English class today decided not to start well when Ms. Robin stood up and announced that the school dance is coming up and the decorating committee has been decided.
“First off not everyone got in that signed up,” Ms. Robin said sending a knowing look out to us in case we would start flipping out, as if, “Your president is going to be Crystal Tilla, and vice president will be Ashley Folk, any questions?”
Leaning over I whispered to Sam, “I feel bad for everyone else in that committee then if those two are in charge.” She giggled and I leaned back into my chair taking a long gulp of grape water.
“Head of decorations is Josey Willow.”
Cue spit take all over my desk.
Wiping water off of my desk I raised my hand exclaiming, “Ms. Robin you got it all wrong, I didn’t even sign up for this thing, how the heck did I get into it?”
Handing me tissues to clean up the rest of my desk she replied, “Well Ms. Hersh thought it would be a great idea if you were in charge of decorations because you are so good at art, come on Josey it will be fun.” Shuffling through her papers she looked up giving me a stern look and added, “And you can’t back out or you’ll get three weeks of detention.”
Wow, that is hard core. Groaning I slid down into my seat while Sam shot me a sympathetic look taking a gulp of my water. Next thing you know I hear, “Next in the committee is Sam Born.” Before I could react Sam repeated my process, had a spit take and then started complaining.
Throwing her hands up in the air Ms. Robin exclaimed, “Oh come on people it’s good to help out in school! You cannot back out no matter what so both of you stop complaining, and no one drink anymore until I am done with this list!” Sam and I both slid down in our seats sending death glares up at Crystal who was smiling smugly at Ashley as they whispered about something; that bitch is so up to something.
The other kids that were in the committee were of course of bunch of preppy girls and the boys that somehow got dragged into it looked about as pleased as me and Sam. The only plus side to this entire thing was when Tim’s name was called and he fell off his chair in surprise causing me and Sam to giggle hysterically; and then have to duck when he chucked his literature book at us.
Crystal stood up and announced, “Okay decorating committee, since we have a lot of work to do we should get started right away, everyone move out to the auditorium!” Ms. Robin opened her mouth to complain but we all quickly ran out of the room laughing quietly as the fifteen of us slowly made our way down the hall to the empty auditorium.
We all lounged in empty seats as Crystal took imaginary roll call (she was just trying to take up as much time as we could possibly manage). After a few minutes she announced, “Okay we need a theme for our dance, any suggestions?”
“How about a winter theme with lots of pretty snow?”
“Oh, we should do a Cinderella theme so all the girls have an excuse to wear gowns!”
“Ooo, I like that one we should-!”
Raising my hand I stated, “Okay that idea is stupid we should all just dress up however we want to, let’s have a little competition, the girl wearing the best dress by the end of the night is the winner. For decorations we will have Cinderella meets her prince in a winter wonderland, the courtyard in the back can be done up too, any objections?”
Blinking her eyes at me Crystal stated, “That actually is a great idea Josey, all in favor?” Everyone raised their hands and shouted in agreement; Sam shot me a thumb up. Tilting her chin up Crystal stated, “Then I hereby give permission to use Josey’s idea for the dance.” She banged her hand down on the table while everyone cheered.
The second Crystal put me in charge of decorations I had a group of preppy girls start coming up with different supplies we could buy during the weekend and ways we could decorate the gym. Sam and I were lounging coming up with decoration ideas when the door opened and Tim walked in looking a little pissed off. “What is up with you,” I asked and he immediately perked up when he saw us.
“Oh my god at the last minute Ms. Robin decided that they needed a few boys on the decorating whatever this is and now we have a few of us coming down as we speak,” he explained right as about seven rugby players came barging in shouting. I watched disgusted as a few happy couples were reunited and started making out without a care in the world. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Crystal was pissed off about it too, especially when Nick walked in last and kicked the door shuts.
Clearing her throat loudly Crystal shouted, “Okay everyone let’s get to work now, boys how about you start coming up with a list of food and drinks; please keep in mind that the school board will be approving this list and anything else is going to have to be snuck in by yourself.” The boys all cheered while the girls hung around them giggling like school girls; the sight was horrifying.
Sam and Tim sat down watching me sketch out the perfect design we could have for the courtyard and then a main center piece in the gym. A few minutes later Sam said, “So I guess this means that we all have to go to the dance.”
