Almost Human

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

White Dress

"A what?!" Hoodie leads me up to the bedroom before answering my question. He sighs and sits down on his bed. I sit next to him with a questioning look on my face. "A Proxy is.." As he scrambles for words, I look around aimlessly. Finally finding his voice Hoodie speaks up. "A Proxy is basically somebody who is the Operators apprentice." Horror is shown clearly on my face. "It's not that bad.." He adds quickly. "We all live in a great big mansion with him. It's quite nice actually.." Minutes start to pas and I know he is done talking. "What if I don't want to be a Proxy?" I ask, my voice strained. Hoodie sighs, "Dress.." He starts off. "No, Leave me alone." He reaches out to put his gloved hand on my knee but I pull away. "Don't touch me.." I stand up. "I'm never safe with anybody anymore!" I start to yell, not because I was mad at Hoodie but because I was mad that I had to suffer for so long and when I thought I found a safe-house it ended up being a lie. "Dress, I'm so sorry.. I-I didn't mean to make you upset.." He stands up, slightly taller than me, he rests his gloved hands on my shoulders. I stiffen at his touch. "It's Okay." His says firmly, reassuringly. "I won't let him hurt you, Okay?" "Okay." He embraces me as I let my arms fall to my side. We stand there for what seems like ages before he releases me. I gasp for air as soon as he lets me go. I slump onto his bed and he does the same on the opposite side. "I don't really know much about you.." I speak my thoughts. "As I do to you.."

"What?"

"Never mind." He shakes his head with a sigh. He slips of his gloves and places them on his lap. "I share a secret and you can share one as well." He lifts his mask so I can see his mouth but nothing else. I hesitate. Should I really open up to this guy? Someone I haven't even known for a week.. "Sure." I grin, and lean against his wall. "Whats your favorite color?" He asks with a small grin that disappointingly I can't see. "White." I tilt my head to my white dress ever so slightly. "And yours?" I grin as well. Hoodie thinks for a moment before answering. "Yellow of course." He puffs out his chest to indicate his yellow hoodie. I laugh, slightly. "How old are you?" Hoodie continues. I smirk and remember what my mom always told me when I asked her, her age. "You never ask a woman her age." A laugh bubbles up inside of me but I swallow it waiting for Hoodie's reply. "You are not a woman.. your a proxy, so shut up and tell me your age." He replies with a hint of laughter in his voice. "Seventeen.. And you?" I grin and let my hair fall into my eyes. Blind, I hear Hoodie move in the bed and push the hair out of my eyes with a gloved hand. Puzzled, I grab his hand gently before he can pull away. "Why'd ya do that.." I murmur quietly, only my family has done that. "I'm eighteen and I am unable to answer that question.." His voice trails off and I let go with slight hesitation. We both lean back on opposite sides of the bed. "My turn.." Hoodie mutter and turned his gaze towards me. "You were crying last night.. thrashing out as well.. why?" He scoots closer. I wish I had personal bubble. "Just a bad dre-nightmare." I correct myself and answer quickly, fear rising in my throat. Hoodie sighs. "If we are going to be friends, we can't be keeping secrets."  "I'm not keeping secrets!" I lie, though I speak so fiercely Hoodie drops the question and thinks for another one. "My turn." I growl through narrowed eyes. "Who is the 'Operator'."  Hoodie stays still, not moving a muscle. After a few minutes of silence Hoodie finally replies. "You would know him as Slender-man. We are like his children.. though we are no where near related besides, Jane and her sister and then you and your sister. He takes care of us, he loves us-" I laugh hollowly. "Love?!" Hoodie simply stays silent and I get the message and fall silent as well. "He also has.. brothers, I think they are brothers I'm not positive, the one that always sticks in my mind is the one that controls dreams and such.." His fingers dance above the mattress as he thinks.  I start to doze off when I wake up with a jolt. "Offender-man!" Hoodie exclaims. "He always leaves a rose with you.." He trails off and then adds quietly. "Then.. uh, he rapes then kills the victim." I cough as I choke on my saliva. "Oh when do I get to meet him?!" I say sarcastically and clutch the bed sheets.  Hoodie stares at me, taking me seriously. "Kidding!" I add quickly as soon as I notice his stare. Hoodie nods slowly and thoughtfully. We stay silent and listen to the gale outside the room. "Why didn't your sister tell you?" Hoodie asks quietly. I turn my head from the window and a small pool of anger starts to bubble up inside of me. "Tell me.. what?" Hoodie looks away. "It's not really my place to talk.." "You can't drop a subject like that." I narrow my eyes, scowling. "About being a proxy and stuff.." "How would she know?" I furrow my eyebrows and suck in a shaky breath. "A-and how.. she never died." Hoodie added in a whisper. Now that ladies and gentlemen, is what set me off. "WHAT??!!" I didn't know to be angry or outraged, so I was both. I got to feet and kicked my white dress off the floor onto the mattress, at the same time a knock rang throughout the room. Hoodie got up quickly and grabbed a machete from under his pillow. How'd I not notice that.. Hoodie looked through the peep-hole and unlocked the door. Opening with a creak, two people. okay more like one person and a half person stood in front of me. Hoodie stayed out of my view. Eyeless Jack grunted. "That her?" A girl, with jet-black hair, pale skin and piercing eyes was on the verge of tears. "Zoe.." She breathed.

"Shouldn't you be dead."