Excerpt: The Masked

To fake is to pretend, to stimulate, to conceal our defects. To wear a mask is to conceal our identities.

I am Tara Marshall.
And this is my war.

Well, it’s not just my war. But from this moment, the decisions I make are going to have a major impact on the outcome.

I suppose you really don’t know what it is that I’m talking about. If anyone’s actually reading this, that is. For all I know, this could have been stolen by the Zedists.

Sorry. You still probably don’t know what I’m talking about. Or more likely, you’ve put this journal down already, thinking that whoever wrote it was insane. After all, you can’t tell there is a battle raging around you, one that has gone on for centuries. But there is. And if you’re still reading this, you’re about to be sucked into the middle of it. If you can’t handle that, then put this back where you found it. Or better yet, give it to someone who can handle it.

Got it? Good.

Because soon enough, you’ll know what to look for. You’ll know the battle that is going on around you. And as soon as you show the signs of knowledge, there will be people coming after you. Some are on my side; they will try to protect you, to open your mind to the greater powers of this world. You have to trust me, whoever you are. You have to trust them. If you flee from us, then there are only two things that can happen.

One: You hide for the rest of your life, secluded from everyone. No television. No phone. No internet. No connection with the outside world at all, or they will find you. In fact, they’ll probably find you anyway.

Two: Since it’s pretty obvious to me that you won’t be able to do option one, only one choice remains. And it won’t even be a choice. Listen to me, whoever you are. The Zedists will find you once they learn of your existence, of your knowledge. They will hunt you down. And when they do that, you will either join them, or die.

I promise I’m not over exaggerating, though I dearly wish I was. The Zedists are merciless. They are on this Earth for one thing, and one thing only.

You have one last chance to put this down and resume a normal life. School, dating, even your family might become a thing of the past if you became a carrier of the information I’m about to tell you.

Do you accept the knowledge? You might be the only chance we have to save the world.