Why won't you save me? (Book 2 of the Misguided Killer Series)

Chapter Four: Difficulty

Zalgo sat silently for a moment, and a smirk settled on Jeff's face. 'Looks like I figured out your little game,' he thought. Then Zalgo laughed, the sound frigid and chilling as it echoed around them.

"I'll admit one thing," the demon said, "you've surprised me. You figured out a good chunk on your own I'll give you that. But not quite everything." Jeff eyed him warily as the demon waved a hand at the other Creepypasta. "It's true that digital beings are easier to control. After all it's like snipping a few wires and attaching them elsewhere. You're a bit harder to break. However, I certainly do not need your permission." A blinding pain exploded in his skull, sending Jeff stumbling back a few steps.

'What's going on?' He wondered, gritting his teeth. Another flash of pain struck him as Zalgo stalked forward, razor sharp fangs stretching in a sinister grin.

"I need nothing from you," the demon hissed, "I simply meant to make this easier on you." Yet another surge of pain brought him to his knees, and the eyes staring down at him made him tense. "You will submit, because that is what you were meant to do. You submitted to those human scientists-"

"I did not submit to them!" He shouted. Zalgo ignored him, continuing.

"-and you submitted to your own instincts as well. You killed your own brother on accident because of those instincts. Your parents you killed of your own will, but your brother? Not the same at all. What was his name again now...Liu was it?"

"Shut up," Jeff said. Again the demon ignored him, grin vicious.

"Meanwhile beings like myself and Slenderman  are strong. We don't have to submit to such urges. Surely Slenderman realized that you're nothing more than a slave to your own urges." Jeff growled, struggling back to his feet. Zalgo paused, eying him.

"So what if I do what I want," he challenged, "after all, right now I have the urge to tear your fucking head off." The pressure lessened a bit, but before Jeff could do anything it slammed back into him. He collapsed, barely managing to keep himself on his hands and knees as Zalgo towered over him.

"Teenagers are the worst," he mused, "they always think they can beat anything by sheer force of will. But this time there is nothing you can do but lie down and admit defeat. Jeff squeezed his eyes shut, bracing against the pin until something seemed to just snap. His body relaxed, the pressure receding to a dull reminder in the back of his skull. His head lifted without his consent to see Zalgo grinning. "Welcome to the team little killer," the demon hissed, "it'll be a pleasure watching you tear your so called friends apart. Now then, let's get you back into your old beautiful skin shall we?"

<•><•><•><•>

"Find anything Jack?" Slenderman asked. The cannibal frowned, but nodded.

"It's faint but...Jeff is likely here. Zalgo's stench makes it hard to be certain though." The cannibal sniffed at the air again, one pointed ear twitching. "There are others too, but I can't pinpoint any of the scents."

"Keep trying," The elder being said. He glanced to the place his proxies had slipped away into the trees, fanning out their own search. Ben was close by, reaching his senses through any electrical system he could reach. The being reached out to his forest, sensing for any presence. 'Still nothing. I would have thought Zalgo would have shown himself by now.'  He sighed quietly, retracting his senses back to his present spot. Yet, just at the edge of his forest, he caught a blip of movement. He stiffened, focusing on the person entering his home. The feel was familiar, and yet so different at the same time.

"Slender?" Ben called. The being ignored him, teleporting away back to his domain. The presence nagged at his mind, and he knew without a doubt that he had to find whoever it was.

The forest was silent as he scanned the trees. The presence was easier to trace now, wandering north with no haste it seemed. He teleported closer, letting his tentacles slide into the open. Bloodlust hung heavy in the air, and yet still that presence felt much too familiar. 'But who do I know who would want to kill me?' He wondered. No one, save for Zalgo but this certainly wasn't the demon's aura, came to mind.

A flicker of movement caught his eye and he turned. White flashed through the trees, a stray twig softly crackling. The source of the presence trailed after it. 'Fine. Let's play this game.' He hurried after it, long limbs taking him through the trees with ease. His tentacles pushed the branches aside, unseen eyes searching for the figure moving through the trees ahead of him. The person paused, as if sensing his approach. They were half hidden by the trees but Slenderman finally made out a white hoodie. He froze, eyeing the mop of raven hair. "Jeff?" he asked. The person turned and Slenderman was able to confirm that, yes, it was certainly Jeff standing before him.

Sort of.

Jeff's dark eyes were hazy and empty. While the young killer had never been the most expressive person, his eyes had always held some form of mischief and excitement. Now there was nothing. Yet that wasn't the only thing that set his nerves on edge. Jeff face was emotionless, and yet that forever smile Jeff used to carry sat on his cheeks. It added a crazed, almost feral look to the young man's face that Slenderman had never seen on him. He desperately wanted to lower his guard, yet every nerve screamed for him to defend himself.

"Jeffery," he said slowly, on edge for any hostile movement. A knife sat in Jeff's right hand but his grip on it was loose. "What did Zalgo do to you?" The killer gave no verbal reply, only cocking his head slightly. Slenderman reached out gently with a tentacle, edging toward the knife. "It's alright now."

The pain that pierced trough his tentacle shocked him. He hissed, staring at Jeff as the teen fell back into his neutral stance. Blood dripped from the gash, lightly staining Jeff's knife. 'Something is definitely wrong here.' He teleported away as Jeff lashed out at him again, dark aura overwhelming his senses. Those frigid eyes pierced him even as Jeff darted to one side, slicing his arm open on the pass. He hissed, grabbing for the teen. Jeff slipped away easily, much faster than Slenderman remembered him to be.

"Isn't he wonderful?" Came Zalgo's taunting voice. "Trained him up nice and pretty myself." Slenderman eyed the demon, tentacles whipping angrily.

"Release him," Slenderman ordered. The demon grinned.

"Or what?" he challenged. Before the being could speak Jeff lashed out again. A quick deflect kept the knife from gouging his face open and he sensed the other Creepypasta approaching, drawn in by the commotion.  "Are you going to kill me? Too bad you'll have to kill your pet to do so."

'There has to be a way around this,' Slenderman thought.

"Slenderman!" His proxies burst from the trees, staring at Jeff with unknown expressions. He sent them a quick explanation, and saw Masky nod silently.

"The fuck!" Came Ben's annoyed shout. Jack was close behind him, staring at Jeff in horror. Zalgo's laugh ripped through them, drawing their gazes to the tree above.

"Silly little things," the demon purred, "I'd love to watch this further, but I have somewhere to be." He snapped his fingers and Jeff dove into action, knife gripped tightly. Slenderman readied to intercept him, eyeing those dark eyes.

'Gotcha,' he thought, tentacles zipping towards the teen. Jeff dodged them easily, slashing anything that came near. Slenderman tensed as Jeff neared, ready for an attack that never occurred. Jeff swerved, ducking past him and towards the trees beyond. There was a gasp and a shout, the sense of panic flooding the area. Zalgo was laughing again, and Slenderman turned to stare at the people behind him. Ben had been knocked aside, and he was staring at Jack in terror. Jack looked shocked, hands gripping Jeff's. Jeff's knife was embedded in Jack's stomach, blood dripping onto the grass. Jeff pulled back and Jack stumbled to stay on his feet.

"Jack!" Ben called, "Get up!" Jack looked up at Jeff sadly before collapsing to the ground.

"He's a bit more ruthless than I thought," Zalgo mused, "Now go on. Try and end him."

Jeff raised the knife, and swung.