Falling In Love With Slender Man

chapter 35

--CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE--

Sage woke up to the bouncing back and fourth of being carried in someone’s arms. She slowly came to, remembering the past night—Ash’s caressing arms, his gentle kisses, slowly turning more intense as time progressed, the weight of his body on hers. A grin spread across her face, as she slowly opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around her carrier’s neck.

“Why are we leaving? I liked that spot. I think it was very nice,” she said sleepily, looking up at Ash’s beautiful face through droopy, tired eyes.

He looked down at her, a small smile tugging at his face, and then he motioned towards the east with his chin at the tiny bits of pink and orange lighting up the horizon.

“Ah, damn. Sunrise. This vampire thing is a real buzz kill, ya know,” she said, shutting her eyes again and snuggling into Ash’s chest.

She heard a small chuckle, felt the rumbling in his chest. It was a good feeling. At least she could bring him some small joy before she had to leave.

“You can go back to sleep if you want, considering it’s getting pretty late for you.”

“No… no. I don’t want to sleep. I want to stay awake and talk to you… as long as I can….” she said in a groggy, slow voice.

It was true, she wanted to stay awake and talk to him the whole day before she had to leave him for possibly forever, but unfortunately, as the sun slowly rose higher, her eyes fell lower.

“It’s okay to sleep, I’ll see you again tonight, and we can go back to our spot,” he said with a mischievous lilt to his voice.

Her face fell into a frown. Through a yawn she said, “I wish…”

He kissed her forehead, having no idea she would be going to her possible death in just twelve hours. “We will I promise. I love you,” she heard as she drifted off into the dark abyss of sleep.

She awoke later, with the moonlight filtering in from the window. She rubbed at her eyes and looked around the room. She was alone. Ash was gone, probably out looking for Ellie with the Hunters again, unsuspecting that Sage was going to meet her in—she glanced at the clock—just one hour. A heavy sadness fell over her heart.

She dressed herself, wearing all black. Even though she wasn’t the same Sage she was just a few months ago, she was still morbidly dramatic and felt she should dress for her own funeral.

As the clock was ticking closer to the time of her departure, she pulled out the little diary she still carried with her, the one she had found with Ash when she had visited the awful remains of her home. That memory seemed so far away now.

She tore a piece of paper from it and took out a black ballpoint pen she had found in the drawer of a nightstand by the bed.

Ash,

I’m sorry I had to do this. I’m so so so so sorry. But it was the only choice I had. Estrella said she was willing to strike a deal with me, and I don’t know if she’s planning to kill me and get it over with, but if there is the slightest chance we could have our forever, I’m willing to take it. This is the only way I think we’ll ever have a chance of getting our hands on her blood to save me. Just know I love you and I’m doing this for us.

This morning when you said we could go back to our spot to night, I wish that was true. I wish I could go back there with you every day of my life. And that’s what I’m trying to accomplish in meeting with Ellie tonight, because if I don’t the number of days my life will have could be much shorter. I really hope you can understand. I’m begging you to not come after me; it will only make things more complicated. I don’t know what she’s asking for, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to come back to you.