I woke up with a jolt, a small feeling of panic entering my body. I had the dream again. I turned to my side, hearing slight static, glaring at my alarm clock. It was 5:50 AM. I’m not going back to sleep, that’s for sure. So, I got up, grabbing some jeans, a tank top, and my black fishnet elbow-length fingerless gloves.
I glanced at my left arm, small bandages covering cuts and scratches. I lied to my parents about it all the time, telling them I accidentally hurt myself whilst running around in the woods. I tried the same lie with Kaitlyn and Ash, but they saw through it like a crystal-clear pond.
I quickly changed from my pajamas to my regular clothes. I glanced out the window, the neighborhood that I lived in was still and quiet. The sky was ink-black, the stars twinkled with broken promises to make things better. The moon was full.
I felt a sensation deep within my being that began to blossom. It felt as if I were being watched. Suddenly, a flickering lamp post caught my eye. As I gazed upon it, I realized that a figure was standing below the light. I squinted, before realizing that the figure was the same faceless figure that I had seen pretty much my whole life.
I stared at it for many moments, ignoring the ever-growing static that rang through my ears. I blinked, when suddenly it retreated into the forest. Don’t go!! I thought, biting my lip, Don’t leave me alone!!! I stared after the creature for many moments, before leaving my window. I heard footsteps outside my room. Panic filled my body. What if my parents got up??? It might just be Adam, though… Or Allison… Or Carmen…
Without hesitating, I dove under my covers, pretending to be asleep. My door creaked open just a crack. I heard it open fully, accompanied with soft footsteps and giggling. My eyes widened. That wasn’t any of my family members. I felt the intruder touch my shoulder.
“I know you’re awake, Sarah.” Said a little girl’s voice. My eyes widened. This was just unreal. I opened my eyes, staring face to face with a little girl. She had long, curly brown hair and sparkling green eyes. She was adorable! Her skin was a pale tone, not as pale as mine, but close-ish. She wore a pink dress, that was slightly torn up, white tights, and black flats. She had a teddy bear, that was also slightly torn up, at her side. “Will you play with me? Me, you, my bear, and your elephant can have a tea party!”
I glanced over at my fuschia-colored eyeless elephant (that I had named Eyeless Ellie, aka E2), that I’ve had since I was a toddler. I smiled slightly, “Okay, little one. What’s yours and your bear’s names?”
“My name is Sally and this is Charlie! What’s your elephant’s name?” Sally asked, a smile on her cute little face.
“Her name is Eyeless Ellie, or E2 (E squared) for short, since her eyes were rubbed off by my brother, Adam.” I said, kneeling down to her height.
Sally giggled, “That sounds like EJ! I think E2 and EJ might be related, then!!”
I laughed with her, before realizing that she meant Eyeless Jack. Okay… Maybe I wasn’t just imagining this little girl out of pure sleep deprivation. Or maybe I was just dreaming. Yeah, that’s it… Dreaming… It’s creativity, and not reality, is it not?
Sally tilted her head at me, a frown on her face, “Y-You don’t think I-I’m real…?” My eyes widened. Could she truly read my thoughts? “I can’t… But he can…” I looked over to my side, and saw the creature that I always had seen since birth. The one, the only, Slenderman.
I heard static fill my ears again. I felt like I shouldn’t be able to move, like that I should fear him. But I didn’t. I never had. I always felt some sort of bond between us. Like he was family.
“Child, you will understand when the time is right… Rest now…” He spoke to me in my thoughts. The voice in my head was always him, wasn’t it? Well, the static-like male voice at least, I already knew who the female voice was. The female voice was Death, or at least that’s what I call her.
“Hey, are you seriously going to listen to him!?!?” Death complained, finally speaking after so much silence. I wished Death wasn’t a part of me so that I could slap her.
“Child, sleep…” Slender said once more. This time, black tentacle/tendril-like appendages appeared from his back. Two of them circled around me, scooping me up like a child and placing me upon my bed. “He won’t reach you here… Not again… Not ever.” He placed a tentacle/tendril on my forehead, almost how my parents did when I was younger, “Good night, Sarah…” That was all I heard before the world went black.
~~~Timeskip, 8:03 AM~~~
I sat up, rubbing my forehead. I felt confused until I remembered what had happened. Was it real or a dream? I wondered. I threw my black and purple blanket off of me, to find myself in my clothes that I had been wearing during the encounter. Okay… Maybe I just crashed after looking out my window…? I got up, stretching, before looking at my alarm clock. My heart stopped for a second. IT WAS PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!!!
I grabbed my books, MP3, earbuds, and all that fun stuff, before booking it down the stairs. Dear God, my parents were going to kill me and then dance on my grave with NO MERCY!!! I grabbed my backpack before realizing that it was SATURDAY since none of my siblings or parents were home, plus I checked my phone and it said; Saturday, 8:34 AM.