Erasing a few lines I snorted, “Just because we are decorating the place does not mean I want to come within ten miles of this place during the dance. It’s just going to be happy delirious couples dancing around like idiots; they can do that in their free time.”
Drawing her knees up to her chin Sam pouted, “Oh come on Josey you have never been to a school dance before right? It’s more than just dancing with a person you like it’s mostly about showing off that person and how happy you guys are together.”
“Well I don’t like anyone here so I won’t have a date therefore I would look stupid if I came to the dance.”
“Give me a break this entire design and competition was your idea you should at least try to win.”
Rolling my eyes I went back to sketching right when I felt someone sit down to my left. When a whiff of cologne wafted into my nose I asked, “And what brings the most popular boy, captain of the rugby team, and savior of everyone’s lives, Nicholas Garten over here to the dork side?”
I looked up into his sky blue eyes and completely lost myself for a moment before he grunted, “Crystal is annoying the hell out of me.” Mentally shaking myself and smacking myself conscious for being so weak I gave him an evil grin while he narrowed his eyes. “What is so funny about that,” he complained.
Smirking still I went back to drawing and replied, “It’s funny because you’re annoyed, do I need any other reason to laugh at you?” Before I could react his hand shot out grabbed the paper I was using to draw on and he ran away laughing. “Yo douche bag give it back,” I screamed leaping to my feet and giving chase; damn he was fast.
I chased him around the auditorium about twenty times before he started to get tired and I gained a few feet on him. He looked over his shoulder smiling right when I launched myself onto his back wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders. “Give me my drawing back,” I whined trying to grab it from his hand while he held it farther from my reach.
“You’re only going to get it back if you do something for me.”
“Yeah right in your dreams, now give it back before I snap your neck.”
“Like you could even do that.”
“Do you want to bet,” I seethed tightening my legs around his waist as I continued to try to grab my paper. He just laughed in reply and then started walking causing me to squeak and wrap my arms back around his shoulders. When I tried to jump off he grabbed my legs and held me there no matter how much I protested.
When he got back to my friends he just dropped my legs causing me to go crashing down onto the floor where I nailed my head against the wood. Groaning at the pain radiating through my body I went to sit up when I might of accidently kicked Nick’s legs out from underneath him resulting in him flying to the floor right next to me.
While we continued bickering I heard Sam start to laugh before stating, “Tim I think we are looking at the beginning of true love right here.” I crumbled up my drawing and chucked it at her head while she started cursing at me.
There was a moment’s pause before Nick said, “Hey you never agreed to do what I asked when I gave you the picture back.”
“You didn’t give it back I grabbed it when you went flying to the ground.”
“Well you still got it back so I think I should still get something out of this.”
Rolling my eyes I paused before springing to my feet and running as fast as I could while shouting over my shoulder, “You can’t get anything from me if you can’t catch me!” I heard him start to give chase but he was soon left in the dust with nothing but my echoing laugh to keep him company.
I was sitting on the museum’s roof just chilling when the walkie talkie I stole from a police officer started crackling to life. The only reason why I stole it is because it is so much easier to listen in to their reports on what is going on in the city instead of me trying to find trouble by myself. With this I can just run to the problem and take care of it knowing that the police are already on their way.
“All units there is a pub shooting going on downtown Main Street. The shooter is a Caucasian male, blond hair…” I turned the walkie off and leaped off the building just catching myself on a ledge and letting go to get to the ground quickly. In the distance I heard police sirens start up and I grinned to myself knowing that I would be done with this guy before they even got within a mile of the place.
After a ten minute jog I was able to see the pub right when there was a gunshot and a few screams. Vaulting myself over the brick wall surrounding the place I snuck into the door and into the crowd blending in perfectly in the mass hysteria.
The shooter was standing in the middle of the crowd holding a bottle of vodka shouting, “Everyone get on the ground now or I’ll blow your head off and send you all to hell.” Instantly all the people around me dropped to the ground while I remained standing catching the attention of the drunk.
Squinting his eyes into the shadowy part of the pub that I was in he slurred, “You must have a death wish then lady. I don’t care who I shoot because I’m already going to hell when this is all over.”
