If there is someone batshit crazy enough to believe this mask, Thom knows only one person that does - It's Hughie Holland, his gay best friend next door. The two have known each other for about a decade ago when Hugh moved into the neighborhood. Despite being the same age, Thom towered over Hugh. Which is quite the contrasting figure since Hugh was Thom's gateway into the realm of adulthood. Thanks to him, Thom learned about the birds and the bees before his father could teach him. His father's face was priceless. To his surprise, his son explained to him the different positions a man could make to pleasure his partner. Thom explained the matter so eloquently that his father sat down and took mental notes of what he's saying.
To sum it up, Hugh was Thom's mentor. Thanks to his interest in old-school rock bands, Thom got interested in music and pursued his dreams by joining the local band named 'Atomic Bombz'. Although, Hugh did not fall for the same dream and is currently working as a barista while profiting from the trust fund his father saved up when he was young.
As of now, Hugh is living alone next door while his father is working as a manager in a garbage disposal unit somewhere in uptown. His mother died a few years ago. Hugh keeps a tight lip regarding the reason. Thom packed the masks on his bag, jumped over the fence, and barged inside the Holland household without warning. There is a familiar scent in the home, a scent that led Thom to the kitchen where he saw Hugh eating macaroni and cheese while only wearing boxers. Even though he has enough money to buy better food, Hugh still resorts to cheap pasta that he so dearly loves.
"Hey," Hugh said with a smirk. "You want some?" Hugh raised the large bowl of the thick yellow dream. As much as he wants to grab a bite, Thom has more pressing matters at hand. He laid the masks on the table which earned a curious look from Hugh.
"You're not going to believe the shit I'm going to tell you,"
"Tell me first before I reserve my judgment on whether I'll believe it or not. So, what's the stitch with this creepy mask of yours?" Hugh was about to wear the mask that looks like him but he slapped his hands.
Thom told him of the events beforehand, from the moment he got the package, to the loss of consciousness after wearing the original mask, and the emergence of the mask that looks like him. He thought that someone sent the mask to prank him, but everything about this is so complicated to be a prank.
"So, if I wear this blank mask, will it create a mask in my image?" Hugh said between spoonfuls of the cheesy pasta.
"I think so… I haven't tested it on other people."
"Not even your brothers?"
"They're out doing their jobs,"
"And you're in your house being a couch potato like always." Thom frowned at the notion but can't make a rebuttal because what he said is right. "I'm going to wear this creepy mask now."
Hugh laid the featureless mask on his greasy face. He felt nothing at first, chuckled at the possible lame-ass prank Thom did. He looks so stupid and gullible now that he thinks about it. Thom must be laughing his ass out. As Hugh looked at Thom, an overflowing sense of wrongness gripped his heart. It was as if his lungs were robbed out of air. He tried to gasp for breath but something was gagging down on his throat. Before he knew it, his vision was fading. His body slumped on the floor but Thom was fast enough to catch him.
Hugh woke on the sofa and the overhead clock says only a few minutes have passed. Thom was beside him, marveling at the mask arranged on the coffee table. There is the original mask, the mask of Thom, and beside it - the hollowed-out mask in his image which is staring at him with its empty black eyes. He went to grab it. The mask is warm to the touch, and if he could focus for a bit - he swears he could also feel a heartbeat.
"You weren't kidding," Hugh laughed. "This shit is creepy,"