Subject Zero: CONFIDENTIAL (Short Stories)

Don't Look Away (3)

Part Three: A Tall Figure

October 30, 1981
The Mirror World

Third Person's POV
The masked girl with long lilac hair was sitting in a shed, by a large mirror. She seemed like she was waiting.

Then the boy she was recently traded off to, Liam, stepped through the mirror. He looked confused when seeing the girl sitting there. "You're still sitting there?"

She looked up at him.

     "...Sheesh, you really are just a loyal dog." He walked over to a corner, rummaging through a duffle bag. "Sorry to keep you waiting longer than normal. I had to... do something."

She didn't respond.

Liam felt a bit awkward. "Uh... You hungry? We have food."

The masked girl looked at him as he was handing her the options of a mango or apple. But she didn't choose.

Liam just stared at her for a moment then handed her both fruits. "Here. Eat." He felt awkward, but didn't want her to starve.

She pressed her thumb and index finger together, and when they parted, there was a string of web between them. She used that web to cut off the skin of the mango. And only seeing it as a command, the masked girl began eating it.

Liam was rummaging around in the duffle bag for anything but fruit, just trying to find some kind of bread food or meat.

Even though he was fond of the silence, he still thought it'd do good to make conversation. "My friend... I was telling her about how Halloween is tomorrow. She's never been trick-or-treating, she isn't allowed to."

The girl looked a little confused but tried not to show it. But Liam recognized that look.

     "...You do know what Halloween is, right?"

She shook her head in response, after taking a bite of the mango.

Liam stared at her for a moment, seeming to be contemplating something.

Next Day: October 31
7:30p.m.
Fallsworth Crow Neighborhood
Norwood, Maine
Human World

Many people were roaming around, going door to door and ringing the doorbell while wearing costumes. Some house lights were off, but most were on. After the doorbell rang and the door would open, the people in costumes would be holding out the bags of candy they were holding and say, "Trick-or-treat!"

Liam entered the neighborhood, followed by the masked girl.

"I heard that you have never been to the human world, so don't freak out. You're definitely stronger than any of these guys, so if someone tries to hurt you, you don't have to worry," he said kindly. "And no one will question the way you look, they'll just think it's a costume."

The masked girl understood, standing close to Liam in case anyone would try to cause him harm.

He handed her a pillowcase. "Here. You go up to houses, ring the doorbell, and once they answer the door, you say, 'trick-or-treat.' Just hope they give you candy, and not tricks." He looked down at her, as she was just looking in the pillowcase then looked up at him. "...Actually, I guess you're not much of a talker... It's fine."