The Mask
Carrie stared at the contents in the box with a blank expression. "What am I looking at?" she asked Alex who had a strange smirk on his face.
"Seriously? Have you never read super hero comics before?" Alex asked, but was met with the same expression. "Oh right, sorry."
"What am I supposed to do with this anyway?" Carrie asked as she picked up the pure white garment from the box and turned it over in her hands.
"You are going to wear that when you go up against Gilead." Alex began, "You see, you can't go out there as just some plain girl. When people see you fight back with your power, they will see an angel sent by God to deliver judgment upon the wrong doers." he finished his pitch with an excited look on his face.
"I'm not sure. Doesn't this seem like... much?" Carrie asked as she took out the cloak from the box, it was similar to the Handmaids' cloak but was pure white instead of red. "I'm pretty sure dressing up and acting like God is some sort of sin."
"This isn't some random costume I pulled from a trunk. I spent all week making it just for you. This is supposed to be a symbol of hope." Alex explained his reasons. "When you take them on, you can't use your real name, or people will come looking for you. You need a moniker, one that represents God but won't insult him. I'm already neck deep with a man upstairs." He muttered to himself.
"Like a stage name?" Carrie asked, trying to understand Alex's plan.
Alex snapped his fingers, "Exactly, whenever you make your début, you're not Carrie White, you are a savior chosen and sent by God himself to save everyone from bondage. While some of these dickless cunts aren't exactly religious, they're still misogynistic bastards who will know that they'll be burning in Hell the moment they see your powers."
Carrie was silent as she contemplated what he just told her. "Saint. If I'm really doing this, I'll do this as Saint." she said with resignation as Alex beamed.
"Excellent. Oh, one more thing." Alex said when he remembered something. He pulled a small box out from under the kitchen sink and presented it to Carrie who carefully took it from the older man. She lifted the lid off the box and looked inside with wide eyes.
"A mask?" Carrie asked as she lifted a white masquerade mask from the box.
"Yeah, to complete the mysterious Saint from Heaven look. Try it on." Alex encouraged with a nod.
Carrie looked down at the mask in her hand as her fingers traced the outline for the eyes. With a quiet sigh, she decided to humor him by placing the mask on her face. Alex nodded in approval before he guided her to one of the mirrors in the living room. A copy of Carrie stared back at her with wide eyes surrounded by the white mask that covered the upper part of her face, but was able to compliment her skin tone and hair color.
"I...don't look like myself." Carrie said as she continued to stare at her reflection.
"That's the idea. While you wear the mask, you are no longer Carrie White. You are the Saint chosen and sent by God himself to save his children from the wicked who dare befoul His name and meaning for violence and slavery." At Carrie's nervous gaze that stared back their reflection, Alex placed a firm encouraging hand on her shoulder, "I know this is terrifying. Believe me, I'm scared too. But if you don't do this, then God might as well be dead. Gilead wins. And everything we've been through would have been for nothing. You don't think you're strong enough, but you are. All the weapons you need are inside you. Now fight." he whispered in her ear.
His words rang through Carrie's - no, the Saint's ear - as for the first time since her awakening. Fire began to blaze deep within her eyes.