Face Masks

Image of Set Stories Free - 2018
Image of Short Story
It was a normal sunny day in Greenville; Gray was walking to school wearing his dirty white high converse like he always does. As per usual he stalled at the Donut Shop and bought himself a chocolate donut as he was leaving, he waved to the cops, they in return gave him a wide smile. Gray would always wait by the playground for his best friend Bryan and they would share a donut together although, at moments, Gray wanted to keep it to himself. It’s been 15 minutes and Bryan still hadn’t shown up, Gray didn’t give much attention to it and thought maybe he was sick, he looked at the melting, creamy donut, shrugged and ate it,

“More for me I guess.” Without Bryan, Gray didn’t have someone to get in trouble with, that school day ran longer than Rapunzel’s silky blonde hair. Gray asked Mrs. Croissant,

“Mrs. Croissant where is Bryan, he hardly ever misses class,” Mrs. Croissant in return replied,

"I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about my little darling,”

Gray didn’t have much option except to wait after school and ask his mom. Gray was in math class almost falling asleep, saliva coming out and his eyes closing slowly until, RING RING RING, school was officially over,

“Oh, thank god,” Gray sprinted out of there without hesitation, he ran home as fast as he could. As soon as he walked in,

“What’s the rush sunshine?”, he froze looked at his mom and asked,

“Mom, where is Bryan?” As soon as he asked her, he noticed something odd, his mom looked down and was completely silent.

“Something unexpected has occurred Gray,” Gray was confused, he squinted and replied,

“Well whatever it is, I’m sure he is fine,” His mom started to tear up and stuttered,

“umm well I’m not exactly sure Gray, you see the thing is...Bryan is missing,” Gray’s eyes opened and without saying a word he ran out, SLAMMING the door behind him. He wasn’t a runner, but this has got to be the moment he was running as fast as Usain Bolt. Gray arrived at the Donut Shop, he opened the door viscously, everybody inside was staring at him with their big eyes. Gray was struggling for air, he bent over hands on his knees trying to breathe in and out. As soon as he controlled himself, he said,

“HEY! YOU! YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS SITTING IN HERE ON YOUR ASS! MY FRIEND IS MISSING, THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT!” Both cops turned around in shock, they walked up to Gray, Gray was starting to get nervous and sweaty. The tall cops bent down and whispered,

“I’m not sure if you know who we really are, so I suggest you get back to your home, little one,” Gray was confused, he looked at them with one eyebrow raised as high as the Statue of Liberty. Gray knew he had to fight his way to convince the cops, he then replied,

“I don’t think you understand officers, my friend is missing,” One of the cops grabbed his arm super tight, grasping into his bone, took him outside and yelled,

“I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE!” He got Gray and threw him in the back of the seat. Gray turned back immediately, banging on the windows, hoping someone would see him. The cops got into the car and drove, and one cop said,

“You should have left,” and Gray replied

“Bu- B- But I thought you guys were supposed to protect us,” The cops just stared at Gray, gave a wide smile, looked at each other and laughed. They soon arrived at a mysterious and dark house, they pulled Gray out by his hair, Gray trying his best to fight back, but it was useless. When they opened the door there was complete silence, but he heard the creaks as they were walking in. They took him downstairs into a room, Gray looked at the cops with fear and said, “Please, let me go, you don’t have to find my friend, it’s fine,” The cops just laughed and said at the same time,

“Well you already found him,” Gray said, “Huh?” They shoved him into the room and locked it, Gray was inside panting heavily, as soon as the lights turned on, he saw. Bryan’s face had no color, but there was something off, Bryant didn’t have a short body. He looked around and saw Bryan’s body, but that wasn’t his face. As soon as Gray realized what had happened, he started kicking and banging the door, yelling,

“GET ME OUT, GET ME OUT!” The cops walked in with doctor masks, Gray looked to see what they had in their hands, a needle and some string.
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