𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐢 𝐓𝐨𝐛𝐲 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐭

Recollection of a Locket

The life of a proxy is hell on Earth and Toby can attest to that. So can Tim Wright and Brian Thomas, the two goons Toby has been living with for the last 2 years.

While Brian is a pretty solid dude, there's almost no one Toby despises more than Tim. As the oldest of the trio, Tim thinks he's king of the house and deserves respect and obedience from Toby. He's a 33 year old pill-popper; Toby has no respect for that. He's got some mouth on him too. Can dish out disrespect like it's nothing but can't take it. Toby is just thankful he didn't have to deal with this douche when he was a teenager like the Slenderman intended. If he became a proxy at 17, he still would've met Tim (who's been working for their master for over a decade). However, Toby admires how loyal Tim is to their master. He is his right hand, or was.

Brian, thank the heavens for Brian Thomas. He's the peace keeper of the house, always has been. He's a fine listener and knows how to calm down the both of them after their daily disputes.

Speaking of their place of reside, a house isn't the best word for it. It's a humble cabin in the woods. It was built by Tim and Brian sometime after they became proxies. Well, the foundation was built by them but plumbing and insulation was done professionally. Their water supply comes from a large well about a mile south. As much as their master claims to protect and care for his workers, he sure as hell doesn't supply them with a lot. They were just expected to figure it out, and they did. Brian has a background in building as he worked as a construction engineer for some time so this roof over their heads is Brian's work to thank. Took them years but they're well established now within the Slender Forest, as they've named it.

It's abandoned completely after years of copious amounts of crime hidden between the trees. Hardly anyone bothers to venture inside but when a fool feels brave, the proxies must hunt them down immediately with their master's order. The forest is thick with lush evergreens everywhere, but in a clearing, miles from the opening of the woods, their cabin sits proudly.

The three men live alone together. Truth be told, they hardly see their master in the flesh. Toby has learned that is for good reason, for if you see him, a punishment awaits you.

The door slams behind Toby, shaking the wood foundation of their home. His chest is heaving and he rushes up to the second floor to take a shower.

He just returned from an evening of killing, completing a task for Slenderman. That's another thing about being a proxy, they are sent on these mindless missions with no background knowledge other than to kill. Proxies don't know why the Slenderman wants these people to die or what he does afterwards but they must obey. Or they die.

Tonight gave him déjà vu.

A con of being a proxy is to unknowingly forfeit one's memory to the Slenderman. He wipes them clean of anything that holds onto their humanity until they're nothing but a monster in human skin. Toby suffers greatly from the amnesia, not able to remember a single thing before the morning he woke up as Slenderman's newest addition.

Toby hasn't felt déjà vu before but something about the woman he murdered this evening felt strangely familiar. This was really disturbing to him, so he quickly slit her throat but didn't fail to notice the gold locket around her neck. Why did it resonate with him so much?

He's tried to ask the others in the house about this whole amnesia curse but they tell him not to dwell too much, as it's for the best that he's forgotten everything. They tell him there's nothing but pain in his life before being saved by their master.

He just can't shake this feeling after seeing that woman's necklace. It almost made him a little angry when he saw the gold twinkling around her neck and he can't explain why. She's dead, whoever she was.

Toby dries up and gets dressed, heading downstairs. His other roommates are home, having already done their deeds earlier. It's past midnight. Tim is passed out upstairs while Brian is making a meal in the kitchen. It's very vintage looking, but it's really not. This cabin has stood for about 7 years(?) fully built, Toby can't remember what he was told years ago.

Brian stands before the wooden countertop, making a bowl of cereal. He sees Toby in the doorway and reaches into the cupboard to grab a second dish, pouring him a bowl too.

"Thank, Brian." Toby mutters as they eat together. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it, kid."

"Do you ever get. . . Déjà vu?"

". . . In passing, but I try to shake it off." Brian laughs a little, shrugging off his question. "I don't like that feeling. It's best not to worry about the past, as Tim always says."

"Yeah." Toby dryly replies, "Tim always has too much to say."

"He's just looking out for you, Toby."

Yeah, yeah. . . Bullshit. Toby hates him.

"Besides, I wouldn't mention the past around him. It really makes him mad, for whatever reason." Brian always reminds him to stay out of Tim's way and he'll be fine.

Brian is soft spoken and someone Toby feels as though he can talk to. As much as he's a cold blooded killer, Toby believes Brian has a heart. He has a theory that this life really isn't for him and he serves the Slenderman out of survival. He was in a bad situation when he became a proxy and their master was his only saviour.

Tim always gets on his ass about being too much of a "pussy", telling Brian he needs to man up. Brian is a skilled killer and knows what he's doing but he's not doing it from his heart. His renforcement for murder is that he's doing it for a reason, to please Slenderman. It keeps him going.

All night Toby tossed and turned in his bed, unable to stop worrying about why he connects to that woman and her locket.