D a y 02-1 (cont).
Trigger warning—mentions of sucide—viewer's discretion is advised.
You've got to be kidding me." He said. "You-? I knew you were batshit, but now you're
wearing a mask? Are you serious?"
"You bastard…" Masked Face looks up, face naked and bare. "I told you not to. Now
look what you've done. I'm doing this for us." They said. "Mask or not, you
know why I'm here."
Sebastian tilts his head to me and looks at me. He doesn't say a word, but his eyes say
too much. I'm trying to decipher this look of pity, this look of guilt, this look of sadness, this look of everything mixed with despair. But I can't see over Sebastian, and I don't have the energy to move to see, so I let myself sit
still, confused.
"Sebastian," I gulp. "Who is it?"
Sebastian opens his mouth, shuts it, and looks away.
"Sebastian." My voice cracks. Fear suddenly rips through me, like a tide wave. "Who is it?"
Sebastian's face softs, like he's looking at a child—something innocent, yet naïve—and then he takes in a shaky breath and closes his eyes, like he can't bring it within
himself to look at me.
"You're scaring me man," I try to move my head, but Sebastian moves in my way, "Sebastian-."
"How…" Sebastian turns to Face, his big hands tightening in fist. "I…understand your
feelings, but you're going to far. Why are you going this far? For what?"
I sit there, confused, eyeing Sebastian's shaking shoulders.
Masked Face stays silent. I hear them cough and shuffle, but I don't hear a single
peep, not a compliant, nor an insult. The silence from Face scared me more than
the times they've killed me, laughing at my soul fade from my eyes.
"This…I had no idea it was you," Sebastian said. "Why did you-this wasn't-why?"
The two of them are statues. Sebastian doesn't turn around and speak a note. Masked Face stays plummeted to the ground, the dirt its new mask. I feel my legs become numb. Pain blossoms to my head and stomach. But my heart--for some reason--that hurts the most.
Sebastian kicks the fallen mask over to Masked Face. His big shoulder slump and sag, echoing to me what emotions he's wearing on his face.
"Go."
I blink and gasp, confused.
"What?!" I cough out. "But we tried so hard-. And we finally-."
"This isn't a win, Andrew." Sebastian said. "This is a loss. Let them go."
"A loss?" I asked, confused. "Sebastian, they've being hunting my ass for
days! And we've finally caught them! What do you mean-?"
"Andrew," Sebastian shakes his head, but he refuses to look at me. "I can't do it to
you."
"Do what-?!" I asked, angry.
Sebastian tilts his head, his eyes buried in tears. "I can't."
I clench my mouth, silenced.
"So, go," Sebastian turns to Masked Face, "but the next time you come, I can't protect
you, nor can I promise it'll end well. I didn't-I didn't agree-."
Masked Face stands, their mask already back on, covering their face again. "I don't
need your protection, nor your help, and if I get anything worse than a sprained ankle next time, you'll be the one crying, asshole."
And Masked Face turns and looks me.
"I just want my brother back." They said. They hash they're long whip and grab
hold of the roof. They swing like a monkey, land on the roof, and they take one
last look at me.
"I didn't need your help." They said, and they're gone.
Sebastian quietly stands, not making a sound until finally, he moves, turning to me, and
reaches for my arm. I swat his hand away, hugging myself.
"Andrew…" He said.
"Who was it?" I asked.
"Andrew-."
"Who?!" I reach and grab his shirt, pulling him to my level. He looks at me surprised,
his blue eyes widened and alert. "Tell me Sebastian!"
"I-."
"Why are you hiding it from me-?" I asked, my voice raised, echoing my panic.
"I can't, Andrew." Not-so-Sebastian shakes his head. "It'll hurt you."
"Dying,"I huffed, my head pounding, "dying hurts me. You keeping this a secret from
me hurts me, Sebastian."
"You knowing this is going to hurt you more, Andrew." Sebastian snaps back.
Frustrated, tears gather in my eyes. I swallow throw my scratched throat, my esophagus
burning every time I gulp. The pain in my stomach grows and pounds, carnivorous
and vicious, like a hungry animal. I grab my stomach with my hand and groan,
the pain rivaling the angry thumping in my leg.
"Andrew…Andrew let's get you back-." Not-so-Sebastian pleads.
"Tell me." My voice cracks, my throat burning. "Tell me right now."
"No,"Sebastian shakes his head. "I can't, Andrew."
"I have a right to know! I have a-."
"I know-."
"And you keeping it from me is-."
"I know, Andrew."
"So, why-."
"I can't. I just can't."
"I'll kill myself."
Sebastian flinches, grabbing my arms and eyeing me down.
"Andrew." He warns.
"I-I'll do it." I cry out. "I will-."
"Andrew-."
"Tell me." I beg. "You have to-."
"Andrew." I peer at him through teary eyes. "Don't ever say that again."
"No-! Iwill. So, stop scaring me!" And suddenly I'm crying uncontrollably,
water pouring out of my eyes. "Stop scaring me. Tell me-you're scaring me-you're scaring me, Sebastian."
"Andrew calm down-Andrew, I'm sorry okay? So please calm down." Sebastian said. "Calm down, okay? You're shaking-. Andrew, please-please calm down."
I can't breathe.
I feel like my skin is burning. I can't control my grip on Sebastian because my
hands are shaking too badly. I'm coughing and choking violently, trying to gulp
down any amount of oxygen. I'm going insane. I'm going to die by Sebastian.
Sebastian is going to kill me. Why isn't he telling me? Who is it? Why can't I
know? I want to know. I need to know. I need to know.
I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I need to know. I
need to know. I need to know. I need to know-.
"Andrew-?! Andrew wake up! Andrew! Andrew-!"
I collapse.