Taken • cth

ten | spotlight

Avertizare 6

***

Jeff is barely ten feet from the house when he's picked up from behind, and thrown against the side of the wall with such force the window shatters. His neck pulses from the force of the tentacle, dark substance running down into his hoody, but before he can react the creature is on him again.

"I thought I told you," The whispering voice inside his head is menacing, familiar, and furious. "Not to have any social interactions with our victims unless I instructed it."

Jeff looks up into the face of his master, or rather the bleak white leather-like skin that's in it's place. The tentacle is around his throat again, restricting his airflow, nearly lifting him off the ground. His chest is already heaving from the impact with the wall. "I.. couldn't.. help it.."

"Bullshit." The Slenderman snarls, and the boys head pulses with pain. The voice, his voice, does that sometimes. "You could have been more careful. I trained you better than that."

"How can you be so sure?" Jeff quips back in frustration, his hands at the appendage around his neck, struggling to get free. But it's the wrong thing to say. In a split second he's hurtling through the air and slamming against the trunk of a tree, knocking all remaining air out of his lungs. The shadow of his master looms over him, the prince of darkness, his tentacles slowly sinking back into his suit.

"You be careful, young killer." He says, and Jeff can't help but think that if he had an expression it would be pulled into disgust right now. Disgust and an age-old arrogance that is the permanent result of his origin. "I can still end your life, just like I saved it. Get up."

The boy does, fearing what would happen if he disobeys. Jeff isn't afraid of much, of anything, really, but this creature is more powerful than he can ever be.

The Slenderman's white hand comes up to grip his jaw, staring him down with non-existent eyes. His voice is a dark pulse of pain inside Jeff's head. "I want her confused and terrified when we get her. I don't want her knowing who you are, or who we are. If you do anything to screw that up," He chuckles, a sound that could make any normal person die on the spot from fear. "Well, I'm sure you know what will happen."

***

"Be careful." Calum whispers into Arrow's hair, hugging her tight against him. Behind them passengers are boarding the plane to Seattle, and if she doesn't join them pretty soon it will be too late. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She whispers back, pulling away. She presses a single kiss to his lips, running her hands down the healing scrapes on his arms. Her eyes briefly scan over the patch on his forehead. "Stay safe. Call me tonight, ok?"

He nods. "Ok." He makes sure she's got all of her bags, kisses her one last time, and leaves.

Arrow boards the plane with high anxiety, sitting down into her acquired seat and glancing out the window. She's never flown before. Calum has, once when he was younger, but he doesn't remember it very well. They had a lot of trouble getting through the security and stuff. But they survived it, and now here she is, fixing to go and see her mother for the first time in five years. She's already regretting not asking Calum to come with her.

She distantly wonders if the pages will still show up. She'll be in a whole new state, and she's already scanned the terminal for any sign of the hooded boy. It'll be interesting to see what happens before tomorrow.