When I awoke, I was clear-headed and almost painfully aware of my surroundings. My peculiarly heightened senses alerted me to the presence of another, and I slowly turned to stare into the forest before me. The presence shifted, mocking my attempts to pinpoint its source. The blood caked on my arm cracked painfully as I scrambled to my feet with a snarl of pain.
I glanced down at the planks under my feet and choked on the air I was breathing. Blood was everywhere. I had been lying in a pool of my own blood, the crimson coating everything. Then, I realized, I was still lying there.
A replica of my own body was sprawled out in the blood, appearing to be peacefully asleep. Her arm was literally butchered, the cuts long and deep. I stared at her in a mix of confusion and mortification, eyes wide. Then, a soft voice spoke into my mind, seemingly from nowhere.
/That’s you. You bleed to death whilst asleep./ I whirled, nearly falling over myself as I faced the voice.
Mouth falling open in a silent scream, I backpedaled from the thing standing before me. A quiet, amused chuckle filled my mind as the voice had moments ago as I turned and attempted to flee. I tripped over a missing plank and fell, scraping my palms as I caught myself. Tears of fright streaming down my face, I turned, staring up at the creature in fear and uncertainty.
It was faceless, wearing a black suit with a tie the color of my blood. About eight feet tall, although without a face, nonetheless I got the notion that it was smiling at me. It extended the hand, taking a sort of gliding step towards me. I scrambled backwards over myself, choking on my terrified sobs and shaking like a leaf.
/Do not be afraid, young one./ It said soothingly, slipping around behind me and stroking my hair.
Trembling, I stared at it in fear. “Wh-What are you?” I asked, voice shaky.
/I am known as the Slender Man. However, I have many names./ He-for his voice had a certain cat-purr to it that I recognized as male-told me, settling himself at my side.
A strange calm came over me, and I managed to cease my weeping. I sniffled weakly, and he handed me a crimson handkerchief. I accepted it and wiped my eyes, than blew my nose. It seemed to disintegrate in my hands, fading like a shadow in the early dawn light.
Rather frightened by this show of magic, I curled up even tighter. His elegant fingers left my hair and traced my jawline, a soft hum coming from his throat. /You may call me Slender, Der Ritter, Fear Dubh, or the White King./ He said simply, his long legs folding beneath him as he sought to get comfortable on the wooden bridge on which we sat.
“I-I’m Adelina.” I stammered out, politely raising my hand to shake.
He chuckled softly, clearly amused as he took my hand in his large, cold one and shook it gently. /I know, Frauke. I’ve been following you for months now./
I blinked up at him, brows creasing together in confusion as he released my hand. “You have?” My fear was gradually decreasing the more time I spent in his presence.
He nodded slowly. /But of course. I am the darkness that has held your hand when you fell into the shadows of your own mind./ He said rather poetically, a single, shadowy tentacle appearing from behind him and wrapping around my waist, pulling me closer to him and then holding me close.
I felt comfort in the gentle weight of the tentacle, and I leaned into the ethereal appendage, closing my eyes and feeling at peace for the first time in a long time. After a few moments of comfortable silence, I looked up at him, a question shining in my eyes. “If I’m dead, how am I here?” I inquired, my voice coming out like an innocent child’s.
/You are in the Grey Realm./ He replied, gracefully rising to his feet so he was once again towering above me.
He extended a hand, which I grasped, and pulled me to my feet. Carefully stepping around my corpse, he led me into the moon-bathed forest, seemingly considering how to elaborate. I looked back, afraid to leave my body behind but following nonetheless. I was frightened, more than I’d ever been in my entire life. But somehow, his cool, certain hand covering mine seemed to comfort me. Although I was scared, I also felt more at home then I’d ever had before.
The entity led me through the trees, taking short, awkward steps so I could match his pace and not stumble. /This is the land of pure, unadulterated shade. You are safe here from all of the pain that was inside you while you were alive, Adelina./ He said as we emerged from the tree line and into a field.
The field gently sloped up into a rise, which seemed to overlook something. That rise was our destination; it appeared, for that is where we directly headed. My hand, small and weak beneath his, tightened around his fingers as the anticipation grew. When we reached the top of the rise, I gasped, a surprised smile overtaking my lips.
Spread beneath us was a gorgeous landscape, hills rolling gently into a small, quaint little country town. I took in the sight of it for a moment, than turned my face up to him. “What is this place”
/This is where those who have perished, but not gone on to the Beyond dwell./ He responded easily, pale, gaunt face staring down at my own.
I bit my lip and stood a little closer to him as a cool wind blew past us, chilling me, attempting to take in the information. /Come, now, little Frauke. You are tired./ Before I could react, his shadowy tentacles emerged from the darkness surrounding us and wrapped around me, clouding me with the cool, relaxing shade that I was growing so fond of.
YOU ARE READING
Fear
ParanormalWhen a teenage girl (typical right?) commits suicide in Slendy's forest, what else can our favorite demon of the night do but take her in and care for her? She wanders the halls of Slender's castle, meeting his associates and becoming entangled in h...