Slender

Chapter 6: Frozen

"Ahhh!" We all screamed. "Run! Move you damn legs!" I shouted again. We all turned at ran at full speed in the other direction. "Keep moving!" Someone yelled from behind me. I was in the front now, trying to take out all the branches to make it a little easier for everyone else behind me. I hope it helped, I didn't have the nerve to turn back.

We kept running for countless minutes before we all came to a haul. For the first few minutes we just sat there in a huddle, too out of breath to speak. After a while, Jeff spoke up. "So, what now?" Nobody new what to do. Next to speak was Zoe. "How about we move back to the plain? Not straight back, of course. But try to loop around or something." We all thought about it for a bit. "Let's do it." Said Joe. 

We all started walking in a square to our left. It was a chilly night, and I didn't realize it until now. It had to be below zero. I took a look around. We were surrounded by trees in every direction, but the way we were moving they did look a little thinner as moved on. I looked over at everyone. Everyone shivering, tired, forcing themselves to move. 

Jeff looked the less frightened out of all of us, as he usually does. But his face was starting to look purple, same with everyone. Zoe in the shirt 2 sizes to big had tucked her arms into it to conserve body heat. Joe, who was a little heavy, was sweating. I think just out of fear though, at least I hope. Joe always had a joke for no matter what kind of situation you were in. But now, even he was silenced. I was trying to think of what to do, a more detailed plan. I came up with nothing. It was too cold to focus on anything but that very thing. It had to be five below. 

I suggested we take cover and rest for a moment in a little cave that we found. We just sat there in silence. There was really nothing to talk about, after all. We were all freezing to death, and we would do just that unless we got moving again. I think Jeff realized that too, when I looked over he was staring back at me. We had to move, now. 

"Ok, everyone." I began. "We have to move now, and fast. Let's run another five hundred feet the way we were going, then cut back north. If we sit here, we'll freeze to death. Let's go." Nobody resisted. We started at a light jog and then cut into a steady run. 

Glancing back behind me (I was in the back once again), I noticed Slender Man around two hundred feet behind me. I decied not to tell anyone, mainly because I looked back again a few minutes later and he was gone. We were just starting to slow down to a walk again, when Joe dropped over on the ground. 

"Oh no, Joe, what is it?" Jeff sounded more worried than ever. "I... can't... move anymore. I'm sorry." Joe responded. He was out of breath, half frozen, and dying. If we didn't get him inside soon, he would die. Jeff continued, "No, Joe, we can't just let you lay here. Come on, get up. Let's get moving."

No response. Jeff began to say, fighting back tears. "...Joe?" Once again, no response. Jeff broke down and started crying without a sound. Joe lay there, stiff. Then me and Zoe looked at each other. Neither one of us knew what to do, so we just sat there. Waiting to see what Jeff would do next. He closed his brothers eyes, and sat there. It must of been another ten minutes before anyone moved. If one of the Slender Men wanted to grab us, now would work. But I guess they didn't want to get us in a moment like this, they never showed one of their pale white faces. They never showed one of their huge oversized suits. They never showed their huge tentacles that could wrap you up in a nanosecond. They never showed. We sat there in silence.

Twenty minutes after silence sitting there, Jeff was the first one to speak. "Well, let's get going. One casulty is enough for the night. If they want us, they will have to fight for us. We can't give up now, for Joe." Once again, silence. Jeff reached into his brothers pocket and pulled out a six inch switch blade, with the solid black handle studded with real diamonds, or so they both said. Jeff had one just like it, they got them for Christmas years ago. Jeff stood up, and we followed.

Out into the darkness, once again.