Byron's Secret (Slenderman Romance)

Chapter 18. Safe?

The Next Day. . .
Tuesday, Night Time

Finally, I'm done with my classes. I needed to catch up on lessons that requires memorizing so to put it simply; lessons that are useless unless you're going to pursue a career related to fine arts. Hell, they're not even that important.

But, they're required to be taught and if I don't teach them, I will lose my job. That's exactly the problem in this society. Why the hell do we have to learn useless pieces of information? No, we don't even have to understand it, we just need to memorize it because, really, grades matter instead of intelligence.

Urgh, I've been drawing on a pad in my living room to release my frustration, and I'm sitting on the cold, hard floor for the hell of it. I kinda miss doing it anyway but it's just . . . my job. I wanted to change something in the education system, but to be honest, I can't do much. Even though I'm a teacher, I'm still under the power of the system. I need to follow it. If I didn't, I wouldn't be a teacher any longer and that will suck because I dreamed of this since I was a teenager.

I accidentally broke the tip of my pencil after I stabbed the drawing pad.

I sighed and sharpened it for the third time since the last hour and boorishly went back to my drawing. It was a simple portrait of this house, it's not every day where I get to have my own flat and live alone.

Alone, lonely, and bored.

I sort of miss the city. Bigger things happen there but it's not like I hate the solitude in this town. Except maybe it's not solitude, it's stalkers and weird shit happening all the time. Even the people treats it like it's normal . . .

In the middle of my relentless thoughts, I heard a bump just outside my back door. I immediately froze and stopped my breathing as I listened carefully.

After a few chilling seconds, I hesitantly resumed my work. Not a moment after, another louder thump near the window in the living room was heard. It's so fucking close to me. What the hell is making that sound?

I was then attacked by the eerie static, only it was different. It didn't hurt as much but I felt my consciousness slipping away. I fought it back, I tried to stay awake. I knew I can't just black out, not with any dangerous people near me. There's no doubt . . . It's them.

'Always . . . watches . . .'

Just when I felt like screaming, it was gone in a flash. My weariness was replaced by immense fear and paranoia. I hastily stood and ran for the window, pulling the curtains together and covering it. I did the same with every window in the living room and kitchen since they're basically in the same room.

Breathing heavily, I sat down on the couch and rethink what happened.

'Always watches'? What the fuck does that even mean? They're always here? That's impossible. They can't always be here. How did I even hear that?

I'm certain I didn't hear anything. Rather, it felt like a dream for a second. While I was in the middle of falling unconscious－a dream-like state－that's when I heard it.

Deep in thought, my eyes were caught by the drawing pad laying on the floor. A big crossed-out circle was drawn on it. It was the same sign I saw multiple times before . . . Did I . . ?

Was it me? I don't even know what it means . . . I keep seeing this sign.

I slowly stood and with my heart pounding against my chest, I cautiously went close to the window where the previous sound came from. I only then realized my hand was shaking after I slightly parted the curtains to peek outside.

Of course.

Nothing.

After I made sure that I checked every corner and every dark shadows resulting from the trees, I closed the curtains again and made my way to the stairs. I didn't even bother to turn the lights off nor keep my stuff. I was too shaken up, I needed to sleep this one out.

That said, I went up my room, still wearing the clothes I wore from teaching at school just hours ago. With the lights out, I kept the one and only window in my bedroom locked and made sure that no one was outside.

Once I feel a little safer and secured, I locked the door and hopped in my bed, under the blankets.

Realizing that I was too uneasy to fall asleep, I stared blindly into the darkness that had filled my room.

It was too dark.

Too quiet.

Unable to take the lingering fear, I decided to use the small lamp on my nightstand, I don't usually use it since I always use the window as a light source or simply sleep without any light at all.

But tonight was different.

I plugged it in and felt relieved as the dim light spreads in the room. Alright, window's locked, door is locked, no other entrance in my room. Good.

An eerie feeling stayed even though I knew I was safe. Still, I fell asleep from the stress and exhaustion. I'd better give Dylan and Darwin a call about this, I'm not sure how long can I take these strange things before I snap, I might just ditch this place.

。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

I heard ruffling somewhere, something familiar, I know I hear it everyday.

A slight, gentle noise, but that didn't stop it from waking me up. Opening my eyes, there was light. Morning already?

Just then, a piece of paper flew by the side of my bed, disappearing to God knows where. So that's what's making that noise . . . I don't remember bringing work inside my room.

In a daze, I realized it was only the lamp's light illuminating the room. I looked over the window in a daze and saw that it was indeed, still night time.

On my peripheral vision, I saw something that made the color of my face drain.

I screamed at the top of my lungs as my eyes froze on a man sitting on the floor, across the room. He had his back to the wall, he's the guy wearing a white mask. I may not see his eyes but I knew he was staring right back at me.

"Who are you!?" I yelled, fear striking me. "Please just leave me alone! Go away!" I was nearly sobbing as I shouted, "Just tell me what you want from me. If you don't leave, I'll－"

My words were cut off when he quickly stood as if he was going to lunge at me. Almost by reflex, I grabbed the next thing beside me－which is my phone－and threw it at his direction, hitting the wall instead.

I suddenly grew dizzy, my head was filled with the sound of the static, a violent one. I was ready to black out at any moment.

But it seems, out of reflex, I involuntarily repeated the same set of actions and grabbed another thing close to me－the lamp.

I threw it at him.

Yet my consciousness was already stolen from me before I could see what happened. Even so, I still feel the static, I feel it in my head, I can hear it as well. It's everywhere . . .

Make it stop.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Short chapter guys, you do know I'm always busy with school (つД')ノ we have events lasting until Friday and it's messed up because I'd rather spend that time finishing up my projects so I can update more when it's all done.

But nooooo, these events are just soooo special that we have to attend every single oneeeee because really, it's so much more important than learning.
(♯｀∧') ＜$#!@ ）

I'm sorry ಥ_ಥ I'm just extremely stressed.

Please enjoy the new chap! I'll try to update soon. Thanks for the reads, votes and comments!