The Proxy Trials...

CHAPTER 10 - Chosen

Xandra's P.O.V.

"Welcome, selected" Came the way too enthusiastic and elegant voice of Slender Man. I scanned my eyes around the room and stopped when I saw the most striking-looking guy.

He had black matted hair which was cut unevenly - but on him it didn't look scary, more unsettling. His eyes were wide and unblinking - it's rumoured he had burnt his eyelids off but I couldn't be so sure. A twisted face with a smile that looked like it was carved on, and the palest of pale faces.He was turning over a knife in his hands. And staring straight at me.

I didn't say anything, just looked down and blushed, almost tasting the dangerous aura surrounding him. Slender man continued.

"Today, you have been gathered here because I see some special talents in each and every one of you. Talents different to normal people. I see you have a grave future ahead of you, a fiery destiny. And none of you will go back to your past lives if you disobey me or any others." The room was silent now, except for the quiet humming of summer fly's skirting around the room. "My faithful Proxies here collected you under my orders, so we now have a group of valiant, fierce nobles able to keep up to our standard - enough standard that a few of you in here will do great during the Trials. You will compete in various different tasks."

The newest girl named Emily raised her arm around frantically trying to catch Slendy's attention. "Sir? what happens to the beaten off people? And the remaining fighters? What happens to them?" I was waiting for maybe a short term of torture to get her to shut up - Emily is usually the one who annoys everyone and gets on their nerves. She stood up, leaning against the wall, overall quite pretty if she didn't live up to acting like a complete woman rapist at random times - Strawberry blonde and tall with a weather beaten face which created a cool tan. I cringed, waiting for Slender Man's strike, but...nothing.

"The Champion or Victor of every group will be personally transformed into a Proxy - who are Creepy Pasta's serving me. Everyoone here serves me, and no one is stupid enough to disobey. Although, If I were you, I'd concentrate on surviving the Trials first."

Everyone was silent, hanging onto his every word. "However only approximately 5 of you girls in here will be able to survive the tasks, at maximum." A few gasps and looks of horror.  "The beaten will be ... eliminated. either dead after the certain activity - " Everyone winced. "Or  returned back to home with no idea where they have been or what they had been doing."

So it wasn't JUST death we were gonna be faced with, I could live with that.

Violet raised a hand, and Slender man almost immediately nodded. She coughed - she only ever did that if she was nervous, or if she felt like having a coughing fit. But not even Violet would be able to joke about in front of the eyes of Slender Man. Wherever they were. "Slender Man sir," She stammered nervously, "What exactly will we be doing during the Proxy Trials?" She chewed her lip in anxiety.

"There will be ten main tasks, alongside with severe training and being constantly alert to everyone around you - be wary in your slumber, as I will not disqualify competitors who kill other's after hours." A cold chill ran through the room. "There will be no room for crying or complaining - and If i do see such wimpy behaviour, you'll be instantly eliminated so don't let your guard down. "

"The first few tasks will consist of  battles or logical challenges. The rest you will have to survive with strength, speed, and stamina. Also - intelligence. Surly airheads shan't be able to survive as a Proxy. There is only one rule which needs to be obeyed here at the Trials. And that is you are FORBIDDEN to escape. Should you choose to ignore this one golden rule..." All of a sudden, my vision faded into nothingness. My head filled with a static  noise and what felt like a white hot knife was being pushed into my head slowly.

The pain was unbearable, and I wanted to cry with all this agony. What the hell? I was fine a couple of seconds ago. I heard distant screams from a long way away. But then my head cleared and I saw myself flung across the couch, gasping for breath. Luckily, most of the people in this room were in the same condition.Slender man sighed. "Understand?" And we all nodded, terrified.

