Last One Standing (Slenderman fanfic)

Chapter ten

•Lenore's P.O.V.•

"Yo Brian!" I called, clutching my phone.

"What's up?" He jogged over, staring at me through his red covered eyes.

"I just read the group message, Toby took Sable home. Said something about a relapse?"

"She probably started coughing up blood." Brian chuckled. "She'll be okay. Don't worry about her."

"If you say so." I sighed. "Have you seen Tim?"

He glanced around a little before looking back at me. "I was going to ask you the same thing. He took off the moment we got here, I just assumed he was with one of you."

"Do you think we should go find him?"

Brian nodded, and we began scouring the crowd, our eyes open for the unmistakeable mask he was wearing. Soon enough we began departing from the main crowd, walking along alleyways and dark buildings. No one was open at this time of night, and even the kids were beginning to wander on home.

I was just about to call out Tim's name when I looked down an alley. There was a figure standing there, staring at the far wall. He was wearing Tim's jacket, and I could see the elastic of the mask scrunching up his hair. Immediate relief washed over me.

"Tim-!" Brian stepped forward, but I stopped him suddenly. I noticed that Tim's head had titled back, and he wasn't making any noise. But he didn't look like he was standing on his own, in fact, it looked like something was holding him up by his neck...

"LET HIM GO!" I screamed, running forward. I saw as the tall man stood in front of him, holding the man up by a shadowy black tentacle. Just as I was about to leap at him, I heard what sounded to be radio static.

Suddenly I fell to my knees, feeling not pavement beneath me, but concrete. The chill ran up my arms when my hands made contact. I recognized this place. It was the building we had been to before, where the operator mark was chalked on the wall outside, right next to the bloody hand prints.

I looked up, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I could start to make out the graffiti on the walls, along with...a figure, slumped over in the corner. It wasn't moving, in fact, I don't think it was alive. With a deep breath I crawled forward, bracing myself to see whatever it is that lay in wait.

The body was female, wearing a night gown that was completely blood soaked. I rolled her over, feeling the bile rise in my throat. Right when I lay eyes on her I began coughing, seeing the massive hole in her stomach where her organs would have been. But when I looked at her face...

I screamed.

•Sable's P.O.V.•

I was staring at myself in the mirror, trying to pass the time by counting stitches. I'd already taken out my contacts, my eyelids feeling heavy. I didn't really want to sleep, in truth I was quite terrified to. The thought of being plagued by nightmares was something that seemed very unappealing.

My head snapped up though, when I thought I heard something. It was soft, but the echo...I could swear it sounded just like a scream.

The TV flashed on suddenly, static rolling over the screen. A loud noise made me jump, like radio waves. The scream seemed to play on a quiet, endless loop. The second it shut off again I got up, grabbed a flashlight, and sprinted towards the back door, running into my backyard and blatantly ignoring the fact it was almost one in the morning. I had to get to whoever made that scream.

Eventually I found myself approaching the concrete building, a low sobbing sound echoing from within. I was hesitant to go inside, but I knew I had to. So I took a deep breath, stepping into the bone chilling room, sweeping my light around until I found who I was looking for. They were wearing a red hoodie, with brown bear ears sewn onto the hood. And in their lap was a body.

Lenore was sobbing, cradling the woman against her. "Mommy...m-mommy..."

"Lenore?!" I kneeled down beside her, wishing I hadn't taken a look. The gaping wound in her stomach was bloody and empty, her eyes open, staring at the ceiling through slashed up eyelids. Her entire body had claw marks all over her, similar to the ones that Toby had on his leg.

"My mom..." She wailed. "She's dead...!"

"Come on, Lenore, we have to leave." I saw my flashlight flicker on the floor beside me. Suddenly, the body in Lenore's arms disappeared, leaving nothing but slightly bloody hands for us both. Lenore began to panic, her breathing becoming fevered and uneven. She was shouting as she sobbed, shaky hands holding the sides of her head.

I grabbed the flashlight, shoving it in my pocket as I hauled my best friend to her feet. It began to flicker again, and I turned to look back in the window, spotting a pale white disk for a face staring at us. I was angry, knowing this was his fault. He may not have killed the woman but his damn proxy did.

"Why would you do this?!" I shouted, feeling a tear slide down my cheek. "You're a monster! I never should have trusted you! I WISH I'D NEVER GIVEN YOU THAT POPPY!"

The flashlight went out as my anger finally snapped. I got ahold of Lenore, running with her back towards the house. She began to calm down a little as she went, her sobs becoming quieter. I escorted her in through my back door, closing it swiftly behind me and leading her to the bathroom. Lenore sat on the edge of the bathtub, trying to even out her breathing. I washed my hands before getting a washcloth, soaking it in warm water and beginning to wash hers for her. She seemed coherent enough to talk now.

"Give me a contact case." She stated. I handed her an empty one after I'd filled it with saline, and she took out her contacts to reveal bloodshot eyes.

I set it on the counter and helped her up again, leading her to my room and taking off her shoes before tucking her in bed beside me. I wasn't letting her go home on her own tonight, especially not after what we'd just seen. That corpse was her mother, who'd been missing for a week. Where her body went after though, I haven't a clue.