The Forest : Demons in the Mist

Chapter 9: Exposition

I skipped back into the house after Toby shook me off his back, trying to contain my panic.

I had a good idea of what was chasing me. Yet, I couldn't help but second guess if maybe I was still asleep. Personally the thought of opening my eyes on the cold forest floor would be more comforting than reentering a mansion full of murders. I shook the mud from my boots onto a torn rug, noticing Slenderman waiting for me down the hall in front of his office. The hairs on my neck stuck up a bit as I stared back at his face.

Even without eyes I could feel his imaginary gaze piercing through my defense as I lumbered over to him.

"Avaline, my office please." He whispered as he turned to sit at a table with two chairs.

I took a breath and sat down, staring at the ground uneasily.

"Avaline..." He whispered and pushed a few stacks of paper aside. "I would like to request something from you."

I twirled my fingers and looked up at him worriedly. "What would you need from me...?"

"I noticed these past few nights you've been having... 'nightmares'..." he said calmly. "Ever since Lazari arrived its been getting worse..."

I gulped a bit and froze a bit in my seat. I don't think that Lazari had anything to do with it, yet if her origins appeared in my dreams, she could be connected with whatever was chasing me in the woods. I certainly didn't want to be stuck with that child, especially after she bit Jack and caused me nothing but stress and sleepless nights.

"As with the incident with the organs in the fridge... I've grown quite concerned with you spending your time here."

My heart started to sink into my chest a bit, finally meeting my conviction. I clung onto my seat, trying to hold onto whatever I could.

"It's quite clear that there's a lot to you that neither of us quite understand, and I would like to start visiting these...concerns with you more in the future. If you would like that."

I deflated and exhaled heavily, burying my face into my hands.

"Y-yes...that would be nice..." I said with a relieved sigh.

Tears starting to well into my eyes as the stress of the situation was settling in. He materialized next to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"I know you're going through a rough phase at the moment, we'll figure this out alright?"

I nodded weakly and excused myself from the office. I wobbled down the hallway, pulling the hoodie around me a bit. The floorboards were rough and cold against my socks, it would've been more eerie if Jeff wasn't cursing at someone on the couch. I stood at the foot of the stairs and watched Jeff and a short blonde guy as they argued over Mario Kart. I noticed Lazari was watching the both of them from the floor, listening attentively to what they were saying. Jeff noticed me and turned with a cold expression on his face.

"The fuck do you want?"

I pressed my lips together and turned away, walking up the stairs slowly.

"What a bitch...first Slender drags her from the woods and now we have to baby sit her useless ass...." I heard him mutter to the guy next to him.

I froze and straightened my back a bit. A burning sensation building up in my chest as I took a breath.

"Who the hell do you think you are...?" I asked.

I turned around and saw him looking up at me, a dark glare piercing through me.

"Hey, I have no reason to fucking trust you. You came out of the woods and suddenly you're the fucking main character!"

"Jeff..."

"Shove it down your throat Ben...I'm sick of having to see her walk around, might as well get rid of that filth before she learns how to properly hold a knife..."

I suddenly had no memory of what happened next. I remember the flame bursting in my chest and slowly passing through the veins of my arms until I was calmer. My eyes focused to see my fingers digging into Jeff's shoulder, his knife dropping onto the floorboards. Looking back I saw Ben on the couch, clutching the game system as Lazari hid behind the couch. I took a breath and loosened my grip, my hands trembling at my side as I walked back up stairs.

"What a fucking pussy..."

-

I sat in my room for the rest of the morning, not hearing from Toby or Slender. 
First nightmares and now blackouts, what's next...?"
I sighed and jumped when I heard a knock from the door.

"C-come in!" I said shakily.

Lazari opened the door and waddled in cautiously, staring up at me.

"Jeff is mean..." she said quietly.

"Yea...he was."

"I kicked him really hard-"

I smiled a bit and relaxed.

"Did he say something mean to you too...?"

"No...he was just a bitch-"

"H-hey! Whoa don't say that word!" I sat up and furrowed my brows a bit. "That's a grown up word!"

I froze a bit and sank back into bed. Lazari was dangerous, and she was in my room. Red flags should be going off but for some reason I ignored that as soon as I saw her.

"Avaline...?"

I jumped a bit, "Y-yes??"

She walked over and crawled onto my bed with me.

"Does Jack hate me...?"

I blinked and raised my eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that...?"

"Because I bit him..." she said with a sniffle.

"Well...that would explain it..." I said. "But maybe you just gave him the wrong impression."

Lazari slumped a bit and laid her head on my lap, sending mixed signals as I froze.

"I promise I won't bite..." she said quietly.

I looked down at her, her face slightly red as she made some light sniffles. I hesitantly put a hand on her head, relaxing slightly as I watched her fall asleep. I adjusted myself away from her, letting her rest on my bed as I curled up on the foot of my bed. I suppose if I thought about it, both me and Lazari were both people of the forest, with more questions than answers. I felt sorry for her as much as I wanted to avoid her. Though was clear that this mansion didn't have the best hospitality, and I was curious about her involvement in my nightmares.