Forever Alone (Book 1 of the Misguided Killer Series)

Chapter Thirteen: Lies

Hoodie woke to whispers. He tensed, but remained as still as he could. From what he could tell, one voice was talking. Yet the sound of movement indicated two individuals. He sensed one come near him and in a split second he rolled over and launched himself up. The other person fell beneath him with a loud thump, and he grunted as the lack of resistance surprised him. The other then began to struggle, trying to get out from under him. His vision was blurry as he wrestled the other, trying to stop the squirming limbs. Footsteps approached him, and he finally tuned into the voice speaking to him.

"-die. Hoodie, knock it off! The fuck is wrong with you!" He froze, recognizing that voice. He turned his head, seeing Jeff glaring down at him. He looked down again, seeing Eyeless Jack underneath him. He got up, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Sorry," he said, "I guess I kind of flew into overdrive there." Jeff rolled his eyes, helping Jack stand again. Yet despite the annoyance in Jeff's dark eyes, he looked almost hesitant. No, not hesitant. Wary. 'What could have happened to do this?" He was forced to leave his train of thought behind as the door to their joint cell banged open. He looked over, seeing an older looking man standing inside the doorway, hands behind his back and a guard on either side of him. Jeff tensed while Jack shrunk back, and Hoodie was curious as to why there was any concern about this man.

"So this one finally woke," the man said, "and masked as well." He looked to one of the guards. "Third one we've seen with a mask isn't it?"

"Yes Dr. Hauser," the guard replied, gun still trained on Hoodie. The younger huffed, glaring behind his mask. Who the hell was this guy anyway? He heard Jeff growl lowly, but the teen killer didn't budge.

'Normally he would have attacked this guy,' Hoodie thought, 'then why...why not this time?' He looked back at the man, only to notice that he was crouched in front of him, inspecting his masked face in silence. He pulled back, confused. 'What's this guy's problem anyway?' The man stood again, walking back toward the guards. His muscles twitched, his mind readying to strike. Yet Jack gripped his arm, stopping him.

"You know," the man, Dr. Hauser he recalled, said, "your friend has been very forthcoming with information. Too bad we only snagged the pair of you."

"What?" Hoodie asked, confused. Who had they caught? Toby? No, that made no sense. Had Toby been taken then Masky would has as well. That meant that Toby had gotten away. Then...was Masky...? He watched as Dr. Hauser reached a hand towards on of the guards. The handed him something, and only when the man turned back did Hoodie recognize it. Masky's mask.

"I figured you wouldn't believe me," Dr. Hauser said, holding it out for them all to see, "though I'll admit, he wasn't overly fond of giving this up. I wonder why. He looked...normal enough." Hoodie growled, angry. Even if this man had Masky's mask, no way would the other proxy give in and start spouting information. If anything he'd clam up.

"You're lying," he sneered, "he'd never tell you shit."

"Oh?" Dr. Hauser returned the mask to one of the guards, smiling slightly. "It may surprise you but I'm...quite persuasive. Isn't that right Jeffery?" Jeff twitched, growling.

"Fuck you!" He hissed, "I never told you anything."

"Maybe not," the man replied, "but you helped me learn that you kind is internally structured the same as humans. That in itself is an interesting fact. I found quite a bit of information on you Jeffery Woods." He then ignored the snarling Jeff, looking to Hoodie. "I learned quite a bit from your friend as well. He's not overly fond of being separated from you, is he? Sure, he doesn't seem to enjoy the idea of leaving any of his friends or companions behind, but you? He'll give his own life for you."

'Of course he would,' Hoodie thought, seething, 'when we became Slenderman's proxies...we were all the other had. Even now, he's all I have of value. Toby...why didn't Toby get him to safety? He promised. Masky...he-' His brain went blank as Dr. Hauser spoke again.

