Slender

Chapter 10

This was the first time I ever felt nervous to take a shower. I even paced around my room for a little thinking whether I should wait another day or not. I mean, he was just in my room this afternoon. Even if it has been a couple hours and the sun has completely set, how should I know whether if he's around or not?

I tap my sharpened pencil on my small book in front of me. Making small dots on the white page. My somewhat wet hair on my dry pillow; I lay on my bed with only a single light on next to me. I read what I wrote over again.

"The forest is silent, too dark to see. But, I still feel that Slenderman is staring at me.

I close my window, sealing away the dark. If only I had a dog to alarm danger and bark.

I lay under my bed, eyes shut tight, in hope Slenderman doesn't feel like visiting me tonight."

...I'm not really in the position to write something like this. Maybe someone who had seen Slenderman once and... got away maybe? I turn my head to my window. I want to show him my poem. Staring at my window, I recall when I was younger when I'd go over to close the window before I went to bed. And that thought would always pass me, thinking I'd see something out in the woods. This thought passed me every time I closed my window before I went to bed. But, even I knew that this was impossible. Because monsters don't exist. But, in the past month I've been proven wrong. From now on, I'll never be able to close that window knowing in the back of my mind that I'll never see something out there. That's right... I could go and look out my window right now and Slenderman can be standing there.

I'll never be able to feel comfortable in this home again, huh? I take a breath and let my book fall on my stomach as I look up at my ceiling. I wonder if all this makes us friends? ...friends? I'm the only one who could say this. Who can say this. I'm allowed to say this. I close my eyes. I actually did go to close the curtains before I took a shower. I didn't see anything then. I jolt up in my bed as a sudden thought comes to me. What's he doing right now? I turn my head to the closed window. Kids actually come in these woods. Bought and owned yet, they still trespass. They probably don't even know this house is here... There just here to get a glimpse of him. Without getting killed in the process that is.

I want to know more about Slender. I want to know where he came from and how he came to be who he is now. For all I know he could be a sprite or a demon. He doesn't know what he is either, so the possibility's are endless. I guess I could forgive him for killing because for all we know that could just be his nature. He said that it was fun... so it could be. But he was also bullied, could that have caused it? Then again that doesn't make complete sense, it couldn't have just been the bulling that caused all this. ...Could it?

"Dinner's ready!" I hear a yell come from downstairs by my mom. Here we go again. The awkward silence commences.

~At The Dinner Table~

The dining room is considerably big, for the entire house was built rather large after all. Yet ironically, a very small chandelier hung over the wooden rectangular table. A white decorative dining cloth layed over the table and there was a total of six chairs but only three are ever used at a time. I always sat on the same short side where my mom would sit vertically to me. My dad opposite from her but up one. They can't stand to sit across from each other after a fight. We'd have dinner together every night if it wasn't for their fighting. Today was a bit more uncomfortable than usual since they had been arguing all through last night. They both seem angry but the moment we all sat down with our plates no one has said a word. I cut through my steak silently making small pieces for myself.

"What happened to your cheek?" My mom asks breaking the silence looking over at me with an angry concern. I was only about half way through done with my plate. Just about to think up a lie I stop myself. Slenderman stood on the opposite side of the dining table. I stared at him unable to get any words out.

"...I fell in the woods." That's actually the reason for my scratches but I couldn't think of anything else.

"Are you sure?" She asks with disbelief. Of course I'm not.

"Yeah..." I find myself unable to avert my gaze from Slender who stood with terrible silence. My mother looks over at Slender yet doesn't seem to notice him and goes back to eating. They can't... see him. Slender pulls out the chair vertically to me and sits down. What? They didn't even see the chair move? He places his elbows on the table and lifts his hand over the salt and pepper we always have set out. Slowly he pushes the salt forward with his finger by a centimeter. My mom and dad both look up at the same time yet, not noticing the displacement they both go back to eating. He waits a moment then moves the salt again causing them to just glare up with only their eyes. I can't help it and a smile grows on my face. The moment their eyes lost interest he pushes the small glass bottle over entirely and clear salt rolls out on the table. "Maybe the house is haunted." I say as bluntly as possible forcing myself to not smile.

"That's impossible." Says my dad taking his phone out of his pocket no longer interested in the salt moving.

"Don't take that out during dinner!" My mom attempts to natch the phone out of my dad's hand but he pulls back. Slender pushes the pepper over. They both look down again. My mom annoyed picks of the two bottles and examines the bottoms as my dad scrolls through his touch phone. I feel a hand on my shoulder only then noticing that Slender had teleported behind me. He leans forward and taps the screen on my dad's phone, somehow causing it to turn to just gray static. My dad lowers his phone now examining it also annoyed. The chandelier lights blink making the two adults look around. What are you doing Slender?!

"Blaye, I swear, if you're doing this I want you to cut it out!"

"What?! This isn't me!"

"Then who could it be?!"

"We live in the middle of the woods mom! Anything could have-" Suddenly, startling everyone the table cloth along with our plates are pulled forward by almost a foot. Slender this isn't funny anymore.

"Jeezus..." My dad says staring at the direction the table cloth moved.

"... Permission to be done eating?" I look to my mom.

"Go ahead." She puts her elbow on the table and rubs her forehead with an aggravated groan. Feeling Slender's hand no longer on my shoulder I stand up and head upstairs quickly not caring about my unfinished plate. My parent's aren't really scared of anything but if this happens again they just might be. After closing my door behind me I head into my room to see Slender with my small book in hand sitting on my arm chair, his skinny legs crossed neatly. He has it open to what it seems to be the page with the poem about him on it.

"Have you read it?"

"Yes." His grin grows as if he had just finished the last sentence.

"What do you think?"

"I like it." I find myself unable to look away from his teeth that peeked out underneath his thin, barely noticeable pale lips. His smile, which stretched about a centimeter longer across his face than a normal human's was very genuine looking. Did he... just maybe, do all that downstairs to get me to come up here? Or what is truly all just fun and games? "It's weird..." He says causing my stomach to twist thinking he was referring to the poem only to realize he wasn't. Uncrossing his legs he closes the book and holds it with care. "I can't seem to stay away from you." His smile doesn't disappear when he says this. I've noticed it too but I never expected him to admit it.

"...Why?" The question escapes my lips without a second thought. He continues to smile genuinely as he gets up and walks in my direction leaving the book on the chair. Stopping and standing in front of me he places his knuckles on my neck and traces my jaw with his thumb. The memory from the first time he appeared in my room flashes back. He touched my face then too.

"I don't know." He finally says still smiling joyfully. He's happy that he doesn't know. Very weird indeed.