I Am A Demented Soul -- Fanfic -- Chapter 8

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*laughs sinisterly* Ah ha! Finally....the long awaited mirror scene! ^_^

Disclaimer: Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, Spider-Man, et al. are property of Marvel Entertainment. I don't own them....if I did, I'd be filthy rich. I just own Rachel Martinez and any other made up characters. Some of the dialogue was used from the movie novelization by Peter David. I wish there were a movie script out...but I was reduced to using this god-awful book instead.... Do yourself a favor and just wait for the DVD on Nov 1st. ~_~

The Man Behind The Mask

by Jen Richardson (padme_76@yahoo.com)

Chapter 8

The afternoon sun streamed through the blinds in Norman's bedroom, forcing him to get out of bed and shut them. Dazed, he ran a hand through his ruffled hair as he registered his clothing. He looked disheveled and worn, with a robe hanging off his shoulders.

Ugh...not again.....this is getting redundant, Norman groaned. It was the third time he had blacked out. Or was it? He couldn't remember anymore.

He opened the door and found his newspaper on the floor. One of the maids must have put it there and thought nothing of their employer sleeping in for the afternoon. Besides, he wouldn't be able to explain how he got there in the first place.

Norman groggily reached for the afternoon edition as he trudged downstairs into his den. He was beginning to wonder if he was developing Alzheimer's. He couldn't remember the past twelve hours. And he thought for certain that he only slept for three hours. He sighed as he unfolded the paper and stared at the front page. The news that greeted him gave him a serious wake-up call.

"Green Goblin and Spider-Man Terrorize World Unity Festival."

What?! That's where Harry was yesterday, Norman's mind raced. I hope he's alright. Norman grabbed the phone and began dialing his son's cell phone number. It was busy.

Norman breathed a sigh of relief and hung up the phone. At least it's busy....maybe's he's calling Peter or something, he reasoned to himself. He rubbed the weariness out of his eyes and briefly scanned the news article. His eyes went wide as he stared at the front page photo.

Norman suddenly became uneasy as he noticed the familiarness of the Green Goblin's costume.....

That's.....that's my prototype flightsuit! He gasped. "How did he get his hands on it?" he wondered aloud. "Maybe he was the one who killed Stromm and stole the prototypes."

Think again.......

Huh? Norman frowned in puzzlement, looking around the room. I could have sworn.... The silence was a little too eerie. He shook his head in confusion and turned back to the newspaper. He narrowed his eyes as he looked closer at the photo.....at the Goblin's mask. A green metallic mask.

It was identical to the fright mask in Norman's collection.

Norman began to tremble. No...it couldn't be.... he thought fearfully, and directed his stare at the far corner of his den....where the mask was hanging.

It was gone.

Okay, Norman thought frantically. There's a perfectly good explanation to this....ugh.... He stared back at the paper. The Goblin in the photo seemed to be grinning at him. He was developing a serious case of the jitters. Ugh...I need a drink. He walked over to the bar, poured himself a brandy and was just about to drink when.....

A frighteningly evil laugh rang through the mansion, shaking Norman out of his daze.

What the hell...was that? Norman shook the confusion from his head as he drained his glass. I must be losing it.....

No. You're perfectly sane.......sort of. The laughter returned, this time louder.

Norman's eyes suddenly went wide as he registered the stranger speaking to him. It sounded as if the intruder was very close.....

I'm NOT hearing voices......am I?

Are you sure?

Norman was quite certain that the owner of the voice had a smug grin on its face.....toying with his sanity. He rose out of his chair and grabbed the fire poker. His hands trembled as he began to search around for the intruder....if it were a burglar. "Hello?" Silence. Absent mindedly, he dropped the newspaper on the living room floor.

He peered around the corner. No one was there. "Somebody there?" he called out again.

Somebody.....

He almost dropped the fire poker, not expecting an answer. "Who said that?!" he demanded, brandishing his weapon.

As if you didn't know........ It sounded like a rather otherworldly...demonic voice, yet....strangely familiar. It was the voice he first heard in his office the day after Stromm was killed....the same voice who demanded Slocum's blood.

"What?"

Don't play innocent with me, Norman, the disembodied voice growled menacingly. You've known all along....

Known...about what? "Where are you?" he asked fearfully.

Follow the cold shiver running down your spine.....

