Symbiote Mask Stories

Andy pressed the side of his face against the window. The cold bit into his cheek, and he couldn’t see through the glass much thanks to the rain, but that didn’t matter. Even if he could see there wouldn’t be much there. It was 4:30, and most folks had already gone home. Rather than go home himself, Andy had spent most of the two hours since his final class lingering, either in the student lounge playing Smash Bros, or in the hallways doing laps and studying the ads on the public corkboards. Once he settled in the dining hall, he nestled himself in a booth, people watching until there were no more people to watch, and then for a little while longer. At its peak, the Eldersburg Community College dining hall was a bustling hive of student activity. Young people weaved their way between tables carrying trays of cafeteria fare to their tables, where they either met their friends or sat alone hunched over their laptops doing schoolwork. Lovers met, snuck kisses, and indulged in clumsy flirt...

[We hear the front door open and someone walking in with shoes on and holding a brown paper bag. The voice sounds shy, dorky even] Hey, I’m back. [We hear her come into the room, approach us, and give us a quick kiss] So how’s you’re Halloween been? Not too boring I hope? [We hear her flop down on the couch next to us, cuddling closer] So what’cha watchin’? Looks kinda cheesy...wait...holy shit is this Goosebumps? Fuck I used to watch this shit all the time when I was a kid. Which one is this? The Haunted Mask? Huh...isn’t that a...coincidence. [A brief, awkward pause] Hey, so you know how you said you didn’t want to do a Halloween costume this year...well I think might have something that’ll change your mind. [She reaches over and grabs a paper bag] Ready? [She reaches in and pulls something out] Ta da! Whata’ya think? Cool, right? I’m not usually a fan of these full head masks but...I dunno, they just sor...