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

Chapter Fifteen: Emptiness

So for those of you sad to see this series go, I have good news. The next book I had planned fits in perfectly to this one. So this series will now be a trilogy, meaning one last book for you guys. Hopefully that's okay. This'll be the last chapter for this one, and the new book will be up real soon so keep an eye out for it.

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Slenderman could only describe the scene before him as carnage. The dark energy that once hung over his forest was no longer, but the pale moonlight that filtered through the trees seemed to only make the sight before him that much worse. The metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air, fogging his senses as he scanned the clearing.

His gaze fell on his proxy, slumped back against a tree nearby. He hurried over, kneeling beside the still form. He'd apparently dragged himself away from the mess behind him before falling here. The being probed the other's mind, searching for life. Hoodie stirred, lifting his head as he swatted at something that wasn't there. Slenderman backed off as the man sat up, seeming disoriented.

"Hoodie," he began softly, "What happened here?" The man stared at him for a moment, blank eyes of his mask boring into him for a moment before he looked over his shoulder. He slumped, head hanging in what Slenderman could only assume was defeat.

"Zalgo was right," Hoodie said, voice rough as if the man had been crying, "He said only one person could make it out of each battle...and he was right." Slenderman stood, Hoodie following after a moment to steady himself. The clearing was silent, and the lack of life sent chills down his spine. He glanced down at Hoodie, taking a deep breath.

"Where are the other two?" he asked. Hoodie looked away.

"They're over here..." The man led him to one side of the clearing, where his remaining two proxies had been left lying side by side. Neither one was moving, and the wounds on either man's torso looked horrific. He felt the unease radiating from the man beside him.

"You killed them," Slenderman said simply. Hoodie made a soft sound of discomfort, and the being sighed internally. 'I always thought that, with the power I'd given them, they were close enough to Creepypasta that they wouldn't die. Was I wrong?" He knelt down, laying one hand on each of his proxies chests.

At first he felt nothing, but then he felt a soft flutter beneath his palms. It was weak, like a dying bird struggling to live beneath his fingers. He breathed out a sigh of relief, standing. He looked at Hoodie who bent his head away shamefully. He mumbled out what sounded like an apology, and Slenderman sat a hand on his head.

"They aren't dead," he said. 'Not yet at least,' he added to himself. He left Hoodie as the man scrambled to check in on his fellow proxies, making his way over to the more disastrous part of the clearing.

He found Ben and Jack next, the former curled into the latter. Neither was moving, although he could at least see the ragged rise and fall of Ben's chest. The scorch marks on the earth told the being what had occurred, and he gingerly lifted the two unconscious Creepypasta with his tentacles.

He fanned out his senses, searching for the remaining two Creepypasta. He found them a bit further away, with Liu bent across his brother's body. At first the being couldn't make out what was happening but, as he grew closer, he began to make out the frantic muttering and sobs.

"Come on," Liu was saying desperately, "Please...get up." The boy was busy pressing on his brother's chest, trying to get any sign of life from Jeff's form. Slenderman stepped up behind Liu, sensing the weak flutter within Jeff's form.