HOMEOSTASIS

Chapter XVII

"Oh, my weary soul,
We've met your kind before, set fire to us all.
And oh, sweet providence,
Come save us from ourselves, from Hell and consequence."

⦻⦻⦻

"So she was delusional all along?"

"I guess so." Tim replied from the bathroom, where Toby was helping him bandage his non-existent finger. Brian was laying on the couch with a hand over his eyes, pressing an ice bag against his crotch.

Jeff was behind him, tapping on the cushions with boredom. "You're quite the handsome lad, aren't ya?"

"Don't refer to me."

"So what are we supposed to do about that?" Jack asked, pointing at Kate's unconscious body on the floor. Tim sighed and walked over to her. His arms wrapped around her figure with care, and went for the stairs.

"I'll put her in bed. Afterwards, we need to come up with a plan. A plan to end this shit."

They didn't know what that meant, they just knew he didn't say anything else and made his way up the stairs.

Ben sighed, breaking the sudden silence, "So this Operator/Slenderman thing. What's the deal?"

"Walking motherfucking tree, as I like to call him..." Brian muttered.

"If he's such a monster, wouldn't there be a huge decrease in the population?"

"Come on, it's not like he eats people for breakfast. Besides, they're very rare- the times I've seen him kill someone. I'm used to seeing people go crazy because of his presence, and they end up destroying each other, or even themselves. Only recently we found out he has tendrils, which kind of feeds to the idea that yes, he might be able to kill as well."

"But physically-wise, he's an extremely tall and slender creature. Abnormally long limbs, f-faceless... he wears a suit..."

"Ooh, fancy."

"But his actual abilities go way further." Interrupted Brian. "He teleports, spreads this disease everytime he's near, he can brainwash you into doing his deeds, he'll make you hallucinate- he mostly lures people to achieve a goal we're not fully aware of. We don't think he's even from this dimension. Everything he does seems to purposefully end up in hurting others, so we theorize that he does all of this because he needs fear to live. Like an animal who goes hunting out of instinct. We know he feeds on the corpses of the dead too, in a place we call "the Ark". Us, proxies, we just help with what he can't physically do. Like gain people's focus or spread messages. If dying isn't a concern to you, he'll get a way to make you live your own Hell. Probably with brainwash. That's what happened to Kate. She attacks mainly when she's under his influence. That's why I think it's so strange how she acted earlier... that was Chaser, not Kate. Actually, that happens with proxies in general. Always get more violent and never remember our own mess, when we're under his control."

"B-Besides, Slenderman's everywhere. Sometimes, it's almost as if he can see forward in time, read our minds, like he knows every-FUCKING-thing and nothing at the same time. He's got these unbelievable p-powers too. That's why these three work towards ending him, but they never can. Personally, I don't detest this life. Whatever is asked of me, I'll do. That's my duty as a proxy: to serve both Slenderman, and these guys." He patted Brian's shoulder forcefully with a smile, and the blond groaned in pain.

"I need painkillers..." And that's what Toby went to get.

"So, this creature... Can't we just pay him to leave us alone? Heh..." Jeff tried to light up the mood with a joke, he did, but Brian actually widened his eyes as a warning.