Invisible Mask | LT Mystery ✔️

Chapter Five: Vision

AUTHOR'S POV  

The sound of a loud noise jolts Laurent from his sleep...but it's fine because he's used to an alarm clock for one awakens him every morning. Only he's realizing that this noise doesn't sound like an alarm clock. It's a buzzard sound like that of a clock...but it's thunderous and resounding so loudly that even those far away can hear. Then it comes to him that he didn't set an alarm for this morning so it's now a mystery as to what this sound is. He opens his eyes but due to the blurriness of them he sees nothing. It takes him several moments to flutter and stretch them but eventually he's able to see clearly. The environment before him is unrecognizable so he attempts to raise his body only something is restricting him. He doesn't have the free movement of his arms that he used to. He looks down to see what has him in such a state and covering his entire upper body is a thick, white garment resembling a jacket...but it's not a typical jacket in that it's clinging to him and his arms are completely strapped inside. The only part of him that's free are his legs...but the immobility of his arms precludes him from pushing himself up to stand to his feet. Fear sets in and that once steady breathing picks up to an anxiety-filled pace and he's nearly crippled by it as he doesn't know what could have possibly warranted being placed in such a garment. As he flails his body from side to side...desperately struggling to free himself he scans the enclosed space that's much more than the peek he took before. There isn't a couch or a table in sight...only walls that are the color of white. The floor is also white...and soft but not so soft that one would think they're stretched across a plush mattress. It's padded and when he looks at the white walls he discovers that they too are padded. "Where am I", he whispers to himself. The top of his eyes then travel and he sees a window. It's high up and through that window he can see the day is transitioning to night and he's wondering how long he's been in here. A room so small that even the words he's whispered bounce off of those padded walls and hearing his own whispers causes more panic to creep in. With the flailing of his body increasing he screams, "let me out of here"! Seconds go by as he waits for someone, anyone, to respond to his plea. Those seconds turn into minutes and it's difficult to calculate the exact number for the only thing in this room...is him. No sighting of the clock he thought awakened him or anything. Just a room. Suddenly there's a fiery burning behind his eyes and he bursts into tears for there can't be anything more frightening than being in such a place with no possible way to get out. Feeling defeated and with the exhaustion set in from the fight his body went through only moments ago to free himself he leans to the right...his shoulder ultimately crashing onto the padded floor. The tears are coming at full speed and with everything in him he echos another plea, "please let me out". But it's in such a small, barely audible voice that this time it's difficult to even hear himself. A puddle of the tears he shed have formed underneath where his head rests. What remains on his face are merely the dry stains of them. Suddenly he sees something underneath the crack of the door. It's the silhouette of a person standing there with shiny, black shoes. He gulps at the sight and before he can react the doorknob begins turning slowly. He wants to belt out a scream...but he's so frozen in fear that the scream can't find its way out. It's completely lodged within him. All he can do is wait to see who appears. The door pushes open and in walks a man, tall in stature. Behind his wire-framed glasses are cold black eyes with no trace of a smile...or at least that's what Laurent sees. To him those eyes are looking evilly into the vulnerable, frightened ones looking back up at him as he walks at a slow pace to reach him. Now hovering above Laurent is certain he hears deep breathing resembling that of someone wearing a mask and is struggling to breathe with it. Much like the villain in a scary movie right before he administers the final blow. The breathing is painfully familiar. One that he's heard quite often before...always before something happens to him. He becomes rigid, almost catatonic, whenever his physical space is threatened and certain what this man is here for the panic in him elevates and he attempts to get up and escape forgetting that the straps restricting movement again prevent him from doing so and now he has no choice but to wait. Wait for whatever is about to happen to his fragile body...internally questioning what he's done so wrong to receive such deplorable treatment. He never would have imagined that the monsters in this world are those who take on human form. What makes it all the more unbelievable and heart wrenching is that it can be, and often times are, those we know. He came to learn at a very young age that the true monsters of the world aren't the ones drumming up evil concoctions deep into the late night hours. The monsters are those who walk among us everyday...seemingly normal. Those who are kind to everyone, respected by all that come in contact with them, pleasing to the eye and loved by all those that know them. The ones who hold the darkest secrets whilst delivering reassuring words that are so eloquently spoken yet they simultaneously carry hearts of venomous poison and selfish intentions who prey on the young and the innocent. Those are the true terrifying monsters. His body begins trembling as the deep breathing gets deeper and scarier by the second. He breathes out, "please don't hurt me again". He's so frightened because of who he's sure is standing there that he doesn't realize the person standing next to this mystery man...nor does he realize that the monster he sees is completely different from who's actually standing above him and when he hears the sound of his voice it's certainly a peculiar one which only keeps him in a frightened state...