Mr. Hodek and His Little Minion

48

It took longer than I thought to reach the house where Birthday supposedly was. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would pop right out of my chest. Jeff almost seemed like he knew what was going on, but not as much as he could bother to. Every time I remembered he was there, walking just behind me, he looked bored. It didn't upset me. After all, with how he talked about him I assumed he hated his brother. So how could he even come close to understanding how I felt right now?

We finally reached the door he recognized, and I realized that I'd rather talk to Birthday alone than with another serial killer in tow. The last time doing that didn't work out that much, so I told Hodek to just hang back in the shallower part of the forest while I assessed the situation. He obliged with a slightly confused look. Once I was sure he'd gone out of sight, I knocked on the door once.

Twice.

Three times, and I got no response for almost a minute. Something sunk in my stomach. I frantically knocked five more times, my brain buzzing with doubt and anxiety.

"Yup."

I heard a muffled voice behind the door, and it took me a good second to realize it was asking me what I wanted. I sighed and fiddled with the collar of my shirt.

"I-I'm here to see someone...? Someone who lives here," I said with the little confidence I could gather. The person behind the door laughed.

"Okay, I should've guessed that. Who is it?"

"...Max." The name sounded almost foreign coming from my mouth.

"Huh. Uh, sorry, but I don't think we know any Maxes. You sure you have the right—"

"Can you please just open the door?"

They paused. I heard an even quieter voice, piping up from some other room inside the house.

"Some Jehovah's Witness crap, I'm guessing. Leave it alone, Bri."

"No, he sounds familiar. I just don't know if—"

"Well, then open the door! Do something. You're killing me here."

The person sighed and I heard the sound of a latch being undone. The door opened to reveal a tall, muscular man with a patchy blond beard and a tiny rectangular scar on the side of his neck. His eyes widened.

"Masquerade."

I felt two streams of tears collect at my chin, and I didn't bother wiping them away. I almost smiled, but for some reason I just couldn't.

"You remember," I breathed. Birthday looked more shocked than happy, which I could forgive. I raised a hand to touch him, just to make sure he was really there, but I didn't even know where to place it. I only stared while he awkwardly looked away. He opened his mouth multiple times to talk, and every time seemed to be at a loss for words. Eventually, he slowly pushed down my hand like he was afraid of what I might do next.

"Uh. Hi, buddy," he started with. "I...hope you don't have any weapons on you." He laughed nervously, and I tilted my head.

"Why wouldn't I?"

His face fell. "...don't tell me you're still with them. Are there more here? Were you followed?"

"Our family, you mean? No. Everyone else is at some new base, and I'm not going back until I can make the Elder leave us alone. I have so many questions, I..." I stopped at the heartbroken look on his face. "Are you okay, Birthday?"

His hand started to shake at that name. "Oh. Oh, no, they...Masquerade, I'm sorry."

"What could you be sorry for? I've been looking for you for such a long time, and now we're finally—"