Last One Standing (Slenderman fanfic)

Chapter twenty one

•Sable's P.O.V.•

I woke up the next day with a fuzzy memory. I could outline the events of yesterday, but some pieces were missing. I remembered Toby, and the two masked characters that saved me. I remembered waking up in the woods, and finding Lenore's suicide note. I'd called the two 'Masky' and 'Hoodie' in my fit of rage, so I guess if I ever saw them again I'd refer to them as that.

How I got home though I don't remember, but I had an idea of what it was when I saw the poppy missing from its vase. With a sigh I climbed out of bed, habitually reaching for my phone to answer my missed texts from Toby and Lenore. But I set it back down when I realized what I was thinking.

"They're too far gone..." I spoke to myself, remembering the words from somewhere. I tried calling Tim and Brian, all to no avail. There was however, a text from someone who I didn't quite remember getting their number. Jenny had sent me a photo and a caption, and I saw an image of three figures in the fog. I could see the hatchets at Toby's sides, but Masky and Hoodie were trailing behind him like they were old pals out on a stroll.

'He was outside my house this morning with these two. Do you know them?'

'No, I don't,' I responded. 'They look familiar though.'

'How come he's carrying hatchets?'

'I don't know that either.' I paused. 'Hey, can I ask something?'

'Shoot.'

'Have you been feeling weird at all lately? Dizzy, coughing, random blackouts or hallucinations?'

'That's a weird question, but yes actually. I coughed up a pretty big amount of blood this morning...'

I called her. She picked up first ring.

"Sable?"

"Jenny, I'm coming over asap." I ran to my closet as I held the phone between my shoulder and cheek. "Whatever you do, do not leave the house for any reason."

"Why, what's going on? Is Toby dangerous or something?"

"Toby is the very least of your problems right now. I'll explain everything the moment I get there."

I hung up, throwing my phone into an empty backpack as I took off my clothes from yesterday. I threw on a sweatshirt and jeans, sliding my thumbs through the little holes in the fabric. It was one of those ones you'd wear while exercising, a grey print with an off color green lining. I pulled the hood up before jumping over to my bed, pulling out the camera equipment. I took the go pros, along with two chest mounts and a camcorder. I even threw in my laptop just for the hell of it.

After tying up my shoes and making one last grab for my phone, I was bolting out the front door and into town. It was still early in the morning, so everyone was getting ready for work and school, leaving the roads and sidewalks empty. Jenny lived in an apartment complex on the other side of town, famous for throwing parties and shindigs that involved a copious amount of booze and unprotected sex.

Before entering the area, I did a quick scan, looking for any trace of the three boys. After the all clear I ran inside, sprinting over to the stairs. Second floor, suite 44. A little chime that was passed around whenever her parties rolled around. I knocked on the door quickly, waiting for her to arrive and open it. She looked at me with makeupless eyes and pale skin, something I'd never seen on the blond bombshell before.

"Sable...?" She moved aside, allowing me entrance. "What's going on?"

"Are your parents home?"

"No, they left for work a while ago."

"Do you think they'll mind one unexcused absence from school?"

"I have about twenty three more, so I don't think so." She laughed softly. I could see a small red stain at the corner of her lips when she did. "Can you tell me what's going on now?"

"I'll show you." I walked over to a table, pulling out a chair and grabbing my backpack. I pulled out the laptop and opened it up, clicking on my video files as she took a seat beside me.

"A month ago, Lenore, Tim, Brian, Toby and I all went into Pinewood to do an investigation." I paused. "Y'know, all the stuff you beat the snot out of me for." She had an apologetic look in her eyes. They weren't as bad of a brown as I'd thought now that she wasn't caking on the makeup. "But while we were out there, we ran into a few...obstacles. And occurrences. We all had video equipment, so we went in and recorded every second of it."

I played the video from my camcorder. As I'd come to find out, mine was the only one that picked up on any of the static that the Slenderman produced. She watched intently as the video progressed, her eyes widening when we reached the concrete building. I heard Lenore point out the blood on the wall, and I realized this was the last footage I had of her. The last thing I'd ever use to hear her voice.

I stopped the video in the few moments after Tim had called out come save your dust bunny. Slendy was standing in the doorway, angry as hell, the flower visible in his lapel. Jenny looked at it more closely, her brows furrowed in thought.

"Dust bunny?" She coughed suddenly. I placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed her back until she calmed down. Blood drops splattered her hand as she pulled it away from her mouth.

"When my dad disappeared, it wasn't because he just up and left. That man in the doorway is the Slenderman. He destroys all those who fear him. And saves the ones that don't."

"Saves?"

"My father was abusive. And one day I walked into my backyard with a bruise on my cheek and hatred in my heart. Slenderman was there for me, until I walked forward and introduced myself. I gave him the poppy that sits in his lapel, and he gave me the nickname that haunts my nightmares. I told him about my dad, and he took him away for me."

"He didn't take you because you weren't scared of him, right?"

I nodded. "I almost died when I was nine. In fact, I did die for about two minutes. He watched me impale myself on a rusted pole, and he thought I died." I lifted up my shirt, revealing my scar and my tattoo. "When he heard Tim call the nickname he was furious. I wore contacts then, so he didn't recognize me. We all began to deteriorate rapidly at that point. And I hate to say it, but that coughing is a symptom of slender sickness. You'll get worse and better and worse and better."

"What does this have to do with Toby?" She asked finally, letting the information sink in. She could handle this shit better than I thought.

"Slenderman has proxies." I played the video until The Rake tripped Toby. "Henchman. They kill his prey for him. He found out who I really was, but it was too late. Toby had gone crazy after his sister died and Lenore just shut down. She hung herself and Toby killed his dad. He doesn't seem to remember anything other than his direct orders."

"And the others?"

"I don't know who they are. I just call them Masky and Hoodie, it's easy that way." I said. "They actually-"

I was cut off as the door knock echoes around us. My veins ran cold as Jenny's face paled.

"I'll be right there!"

"Don't open the door."