pH Balance

Hopefully you’re on your way to meeting your quarterly goals (fiscal or otherwise). One of mine is to create a new short story at the beginning of every quarter and drop it at the very end. I was able to do it last quarter, so here’s to consistency.

Disclaimer: In the interest of personal growth, this story will be nothing like my last.

prologue

There were only two rules:

1. Show up in your assigned mask and color
2. Don’t tell anyone who you are

People referred to each other only as the colors they wore. The premise seemed silly at first. It got scarier once you realized what it meant: everyone was replaceable.

Black stared at the plague doctor’s mask resting on the table. It seemed to stare back, taunting: I dare you to put me on. You and I both know you’re unworthy. Just see what happens when you—

“Agh! Shut up!” Black screamed to the imaginary voice. The noise echoed through the dark maze of catacombs. Traversing the labyrinth was a long and complicated journey. Wearing the customary cloak, dark as the midnight sky above, made it easier to stay hidden. Both the cloak and mask were so vibrantly black, it seemed to warp the light around it.

Picking up the mask, Black wondered, How many before me have worn this? And the cloak? What motivated them to do such things? As the rumination continued, the pensiveness turned to rage. Whether it be ten or ten thousand before me, every last one of them was a murderer. But all of that ends tonight.

The mask fit neatly over Black’s head. Surprisingly, it didn’t smell or feel very old. Black turned to the only other person in the room, a poor fellow bound and gagged with some old rope.

“The knots aren’t hard to unravel,” Black explained to the prisoner. “But by the time you escape, it’ll be too late.” The captive watched helplessly as Black left the room.

About an hour later, Black emerged from the tunnels into the crisp, night air. I’ll play by their rules at first. I’ll wear the bloody mask and damned cloak—but every last one of them will die knowing who I am.

This Week’s Top 3

• Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley ♟ – where I discovered my new favorite two-player game, Hanabi
• “Anubis: God of Mummification” 🪦 – Mythology podcast with a fun, narrative twist
• “Flower” by Raaginder 🪷 – Shazam find. The entire album, Moment in Time, is pretty good