What are we doing here? (Slenderman X Lost Reader)

Chapter 2: A week previous

     "Wait. So you're telling me that you don't want to be with me because I told you I was uncomfortable with you flirting with people I know you've dated in the past?" You let a hint of anger creep into your voice as you look up at your partner with a confused and hurt expression. "It's not flirting. I don't even like them." they respond, hatred for you filling their eyes. But you hang out with them every day and only ever talk to them. "That's fine but I don't think its fair that me communicating with you is whats breaking us apart, especially since I told you that two years ago!" your voice sounds panicked and desperate, despite you trying to keep it calm. "No, this is why this isn't working (y/n), we're through. We can be friends still but not now," they snarl and their pupils are deep and expressionless. "That isn't fair! C'mon babe.." this isn't the first time they've done this to you but this time it felt real. Final. "I'm not talking to you anymore. Bye, (y/n)," they stand up and walk away, leaving you under the tree you were talking under. Your mouth is slightly agape with shock and heartbreak but you manage to hold back the tears for the time being.

     The tears came when you got home that day. As soon as you opened the door and saw your house, everything looked dull and lifeless, bringing the awaited tears out in a torrent. It was as if a wave of shame and grief washed over you as the door closed. You drop your bag and slide to the floor, choking on a dry sob. It's late afternoon by the time you're able to get up and miserably make your way to the sink for a drink. You twist the faucet handle and it leaks, as usual. You gulp thirstily at the water, not having realized how long you had been on the floor and how dehydrated you were. Looking up from the sink, you see that the sun is getting low in the sky so you numbly and shakily pull a cup'o'noodles out of your pantry and start the water to boil. You weren't hungry but you had made a promise to your parents a long time ago that you would eat at least once a day and you hadn't yet. Waiting for the water to boil, you shuffle over to your bag, which was still sitting by the door, and pull out your computer, resting it on the counter next to the kitchen window so you could watch the boiling water and browse the internet at the same time.

    While on the computer, you find yourself wandering through "free online therapist" websites and trying to remember numbers to hotlines. While on a sketchier looking website, you get a pop up ad and, annoyed, you try to click the x but miss and click the ad instead. It brings you to a colorful website with a ton of pictures of the forest. Swearing under your breath  you bring your cursor up to close down the website but something catches your eye. A line of text below a picture of a flowing river reads "Troubled Soul? Recent Heartbreak? Lost in the World? Come join us! We're a healing group who is soon taking a Healing Backpacking Expedition up in the north woods! Gorgeous scenery and relaxing experiences! Only for $50! Sign up today!" The "sign up here" part was clearly a link and your eyes graze the other pictures on the website as you almost absentmindedly mover your cursor to click the link. You're almost surprised when the new website loaded in, revealing some very simple paperwork. Hmm... a healing expedition. Only for $50 too? Why not. It seemed like an amazing idea at the time, as your brain wasn't really thinking of safety or your at-home obligations such as your job. Filling out the paperwork, you hum softly to yourself tunelessly, typing in your email and hitting submit. You don't really expect anything to come of it except a couple hundred spam emails.

     Shutting your computer, you realize that your water has been boiled for a while now and you rush to pour some into your noodle cup. Waiting for the noodles to cook felt like forever so you went and skeptically packed a backpacking bag, complete with a tent and a coffee kit, as well as a first aid kit in case you fell or something stupid like that. You laugh, unsure of why you were packing and with the relief of not having to struggle through a dysfunctional relationship anymore. You were free. Disturbed and confused, yes, but free and relieved.

    Later that night, as you were eating your noodles and watching a reality tv show, your phone dings loudly, indicating that you had received an email. Weird. Probably an email from an online game you had signed up for five years ago. Even with the high possibility of it being junk, you pick up your phone to check

Dear (Y/n)!

My name is Greg, and I'll be the guide for the cool healing experience you just signed up for! It'll be totallyy radical. Thank you for signing up, we were actually leaving in just a week, so you signed up at the perfect time.

Now, if you could meet the rest of the group on the shore of lake superior at the location enclosed at the bottom that would be totally awesome dude.

     You're kidding. Greg was the guides name? And why was he talking like it was still the 80's. Reluctantly, you check the location and realize that it really wasn't too far of a drive from where you lived. I'll sleep on it tonight and see what I think in the morning. You groan and turn off your phone, rolling over on the couch and grabbing the remote, flicking the tv off as well. Burying your face in the uncomfortable couch cushion, you fall into a restless sleep, waking up to another email from your friend 'Greg' at five in the morning.