Falling In Love With Slender Man

Chapter 20

 --CHAPTER TWENTY--

           

“It’s taking Sage an awfully long time,” Fallon commented from his post on the worn pea green couch.

            Elijah glanced up at him. “She’s been through a lot lately. I’m sure she wants to take her time and try and scrub away all the evil taint Slendy had on her.”

            Fallon held up his hands in defense at his brother’s sharp tone. “I was just saying. Maybe you should go check on her or something?” he suggested.

            Elijah shook his head, blond strands of hair flying across his vision. “She’s not the type of girl who needs checking up on,” he told him.

            A mocking grin spread across Fallon’s delicate face. “Right, because she’s your Partner. Your love is written in the stars. Personally, I don’t think she wants your love. She seems content to hate us all.”

            Elijah’s face hardened. “No. She just doesn’t understand. She’s scared. Besides, no Partner has ever rejected the fact of what they are. “

            Fallon nodded slowly. “True, but not many of us are as special as Sage is. She might have the power to break the Accoupler bond.”

            Elijah’s gray eyes turned stormy. “She can’t. No Hunter can.”

            Fallon simply shrugged. “We’re all aware of her specialness. No one knows what she’s capable of though.”

            “You don’t understand,” Elijah said almost desperately. “I’ve been waiting for her all my life. You got to grow up with your Partner,” he pointed out sourly.

            Fallon narrowed his brown eyes. “Yes, but if you recall she died when we were fifteen, in a battle trying to take down Slendy. Be lucky you don’t have to deal with that,” he said coldly.

            “You seemed to have taken a liking to Alyssa.”

            Fallon rolled his eyes irritably. “It’s not the same. That’s what you don’t understand. Your Partner is your one true love. You were basically made for each other. You know how to fight together; you know just what to say to each other. You don’t get that with anybody else. You’ll never be able to find it again.” He glared at the wall in front of him. “The only reason I can even attempt to be with Alyssa is because her Partner died in the attack on her town. She knows what it’s like.”

            “I guess you’ll never understand it from my point of view either. I’ve never gotten to experience it because no one knew where the hell my Partner went! And then when they do find her, she acts like she hates me.” Elijah tugged violently at the fraying string on the cuff of his shirt.

            Fallon sighed, and was about to say something in reply when Jonathan came in.

            “Where’s Sage?” he asked of Elijah.

            “She’s getting a shower. You know that. You’re the one who told her to,” he replied.

            Jonathan looked down at his glittering watch. “Yes, but that was nearly an hour ago,” he said. “Go and get her.” His tone left no room for argument.

            Elijah shrugged and got out of his chair. He turned down the hall where he ran into Taylor. Fantastic. Just what he needed today.

            Taylor’s dark eyes still glared up at him as she stopped in his path. “Where’s Sage?” she asked, just like everyone else was asking.

            Elijah returned her glare, not even trying to be nice. He just wasn’t in the mood for this. “I’m going to get her now. She was in the shower.”

            Taylor stuck her chin out. “I’m sure she’d rather me go and get her,” she said indignantly.

            Elijah laughed without humor. “Doubtful. I don’t think she knows her little pals knew about this and she didn’t. She’d probably just get pissed and run off.”

            Taylor snorted. “Whatever. I know her better than you. Don’t be surprised if she’s already outta here,” she said in a bitter tone and then continued down the hall to the living room.

            Elijah creaked his door open slowly and glanced inside. Nobody was there. “Sage?” he called softly. No answer.

            She must still be in the bathroom then. He walked quietly over to the bathroom door and gingerly knocked on it. “Sage?” he asked again.

            She did not respond. He could hear the water of the shower rushing on the other side of the door. He tried the knob, but it was locked.

            “Sage!” he shouted. This was odd. Something didn’t feel right.

            He walked back and then took a running start, kicking down the door. His Hunter training made this possible, and thanked the witchcraft in his blood.

            He glanced around the tiny bathroom. Sage’s old clothes were discarded on the floor, the new clothes missing.

            He twitched the shower curtain back and was not surprised to find it empty. That’s when he noticed the window. It was open slightly, and the words I’m sorry were scrawled on the steamy pain. Sage was gone.

            Disappointment, sadness, hurt and anger all ran inside his head. He’d just gotten her. After waiting all seventeen years of his life. And she’d left, before she even understood what was going on.

            Tears bubbled up behind Elijah’s eyes. He fought to push them back, but even with his hardest effort, one found it’s way to the surface and spilled over. He scrubbed cruelly at his cheek, wiping it away.

            “Uncle!” he called as he ran down the hall. “She’s gone! Sage is gone!”

            He looked up incredulously. “What do you mean?”

            “Ha!” Taylor said from the corner of the room, where she was laying sideways in an armchair, her feet tangling over the armrest. “That’s Sage for ya!”

            Jonathan cut her a savage look, silencing her immediately. “I think I know where she went,” he said slowly. He seemed to be calculating, thinking up a strategy.

            “Gather the others. We have to go back and get her,” he declared finally.

            Elijah shook his head. “That didn’t go well the last time. I’ll go get her. And if she wants to come back, then she can. It’ll be better coming from me.”

            Jonathan shrugged. “Fine. But be warned, you may come face to face with the Slender Man.”

            Elijah’s eyes hardened. “I can handle it, if it’s for Sage.” There was an edge of determination in his voice.