Slenderman: Change of Mind

Chapter 4

Kate's P. O. V.

I woke up again, the smell of the fresh grass welcoming me back to the woods. Last night's dream was so weird... and familiar at the same time. I dreamed that my mom was hugging me in the woods. I was crying and begging her not to leave me. She told me that I'll never be alone. She started singing to me like she did when I was a little, terrified child. She started rocking me back and forth in her arms, while singing

-You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear how much I love you. Please, don't take my sunshine away..." (Mom)

I wish I could go back to my dream, being around her arms, feeling safe and sound. But I couldn't.

I saw him walking around a tree, as if he was investigating it. I told him

-Hi. (Kate)

-Good morning Kathryn. (Slender)

-What day is it? (Kate)

He stopped doing whatever he was doing and said

-September 11. (Slender)

Dammit. It was mom's birthday. I knew I had that dream because of something. I've got to have the flower. I asked him

-Emm... can I get some... flowers? (Kate)

-For what exactly? (Slender)

-For... something I'll tell you later today. (Kate)

-Does it have something related to your last night's reaction? (Slender)

-Actually... yes. As I cannot walk, could you take them for me? (Kate)

-Yes. How many?  (Slender)

-Just one, please. And if it's a sunflower, better. (Kate)

-I will go if you promise you will tell me your issue. (Slender)

-I will. I promise. (Kate)

-I'll be right back. (Slender)

I was about to thank him, but he disappeared with a blink. I waited...

Slenderman's P. O. V.

She told me to get one sunflower. I teleported myself to the nearest bed of flowers. There, I see roses, tulips, but no sunflowers. What a difficult task this girl gave me. I walked through it for half an hour. I almost gave up, but, in the distance, a little sunflower was growing on the feet of a tree. I reached it and saw that some of the flower's leaves were turning brown. The tree's enormous branches and leaves didn't let any sunlight get to the flower. I crushed all the dying leaves, and took it out of the ground. I teleported back to Kathryn, welcomed by her anxious face.

Kate's P. O. V.

I waited for what seemed hours, but they were worth it. He came back with a little sunflower in his hands. It had some little brown spots, but it didn't matter. He said

-I am sorry for not bringing a bigger flower. This was the only one I found. (Slender)

-It's perfect. Don't worry. Thank you. (Kate)

-You are welcomed Kathryn. (Slender)

I took it in my hands. It wasn't a flower for me; it was my mother. I put it on the grass that's in front of me. I arranged its petals so they were perfectly put. Meanwhile, he said

-May I ask again why you reacted in that way last night? (Slender)

I took a deep breath and said

-Well, besides that your kick in my stomach wasn't something very pretty... there was a bigger reason for my tears. You see, it's kind of... complicated. (Kate)

-You can tell me. (Slender)

-Well... do you know what an orphan is? (Kate)

-I've heard. Why? (Slender)

-Because I'm one of them. But my real parents didn't die. They left me at an orphanage's door. I don't know why they did that. But, time passed, and this couple adopted me when I was 5. Since then, I've been a Worth. I felt like being in candy land. The only bad thing of my adoptive family was that only my mother loved me. Henry, my adoptive 'father', used to insult me. I could have lived with that hate, but he also used to hit mom. I wanted to stop them once when I was 10, but he didn't let me. (Kate)

I showed him the scar I have in my left shoulder. He seemed intrigued. I decided to continue

-As you could say, one of those fights didn't turn out so good. Henry... stabbed mom in the back. She... bled out to death. (Kate)

He was shocked.

-Guess you didn't expect that, huh? That didn't happen long ago. This is the first year I'm living without her... (Kate)

I bit my lip and some tears ran down my face. But he said

-But that still doesn't explain the reason of the flower. (Slender)

-Oh, yes. The flower. It's just that my mom used to sing me this lullaby called "You are my Sunshine" when I was scared. And she told me once that, as I'm her only daughter, her only sunshine, and as I'm as pretty as all flowers, I was her sunflower. Since then, I always gave her one sunflower. Now, you have your answer, don't you? (Kate)

I bursted out into tears. I couldn't handle it anymore. He said

-I am sorry for your loss, Kathryn. (Slender)

I tried to manage the words "thank you" but my tears didn't let me. I felt he sat by my side. I think I heard him say

-You have accumulated so much pain, Kathryn. You need to get rid of it. If you wish, you can cry in my shoulder. (Slender)

And that's what I did. I grabbed his long arm without thinking it twice, and cried on his shoulder. I was letting all my fears, my sadness, my pain to cry down for the first time. I did this until I got asleep.