Mad Man With A Mask

[madmanwithamask-blog]

”..I-I thought I got rid of you.”

He glared at Tyler who sat across from Jack in the withering leather booth. The sour look on Tyler's face brought a warm sense of pleasure over him and he grinned behind his plaster smirk. Dropping his briefcase with an alarmingly loud thud, he slid into the seat beside Jack, and looked around the rusty diner. "Read any good books lately?" ,he chuckled as he put his arm around Jack.

[jacks-inner-turmoil]

Jack’s heart is beating so hard she wonders if her ribs will crack. Her eyes are trained on Tyler, and she fucking hates how scared she sounded. She sees that disappointed look on his face; that grenade was a fucking dud. Of course it was, it was just a test and Jack failed it miserably. Fuck fear, it was a restriction. Tyler taught her better. Well excuse her.

Jack is confused beyond belief, but doesnt jerk her head back. No, when he strokes her jaw, she lets him. She’s staring up at him, through the slots where his eyes are through that damned rabbit mask. She wasn’t Alice. She was Jack. Her blue eyes are narrowing, and for a second, she wants to bite him. She wants to sink her teeth so far down into his skin, that she could taste his blood, his bone marrow, feel the bone as it cracks in her mouth. But Jack just stands there.

The room goes topsy-turvy and she’s being carried away, plopped in a car and just stares. There’s that distant look on her face, her blue eyes seemingly staring into space. She listens to everything, everyone; the breathing that syncs in the car, the heartbeats of the men in the back; the padlock as it knocks against the door. Her face is blank.

She’s a caged bird now.

“Tea’s gunna get cold.” she tells the man, her voice just as blank as her face.

[madmanwithamask-blog]

He was thrilled, she was calming down, she was accepting her situation. Streetlights were flickering overhead and his Paul's called to him from his chest pocket. He reached into the purple label blazer and retrieved two cigarettes. He handed them off to the girl who was no longer slouching in her seat. Gently lifting his mask so that it sat on top of his head he tossed a lighter to her.  "Ladies first" he winked. He was picking up lots of emotions from her. She seemed sceptical. Looked confused, and yet lit her cigaret with a steady, confident, hand. He reached over and retrieved the second Paul and motioned for a light, she obliged. Taking a deep drag and then letting the Paul dangle from the corner of his grin he looked over at her, "Tyler taught me this trick, has he done the same to you?" releasing the wheel and pressing his foot down on the accelerator. "But I took something else away from the experience, you see; Tyler's philosophy works only when you can't control everything." he was confusing her, and that wasn't what he wanted. "He told you to let go of the wheel. I'm going to tell you to do what you want. He told you to stop trying to control everything, I'm going to tell you to control EVERYTHING  " Turning in his seat to the men behind him he ask them what they wanted to do before they died; the man directly behind his seat replied, "Run a marathon" and the other, "Write a book" He withdrew a pistol from the center console and shot each man through and through between the eyes, then turned his focus on Jack.

"Neither of those men did what they wanted to do before they died." he chuckled to himself.

"So whats it gunna be Jack? Wanna learn what Robin Williams meant by Carpe Diem?" 

[jacks-inner-turmoil]

Apparently, Tyler double crossed this man. Her muscles are hurting, she’s been too tense for too long. This guy’s presence just throws her off, makes her question everything about herself. who was he? Her fingers flexed and she’s begging Tyler to let her move. He’s offering her a smoke and she denies it for once; its not her flavour. If its not menthol, she wants nothing to do with it. 

He’s throwing shit out of his suit case, bones, pens, oddities.. and a pin. Her eyes widen, looking at Tyler. she’s scared now, really scared. Not for herself, fuck for herself. For Tyler because if he goes, so does everything they’ve worked for. Everything he’s tossed out looks too familiar, like she’s seen it before somewhere. 

“Leave him alone!” she screams. She really screams, her voice breaks in fear and everything. 

I am Jack’s nightmare coming to life.

[madmanwithamask-blog]

"Oh come now Alice, don't you want to play?" he purrs through his teeth to Jack. She has gotten under his skin. He likes her. Alot. It's not every day that he gets to have company over for tea. He pauses to admire her skin briefly before pulling a plastic white rabbit mask from the briefcase on the floor and snapping it onto his head. "Let's not waste any time, we're terribly late you know." he mumbled to the girl. She was completely distraught. The fear was painting her red. Tyler always taught them to have no fear, she was a fresh one, she still had plenty of fear, and for his purposes she was perfect.

He approached her slowly watching her eyes match each step he took. He pulled off his leather glove and stroked her jaw bone with his left hand. "I'll get her legs" he said to the wall behind her as he swooped down and picked up her feet; one of his men stepped from the shadows and grabbed her by the arms.

Carrying her from the room he turned back to Tyler and wagged a finger, "If I ever see you again she is dead."  They loaded her into the passenger seat of the rusted out purple firebird and pad locked the door shut. He climbed into the drivers seat, turned the key and then looked over at the startled girl with a massive grin.  "Welcome to Wonderland Alice." 