Norman cautiously looked around the room, and his eyes briefly rested on the news photo of the Goblin laying at his feet. The permanent leer on its face seemed to grow wider as Norman stared at it--

I'm right here!

Norman whirled around to the source of the voice.....and he inadvertantly caught his reflection in the full length mirror across the room. His own appearance startled him a bit; he didn't realized how terrible he looked. But ...he saw no one. Only his reflection.

....or was it? His reflection seemed to be grinning at him......but Norman wasn't smiling. "I don't understand..."

Did you think it was coincidence? His reflection leered at Norman. So many good things .....all happening for you.....all for you, Norman.

Norman dropped the fire poker in confusion. "What do you want?"

Norman's reflection smirked evilly at him. To say what you won't ......to do what you can't.......to remove those in your way. His head cocked to one side, indicating the morning newspaper and he began to approach closer. Remember the accident.......

Poor Norman was racking his brain for the events that happened in the past few months. His mind was fuzzy, and it wasn't because of the liquor. Uh......I don't remember.....

Just take a look at the newspaper...Osborn.

Norman bent down to pick up the paper in his trembling hands and read the front page. Underneath the picture of the Goblin and Spider-Man was another headline:

"OsCorp Board Members Killed at World Unity."

He was beginning to realize exactly WHO the voice was. "The board members? You killed them?!"

WE killed them! hissed his reflection. We killed those people at the festival and YOU blacked out..... remember?

What?! Murdered? His colleagues, killed in cold-blood?! How?

Remember...we took the glider and flightsuit that night....we killed Slocum and those fools at Quest...

No.... Norman shook his head in defiance. He couldn't kill anyone. He kept a gun in the house, but when was the last time he ever fired it? The Goblin killed them. It said so in the paper.....wait a minute....."we"? No, Norman thought. I CAN'T be him.... "We?"

Remember? Your little ....accident in the lab? The reflection raised an eyebrow.

Norman wrung a hand through his auburn hair in agitation. "....you mean, the performance enhancers?"

His deranged twin in the mirror grinned....or what was close to a grin. It was more like a malevolent sneer. Bingo. Me, your greatest creation.

Norman shook his head in disbelief, denying everything his reflection was throwing at him. Oh my God......No! I didn't kill them.....

You�re supposed to say "thank you".... the reflection smirked. Suddenly the playful grin was replaced with a vicious snarl. You're going to have to learn that you don't say "no" to the Green Goblin......

"The Green Goblin?!" Norman was in a panic. "..that's the masked lunatic that's roaming around town!"

The Goblin laughed. You're the masked lunatic, Norman. You're in denial. You can't face the simple fact that I AM you......

I'm him??!! I can't be HIM?!?!? "I'm not a murderer!!!" Norman frantically reached for the poker, as if it would protect him from the Goblin.

Yes you are, Osborn! You're just as much to blame as I am!! You just don't WANT to remember.

"No......" Norman moaned wearily.

Don't be so weak! You've always been denied the power you deserve, and now I'm going to give it to you.

"NO!!" Norman shouted at the mirror. He really WAS losing it�..talking to his reflection?! Go away!

I can�t...and I won�t, the Goblin growled. We�re stuck together, whether you like it or not. So while I�m here, why don�t we have some fun?

"What are you talking about?"

I can give you what you've always wanted, Norman, the Goblin purred. Power....beyond your wildest dreams. And that's only the beginning.... The Goblin narrowed his eyes at Norman, making the CEO shiver. There's only one person who could stop us.

Norman's eyes widened. "Spider-Man," he whispered to no one in particular. "No....I won't do it. I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Liar! Hypocrite!! You want the people of this city to worship you�..you crave it.

Norman glared at his reflection in silence.

His evil twin cackled at the businessman cowering before him. I know you SO well... The Goblin smiled wickedly. Hmmm.......imagine if he joined us.

"Spider-Man? How? I mean, what are you going to do?"

�WE��remember? WE are going to pay a little visit to an old friend first...

The Goblin's mad laughter travelled through the dark mansion, leaving Norman Osborn to wonder what the hell was going on inside his head.

I've gone mad....

TBC

Author's Note: Soooo....how was it? ^_^ Yeah, it was short, but sweet. Heh..

A side note -- this chapter was were it all began. I intended to just write my version of the mirror scene and got inspired to do the rest of the story. So...here we are. LOL

Ooo...my favorite scene is coming up! Stay tuned for the infamous rooftop scene.....