𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝑜𝓃 𝒸𝒶𝓈𝒸𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓈 over the dark alleyway as young little Becca tries to adjust her mask. She had just recently been given her first one. It's not as large as the adults, what with it just barely covering her cheeks, but eventually she will receive one that is. As her burdens and life piles on top of her, her mask shall get bigger and cover more of her shameful face.
She doesn't see the dark shadow slowly slinking behind her. His face is completely covered by a black mask, the symbol of the Dark Clan. He wears a cloak that swirls around him in the frigid air that bites at his figure, watching and waiting for something to happen to little Becca Reed.
He knows her. He always has, ever since she was a baby. Since she was Maskless.
His footsteps fall lightly as Becca busies herself with her mask again. Suddenly, she stops and pulls at the white strings that hold it to her head, loosening them.
"I hate this!" she cries as the mask that she is never allowed to take off falls to the cement.
Suddenly a black gloved hand is on her shoulder and shaking her wildly, her vision blurring from the harsh movements.
"What have you done?" The strange masked man cries from behind the plastic. "Put it back on!"
Frightened, Becca turns and tries to run away, but the man in the mask holds onto her wrist and shoulder, his hands cutting off her circulation. She whimpers, tears stinging her eyes. Mommy told her never to go out and play this late at night. She warned her about the black masks.
"Put it back on!" he screams, his voice echoing in the alley. "Put it back on, Becca!"
Tears fall from her eyes as the fear inside of her explodes outward. The man hastily picks up the mask and shoves it onto her face. Becca cries out in pain as he screams at her again, the mask biting into the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. She can feel her face turning red and blood start to leak from her nostrils. He's pressing too hard. He's hurting her. He's really hurting her...
Suddenly, he stops yelling and takes a step back, holding on to her wrist. He'd finished tying the knot around her head.
"Oh," he says softly, sweetly. "That's better."
The masked man turns and stalks away from the terrified little girl, leaving her trembling in the moonlight.