Caught In The Forest

First Hand Witness

Penny wore simple clothing, an old t-shirt, faded pants, and torn shoes. Nothing special for her big return. Throughout her entire trek to the mansion, she beamed, she knew that the rash Creepypastas would be planning for some horrendous onslaught. Oh, I can't wait to see their faces when I just walk in! At last she saw the towering chimney, and began to giggle. She ran towards it, her heart beating with a perverse excitement. She felt freer, not having to struggle to infiltrate the mansion. At that moment, there it was and she stood right in front of it, a large oak door with the slight odor of festering. A smug grin on her face, she opened it, unlocked as it always carelessly was.

     They did not watch her come in, E.J. or Sally. They were too engaged in some television program about mafia history. "You two are a horrible welcome party." Eyeless Jack and Sally whipped around so quickly it slightly surprised Penny. "You two are a bit jumpy. Did you see a ghost?"

     E.J. slowly stood up. "Penny, what are you doing here?" His question was roughly edged. His eyes examined her sickly and odd appearance through his mask, to him it hardly looked like Penny anymore.

     "I'm back! Aren't you happy?" She walked towards the two, but E.J. pulled Sally back with him.

     "Penny, you tried to kill Jeff and BEN, even Masky," Sally spoke somewhat timidly.

     "Oh friends, you look at me like I'm a monster. What if I was just playing around?"

     E.J. knew something was not quite right with Penny. She looked unhinged, her eyes were along the lines of bloodshot. "Something is not okay, Penny. Please, you're acting different."

     She giggled, as if everything was in fun and games. "Jack, I know I may look different, but it's only a change in the agenda." She took another step towards them. "I'm still Penny." She squeezed her eyes in assurance.

     Sally began to open her mouth, and before another word from Penny, she shouted, "Slenderman!"

     The tall man appeared, he had sensed the urgency in milliseconds. At the sight of wide grinned Penny he merely sighed. "Penny," he spoke, somewhat tiredly. "How nice it is to see you again."

     "Oh and you too, of course," Penny said with the same sick smile. But Slenderman was aware of the odd optimism Penny portrayed. However, he did the best to contain his uneasiness. In the back of his mind he felt the regret of revealing Creepypasta weaknesses, and he slightly began to degrade himself like the Observer and Zalgo had done.

     "Ah, the tension sure is strong," she joked. "Now, if you do not mind, I will be heading to my room." Without another word she bounded up the staircase, as if it were any other normal day.

     E.J. and Sally eyed Slenderman. He answered their questioning stares with, "We're in a game of chess now. And unless we want to play the gory real version, we will have to slide along with plastic pawns, instead." 

     Penny, meanwhile, was exploring the crevices of her old room. This time she was not in a rush for her reminiscence. She rubbed her hands along the peeling wallpaper, felt the grooves of the wooden furniture, and simply sat, remembering. She was on her previous bed, drifting off into another world, when the creak of her door snapped her back. Penny stared at the digital Creepypasta that entered her room.

     "Hey," BEN said softly.

     "Hey yourself," Penny slumped down against the sheets, counting the cracks in the ceiling.

     "Its been a while."

     "Did you have fun piecing yourself together like a puzzle?" She said with cold detachment. Her cordiality performance was at its intermission.

     "It's always fun when your friends try to butcher you."

     "Entities don't have friends."

     BEN was successful in controlling himself. He was enraged, yet happy. What was he supposed to say to the criminal of his assassination but former friend? His emotions were horribly tangled. "That's your opinion."

     "Leave."

     "Make me."

     Penny groaned. "Ugh, and I thought I could stay clean the first day." Before BEN could question what she meant, Penny had leaped off her bed and kicked BEN into the slightly open door. He fell out of her room and made a loud thump as he hit the floor.

     She looked down on him from the door frame. "The power in that kick left you with two broken ribs, maybe a punctured lung, have fun healing." With that she slammed the door.

     BEN looked to each side of the hall with disbelief, he noticed that Silver was there, trying to stifle his snickers. "You saw nothing," BEN growled threateningly. Silver raised his hands and shrugged, trying to hide his grin.

     "Maybe you should've left."

     "Shut up," BEN hissed as he climbed to his feet, holding his chest.