WELCOME TO THE MASQUERADE p2020 was a reality horror show. And like most obnoxious entertainment reality shows, this one had its own idiosyncratic rules and penalties. Call it The Big Lockdown. We were forced to go to ground, to hide in our holes. Some went underground and never came back. Uncertainty ruled because the rules kept changing. Were we following the science or the mad scientists Was the light at the end of the tunnel the fiery mouth of hell We couldn't say for sure, so we ventured out for food, booze and sundries like scavengers in a slow-motion apocalypse, keeping our distance from fellow human beings because you never knew who might be carrying that heavy viral load. pAnd everywhere we went, we went behind the mask. So, it became obvious The theme of our offering of extreme horror tales from 2020 had to be Masquerade. pOur masquerading storytellers nevertheless did what they do best. They went deep into the belly of the beast and sent up fictions reflective of these tryin