Jeff the Killer X blind reader

Chapter 6

     "Hey, ________! Over here!" Jeff's voice rang out from sides (like it wasn't silent in the room) where the food was cooking. BEN dragged me over to where he was and the killers around us slowly started talking again.
     "Here" Jeff said happily while holding out an object. I reached out and grasped a smooth oval item. It was warm to the touch and had weight on top of it. It smelled edible. "I hope you're not vegetarian." Jeff laughed before turning back to the food.
     I smiled slightly and relaxed. Why was Jeff being so nice? I know we're roommates but it seems strange that he's been going out of his way to help me. Why would he help someone he knows nearly nothing about?
     When BEN and Jeff had their own plates, they pulled me over to the throng at the table and shoved me in an open seat. I was so grateful for the help. Even if they didn't know, they just helped keep my secret of blindness a little longer. Since this environment was entirely new and the gathering of unsettled presences overloaded my senses, I could barely walk straight without running into someone or something.
     "Are there this many of you all the time?" I asked quietly to Jeff, leaning over. Even I heard the nervous strain in my voice. Jeff laughed far too loudly before I heard the scrape of utensils on his plate of food.
     "Hell no!" He exclaimed, "This place is way to small." He leaned over to me and his voice became more serious. "Do you really think we'd tolerate each other that long?" He asked with disbelief.
     "Then... why are there so many now?" I asked, not quite understanding.
     "Word travels fast." He muttered simply. "Most of the people in this room live on their own, spread out. Only a small group of us live here." Jeff explained, idly picking at his food. "It wasn't until you showed up a bunch made 'surprise visits' and came to stay for the week." Jeff said nonchalantly.
     "Because... I'm new?" I asked, piecing the information together.
     "Ding, ding!" He said sarcastically, a big grin in his voice. "It's quite rare for new meat to arrive... much less last this long." He explained lowly, half eating food at the same time. He added the last bit in such a whisper I thought I imagined it. I was about to reply when I received a nudge from someone to my left.
     "Are you the new proxy?" Someone asked abruptly, though it sounded less like a question and more as a statement.
     "Yep, I'm ______." I replied, turning my head to the cold male voice. It felt weird saying my name, I was going to have to get used to it again. Nobody but my parents had referred to me as ______, and even they stopped using it after they decided I wasn't human and definitively not their child. After that, I was virtually nameless.
     "I arrived yesterday." I continued, matching his calm voice. I smiled at him before remembering my face was covered and he wouldn't be able to see it.
     "Nice mask." He said simply before the screech of his chair indicated he was leaving. His footfalls and clink of utensils on his plate grew dimmer as he made his way towards the sinks.
     "Thanks." I mumbled as he walked off. Jeff prodded my side so I quickly turned his way.
     "That was Masky, or Tim as most here call him. He lives in this house mostly." Jeff explained with the same smile sound in his voice. "His mask is a little weird, huh?" Jeff said with a laugh before going back to eating. I thought that over. I hadn't tried to sense if he had a mask – I assumed I was the only one who wore one. I faced Jeff, curiosity in my voice.
     "How many of you wear masks?" I asked quietly, trying to be casual about it.
     "Oh, some wear 'em all the time. Jack, Hoodie, Tim, a few others." He gave another short laugh. "I don't really get it. I love my face, why would I cover it up?" He snorted and seemed to be pointing in the general direction of BEN. "Now that one kind of needs a mask, don't you think?" Jeff asked with forced innocence. I laughed as I heard a frustrated growl from BEN and some flying food. I visibly relaxed and returned to eating. I carefully lifted my mask forward to do so. The majority of my face was still covered; even my mouth was shielded if someone were to look directly at me.
     "Why do you wear a mask?" Jeff asked interestedly, turning back to me. I quickly let the mask lower back into place as I turned to face him. I hadn't thought about how to answer that question.
     "I just want to." I said. It was the truth, just not a very detailed answer.
     "Yeah, but whyyy?" BEN asked from somewhere near Jeff, elongating the last word for emphasis. I felt uncomfortable again; I still didn't want anyone to see my scars.
     "Personal reasons." I mumbled before turning back to my food, feeling a dark mood surfacing. My shoulders tensed and I lowered my head, becoming defensive. I tried to shake the reaction, but I wasn't used to people asking about the mask... and living. Jeff must have noticed because he quickly changed the subject.
     "So, how do you kill?" He asked casually, exhibiting genuine interest. Several presences around the table perked up at the mention of death, listening to what I had to say. "You were pretty good at hand combat, but I don't peg you as a brawler. Kinda small for that." He went on to say. Shock resonated from the closest eavesdroppers. Several of them paused, seeming to think 'Jeff complimenting someone's fighting skill?'
     "I use a small knife, sometimes." I replied calmly, keeping to that half-truth.
     "Really?" He said excitedly. "I love knives!" He exclaimed, a hazy glee overtaking his mind. I could tell by a faint metallic scraping noise he was fingering the knife he carried in his hoodie. "Why didn't you bring it out in our fight?" He asked, the same giddy emotion emitting from him. It was definitively an unhinging sort of emotion, reminding me of the people who sat around us.
     "I..." I didn't want to say I didn't need it but I wasn't sure what else to say. "I guess I was caught up in the hand-to-hand stuff." I muttered, conscious of the many presences listening to us talk. Sure, there were still other conversations going on, but the attentions were elsewhere.
     "Cool. Maybe I can train you a bit?" Jeff said with another light laugh. His offer to train me sent another wave of surprise through the minds around us. Maybe it's rare for him to offer training? I couldn't tell for sure.
     "Sure. That would be great!" I responded with real happiness. It would be beneficial to learn from a more experienced knife-wielder. I only knew what I'd figured out myself, so his guidance would be most appreciated. And if I learned to use the knife well enough, maybe I'd never need to use the dark power again... 
     That would be a good choice ________. Slenderman's voice reverberated through the room, stilling the crowd and commanding everyone's attention. His presence had flickered in moments after Jeff's offer.
I will also train you. You have the rest of today to get settled. Training starts tomorrow. He explained before walking over to the dishes and assigning washers, cleaners, and cooks for the next meal. His presence then teleported away.

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Lil-magpie
Deviant Art