Eternally Afton

His Mask

I am thinking about making the author's note in one place for better organization. Should I do it at the beginning of the chapter or the end?

TW:mention of child neglect, reference to past self harm

Thought I would switch up the POV a little bit for these chapters.

Elizabeth POV

I watch as the masked man continues to speak to Gabriel and Charlie. His hands moving along with the words I cannot hear. Charlie and Gabriel nod back at him, understanding his words.

I could go over and join the conversation, they wouldn't mind, but I want to spend this time observing Mr. Emily.

I want to know what's behind the mask.

I want to see his face.

I don't mind someone having their secrets, but for some reason his piss me off.

I recognize him, and yet I can't tell from where, not with that stupid mask on his face. The mask only reminds me of Ennard, that betraying b- .

I take in a breath, calming down. Ennards' not here. He never will be. He left with that skin suit on his own, betraying us, leaving us to rot in the underground. He is probably out using that skin suit for his pleasure, and a chance at a second life that the rest will never get. And to think, I considered him to be my best friend, or at least the only best friend that stayed, for all those years.

But no matter. We are here now. More comfortable than he will ever be, stuck in someone else's body and life.

We have our own lives, our own souls, our own bodies, and we never had to steal them from somewhere else, never mind that we were planning to do the same in the first place.

I watch the masked man as he walks back to his office and shuts the door behind him. He doesn't lock the door, but you can tell that no one is welcome to walk inside his office, except occasionally, Henry. I sigh and climb down from my hiding position, up on the platform for light maintenance. I am not paying attention much, so when I jump down and turn around to find C.C. standing right in front of me, I jump back.

"Argghh" I yell, my feet tipsy. I straighten myself up and look C.C. in the eye. "Why were you standing there like that?" He only looks at me, eyebrows raised.

"No. How about I ask you why you were hiding up there, hmm? Is Mr. Emily really that interesting?" He asks, amused.

"N-no." I stutter, embarrassed that somebody figured me out. "I was just-t" I take a deep breath in order to stop the stuttering. "I was wondering what was underneath his mask. He is always so mysterious about it, and I can't help but think that something about him is familiar." I look down, frustrated. "And that mask, that dang mask..." C.C clears his throat to draw my attention back up to him. I slowly look back up at him.

"I can't help but think that there is something odd about him too," C.C. says, analyzing clear in his eyes. "The way he just hides behind that mask is just way too weird, and along with that, his story about Mike didn't seem to make much sense. I think that Mr. Emily and Henry do actually know where Mike is, they were just covering up his whereabouts with lies."

I widen my eyes. So he really has thought about this. Good to know that I am not the only one.

But... I don't really understand his hesitation about trusting the information that they gave us about Michael. While I did not know Terre- Michael for long, nor did I ever get that close to him, It still sounds like something he would do. Give in for a moment to calm down in someone's arms, not really getting comfortable, only staying long enough for the arms he stayed in to brush it off like he was never there.