I felt my eye twitch. I was in a panic for NOTHING. NOTHING I TELL YOU!!!!!
“My God, Sarah!! You don’t have to yell!! Plus, it was as funny as when that dog of yours slid on the ice that one time… Hehehe…. Memories…” If Death was a real person, and not a voice in my head/alter ego, she would be been smirking her butt off. “You’re freaking right I would be smirking my butt off!! That was funny right there!!”
I rolled my eyes as I looked into the mirror that hung by the door. My eyes were purple instead of hazel. I glared at my reflection, or Death, “Death, would you please stop messing with my eyes?? I hate having to lie to my parents and Kitty and Ash about having contacts.”
Death rolled her eyes, “You know you love it. Besides, purple eyes are amazing. I’m happy I have them.. Besides, don’t your eyes normally change colors?”
“Yes my eyes do change colors, since they’re hazel, but not to purple. You see, an eye color such as purple is almost near impossible to be natural…” I explained. Death rolled her eyes yet again.
“Whatever… Hey, why don’t we go exploring in your parents’ room! Maybe we could find your birthday present or Christmas presents!!” Death said, changing the subject.
I rolled my eyes at her, “Sure… Whatever…” Death grinned, before taking over my body. I felt myself being pushed back a bit, my eyes turned purple once again.
Death led me upstairs to my parents’ room. We opened the door, before walking inside. We scanned the room, before heading for their dresser. We opened the second drawer looking through clothes and normal things. Then we found that the drawer had a false bottom. Death let me be in control again.
“Why does it have a false bottom…?” I asked her. Death made me shrug.
“I dunno. Reasons…?” She said.
I stared at it, before opening the false bottom. I found a certificate, that, at first, I thought was my birth certificate. I examined it, before dropping it on the floor. It wasn’t my birth certificate. It was my adoption certificate. I felt a tear slide down my cheek. They lied to me… They’ve been lying to me my whole life!!! I felt anger rise up in me.
I glared at the paper, trying to understand why my parents would lie to me. No, I won’t call them my ‘parents’ anymore. They don’t deserve that. I won’t call Adam, Allison, or Carmen my siblings anymore. Okay, maybe I’ll let Allison have that privilege, she’s the only one that’s nice to me most of the time and actually understands that I’m depressed and have anxiety, because she has it too. Adam always makes fun of my anxiety and depression, saying that I’m just wanting attention. I hate him. Carmen always ignores me and pretends that I don’t exist and says that I just want attention, as well. I hate her, too.
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. My eyes widened. They were home. Panicked, I put the certificate back in the drawer and replaced the false bottom. I put the drawer back in the dresser, before booking it out of my “parents’” room.
I ran across the hall to my room, closing the door quietly. I leaned against the door, before slowly sliding to the ground. I felt a tear or two slide down my face. I never felt this way before… Well, actually I had felt this way before… Pure hatred. The last time I felt this way was when I was dating Austin…
I stared up at the ceiling, making up constellations with the dots on the popcorn ceiling. I looked away from my ceiling, my attention going to my window. Intrigued, I got up and walked over to my window. I stared at the woods, as if they held the answer to everything.
I tensed when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Sarah, what are you doing up here all by yourself? Come along, dearie. You can help me make some crafts.” I whirled around to come face-to-face with my Aunt Grace.
I let out a sigh of relief, “Oh, it’s just you, Aunt Grace… I thought you were… Heh, never mind…”
My aunt laughed, “Oh, Sarah… Such a wild imagination, you have! I know why you love the woods so much, because you can just pretend and melt away from reality… Isn’t that right?”
I laughed, almost nervously, “Yeah… That’s right…”
“Anyways,” Aunt Grace said, “Your parents and siblings are out of town for the weekend, so your parents told me, your favorite aunt, to look after you! Oh, Sarah, it will be so much fun! We can see how much you’ve improved in your art skill and watch movies together!!” I laughed. I just love Aunt Grace! She actually is my favorite aunt, and she knows it! It goes to her head, I swear!!
“Yeah. Hey, Aunt Grace? Could I go for a walk in the woods? I almost had an anxiety attack earlier, Mom said that the woods calm me down so I should try to walk in them whenever I feel an attack coming on…” I said, not exactly lying, but not exactly telling the truth either.
My aunt nodded, “Yes, of course! Be sure to take a water bottle!” I nodded. I went down the stairs and into the kitchen to get a water bottle from the fridge. I was about to go outside when my aunt shouted at me, “Be sure to take Shadow with you, dear! He needs his exercise, you know!”
I sighed, before grabbing a leash and hooking Shadow up to it. Shadow wagged his tail with joy. I rolled my eyes at him, before going outside, across the street, and into the woods.
ns 15.158.61.16da2