"Good." The old git smiled. The scary, no eyelids one with the carved smile came over to Slender Man, chucking a glance in our direction. "Aren't you gonna introduce the Mentors?" He asked innocently. Too cute........in a creepy, bloodcurdling killer kind  of way. "Ah, yes...........Girls, this is Jeff - " He waved. "Ben - " The one in the Zelda costume bowed gracefully. "Eyeless Jack - " The freaky one with empty eye-sockets that had a blue substance waved and smiled. Dawn beside me smiled and blushed - she  made it way too obvious she had feelings for the paranormal dude. "And last but definitely no the least........me." He outstretched his tentacle arms and nodded again. The act would have been amusing if we weren't all wide eyes in terror.

"Now, the Proxies...........my loyal subjects: Masky and Hoodie," The pair glanced up as he said their names - and when we all turned to face them - gave us the middle finger salute before legging it. Another guy almost as short as Ben entered hastily in a rush. He wore goggles and a mask. Slender laughed. "Ticci Toby, Dark Link, and Laughing Jack." I remembered that scary encounter with Laughing Jack in one of the mansion's many corridors, where I was lost, and he gave me directions to the "Living Room". Which lead to his f*cking bedroom. FYI, I slapped him one. And Dark Link was a quiet one who looked just like Ben, and could be mistaken for his evil twin.

Slender cast a look at all of us. "Now, judging by your Test Trials, we have collected enough information for us Mentors to have come up with a temporary solution to our groups. On the other hand, we'll have our eyes on certain girls who hold our objectives. And we'll swap them into our groups for other's who aren't doing as good. I shall go first." He pulled out a piece of paper from one of his Tux pockets and read aloud. " Axel De Le Mort, Rinwana Greyson, Ella Claires, Courtney Crimsen, and Jodie Haart."

Everyone turned to face the five girls as they blushed and bowed their heads. "You will be entered into my group judging by your results." I squeezed Axel's shoulder. I didn't know anyone else. Except Rinwana, who had to replace a girl who had died of shock once entered into the Trials. Rinwana looked extremely tough, you wouldn't have wanted to get on her bad side, but I was too afraid by the fire in her eyes to approach.

Ben stood up off the sofa he was lounging on. He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and read loudly: "Sakura Chang, Rose Jones, India Tempest, Heidi Carlisle and Violet Harper are in MY group." He winked at them and punched the air in victory. Then sat back down. Eyeless Jack got off the wall and groaned with annoyance: "Lana Jolly, Dawn Stanley, Kat  Engelston, Maria Bland and Heather Lark, my group." He sounded bored and deflated, like he couldn't stand the Trials just as much as we did.

Then Jeff stood up and read in his gruff, husky voice. "Best 'til last, definitely......." Then i realised. I was in Jeff's group. My heart accelerated and  i would have started to hyperventilate in surprise. "Hmm, Carly Saintclare, Xandra Hollys, Camilla Kahim, Tia Tamos and Emily Juffs. Not bad at all!" That was it.

We all whispered to each other excitedly. Heidi and Rose were literally bouncing off the walls in happiness and Violet gave a little. "Meh, he's fairly cute." Dawn and I looked at each other. Axel looked cheerful, but dull and dreary at the same time. She kept peering glances at her phone and keeling over in fright. Dawn and I cast a look at each other. "Do you know what this means?!" She murmured, scared. "Us two are completely alone in our own groups!!!!!!!" She was attempting to be mad and angry - but you could tell instantly she was extremely happy with her result of  being with Jack.

All of a sudden, our ears filled with static again, and again we faced nothing but the agonizing pain of a knife being pushed into the head. It was only for a mere few seconds, but it was enough.

"Thank you." Slender muttered cheerfully. "You have the rest of today, and the next two days after to prepare for the First Task. You are allowed to roam around - my boys will try their best to welcome you into our lovely home. You can collect your phones now Toby has disabled the emergency services, so there really is no point in trying to dial 999 or anything like that. Feel free to bask anywhere as long as it is within the mansion grounds, and collect weapons from the Frontier. Good night and Good luck with the Trials girls." And with that, we were dismissed.