The Slender Man

***Note: this story was inspired by my friend and the popular computer game/creepy story.***

Emily gathered the bouquet of roses all together, tying them with a long, blue ribbon. Looking out at the gray sky, she sighed. If it started raining while she was at the graveyard, she'd be in so much trouble. After all, she wasn't even supposed to be out of the house after eight o'clock, let alone by herself to a graveyard. But her brother would never understand; their parents' deaths hadn't shaken him at all.

Exactly one year to the day, her parents had died in a horrible car accident. It seemed the way that everybody died these days. She could still remember the funeral, all of the sad and pitiful faces looking down on her. She had only been sixteen years old, her brother eighteen.

Shaking her head, full of beautiful, orange curls, Emily slipped her coat on, some rain boots, and locked the door behind her.

The late August air greeted her as she strode down the street to the bus stop. She was alone, the only one on her side of town crazy enough to be out at this time. Boarding the bus, she sat, her footsteps echoing throughout the nearly empty vehicle.

The bus started up again, and she slumped down into one of the cold seats, a boy a little older than her three seats down. She turned to find him staring at her...at her feet. Looking down, she noticed that one of the roses had started shedding its petals.

Figures. She thought. That's why they were on sale, they're nearly dead.

She picked up the petals, shoving them into her pocket. The boy spoke.

"Where are you going?"

His dark eyes studied her, as if he were trying to figure her out.

"The cemetery." She answered, a little snobbishly. This was none of his business. "You?"

"Home." He answered, smoothing down his ruffled, black hair. "You're going to the cemetery at this time of night? Really?"

"Yeah." She responded defensively. "Why? What's so wrong with paying tribute to your parents by decorating their graves?"

A look of sympathy crossed his face before he spoke. "I'm sorry that you lost them. But I'm not trying to get into your business. I'm just...concerned, is all. I've heard some pretty crazy stories about the cemetery at night. I just don't want you to get hurt."

She snorted. "Why do you care? You don't even know me."

He was silent, but then surprised her by saying softly, "I could."

She turned her head slowly to the boy, taking in his dark clothes and studded wristband. There was a chance that he was a creepo just trying to earn her trust. There was a chance that he would follow her off the bus and kidnap her or worse...murder her. There was also a chance that he was just a misunderstood teenage boy with an awesome sense of style and a kind heart. "I'm Emily."

"I'm Rick. I'm seventeen. How old are you?"

"Seventeen." Emily frowned. "You look a lot older than seventeen."

He chuckled. "I'm told that a lot." The bus slowed to a stop and he gulped. "Can't you just wait until tomorrow to visit the cemetery?"

"No." she shook her head fiercely, getting up from her seat. "One year to this day, my parents died."

Rick watched Emily as the bus drove away. She turned from his intense gaze and made her way to the cemetery gates, which were nearly entirely enveloped in fog.

They creaked eerily as she swung them open, banging shut as soon as she let them go. She jumped at the sound that metal on metal made, a screeching, grinding noise. She squinted through the heavy fog, trying to see where she was going. Her parents' graves were by a certain tree, just off to the left...