Chapter 1

"Hey, Gorgon, did you twist last night?" Called the familiar and unwanted voice of Tommy Radner. "Look, somehow you got uglier." Suddenly a hideously mangled image of my face appeared floating in front of me where everyone in the hallway could see it.

"Tom, I think you may have improved his looks." John Lee joked. Tommy and John were both on the football team and could do no wrong according the school administration. No wrong apparently included accosting innocent students such as myself.

Masks XXVIII: Old School

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part One

Vic's new helmet was slightly bulkier than the previous one, but it was also actually lighter. Drake had called Vic to his office for the presentation. While her boss read aloud the note which came in the box, Vic examined her new headgear.

"Ugh," she said, peering it from various angles. "Looks like something a Star Wars Stormtrooper would wear."

In spite of this opinion she put it on. At least it fit well.

Part Two

Less than five minutes later, Chris found himself alone in the bathroom with the gift box.

He had tried several more times to argue that this was absurd, but all of his words fell on deaf ears. Aunt Mary was using him as a scapegoat to make her daughter feel better, Chloe was jumping at the chance to embarrass her younger brother, and Amy clearly arranged this whole thing to begin with. It was three to one, and all of them supported each other with ‘logic’ about why Chris should do it.

Mantra and Gabriel have come to a version of Los Angeles that exists in parallel time, but this is the worst version of the city that Mantra has ever visited. As bad as it is, something important that is about to happen, and before it does, Mantra has to get her ducks in a row. That is not going to be easy with danger on every side, and with people who used to be her friends acting like enemies.

Anne Marie has bullied Cameron for a long time. Suddenly she finds something about him she likes.

Chapter 33

Chugiak, Alaska

2:00 AM

It had been an eventful day for the Johnsons. That morning, or yesterday morning to be precise, they had no thought of a new child in their care. Now, in the guest room, a thirteen-year-old girl was in bed and would be for quite a while to come.