"It's almost pathetic; such a level of reliance." Something snapped in him then, and he dove at the man. They hit the floor in a heap, Hoodie rearing back and smashing his fist into whatever was available to him.

"Shoot him!" He heard one of the guards shout. He ignored them, continuing to hit anything available to him.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" He spat. He saw Jeff and Jack rush the guards as the first round of shots were fired. Jack dove onto one guys back, wrestling the gun away from the guards hands. Jeff was busy darting around the second guard, getting in a hit when he could. Hoodie continued until another shot went off and Jack slid to the floor in a boneless heap. The guard Jack had been on went to help his companion, shooting Jeff square in the heart. The boy collapsed, growling and swearing. Hoodie ignored the men coming towards him, swearing and punching. Blood dotted his knuckles, and he wasn't even sure if he was hitting Dr. Hauser or the floor under him.

"I wouldn't continue this," the man croaked, "if I'm not back in twenty minutes, they'll mutilate your friend until they find a way to finally kill him." Hoodie froze, mid swing. His body screamed to continue, but his mind hesitated. He didn't know if Masky could even die, but to be the reason he was in so much pain...

Someone shot him, the force pushing him back. He lay, motionless, as his limbs fell numb. Dr. Hauser crouched beside him, slightly bloodied. "Good boy," he said icily, standing. Hoodie said nothing, but a gasp was ripped from his lips as the man drove his for into his ribcage. "You lot are just some murderous humans who don't know when to die," he said, "now then, I'm off to pay your little friend a visit." Hoodie wanted to reply, but his eyes closed, and his mind went to black.

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Slenderman strode into the main room, staring as Toby placed a wounded Masky on the floor. The proxy no longer wore his mask, and his eyes were dull and glassy. His whole form trembled as he curled in on himself, blood dripping from the hole in his side. "Toby, what happened?"

"S-sorry," Toby said, twitching almost violently, "we fucked u-up. Hoodie...well he's g-gone. They t-took him t-too." Slenderman hissed, his tentacles slipping out.

'Those humans have gone too far,' he thought, 'they've taken too much. Now they've not only harmed me, but my proxy is nearly broken.' He looked to where Masky, though he debated whether he could call him that still, sat on the floor beside Ben. The pair looked miserable, and Slender felt the anguish emanating from his proxy. He turned his gaze to where Toby stood, Laughing Jack beside him with Sally. "We're moving out tonight," he announced, "I don't care what it takes, we're reclaiming what's ours."

"I'm shocked," Laughing Jack said, "that you didn't do this already. I mean yeah, your proxy was taken. But Hoodie can handle his own."

"What's your point Jack," Slender asked.

"Just saying. You've been without your little pet for a while now. You sure you aren't getting lonesome?" Slender glared at him with nonexistent eyes before turning away.

"Everyone get rest and prepare for tonight," he said, looking back at the two saddened Creepypastas on the floor, "that includes you two." Ben nodded and stood slowly, dispersing with the rest of them. Only Masky remained on the floor, unmoving. "Masky...go rest." The proxy remained silent, as if he never heard him. "Masky...Masky?" Still no response. Slender growled, determined to shake his proxy back into awareness. 'But how...' His brain sparked, and he took a deep breath. "Tim, get off your ass right now!" Masky jumped, staring at him in confusion and shock. They never used his or Hoodie's human names. Hell, he didn't know if the two themselves ever used them anymore. Still, it got his attention. Masky stood, giving a short nod and leaving, off towards his and Hoodie's shared room. Slender sighed, shaking his head. 'He'll be fine once Hoodie is back.'

He wandered off towards his room, sighing as he sank onto the bed. His mind wandered back to Laughing Jack's words. 'Do I really miss Jeff? That loud mouthed, arrogant, cocky....endearing little psychopath?' He huffed, shaking his head.  'Apparently I do.' He laid back, waiting for night to fall. 'I hope they're all safe...I hope Jeff is safe.' With that, he slipped into dreamless sleep.