How Could You Forget The Sun

XIV

ANA’S POV

Toby avoided my gaze, looking particularly guilty. His face was troublesome, despite being hidden by his goggles and mouth-guard. Slowly, he tugged the mouth-guard down and I noticed him swallow uncomfortably as he involuntarily increased his twitching. The corners of his mouth were ticking.

“Come on, Toby,” I begged. “I know you know.”

Toby glanced at me and seemed to regret it, for he found an amazing interest in his hands. He tugged one glove off and began biting it nervously. I slapped his arm, getting him to stop biting.

“I-I-I can’t,” he hiccupped. When I waited nonetheless, he continued with great stutter. “W-Well, the Slenderman, i-in a way, s-s-serves Lord Z-Zalgo. A-And Lord Zalgo w-w-wants you alive and unharmed when he k-k-k-kills you.”

“Why does he want to kill me instead of you guys?” I asked.

“I d-don’t know,” Toby answered. When I doubtfully eyed him, he grew upset. “I don’t!” he hollered.

I looked over him I was surprised by what I saw. He saw shaking, more than just his usual ticks and twitches. He had tears in his eyes and his neck was cracking uncontrollably, even more so than the normality. Slowly, he sat down and looked away.

“W-We should get back,” he mumbled, pulling his mouth-guard up and his goggles down.

I hid a sigh and walked into Andrew’s kitchen, searching for a pad and pen. I wrote him a quick note explaining why I left and set it on the couch for him to find. Then, Toby led the way out and back to the house. All the while, he was completely quiet.

When we reached the house, we were in deep shit. Jeff had gone to frighten me only to find me missing. When he searched the house, he had discovered both Toby and me gone. The brilliance in his brain told him to raise the alarm. So, now, Toby and I were facing a furious Masky, Hoody, and Jeff.

“Slenderman is coming to deal with you,” Jeff sneered, looking triumphant in his feat of getting Toby and me into trouble.

“Why?” was all the Masky asked.                                    

“I needed to get out,” I explained. “I haven’t been able to sing, play piano openly, see my friends, go to work, go to school, or do anything. I’ve been starving the last week because you people won’t let me go to the store.”

“So you go to a friend’s rather than the grocery store?” he dubiously looked at me up and down.

“Yes!” I exclaimed exasperatedly. “I care more about friendship than the necessities for life.”

 Masky shared a glance with Hoody, who had decided to remain silent the entire time. Jeff was still sneering at Toby, who looked about ready to dice Jeff into a thousand separate pieces. That left me to stand there, wondering what the Slenderman would do, exactly.

Finally, I decided to drag Toby away from Jeff, snapping over my shoulder, “Just shut your fucking trap, Jeffery.”

“What did you call me?” he hissed, and I thanked Masky for telling me Jeff’s full name as well as his hatred for it.

“I called you Jeffery as your name is, and if you don’t like it, then stop being such a prick.”

Jeff launched himself at me, and pinned me against the wall, his knife at my throat. I held my breath, trying to hold my own against the killer. Toby ended up shoving Jeff away and throwing him a rude hand gesture before dragging me off.

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

Toby just shrugged and cracked his neck. “I wish he hadn’t called the Slenderman,” he muttered, not stuttering once.