Short Story: The Mask

Today

Though he had a lengthy discussion last night, Vignesh was still finding it difficult to do it. It was in his hands, with the underside facing him. He could see the delicate stream of hooks all along the border. The mask had openings for sight, smell and taste. It was so delicate and he wondered once again how it could perform something which his friend has guaranteed him.

He closed his eyes and slapped it on his face to avoid anymore second thoughts. He felt a slight tinge of pain on contact but then it felt normal. He looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t find any difference in his face. He headed out to know for himself whether this invention really does what his friend meant.

On reaching his office, he again made sure that there aren’t any signs on his face that he is wearing the mask. A sense of hate usually pricks him when he enters the cabin. Because on his way, he has to cross two of his team mates cabins that he has always detested. Nevertheless, a false smile appears on his face though his mind is in displeasure.

Today was a weird day. When he approached them, as he displayed his usual false expression, his mind experienced a feeling of comfort instead of displeasure. “Not bad”, he said to himself, “let us see whether this mask can take on level 2”.

Team leaders in the corporate world have all the qualities except team leading and his team leader was not an exception. This afternoon too it was a usual tirade without any essence. Vignesh’s biggest problem was smiling at his manager’s ‘so called’ jokes. His team mates never had a problem in adoring them, “Sir, sooper sir”. Since, he doesn’t want to look like the odd one, he smiles hard to show his teeth. Today was a weird day. The amount of positive vibrations in his brain increased as he showed more teeth. He laughed so much as if it is the best ‘joke’ he had heard in his life.  

After the meeting, he went to the restroom. He dialed his friend.

“Mama!”

“My invention worked isn’t it”.

“Sure, I should’ve expected nothing less from a genius! You were dead right in the comment you made last night!”

Last night

“How?”

“Reverse emotional engineering”

“How?”

“Try it for me.”

“So, you want me to be your laboratory rat?”

“Relax Vignesh. It isn’t going to give you any problems. See, I’m wearing it in front of you”.

Vignesh noticed that there was no difference on his friend’s face. His friend continued

“I want to share this only with my best friend because I know that it is a path breaking invention and I trust you as I trust myself”.

Vignesh was silent.

“Try it, if it is successful, I’d know that I’ve done it.” He moved close to Vignesh. “Humans will need to purchase these inventions, especially the ones who wear an ID card”.