Sullen [Slenderverse]

Beginning

((A/N: I do not know what to expect out of this story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!))

Ring..

Ring..

Ri-

"Hey, this is Ethan, please leave a message!"

Beep

A young woman sighs, her green eyes on the screen of her pink flip phone. "C'mon, Ethan, pick up." she redials his number for the fifth time, but once again, it goes to voicemail. With another sigh, she closes her phone and pockets it.

"Still no word, Dusk?" asks a tall man with black hair swept to the side, partially covering his right eye. He stood by, hands in his black hoodie.

Dusk shook her head, her hot pink and light blue hair falling in her face. "No," she said, tucking her hair back. "He hasn't answered any of my texts too."

"Has Ashley said anything?" he asks.

She shakes her head, staring up at the cloudy sky. "She said he hasn't responded to her either. What about you, Matt? Has Ethan ghosted you as well?"

Matt nods, clearing his throat and spitting on the damp ground.

They stood in silence, unsure of what to think of Ethan's odd silence. Matt's brown eyes focused on the sky, the grey clouds moving slowly to the north in motion with soft breeze. He had no doubt in his mind that it would be raining soon, typical Washington weather.

"Maybe he overslept?" suggested Matt anxiously, a crooked smile on his face.

*ping*

Dusk jumped a bit at the sudden vibration in her jeans pocket, but quickly checked her phone, seeing a message. "Ashley just texted. She says that Ethan isn't at his apartment, so no, he didn't oversleep."

Matt sighed. "So, now what? We can't make our next video without him."

"I don't know, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet. Maybe Ethan was feeling more down and locked himself away to work it out with himself. I wouldn't be the first to consider him going to a secluded place outside his apartment for alone time to think. I'll ask Ashley what we should do." She replies, hastily texting Ashley back, the soft clicking of her keyboard audible.

Matt checked his phone, opening it. "But, even when he wasn't feeling the best, he still came to watch at least. Ethan loves making the videos with us."

"That may be, Matt, but Ethan does suffer mental problems, so maybe this time it just was too much and he needed alone time." Dusk points out, scratching the side of her head idly.

"Then why didn't he say so?" he asks as Dusk receives another text from Ashley.

Dusk bites her lower lip in thought as she reads the text. "Sometimes even communicating during those times are very hard. Don't take it personally, Matt, you know he can have a hard time expressing himself." She looks up from her phone. "Ashley suggests we check around the area, just to be sure he's at least taking care of himself."

Matt nods, folding his arms. "Alright, where do we start?"

*ping*

Dusk looks at her phone. "Ashley says we should meet up by the mall. We can then plan out on either going to the wooded area nearby there, or going to one of the abandoned buildings. Ethan is likely to be in one of those areas when he needs alone time outside his apartment."

"Sounds like a plan," Matt says.

Dusk nods, sending a quick reply to Ashley. "Let's go now, who drives this time?"

Matt pulls out the keys to his car. "I will."