Fear

Awakening

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.