The Fifty State Nightmare

10

You, Sally, and Eyeless Jack make your way out of the mansion in the late evening. It's about nine when the three of you left, giving you three hours to get to your victim and annihilate them before you needed to return to the mansion. Slender was anxious letting his daughter go out with you so he asked if you would allow someone to accompany you just this once and you readily agreed. Anything to set his mind at ease. The three of you make your way through the forest as you chat excitedly, Sally telling you all about her powers.

"How did you meet Slender?" You ask curiously, grunting when E.J. butts in.

"Sally, if we make this quick I'll take you out for ice-cream," He tells her.

"Yay! I'm gonna get chocolate chip!" She cheers. "Ask daddy. He'll tell you everything."

"Alright," Y/N says with a smile. "Ice cream after this it is."

The three of you pick a neighborhood at random, E.J. scouting out a few of the houses while you and Sally make flower crowns. She chats happily about various things as you two bathe in the moonlight. E.J. returns after about twenty minutes with house picked out, you and Sally following him inside the house. Sally makes her way upstairs while you and E.J. raid for cash and jewelry.

"You seem to be doing well," E.J. comments quietly as you two work.

"It's not as hard as I thought. In fact, I'm moving at a steady pace with my killing and making a larger name for myself," You tell him. "I miss my parents but it's not like I'm not an adult."

"I missed mine for a while too," E.J. admits. "You get used to it."

"Yeah, I guess you kind of have to eventually. Are there any perks to this whole thing?" You ask him.

"Besides getting to kill freely?" He laughs. "Extra strength, faster healing, things like that. I'm not sure on it all. You'll have to ask Slender."

"I have to ask him everything," You chuckle, the two of you freezing with wide eyes when you hear a scream.

You and E.J. drop everything and race up the stairs, rushing down the hallway and slamming the door open.

"Stay back! Stay back or I blow her brains out!" The human male snarls, a gun held to Sally's head. "Now, we're staying here and waiting for the police!"

"Okay! Okay, just put her down. Please," You beg hun, your hands held up in surrender. "Please, let me have her."

"I don't trust you bitch. Sending a child to watch while you rob a house? Fucking stupid," He snarls, his hand trembling.

"You're right. We couldn't find a baby sitter. We haven't taken anything yet. You can let her go. Let her walk out of her freely and you can have me," You tell him.

"Nightmare!" E.J. protests.

"You know who I am right? You recognize the mask? Think of the fame! You'll be a savior to your country. Please, let her go," You beg.

"You must really care. Fine. Get over here before I hand her over," He spits.

You keep your arms raised and walk over to him, flinching when the gun makes contact with your skull. The man drops Sally and she scrambles over to E.J., hiding behind him as she watches the two of you with wide eyes.

"It's okay. You two get out of here. It's okay," You tell them, your breath hitching when the man wraps an arm around you. "Go, before the police get here."

E.J. hesitates but scoops Sally into his arms and flees from the house. You relax in the man's arm and lower your head before slamming it backwards. A satisfying crunch reaches your ears before you grab his arm and jerk forward, throwing him over your shoulders. He yells as he flies forward, groaning when he makes contact with the floor. You grab the gun out of his hand and aim for his head, not taking a second thought as you squeeze the trigger. Blue and red lights suddenly flash through the window and you bolt, rushing downstairs and out the back door. Your feet pound against the ground as you make a bee line to the forest, glancing back a moment to see flash lights, diving into the trees and pressing your back against one of the towering pines.

You pant hard as you wait for the area to calm down, crawling into the woods before climbing to your feet and running through the trees. You pay little attention to where you're going as you just run, praying you'd come out the other side safely. You pant as you pause in the middle of the trees, dropping the gun still in your hand and collapsing on your hands and knees, ending up vomiting from the excursion you had forced your body through. The adrenaline dies down as you empty your stomach, resting back on your haunches as you turn your face to the sky. The stars and moon shine high above you as you climb to your shaky feet, kicking the gun away and holding your aching side as you walk through the trees. You only hoped E.J. and Sally made it back home safely. You wind up coming across a small waterfall that gives way into a stream.

You settle down by the edge and collapse in the lush grass at its bank, the receding adrenaline and hours of wakefulness a recipe for exhaustion. Your vision blurs as you try to stay awake before you feel yourself falling. Everything is weightless for a moment before your body curls on the ground, chasing away the night chill as you finally descend into sleep.