The Slender Suits [Slow Updates]

Should I Run?

After the events I had only been told of, for I had blacked out, I was almost positive that the safest thing to do was run. I also realized, however, that running would mean giving up all I had worked for as far as the research in this area of the man.

Ryder informed me once I had awaken back at home, safely tucked up in bed, that he had reviewed the tapes from our camera.

"You did what?" I asked, still hazy.

"I watched the tapes, Nessa." he replied, holding my hand against the bed, trapping me in the conversation.

"And? What did you find?" I asked, worried it may be something  stupid or even something that would change all my thoughts and ideas on the Slender Man that I believed I knew so well.

Ryder sighed. "I only found as much as you captured when I left. You didn't get much. I had to go through a lot to get that camera back since you dropped it. The final minutes of the tape are probably the worst in quality but hte best evidently."

I tried to sit up. "What do you mean?"

Ryder pulled out his laptop and clicked on a file. "I cut the last minute and a half of the tape and put it in this file. Watch it and you'll see what I mean."

I watched the screen carefully. The man in the suit stood just in the frame, crookedly. The shot was rigged with audio distortion and image distortion and just before the final tape when black, there was a scratchy circle and X combo hidden in the corner.

My jaw literally dropped and I turned to face Ryder square on. "We caught this?" I asked, knowing we had come upon something insanely amazing and very proving of the existance of such a thing.

Ryder nodded. "The audio is pretty solidly distorted, though, and I can't make anything out. The picture is too messed up."

I slapped him playfully. "It doesn't matter. We caught him."

Ryder sighed. "Things like this can easily be created with the editing program Audacity, and that means that no one anywhere will believe our tapes." he said, tapping on the edge of his laptop rhythmically with his nail.

I studied Ryder's face. He had a small scratch just above his eyebrow. I frowned, knowing he had that because of me. He smiled crookedly and asked, "Mind if I take my shirt off? It's kinda hot in here.."

He laughed nervously.

I nodded. "Go ahead. It's almost like you live here anyway, so I wouldn't mind."

In my mind I thought quietly, it helps that you're hot!

 I almost immediately wanted to take the thought back,  but realized I couldn't and that it didn't matter to Ryder. He took his shirt off. He had cuts and scratches all over his body. I inhaled sharply.

Ryder put a hand on my shoulder. "It's not your fault Vanessa." he said, hugging me somewhat awkwardly.

I frowned as he pulled away. "You know it truly is my fault because you wouldn't have been in that danger if I hadn't gone into the woods in search of a dangerous, possibly bloodthirsty creature whom I had only met once."

Ryder shook his head. "It would have happened one way or another and things would have ended up exactly the same, Ness." he tried to assure me.

I frowned.

He sighed.

From off in the distance, we heard a sinister cackle. I pulled back into Ryder's arms and cowered into his chest. He pulled me off of him.

"Hey," he said softly. "It's alright. You don't have to be afraid, Ness! I'm here!"

I was near tears with fright.

"He's here."