Smile Behind the Mask



In the quaint village of Greendale, nestled between misty hills and dense forests, there was a peculiar tradition that everyone followed. Every year, during the harvest festival, villagers would wear elaborate masks and parade through the town. Some masks were comical, others terrifying, but there was one mask that stood out above the rest—a white mask with an eerie, permanent smile.

Legends whispered that this mask belonged to the spirit of a jester named Henry, who had perished centuries ago in a tragic accident during the festival. Despite his untimely demise, it was said that Henry's spirit never left the village. Instead, he continued to partake in the festivities, hiding among the masked villagers, his presence marked by that unnerving, grinning mask.

One foggy evening, a newcomer named Tom moved into the village. He was an aspiring comedian, always ready with a joke and a laugh. Tom had heard about the festival and the legend of Henry's mask, but he was more amused than frightened. He decided to join the parade, hoping to win over the villagers with his humor.

Tom crafted a bright, clownish mask with exaggerated features and a big, red nose. On the night of the festival, he donned his mask and set off, ready to make the villagers laugh. As he walked through the streets, he performed slapstick routines and told jokes, drawing chuckles and applause from the crowd.

Amidst the laughter, Tom noticed a figure wearing the legendary white mask with the eerie smile. Intrigued, he approached the figure and said, "Nice mask! You must be Henry. Care to join me for a joke-off?"

The figure tilted its head, the smile never wavering. "Why not?" a raspy voice replied.

Tom began with his best joke. "Why don't skeletons fight each other? They don't have the guts!"

The crowd laughed, but the figure in the white mask remained silent. Then, in the same raspy voice, it said, "Why don't ghosts have babies? Because they have hollow-weenies!"

Tom was taken aback. The joke was funny, but the delivery sent chills down his spine. Determined not to be outdone, he continued, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

This time, the figure in the white mask let out a slow, unsettling chuckle. "Why did the vampire get a job at the blood bank? He wanted to make a withdrawal."

The crowd laughed nervously, sensing something strange about the masked figure. Tom, however, was too engrossed in the competition to notice. He launched into his next joke, but before he could finish, the figure in the white mask stepped closer and whispered, "What's a ghost's favorite pie? Boo-berry."

Tom felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The figure's breath was icy, and he could see a strange glint in the eyes behind the mask. Realization dawned on him—he was indeed facing the spirit of Henry.

Trying to maintain his composure, Tom said, "Well, Henry, it looks like you've got quite the sense of humor. But tell me, do you ever get tired of all the jokes?"

Henry's mask seemed to smile even wider. "Never," he replied. "Laughter keeps me alive. Or should I say, keeps me undead?"

With that, Henry vanished into the mist, leaving Tom standing alone, the laughter of the villagers fading into the night. From that day on, Tom was known as the bravest comedian in Greendale, for he had faced the legendary Henry and lived to tell the tale.

And every year after, during the harvest festival, Tom would look out for the white mask with the eerie smile, ready with a new joke, hoping to hear Henry's ghostly laughter once more.