Slender Man Chronicles (Matched Collectors)

Chapter 10

While our night may have been a good one, it wasn't for a couple who was trying to have a romantic time down along the MonocacyRiver. Emily texted me as soon as she woke up, and I went to look up the article in the paper.

In the paper it said they were hiking. Right. We all knew what they were doing down on the Monocacy practically in the middle of the night. I didn't care about that, what bothered me was that there was someone else out there who would now suffer slender sickness like Emily had. I hadn't really thought about the slender man much since Odin took away the pain. It hadn't been that long, and I think I knew deep down that it wouldn't be gone. That was too easy.

Brody was with Emily and they were having breakfast. Even though I knew nothing would happen, I was pacing my bedroom with jealousy. I wanted to be there with them, but couldn't get out of my day with Drew. I didn't want to get out of my day with Drew, I missed hanging out with my little brother. But, I wanted my girlfriend too. Finally she texted to let me know she was home.

Hi, you. Next time we're taking you because I moped the whole time.

Relief flooded through me. I shouldn't have felt better, but I did. It was just so hard having to leave her. She was my other half. I just needed to either learn how to deal with this, or find a way around it. Something.

"Hey, come on," Drew opened my door without knocking, but I decided not to be mad.

The movie was good, and I'm glad we went. He talked me into some video games, and I had him ride with me when I went to bring Emily over for dinner. The relief I saw on her face when she got into the car had to mirror my own. I felt so much better when she was around me.

Monday we had homeroom. We didn't have it all the time, just if there was something special or announcements that needed to be made. Homecoming was in a couple of weeks, and the court was being voted on. I was not surprised at all to see that Emily's name was one of the representatives for the sophomore class. She'd been one for her freshman year. Last year she had Sean escort her during halftime of the football game. I knew that she'd ask me this year, but there was a part of me that was nervous that she wouldn't.

"Hi," she smiled at me after homeroom when I found her to walk her to her first class.

"So, I see you're in the homecoming court," I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Yeah, I need an escort for that," she grinned. "Maybe I'll ask Sean again. Or see if Maddy will loan Brody to me."

"You suck," I bumped her with my shoulder.

"You know I'm going to ask you," she laughed. "Will you escort me?"

"Like you need to ask," I put my arm around her waist. "I'll escort you any time you need it. Your dance card is full, all that."

"My dance card?" she turned and gave me a puzzled look.

"I dunno either," I shrugged as we stopped at her locker. "It's something my mom says to my dad. That she likes knowing her dance card is full."

"Well, then I guess I do too," she smiled.

After practice, I drove Emily home even though she could have gotten a ride with Sean. We were both a little surprised to see that Charles was there.

"Come in here, please," he said from his study as we walked by on our way to the kitchen.

"What's wrong, Dad?" Emily sat down.

"Saturday night after terrorizing the couple down by the river, the slender man took a child Sunday night," he sighed and tossed the newspaper over at us.