Partners In Crime (Ticciwork fanfic) [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 47: Abandoned

Clockwork lazily picked at the fragments of wood sticking out from the mutilated table. It was 5:45 AM and she was wide awake; her fitful sleep shattered by nightmares more vivid than she'd ever experienced. She was all by herself down there; Hoody wasn't even up yet, which was unlike him. The clock was her only company.

Tick... tock...

It sounded mournful.

Clockwork's stomach growled. She glanced at the shiny refrigerator beckoning her from the other side of the room, then remembered how badly it would hurt to chew anything with her fractured jaw.

She put her head down. Food would have to wait until she got some painkillers in her.

The sound of footsteps padded into the kitchen. The fridge door opened, closed, opened again. The person sighed. The door closed once more.

"Hey," They said in a small tone. It took a moment for Clockwork to realize they were talking to her - she had to remember that she was the only person they could be talking to.

"'Sup," She mumbled.

"Clocky," Their tone turned shaky. She looked up.

"Toby?" She wasn't sure for a second. He looked so different without a smile.

"I'm s-sorry," His voice ticked oddly mid-sentence. She looked at him for a long time.

"For what?" She asked finally. He shook his head.

"E-everything -" His head twitched, jerked to the right awkwardly. "M-masky and -"

"It's not your fault." She blurted. He shook his head again and looked away. His entire body was trembling slightly, along with dangerous spasms that sometimes took over one of his hands or his entire neck. His eyes looked fragile and empty, with shadows deeper than Clockwork thought she'd ever seen on a living person.

It wasn't Toby. This wasn't Toby.

"Come here," Her eyes started to burn after she spoke. "Toby, come here," She reached for him.

He looked at her, at her outstretched hand. "I can't." His tone dropped to a whisper.

"Slenderman isn't around." Her voice broke.

"He will be," Toby faltered. "He's - he's gonna show up. H-he'll hurt you."

"Come here," Clockwork called hoarsely. He was right there. He was right there and all he had to do was take her hand and make it stop hurting.

Please make it stop.

He took a reluctant step forward. Clockwork's heart ached.

"Please," She murmured.

His eyes turned misty. He took a breath like he might say something, but the shadows darkened behind him, molded into a tall, thin shape...

Clockwork started to cry. She couldn't stop herself.

"N-no..."

"Out," Slenderman ordered. Toby shrank back and slunk out the door without a word, without a glance back. The door closed.

He's gone.

Tick... Tock...

HE'S GONE.

"WHY DO YOU DO THIS!?" She exploded, unable to contain it any longer. "WHAT DO YOU GAIN?!"

He said nothing. She was shaking so hard she could barely breathe.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK IT'LL -" She hiccuped. "Ch-change!? Y-you're just going to KILL HIM THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!"

"He's getting what he deserves." Slender remarked coolly.