Lost

Chapter four

VON

I walk through the woods, the birds singing and the sun streaming in through the leaves. It'd be a beautiful day, but my mood is sapped. Dammit, Slender.

I mean, he is trying to help you...

"Shut up," I snap. Leffy crosses his arms.

I'm tired of this.

I look at him then look back at the clearing. It's a perfect circle of perfectly green grass, small white and purple flowers spread around. At the edge of the meadow is a cliff that drops for about twenty feet then opens to a lake. I used to love coming here, but after last year...

Von...

"Whatever, Leffy," I mutter, looking down at him. I was born with him as my shadow. He's completely ink-black with no face. That is, until he takes over. Leffy needs to eat, normally human flesh, and the only way he can do that is to take over me so he can become a physical form, where the only facial feature is a Cheshire cat grin, something that sends chills up everyone's spine when they see it. I can't really control when he "comes out", he's too strong, but I can normally control myself. See, he only comes out when he's hungry and when I'm in danger or emotional.

I walk to the small patch of flowers in front of a pine tree. Mostly wild flowers that I found in her favorite color, but there are two or three orchids that I had found. Her favorite flower. I kneel down and look at the small picture frame. Inside is a picture of a teenage girl, smiling while looking over her shoulder. She was a beautiful person, inside and out. She was the only person I could confide with without fear of being punished for my words, she was the only person who saw who I really was, not a killer, not a monster or demon, but a boy, just a normal boy with a big burden to bear. I remember the day when I took that photo so clearly.

"Von!" she giggled, pushing me away. I fell onto my back, chuckling when she tried to stand but fell on me. She stayed in the same position, head on my chest, staring into the sky. I stared as well, wondering what interested her when she turned to face me, propping herself up with her elbow, all her hair listening to gravity and pointing to the ground, just looking at me with her big eyes. I propped myself up with my elbows so I could match her height. "What?" I asked.

She smiled. "Nothing," she replied. "I just never realized your eyes were green."

I brought my scarred hand to my eye. "What?"

She nodded. "Lucky, mine are just brown. Boring!"

I smiled. "I never realized that." She laughed and went back to using my chest as a pillow. "Obviously," she said. "Your blind."

"Oi!" I said, laughing. "I'm color blind. There's a difference."

She tilted her head and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Then we heard from the distance: "Mariana! Where are you?"

Mariana looked at me with apology as she stood and dusted her jeans off. She hugged me and kissed my scarred cheek. "Bye," she whispered. As she walked away, I picked up her bag.

"Mariana!" I called after her, and as she looked over her shoulder, I brought her camera to my eye. "Say cheese!" She smiled and I took the shot before she turned to get her things back.

"Mariana!" her mother called again. "Mariana, it's getting dark! You know the woods are dangerous!"

I kissed her forehead. "You should go. I don't want my first encounter with your mother to be the one where she kills me. Save that for the second meeting."

Mariana giggled as walked off. Just before she disappeared into the woods, she turned and waved. I waved, already missing her.

A tear rolls of the tip of my nose as I remember that day. It was our last hang out before her death. I never got to be introduced to her mother, I had to introduce myself and her mother had just walked away, sobbing, her little brother clutched to his mother's hand.

Just as I stand, wiping the tears of grief away, I hear a shuffle of the leaves. I straighten, slowly bringing out my knife that I always carry, hoping to surprise them about my weapon. I turn to take in my surroundings when I see a familiar boot. I sigh and put my knife back. "Toby, I know it's you."

Toby trips and falls, exposing him from the tree he was hiding behind. He pushes himself to his feet. "Dammit Von, how did you know?"

I look at him, bored and point to his foot. "Your boot was exposed. That, and watch where you step. Leaves equals noise."

He looks at his boot. "Oh" is all he says.

"Idiot," I mumble. I start walking away and he follows. "Stop following me, Toby," I say over my shoulder.

"But," he gasps from running to catch up with my long and fast stride. "Slendy told me to look after you... that came out weird."

I roll my eyes but don't slow down. "Of course he did, that prick."

Suddenly, I hear Toby stop. "You weren't supposed to know that."

"Of course I wasn't," I mutter darkly as Toby sprints to catch up with me. "Because Von isn't allowed to know anything," I say, hitching my voice. "He isn't allowed to know anything or decide anything even though. It's. His. Life."

Toby looks up at me, worry and nervousness taking over his features. "Von," he says, "I-I think you should calm down..."

I look down at him. "I'm perfectly calm," I reply, the anger and hysterics in my voice betraying me. "I am fine. Just leave me alone."

Von, calm down.

"Shut the hell up," I mutter. Toby slows his pace, probably thinking that was for him, and we continue walking until I see the mansion, then slow my walk. Toby leans against a tree, catching his breath.

"Please... don't... do that... again," he wheezes. I look at him and then walk a bit slower towards the mansion. "Oh, c'mon!" Toby murmurs, then jogs to catch up with me again.

When we reach the mansion, Toby sees the look on my face and saunters off. I storm into the mansion and up the stairs until I get to Slender's office. When I go in, he's looking out the window like before.

"So now you have Toby spying on me?" I shout. "Am I never allowed to be alone? Or make decisions? Or know anything?!"

Slender continues looking out the window. He didn't even flinch. "I am just looking out for your safety," he replies calmly.

"M-my safety?" I laugh, though there's nothing funny about this. "Fuck you!" I scream.

Slender then whirls around, his face contorted in anger. "I have raised you, looked out for you!" he shouts. "I didn't have to save you from the woods that day, I could've just let you die! But I didn't, I saved you and have protected you for fourteen years!"

I look at him through squinted eyes and speak through gritted teeth. "Nearly killing me about once a month when I piss you off, you call that protecting?"

Von... You need to calm--

I close my eyes and bring my fists to my head. "Shut the hell up!!" I scream.

"Von Jasedal," Slender says dangerously.

Seriously, Von. Stop.

"Get the hell out of my head!" I yell, squeezing my head.

"Von?" Slender says cautiously, his voice distant. "Von!

I collapse as everything goes dark.