The Marionette of Madness

15

Toby sat in the chair, staring straight ahead. Mari stood over him, machete in hand, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, sweat pouring down his face.
"You could at least react to what I'm doing!"

Toby could feel the thing behind him.
"It seems our little friend can't feel pain. How lovely."
Her cold finger brushed against Toby's cheek.
"You could be very useful to us."

Toby shook his head.
"I've got enough shit in my life. I don't need you."

The demon didn't respond. Mari tossed aside the machete and pushed his hair out of his face.
"In that case, let's just let him go."

Toby watched as one of those green threads snaked out from the thing behind him and latched on to the metal ring around Mari's neck. It jerk him forward, clearly causing him great pain.
"I didn't ask for your opinion Dear. Besides, physical pain isn't the only kind there is, we can hurt him in other ways."
She released him.
"But I have other places to be, that can wait until tonight. Why don't you play with him until I get back?"
And then she was gone.

Mari slumped to the floor.
"Finally."
He looked up at Toby.
"Sorry for all that, but trust me, you'd rather have me doing that while in my right mind."

Toby shook his head.
"C-could you untie me now?"

"I'd rather not. I like my head still being attached to my neck."
He got up and approached Toby, pulling off the younger man's mask and goggles.
"Damn, you've nearby chewed a hole in your cheek, how long has that been there?"

"I don't know, I can't feel it, but since T-t-tim and Brian didn't comment on it, I th- I think its new."

Mari shook his head and began rummaging in a nearby backpack. He came up with a small first aid kit.
"Here, I can fix it up. Don't want it getting infected."

Toby leaned away and Mari reached for his face with a bandage and some antiseptic.

"Just hold still, you won't even feel it."
Mari laughed at his own joke, pulling a nearby crate up so he could sit down.

Toby watched Mari's face, for lack of somewhere better to look, as he cleaned to wound.
"What does she mean? H-hurt me in other ways."

Mari's eyes would meet Toby's.
"Mistr- Carmilla is good at finding painful things to poke at, especially emotionally painful things. She'll find something to hurt you with."
He put down the antiseptic and began applying the bandage.
"Do you have any memories that are important to you?"

"Most of them."

Mari laughed half-heartedly.
"Hold on to them, don't let her get them. If she gets those memories, you won't get them back."

Toby turned his head to watch as Mari moved to treat some of his other wounds.
"Did-did she do th-that to you?"

Mari nodded.
"Its been about three years now, I don't remember very much anymore. The worst part though, is that she let's me remember that this is my fault. She let's me remember my brother, and what I did for him. Thats what hurts the most."

"Wh-what happened to your brother?"

Mari shook his head.
"Not now. I don't want to talk about it. Let's talk about you. Why do you work for that thing?"

Toby thought for a moment.
"Slenderman? I don't know. It-it just showed up one day, after my s-sister d-d-died. It followed me all the time. Then everything is kinda fuzzy. I don't remember most of the things he makes me do. Except for killing my dad, I remember that, he had it coming."

Mari nodded along.
"Weird. Not really how demons tend to operate, but after seeming him last night, I'm not sure what your boss is. My ears are still ringing a bit."
Mari leaned back.
"You're all cleaned up. Get some rest, I'll try and get some food. And don't struggle against the ropes too hard, you'll give yourself ropeburn."