Slender

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-three

I didn’t go to school the next day. I stayed home in my own safe house. Could I even say that anymore? After what I’d seen? Micah tried calling me today during school’s session. I ignored it. I don’t think I wanted to be a part of this anymore. I sat over my bed eating soup. I wasn’t sick, but I had to play the part. Lucas had called me seven times last night while my phone was dead. I wanted to so desperately talk to him but he was a safe kid in school. He didn’t get his phone out at all. I don’t know if he’d want to talk to me anyways. He was off and on with me. Not relationship wise, but as in liking or disliking me…as a friend. Friend… I’d gone so long with that word raking down my skin and I finally had something more than that. I got a little too used to that. How could I possibly go back to before that without being broken? This was the boy I’d been in love with since last year. I felt a tear slide down my face. I wiped it away nonchalantly. Get a grip on yourself.

Micah tried calling me again after school. I didn’t answer. I took out my sketch pad and began drawing intricate drawings of spider webs and the phases of the moon. I shaded in the hollows and the background. I was always a drawer but I usually didn’t draw much out of art class unless I was super bored. My mom knocked on my door. “Come in.” I sighed.

“How are you feeling?” She asked me gently. I wasn’t sick but I sure looked like it.

“Not good, but better.” That wasn’t a lie. She walked through my laundry filled floor and pressed her hand onto my forehead.

“You don’t have a fever.” She said.

“That’s good.” I murmured.

“Can I see?” My mom asked as she pointed to the drawing. I handed to her.

“Dark.” She said. “I like it though.” She said smiling.

“Thanks.” I replied.

“Love you.” She said as she walked out of my room again with her blonde hair being the last thing I saw before I was crushed.

My phone rang. It wasn’t anyone I’d been expecting to hear from.

“Hello?” I asked as I picked it up.

“Cece, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but… Lucas passed away last night.” Lucas’ mom spoke with her voice cracking.

“W-Wha… How?” I managed to say.

“I… don’t want to get into detail, but they found him murdered. Impaled on a tree in town. I don’t know who would do this. I…” She broke into a hysterical cry.

“When’s the service?” I asked quickly just wanting to get off the phone.

“Friday, closed casket, 4:30 pm. I wanted to see if you’d like to speak at it.” She said.

“Of course. I…I have to go. Thank you for letting me know.” I said quickly.

“Bye. Please stay safe.” She said before she hung up. I screamed a murky cry. I ran across my cold wood floor into my mom’s room and hugged her tight.

“Lucas is dead.” I cried into her chest.

“What?” She asked. I nodded and sobbed. She let me sob and calm down as she rubbed my back.

“He was impaled on a tree. Someone murdered him!” I shrieked. But inside I knew that someone was a something, unless it was Masky, but I’m pretty sure it was it. The Slenderman. Was I insane? Of course. Was I right? Probably. She gasped.

“Cece, I don’t want you going over to Micah’s anymore. He’s welcome to come here, but I’m just a worried parent right now. I don’t want you being in town.” My mom told me. I nodded. That was perfectly fine by me. I told her how I was supposed to speak at the service Friday and she promised we’d buy a big thing of flowers for him. I cried, and cried, and cried. All night. I didn’t go to school the next day either.