Disclaimer: I don't really know who to give credit to but I do not own any Creepypasta material or anything else I happen to mention.

Chapter I- Welcome to the Masquerade

Ava's POV

My eyes snap open as I scream, my body shot up and my hand whipped the thin line of sweat on my brow. The door flew open as my mum ran in and sat on my bed, pulling me into her arms.

"It happened again?"

I nodded, trying to reply but only a croak escaped my lips.

"We need to get you help Ava."

I glared at my mum, "What? I'm not sick mum... I don't need help!"

She let out a sharp breath, "Ava I know you haven't been taking your medicine, and," She paused, seeming unsure of herself. "I think it's time you go back."

My eyes widened, I hadn't realized that my mum knew I was throwing my pills out.

"Ava I realize that you feel... different, but I think that we need to see a professional. You've had this dream every night for the past- I don't know, a really long time. Don't you feel like it isn't normal?"

"I know that it's not normal! I understand that normal people don't have dreams about demons murdering their families while they sleep but I don't want help mum! I, I don't want to be an outcast."

"Oh baby," she hugged me close, tears brimmed our eyes. "You're not an outcast."

"Then why do I feel so alone?"

It's been a couple years since it happened, but the night my brother died has haunted me like as if it had just happened. I have no idea how to get passed it; I can't help but feel as if I'm to blame.

My mum soon left me alone and I spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling.

The morning hit me like a bad hangover, I hated the sun. It's one of those things I hate about life: light. As a seventeen year old girl, I've developed a strange case of nyctophilia. I'm pretty much your stereotypical hermit.

Slipping on my school uniform, I left the house and locked the door behind me, heading off to school. As I passed the large, fifteen acres of thick woods, something caught my eye that appeared to be some kind of person. It only appeared for a slit second and then just as fast as a blink, it disappears. Biting into the granola bar I was munching on, I stopped in the middle of the side walk to stare and wonder, did I just hallucinate? Or did I just see an eight foot tall man with a black suit? Shrugging, I lost interest at the sight of my friend Michelle coming into view, letting the moment slip past me.

...

As I walked home from school, the woods had a thick fog that flooded and coiled around every tree trunk yet stopped right in front of the road. It reminded me of something out of a bad horror movie, cliché but creepy. I stepped onto the soft soil of the forest, immediately I gasped, feeling a thick tension fill the air. I pushed forward, placing one foot in front of the other and taking in my surroundings. It was quiet, not a chirp of a gleefully flying bird could be heard nor the sight of a prancing white tailed deer, it was quite disturbing, yet I found it relaxing.

I inhaled a deep breath and took in the sweet, wet scent of the moist air. It was almost perfect, despite the fact that I was alone.

In the distance light voices were heard, I panicked and hid behind a tree. Peering past it I saw a couple girls from my school chatting and walking by. A lot of kids like to go down to the creak and get high, camp, all that good social stuff that I should be doing… ya know? Normal teenage stuff.

One girl, a bleach blonde with dazzling blue eyes and double d's in the front and the back, took a drag of a cigarette then passed it to the girl the girl on her right. They giggled, obviously gossiping about some shit. They quickly scampered off after checking their phones.

I sighed in relief; turning back I pressed my back against a tree and closed my eyes. As they fluttered open, they widened as a sickening feeling overcame me. About a yard in front of me stood an eight foot tall man. Dressed in a black suit and tie, his face was literally expressionless and had no features like if it was wrapped in a white bandage. Yet, it felt like our eyes were locked together. Static filled my ears, nausea overwhelming me, dear god what is that?

It turned to go, disappearing behind a tree. I followed not truly conscience of what the hell I was doing. I felt suddenly embarrassed and I stopped. The being appeared again as if it wanted me to follow him. I shook my head, what are you doing Ave? Run!

The being cocked its head to the side as if it was curious of my reasoning. I turned and sprinted out of the woods and didn't look back, going straight home.

...

I put down the thick novel I was reading and pulled a lock of my red hair from my eyes. Glancing up to look out the black window and into the night I gasped. Pain shot up my torso and flooded my stomach like a virus. I looked down and felt light headed at the sight of my shirt dyed with the unsettling color of blood. The metallic smell filled my nose and I fell to the ground with a groan. A figure approached me, arms extended with a blood dripping scalpel grasped in one steady hand. It wore a blue mask, the eyes looking like deep pits with black ooze pouring out like demonic tears. A black hoodie hid what appeared to be a lanky body and a small patch of charcoal colored skin leaked through along with a razor sharp tooth.

I wanted to scream and kick away from the being so badly but I was paralyzed, holding my injured stomach in one hand and curled into a ball. It bent down in front of me, extending a hand to stroke my hair.

He whispered my name, his voice gravely and hoarse.

"Ava, wake up."

As if I was asleep my eyes snapped open; a pulsing pain filled my head. "Mum?"

"You were hallucinating again Ava. That's the last time, we're leaving tomorrow for the hospital whether you like it or not. You need help Ave; I'm scared you're going to hurt yourself."

I whipped the salty tears from my face and got up off of the ground. "Okay mum."

I am truly cursed…