, which meant all I could do was wander.

"Should've waited until it was at least lighter out." I shivered under the blanket and pulled it tighter around me. "But who knows how many people I'd have to try avoiding..."

It took a long time but eventually I managed to find two more abandoned buildings a short distance from the park that I could stay in for the rest of the night... Unfortunately even in the dark I could recognize them. I'd been taken here before and it hadn't been great. Given Hoodie was the one I followed here I could bet he'd easily track me down here when he found me gone.