Chapter One
(Here it is! The second part of Of Toons and Tragedies!
All I can tell y'all is that it's going to be pretty intense at some point.
My advice to y'all is this:
Brace yourselves!
*laughs while typing this Author's Note*
Okay.
Enjoy this chapter and, hopefully, the rest of this story!
-imaginarytoon1
P.S.: If this chapter isn't good, forgive me. I'm still a little rusty, due to not writing fan fiction for some time.)
Beatrice:
I'm in one of Houston's popular but small libraries, sitting on a comfortable chair, and reading Stephen King's The Body.
I've read it before.
In fact, I remember the first time I read it was when I was fourteen. And that was before I realized that reading The Body was like watching a Rated R movie. But I knew that I would never repeat anything from the book. So, I kept reading and reading…until I reached the end, cried a little, and called it my favorite coming-of-age story.
But I digress.
Reading in a library is something that I haven't done in a while. I think I should do it more often. Just spend a few hours sitting in a quiet building and reading a good book, like the one that I'm reading right now.
After reaching the end of the twenty-fourth page in The Body, I grab the lower right corner of it and carefully—
I frowned.
"That's funny." I muttered. "The next page is blank."
And so is the next page...and the next one, and the next one, and the next one!
Why, all of the remaining pages are blank!
But how?
This must be a mistake.
An incomplete book shouldn't be allowed in a library! Especially in one located in Houston!
I close the book, get up from the chair, and walk my way over to the check-out desk.
All I have to do is…
Oh, great. There's no one sitting behind the desk.
I guess I'll just have to wait until somebody shows up and I don't care if I have to wait until closing time.
…What on Earth? What's that I'm hearing?
Drums?
Where is the drum music coming from?
It can't be from my phone. I don't listen to music when I'm reading.
(Well, not always.)
…What happened to my skin?! What happened to my clothes?!
What did I turn into, a character from a black and white film?!
Oh man, what is this world coming to?
All I wanted a few hours of reading in a quiet environment. But in order for that to happen, I need a new book. I mean, a complete book, not like one that I have right now!
"Hey." A familiar voice greeted me.
I turn around and nearly jump after seeing who it was.
It's 'Greasy', green zoot suit and all.
And he's wearing a mask.
A Guy Fawkes mask?
No, 'Greasy's' wearing a different mask.
This time, it's a shiny, pitch-black mask. Despite of its shiny appearance, it looks like it's melting with a consistency of candle wax but dripping like water. Like the Guy Fawkes mask, the new mask gave 'Greasy's' face full coverage.
I frowned.
"What?" 'Greasy' asked.
"You're wearing a different mask this time." I replied. "And I highly doubt that your face is underneath it."
After a brief pause, 'Greasy' laughed. He laughed like I just told him a joke.
"That's pretty funny!"
I rolled my eyes and sighed.
I know 'Greasy's' not going to take me seriously until I give him an explanation.
"Let me jog your memory for you. The last time I saw you, you were wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. And when you took it off, you scared me because your face was gone."
'Greasy' stopped laughing and looked at me.
"Oh, okay, now I remember. I don't know why I forgot about that."
"Well, now you know." I stated while crossing my arms. "And I'm one step ahead of you. I'm not going to ask you to take the mask off. Because if I do and you take it off, all I'm going to see is a toon weasel without a head."
'Greasy' sighed in frustration.
"If you're not going to believe me," He began, "I suppose I'll make you."
I raise my eyebrows a little and uncrossed my arms.
"Make me?" I asked. "How?"
"Watch me."
Oh, great. I thought as 'Greasy' placed his hands on the sides of his mask. He's going to take off the mask.
Well, I'm prepared to see a headless toon weasel.
If it scared me the first time, it probably won't scare me this time.
Then, as 'Greasy' slowly peeled his mask off, I heard someone sing,
"But I see your true colors shining through,
I see your true colors…"
I watch 'Greasy's' mask hit the floor, breaking into pieces. Then, I look back up at 'Greasy'—
My eyes widened.
Oh, my gosh.
I was wrong.
'Greasy'…had been telling me the truth this whole time.
His face really was under the mask.
But, like my skin and clothes, 'Greasy's' face is black and white.
"Now do you believe me?" He asked.
"Well…y-yeah." I stuttered. "But what happened to the color of your face?"
'Greasy' raised one of his eyebrows.
"What are you talking about?"
"Your face is like my skin and clothes. It's black and white instead of…what it normally is."
'Greasy' reached into one of the pockets of his trousers pulled out a tiny portable mirror. Then, he opened up and looked at his reflection. His eyes widened in both shock and confusion and he took his time to get a good look of himself.
Although I can see that 'Greasy' has a face, I still have this feeling that's something is off about him. I don't know what it is but it's enough to make me move away from the front desk and inch my way to the exit.
"I don't know why my face looks like this." 'Greasy' said. "But I hope it's not a perman—Wait, where are you going?"
I stopped where I was, sighed, and looked at him straight in the eye.
"I don't know what you're trying to do." I replied. "But there's something about you that's scaring me!"
And just like that, I sprinted towards the exit.
I don't even understand why this Greasy impersonator popped up in the library. He freaked me out the first time in that strange memory room. Could it be possible that he liked how I reacted the last time and wanted me to do it again? If that's true, then that's messed up!
Oh, there's the exit!
Yes! I made it!
"I can see your true colors, Beatrice!" I heard 'Greasy' shout.
What's that supposed to mean?!
I look back at him.
"What are you—?!"
Before I had the chance to finish that, I slam right into something. It felt like getting hit by a speeding bus.
Suddenly, everything goes white. It's so bright.
Then, black!
Now I can't breathe!
White!
And black again!
Then, just white!
…
I gasp, suddenly gaining back my ability to breathe. Then, I open my eyes as my heart pounds in my chest. While panting, I look around.
Where am I?!
…Oh, I'm back in my room.
I sigh in relief.
That means that everything that just happened was all a crazy dream.
I turn on my phone and look at the time.
"It's five o'clock in the morning." I muttered while rolling my eyes.
It's still summer vacation and I don't have time to wake up early. I'm not going to do that until school starts back up again.