[jacks-inner-turmoil]

“Leave him be.” she snaps, taking a step towards this man. She’s got no clue who he is, how he got in the house (of course the damn thing didnt have a lock for when the police or whoever comes busting through) or what his motives were. She has to swallow back a grimace as Tyler’s cheek was burnt slightly. 

When he sidesteps, so does Jack. She knows not to put her back towards him, to anyone.. The fighting told her that much; always on her toes. He’s telling her about a new world, a new way of thinking. She happens to like the way she thinks. Her eyes narrow as he comes closer.

The mask shatters and she cant help but think its a bit ironic; symbolism at its finest. She takes a half step towards Tyler before he holds his hand out like he did the night Lou showed up. She stays put and stares at the man. 

“You can open the cage by yourself.” 

[madmanwithamask-blog]

"Cute." ,he chuckles at Jack who looks so concerned for that punk kid Tyler. Why do they always have to struggle. He glances at the doorway as he lights up a dart. "Oh how rude of me." he says in a tone that mocks concern, as he offers a Paul Mall first to Tyler, then to Jack. No takers. It wasn't really funny at all, but the laughter just gurgled from his throat. The games, the game, it was always about the games.   "Why don't you tell your little girlfriend whats going on here Mr Durden" he whispered as he tapped the ash from the end of his cigarette off on Tylers' stiff shoulder.  "The strong silent type huh? Nothing ever changes." he taunts as he walks over to the chair and rustles through a brief case that he brought with him.

"You can't just borrow my money and then stop returning calls. I've been worried sick Tyler."

He begins to throw all sorts of things from the brief case over his head and onto the floor. a chess piece,                               shot gun shell,                                                     bottle caps,                                                                      chicken bones,                                                                                            spray paint,                                                                                                             a small metal pin.  He gets to his feet and waltzes over to Tyler joyfully as he hums a familiar tune. Now this was a kodak moment. Pulling Tylers' right hand out of his pocket and shoving a grenade into it.  "Better hold on tight." he commands Tyler as he winks at Jack.

[madmanwithamask-blog]

ROBOTS OR DINOSAURS?

fuck off tumblrbot.

[madmanwithamask-blog]

Jacks-Inner-Turmoil:

Its all a blur. 

He’s saying something, mocking Tyler and Tyler just rolls his eyes. He doenst like Jack, he thinks she’s ignorant; she’s got a lot to learn. Her face shows confusion before there’s something cold in her hands. Its a gun. Her eyes widen just a fraction; she’s never shot one before. And then suddenly, there’s a body behind her, pressed against her and his hands are over hers, aiming; the shot’s fired and the kick of the gun pushes her back against that same person. She can’t believe she shot Tyler. 

Her face goes pale, fingers dropping the gun like its on fire. She stares at Tyler who barely moves. She wants to run to him, to turn and beat the ever loving shit out of the person who’s made her shoot her .. her what? Tyler was a tumor to her; she guessed he was the new Marla. 

Tyler doesnt even act hurt. 

Her eyes narrow at the man, her fingers peeling the fedora off of her head and onto the ground. She’s freaked, but she doesnt show it. there’s just cold hatred in her eyes. 

“My name doesnt defy my gender.” she snaps. 

He looks over at Tyler, then back to Jack, then back to Tyler. A shiver ran up his spine, and perhaps the excitement betrayed him. "Tyler is old news darling. You don't need him. You don't need anyone!" he mused. He walked over to the filthy fireplace and plucked the fire iron from the rotting mantle.  "His ideals are broken, I can show you a new world, a new way of living. Hell, I'll even offer free junk removal" he coos as he strokes Tylers' cheekbone with the sharp tip. He notices his mask lying on the sidetable next to Jack, and for some unknown reason it pisses him off. He side steps Tyler and with a steady hand he brought the metal rod down on the table sending shards of plaster flying across the room. 

"What do you say my darling? Will you let me out of this god damn cage?" 

[madmanwithamask-blog]

jacks-inner-turmoil:

She’s standing near Tyler, half hidden, half visible. Her fists are raised, poised for a fight. She was ready to fight him, to just beat the living shit out of him over a fucking cigarette; yeah, that desperate. She doesnt notice the man for a good full minute before he’s tipping his fedora in her direction. She blinks for a moment before scooting a bit behind Tyler. She’s not sure why she does it, the very thought of Tyler protecting her is fucking hilarious. Jack’s eyes narrow at the gun, her stomach tightens.

She stares up at Tyler before glancing at the man. 

“…Cowboy.” she murmurs. 

The word enrages him, he smiles up at them. "No dear, not a cowboy." he says with a sly grin apparent behind his mask.

"Tyler where do you find these girls? Gotta get me one." winking at Jack. He tosses the revolver into her hands as he gets to his feet and drops the fedora onto her head. Standing behind her he grips the gun with her hands, and aims it at Tyler's left shoulder. 

"Not a cowboy. Just Mad." he breathes the moist words into her ear.

Tyler barely reacts at all as the bullet makes contact. Dropping the gun to floor and gently removing the plaster mask from his face; he spins Jack around and pulls her hand to his lips, kissing her ring finger.

"Jack is a strange name for a girl."