Eli woke up with the mask still on.
That was the first thing he noticed.
The second was his phone buzzing beside his pillow.
He sat up fast, heart jumping. The mask shifted slightly against his face. He
froze, then slowly reached up and pulled it off.
Silence.
Morning light filtered through the curtains.
"…Great," he muttered.
His phone buzzed again.
A text.
Unknown:
You wore it to sleep.
Eli stared at the screen.
"…No, I didn't," he said out loud.
He typed back.
Eli:
Who are you?
The reply came almost instantly.
Unknown:
Someone paying attention.
Eli scoffed and tossed the phone onto his bed.
"Creepy," he said. "Real creepy."
He stood, stretched, and caught his reflection in the mirror.
For a split second, he thought the stitched smile was still there.
It wasn't.
"…Get it together," he said.
At breakfast, his mom watched him over her coffee mug.
"You didn't take your mask off last night, did you?"
Eli paused.
"…What?"
"I heard something," she said. "Like footsteps. Then I knocked and you didn't
answer."
"I was asleep," Eli said quickly.
She frowned. "With the light on?"
Eli grabbed his bag. "I'm gonna be late."
"Eli—"
He was already out the door.
School felt different today.
Not louder.
Quieter.
People looked at him, then looked away.
Whispers followed him down the hall.
"That's him."
"He thinks he's scary."
"Did you see what he did yesterday?"
Eli stopped at his locker.
Two freshmen nearby went silent.
He turned.
They flinched.
"…Relax," he said. "I'm not gonna eat you."
They nodded too fast and walked away.
Eli watched them go.
His smile faded.
In class, he felt eyes on him.
Not curiosity.
Judgment.
Mr. Caldwell avoided calling on him entirely.
Mara sat two rows ahead and didn't look back once.
Eli leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
So what, he thought. They're just adjusting.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Unknown:
Careful.
Eli didn't respond.
At lunch, he didn't sit.
He stood.
Leaned against a pillar near the cafeteria entrance, watching.
The bullies were there. Same table. Same noise.
One of them glanced at Eli and looked away quickly.
Another muttered, "Ignore him."
Eli smirked.
"Smart," he said under his breath.
Someone brushed past him.
Hard.
Eli turned.
"Hey."
The guy stopped. Tall. Hoodie up. Face hidden by a plain black mask.
Not a costume mask.
Something else.
"What?" the guy asked.
Eli stepped closer. "Watch where you're going."
The guy tilted his head slightly. "Or what?"
A few students slowed, sensing something.
Eli felt that familiar warmth rise in his chest.
"Or you apologize," he said.
The guy laughed quietly. "You're serious?"
"Yes."
The guy leaned in just enough for Eli to hear him.
"You're wearing it wrong."
Eli stiffened.
"…What did you say?"
The guy straightened. "Nothing."
He walked away.
Just like that.
Eli stood frozen.
"…Hey," he said louder. "I wasn't done."
The guy didn't turn around.
Someone nearby whispered, "What was that?"
Eli clenched his fists.
He skipped the rest of lunch.
Went to the bathroom instead.
Locked himself in a stall.
"…Okay," he said. "That was weird."
He pulled out his phone.
Eli:
You at school?
Three dots appeared.
Then vanished.
Then:
Unknown:
You noticed him.
Eli's jaw tightened.
Eli:
Who are you.
A pause.
Longer this time.
Unknown:
Someone who already crossed the line you're dancing on.
Eli swallowed.
Eli:
What line?
No response.
"…Figures," Eli muttered.
After school, the sky was gray.
Eli walked home slower than usual.
He replayed the encounter over and over.
You're wearing it wrong.
"What does that even mean?" he asked the empty street.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown:
You humiliated a teacher. Intimidated students. Enjoyed it.
Eli stopped walking.
Eli:
I didn't hurt anyone.
The reply came immediately.
Unknown:
Not yet.
Eli exhaled sharply.
"…You sound jealous."
A pause.
Then:
Unknown:
I sound worried.
Eli laughed. "Sure."
He shoved his phone into his pocket and kept walking.
At home, his mom called out from the kitchen.
"You get into trouble today?"
Eli stopped.
"…No."
She leaned out. "You sure?"
"Yes."
She studied his face. "You don't smile the same."
Eli blinked. "What?"
"You smile like you're… looking down on people."
Silence.
"…That's ridiculous," he said.
She didn't laugh.
"Just be careful," she said quietly.
Eli went to his room.
Closed the door.
Locked it.
He sat on his bed and stared at the mask.
"Everyone's just being dramatic," he said. "That's all."
He picked it up.
Hesitated.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown:
If you wear it tonight, someone gets hurt.
Eli froze.
Eli:
That's not funny.
Three dots.
Gone.
Then:
Unknown:
You already know it's true.
Eli's fingers tightened around the mask.
"…You don't know me," he said.
He stood.
Put the mask on.
The world steadied.
His breathing slowed.
"See?" he said. "Nothing happened."
Another buzz.
Unknown:
Check your feed.
Eli frowned and opened social media.
A video.
Posted an hour ago.
Him.
Yesterday.
At lunch.
The clip cut right to the coin moment.
The laughter.
The bullies walking away.
Comments scrolled fast.
Who does he think he is?
That was kinda cruel.
Lowkey scary.
I liked him better before.
Eli stared.
"…They filmed me," he whispered.
Another message.
Unknown:
Power attracts eyes.
Eli slowly sat down.
The room felt smaller.
"…So what," he said. "They're just words."
Unknown:
You're lying to yourself.
Eli looked at the mask in the mirror.
The stitched smile stared back.
Unchanging.
Unbothered.
"…I'm in control," he said.
The phone buzzed one last time.
Unknown:
Then prove it.
Eli stared at the message.
His hand moved toward the mask.
Stopped.
His heart pounded.
"…Tomorrow," he said. "I'll deal with it tomorrow."
He didn't take the mask off.
He lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Watched.
Waiting.