The most dangerous mask is the one you wear too well.
---
6:48 A.M.
Creed Residence – Bedroom
The alarm buzzes at exactly 6:48. Not 6:45. Not 7.
Silas opens his eyes. He's already awake.
His room is clean. Too clean. Walls white. Closet arranged by color, by type. Desk spotless. No photos. No posters. Just a mirror on the wall — and a face that even he finds fascinating.
He brushes his teeth. Ties his uniform tie slowly.
In the mirror, he practices it — the perfect smile. One that says: I'm harmless. I'm safe. I'm kind.
Then he blinks.
The smile fades. What's left isn't a person. It's something else. Something patient.
---
7:22 A.M.
School Grounds
Silas walks through the gates, earbuds in, hands in his pockets.
"Morning, Silas!"
"Yo, you finish the English essay?"
"Dude, I swear you're not real. You even look good tired."
He laughs a little, brushing hair out of his eyes. "I'm running on caffeine and shame."
The others laugh. It's easy. Effortless. They think he's one of them.
A girl hands him a small folded note. "Read it later," she whispers, eyes wide.
He tucks it into his bag with a polite nod.
Name: Ayame Tanaka. Second Year. Obsessed. Note probably contains love confession. Status: harmless.
---
10:08 A.M.
Classroom – Literature Period
"Creed," the teacher calls. "Can you read the next paragraph?"
He stands, book in hand. His voice is smooth. Calm. Every word delivered like poetry.
But his eyes flick briefly to the corner.
There's a boy sleeping. Head down. Hoodie up.
Name: Kazuto Mori. First offense: shoplifting. Second: cat abuse. Current: nothing. Hiding well.
Silas closes the book and sits.
Let's test something later, Kazuto.
---
12:47 P.M.
Courtyard – Lunchtime
Silas eats quietly. A group of girls chat nearby.
"You know that killer from the news? The Hollow?"
"I heard he only targets criminals."
"My brother says he's just a myth. Like Slenderman or something."
Silas takes a bite of his sandwich.
"Still," one girl says, "kind of hot in a terrifying way, right?"
He smiles without looking up. "It's funny what people find attractive when the world's burning."
They freeze for a second. One laughs nervously. "What do you mean by that?"
Silas shrugs. "Nothing. Just thinking out loud."
---
3:12 P.M.
Back of the School – After Class
He finds Kazuto leaning against the fence, smoking.
"You know that's not allowed, right?" Silas says, casually.
Kazuto startles, then scoffs. "Oh. It's you. The school's golden boy."
Silas walks closer. Calm. No threat in his posture. "I just wanted to talk."
Kazuto narrows his eyes. "About what?"
"You used to hurt animals, right? Back in middle school?"
The color drains from Kazuto's face. "What the hell did you just say?"
"I said you used to torture strays. You bragged about it on some forum. Used the alias 'DeadZ0ne.'"
Kazuto steps back. "You're insane. You don't know anything about me."
Silas takes another step forward. "I know your name. That's enough."
Kazuto tries to run. Silas lets him.
He pulls out his phone. Records the direction. Tracks his location.
New target acquired.
---
8:44 P.M.
Underground Studio
Kazuto is bound. Barefoot. Gagged. Still trying to scream through it.
Silas stands over him, gloves on. Calm. Clean. Clinical.
"You could've stopped," he says softly. "You could've changed. But you didn't."
He turns the camera on. The red light begins blinking.
"You're lucky, though. You're going to be famous."
Kazuto thrashes, eyes bulging.
"You get to be Episode 52."
Silas places the camera just right. Adjusts the lighting.
And for the first time all day, he smiles — not the one he wears at school. Not the one they all love.
But the real one. The one meant for this room.
Cut.
---
1:01 A.M.
The HollowNet – Uploaded
> Viewer count: 1.3 million (live)
Comment section flooding
Screenshot trending in hidden servers
A single quote flashes at the end of the video:
> "He had a name. And now, he has a place in history."
---
Final Line:
> Silas walks to the bathroom, washes the blood from beneath his nails, and hums a tune stuck in his head from school.
"Only 9,999,983 left."