Breaking Point

Chapter Two

We followed the group of teens into the woods, keeping out of sight. This was my favorite part of the hunt; the stalking. Despite my age and mindset, I couldn't help but imagine being a tiger stalking his prey. I bared my teeth like one would, silently laughing to myself.

"Let's make them paranoid. They might turn back." Masky whispered, breaking my train of thought.

"Toby," Hoodie whispered in my ear, "you do it, since you're the leanest and smallest of the three of us. Plus...no offense meant...but you're kinda a freak when it comes to these things..."

With a sigh I agreed, then began to close in on the teens. All the while they cussed and laughed and shouted. The only one of particular interest was the girl. Like before, she seemed uninterested in all the nonsense around her. She seemed more interested in picking at the black paint on her shirt. I then got back to the job at hand and proceeded to spook them. I took a reasonable sized rock and threw it at the kid in the back of the group, watching it bounce off his side. It made him jump, and he looked around.

"Hey guys?" he said.

"What's up, Austin?" asked a tall, chocolate-brown skin-colored teen.

"Something...hit my side..." he said, shaking.

I giggled to myself and took another stone and tossed it at the other teen, watching him jump. They were all focused on each other, giving me a chance to climb a tree. Once I got to a high branch, hidden from view, I cupped my hands over my mouth and let out a scream. It made it sound muffled, like someone was being murdered. From my spot, I could see them shaking. It made me laugh.

My gaze went to Masky and Hoodie. They nodded at me, then made a few quick hand motions. I understood what it meant, and it made me grin.

Go in for the kill.

I dropped down, landing behind them. They jumped, the group gasping. I ticced before my murderous mindset kicked in.

"What have we g-got here...? A-A group of j-juvin-niles causing t-trouble..." I said, letting my mouth, not my head, control what I was saying.

Hoodie and Masky appeared. Hoodie had a rusted metal pole while Masky held a knife. The group seemed scared stiff. My eyes went to the girl, her eyes wide with fear. This made my grin widen, though they couldn't see it.

"L-let's have some fun...!" I cried before lunging at the boy I threw stones at.

He shrieked, but it was cut off as my hatchet cut into his throat, splicing his larynx open. Blood gushed forth, spattering me in crimson blood. The teen collapsed, lifeless. Masky and Hoodie attacked, too. The tall African American pulled out a long switchblade and attacked Masky. The ripping sound of his leather jacket was loud, and we could see that he hit the skin, as blood had began to pour down his arm. Hoodie shook off the other teen and bashed his skull in with the pole, blood and grey matter spattering the ground under it. He then helped Masky take down the large teen. Hoodie struck from behind, giving Masky the opportunity to stab the teen, which left me the girl. She ran into the woods, and I chased after her. She then tripped, leaving her open for attack. I swung my hatchet down, expecting that delicious spray of blood...

CRACK!

The blade buried into the tree root where she was moments before. She had rolled to the side, and before I could pull the hatchet out of the root, she kicked me away. I quickly regained, lunging at her. Admittedly, she put up a good fight. Every swing from her had power behind it, every kick packing a enough force to knock someone off balance. But I was quicker. She swung at me, leaving her side open. I turned and kicked her, hearing the air leave her lungs as she collapsed. I smirked and went to grab my hatchet, only to have her grab my ankle and trip me. I fell face first. I heard a light crack, signalling I had broken my nose. I didn't feel the pain as I stood, then placed my foot on her head as I pressed it into the dirt.

"Y-you can't h-hurt me..." I told her. "I should kill you now...s-smash your face in-into the dirt...O-or slice y-your head cl-clean off..."

I grabbed my other hatchet, the clean, new one. I then raised it above my head, ready to swing down. I could hear her sobbing, which made me laugh.

"Toby," Hoodie said as he grabbed my arm, stopping me, "how about we let her live? So she can tell everyone about what happens to those who step foot in our territory."

With a pause I nodded. "Should we mark h-her?"

Hoodie nodded. I yanked her up by her hair, causing her to yelp in pain. Masky stepped forward, holding the African American teen's blade. He pulled out a lighter, then heated the blade. She began to struggle, crying out as she desperately tried to pull my fingers from her hair. Hoodie grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. The girl had stopped sobbing, replaced by futile attempts to break free. I grinned, then pulled down my mask. The left side of my cheek had been chewed open, leaving my teeth exposed and the skin mangled. She froze in terror. I leaned in close to her ear.

"K-keep struggling, and y-you'll only make it w-worse for yourself..." I whispered.

Masky came forward, the blade red from the heat, "Where should it go?"

"On the cheek," Hoodie said, "so it will be an obvious reminder."

The girl tried to pull back, but Hoodie and I held her in place. She screamed when Masky pressed the blade into the skin. I could hear her skin bubble as he marked her with the Operator symbol, a circle crossed out with an X. When he finished, both Hoodie and I dropped her. She held her face, crying. I grabbed her hair one last time and yanked her up so she could see me.

"You come h-here again, and we w-won't hesit-tate to kill y-you. Underst-stand?"

She nodded weakly. I smirked and let her drop.

"Now g-get out of here..."

She scrambled to her feet and fled. I pulled my mask back up and turned to the others with an invisible grin.

"So are we heading home...?"

§§§§§

The moment we got back, Slenderman had brought us to his office to inform him on how it went. The moment Hoodie told him that we spared one, he seemed a bit miffed.

Your job was to eliminate them all, he said coolly. Why did you spare one?

Hoodie stood tall. "I believe that if she was the last and only alive, she'll tell others to stay away-"

"-and if they don't, then we'll kill them," Masky finished.

The Slenderman nodded, his spindly fingers grasping his chin in thought. Hmm...that may be a good reason, Hoodie. Well done. You're all dismissed.

I followed behind Masky and Hoodie, but Slender stopped me.

You encountered the girl, correct, Toby?

I nodded. He made his way towards me, his sightless gaze holding me in place.

Then I suggest you find her and inform her of a deal she will not refuse. She tells everyone that she knows that these woods are dangerous, and we will spare her life.

I nod, then Slenderman sends me off. I chuckled.

Another encounter with the girl...how fun.