I let a smile fall upon my face at those words and I stepped forward into the light. Cracking my knuckles I replied, “If you’re going to hell then let me give you a little taste of what it is like.”
His eyes widened in complete shock and he gave a strangled gasp. Pointing a trembling finger at me he stuttered, “Y-you’re the M-masked Shadow!” Wow is that really the name this town decided on for me?
Rolling my eyes mentally telling myself to look into that one I sprung forward right when he let loose with the gun. Luckily for me he was drunk and had no aim but unluckily for me that also meant he might hit someone on the ground and I couldn’t have anyone here dying on my watch. Narrowing my eyes to slits I leapt at him and then went flying to the ground in a split second when he actually shot me on my other hip. Why is it always the hips?
My vision went red as pain coursed through my body for a few seconds before it dimmed as shock settled in over what just happened. Leaping to my feet gritting my teeth I raised my arm and shot out my grappling hook at the guy. The needle stuck into the gun and with a quick flick of my wrist I brought the gun back to me and chucked it out the front door.
Stalking up to him I snarled, “You sir are dead meat, probably should not have thought about doing that.” His eyes widened in fear as my fist flew towards his face.
After a good beat down and he was unconscious on the floor tied to a pole so he wouldn’t get away, I stood up and prodded my hip wincing as pain radiated up my entire body; it felt like my insides were on fire. I gave the guy one last good kick before walking out the door when one voice cheered, “Thank you Masked Shadow!”
Stopping at the doorway I looked back at the admiring faces aimed at me and gave them a wave and a smile. As I walked back down the street their cheers followed me echoing in my head right when about ten police cars pulled up to the pub and they all went running into the building. From the shadows I watched two guys carry out the shooter and load him into their car while the crowd followed the police out explaining what happened while the officers took down notes. Damn I would hate to have their job; didn’t I already mention that I hated clean up?
As I made my way home I stopped by an open gas station and went through one of those newspaper machines picking up the most recent one. Rolling that up I stuff it into my back pocket along with my mask so it looked like I was just a normal teenager walking around in the middle of the night. That isn’t suspicious at all don’t you think?
I climbed to the top of the highest building I could find about a mile away from the pub and went through my bag bringing out my first aid quit. I peeled my bloody shirt off of my hip and with a flashlight peered at the damage; the bullet only grazed me which I guess was good but damn it really stung; at least I didn’t need stitches.
Popping the flashlight into my mouth I cleaned out my wound with that cleaning alcohol and then wrapped a few goths to it to stem the bleeding. I watched it for a few minutes adding on more bandages until the blood finally stopped seeping through and I knew the bleeding had stopped.
Packing away my stuff my attention turned the newspaper rolled up on my side and I picked it up and unfolded it. The headline immediately caught my attention, “The New Town’s Hero, The Masked Shadow, Strikes Again!” Underneath the headline there was a crude sketch of my mask. Yep, that pathetic name was actually aimed towards me then; I was sort of hoping that all of the people in the pub were misinformed and just came up with that name on the spot; I guess that isn’t the case sadly.
I read the article through a couple of times and found it even more the amusing the more I looked at it. It had all of my latest accomplishments even the recent one of me kicking the shit out of those guys who tried to steal that old ladies bag. The guy who wrote the article must have really liked me because in it the police stated that I was a bad influence that had to be stopped right away and the reporter pretty much then stated that they were jealous assholes.
Shaking my head laughing I turned my flashlight off while stuffing the paper into my back pocket to keep. I let my eyes adjust to the dark for a few minutes staring at the ground about ten floors below me. The street lights made the entire street look like a ballet of some kind and I was the impatient audience member sitting there waiting for the main ballerina to come twirling out of the darkness and take the stage.
Shoving aside the image of Natalie twirling around in a ballerina tutu from my mind I slowly stood up glad that some of the pain had died down but it still stung like a load of dung. Taking my mask out of my pocket when I reached the ladder at the side of the building, I stared at it for a while before snorting and tying it around my face.
The Masked Shadow, who did these people pay to come up with these names. Maybe they just wrote down a few words to describe me and played some sort of random guessing game and thus the Masked Shadow was born. Laughing again at the mental image of a few nerds messing around with scramble tiles I swung myself over the ladder and started to descend on my way home to the gray building.