His Own Image

Chapter Four

Running through the lot, blind, and in pain, really didn't help my situation at all.

There was no one around me who I could see through except for that... boy. He was always on my tail, and that was the only thing keeping me going.

Eventually though, my legs started tripping over themselves, and I find myself basically useless. I couldn't run if I tried anymore.

"Already giv-giving up? I'm s-surprised!" The boy yelled tauntingly behind me.

Then I ran into something huge. Their consciousness was very... distinct. I could tell them apart from anything and everything. Something was lashing behind them, but not very fast. Almost at a relaxed pace. They towered over me by, like, double me.

"Toby. Stop chasing him." The being demanded. Except... it was in my head. I growled and put my hand up to my head, backing away, my other hand placed over my chest, pain pulsing rapidly.

"But, but I was h-having fun!" Toby protested.

"No. Back to the mansion. Get Jack notified that his room needs to be ready for a visitor." The being said.

"You, child," The words were directed at me, which made their words ring out more. "You are coming with me. Leave your device here. You'll be properly patched up at your new home."

"No. No, I'm not going anywhere." I protest, shaking my head. "I need to get back to Ryan!"

"Your guardian has been properly attended to," What the hell does he mean by that? "Now, come with me."

I scooted back, but stopped whenever the stitches in my chest pulled. I grunted, bending over to protect myself.

The world warped around me, and it felt like I was being sucked dry of everything. It was sickening. I threw up on the ground next to me after it stopped, leaning over and keeping myself up by my shaky arms, near to collapse any moment.

"You aren't in stable condition. We'll travel by foot for now." The being told me after a moment. I stumbled to my feet, falling down once before shakily and slowly getting back up. I crossed my arms over my chest and hunched over.

I could feel tons of simple living things around me, but more complicated, not fully alive, things as well. There were tons of them. I can't count so I wouldn't know, but it seemed like a lot...

"Don't worry about them, Elian," How does he know my name? "They may think of you as weak, and they may attack, but get this; they mean no harm as long as I am around.

"My name is Slender Man, but you may call me Slender if you'd like," He continued. "This is the Pasta's mansion. I collect and take in many different people who've turned too dangerous to be in normal society.

"You, Elian, are one of these people. You've survived for years by yourself and have been tortured long enough for you to become a lethal weapon."

"But... I don't kill for a bad cause." I mumbled. My feet were dragging behind me.

"True, but you know that it is easy to defend yourself if you need to. You're also extremely deceptive, seeming weak and vulnerable, but are actually quite the opposite." He said. "We are here."

I felt his present move up and I stepped up as well. The activity inside this place was massive. I felt my hands getting clammy but I didn't bother moving them off of my arms.

He opened up something that slightly creaked and made me cringe. I stepped inside and the temperature immediately dropped to something cooler and more comfortable, I sighed in relief.