??, ??, 2017
The dining room was bathed in an eerie, muted light, casting long shadows that danced across the walls. I stared blankly at the plate of food placed in front of me, but the thought of eating seemed alien to me now. Each bite felt like an act in this unsettling play I had become a part of. Toby sat on my left, his lanky frame slouched in his chair. His untamed brown hair matched the disarray in his eyes, hidden behind those unmistakable orange goggles. His stutter was a constant reminder of the peculiarities of this place, creating a disconcerting harmony with the uncomfortable silence that often hung in the air. Beside him was Sally, a stark contrast to the surrounding darkness. Her long, chestnut hair cascaded around her in waves, and her wide, innocent eyes seemed untouched by the horrors that lurked in the corners of this mansion. She wore her signature pink dress, a poignant reminder of the childhood innocence she clung to amidst the chaos.
As I stared at my untouched meal, my thoughts swirled like a vortex. The desire to escape this nightmarish existence had become a relentless presence in the back of my mind. But even as the notion of freedom tugged at my very soul, I knew that any attempt would be futile. They had an insidious hold on me, monitoring my thoughts with a precision that left me feeling exposed and vulnerable. It was as if they could predict my every move, leaving me perpetually one step behind.
The absence of Masky haunted me like a ghostly specter. I hadn't seen him since his return from the enigmatic missions he embarked on. His actions in the basement, protecting me from Ben's wrath, had been my only respite in that torturous place. I owed him more gratitude than words could convey, and I longed to thank him properly for his selfless acts of kindness. But the mansion had swallowed him once more, leaving me with unanswered questions and a profound sense of longing.
The mansion itself seemed to pulse with secrets, its darkened corridors concealing untold mysteries. Each inhabitant carried their own burdens, veiled in layers of enigma. I couldn't help but wonder about the horrors that had led them down this path. I questioned what Slenderman and his enigmatic puppeteers had planned for me in this grotesque theater of the macabre. In this surreal world, I was adrift, surrounded by shadows that whispered their sinister secrets, leaving me to contemplate my fate in this nightmarish realm.
Sally's voice, filled with a childlike curiosity, pulled me from the depths of my contemplation. "Y/n, why don't you eat? Food is good," she said, her gaze unwaveringly fixed on my untouched plate.
For a moment, I mustered a weak smile, appreciating her innocent concern. "I'm just not hungry, Sally. But I'll try a few bites," I replied, hoping to ease her worry. I forced myself to take a small forkful, though the taste seemed strangely distant, as if I were eating in a dream.
Toby chimed in, attempting to alleviate the somber atmosphere. "Y-yeah, S-sally's right. The f-food is good here. You s-should try it." Despite his stutter, there was a genuine warmth in his voice, a desire to connect, to find some semblance of normalcy in our peculiar surroundings.
I nodded, taking another bite as I observed the two of them. In their own ways, they had tried to make me feel welcome in this unsettling place. Sally, with her unwavering optimism, and Toby, with his earnest attempts at conversation, were living reminders of the humanity that still lingered amidst the darkness.
Yet, thoughts of escape continued to gnaw at the edges of my consciousness, persistent and unyielding. I had to find a way out of this nightmare, to free myself from the clutches of Slenderman and his proxies. But as I contemplated the complexity of my predicament, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of despair, knowing that I was entangled in a web of malevolent forces far beyond my comprehension.
Toby, his orange goggles reflecting the dim light of the room, leaned in slightly, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Y/n, what's your l-life like outside of here?" he asked, the words punctuated by his stutter.
I paused, contemplating how much I should reveal. These weren't ordinary circumstances, and I wasn't dealing with regular people. "Well," I began cautiously, "before I ended up here, I had a normal life. A job, friends, family... It feels like a distant memory now." A pang of longing surged within me as I thought of the life I had lost.
Sally, ever eager to be part of the conversation, interjected with wide-eyed curiosity. "What happened that made you end up here, Y/n?"
I hesitated, not wanting to delve into the horrifying details of my capture. "It's... complicated," I replied, choosing my words carefully. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and then I was trapped. I've been trying to figure out a way to leave ever since."
Toby, unaware of the real reason for my presence here, switched the topic to a more pressing matter. "Have you m-met Masky since he r-returned from his m-mission?" i assumed he assumed we hadn't met due to the fact he hadn't spoke to me when he returned.
My heart sank at the mention of Masky. He had helped me in that terrible basement, and I hadn't properly thanked him yet. "No, I haven't," I replied, my voice tinged with worry. "I wanted to thank him for what he did... and maybe ask if he knows anything about how to get out of here."
As the conversation continued, I couldn't help but wonder about Masky's whereabouts and the mysteries that surrounded this enigmatic group of beings. The more I learned, the deeper I was drawn into their dark and perplexing world, and the more I yearned for a way out.
Toby's curiosity seemed to grow even more intense as I mentioned Masky's role in my comfort while being abandoned in the basement. He raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing cockier by the second. "Oh, really?" he said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. "Do tell."
I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy under his scrutinizing gaze. Nevertheless, I recounted the harrowing experience. "Well, when I was locked in that basement, it was dark, cold, and... terrifying," I began, my voice quivering slightly at the memories. "But Masky, he... he helped me. He freed me from the chair, brought me comfort, and guided me upstairs for some cleanliness."
Toby's smirk widened, and he chuckled softly, clearly reveling in the suspense. "Is that so?" he replied in a tone that was almost taunting.
I nodded, determination driving me to explain further. "Yes, he risked himself to help me, and I want to thank him properly. He's the reason I'm still here." I glanced at Toby, expecting some form of reaction, but his smirk remained firmly in place.
"Well, well," Toby said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Masky the hero, huh? Who would've thought?"
I couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated by Toby's cocky demeanor. It seemed he was enjoying teasing me with his cryptic knowledge. Despite that, my gratitude toward Masky was sincere, and I was determined to find him and express it properly. But as I continued to navigate this complex web of personalities, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets lurked beneath the surface in this strange and eerie mansion.
Toby's smirk persisted as he asked, "So, did you tell the Operator about this little hero act of Masky's?"
I nodded, feeling a little uneasy under Toby's scrutinizing gaze. "Yes, I did. I thought it was important to let them know about it."
Sally's voice, soft and innocent, chimed in from across the table. "Y/n, Masky is one of the Operator's closest proxies. Even I don't know what's going on with him. Sometimes they keep secrets from us too."
Her words added another layer of uncertainty to the situation. I felt a mixture of worry, guilt, and curiosity about Masky's fate. The fact that even Sally, who seemed to have been here for a while, didn't have all the answers made me wonder what kind of intricate web of secrets and politics governed this eerie mansion.
Toby's smirk widened further, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Well, no wonder you haven't seen him around lately," he said with a hint of mystery in his voice. "I'd bet he's in some deep trouble now. You might have just signed his death warrant."
My heart sank at Toby's words, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. What had I done? If my revelation had truly put Masky in jeopardy, I needed to find him and warn him somehow. Toby's cryptic insinuations left me with a sense of foreboding, as if the mansion held more secrets and darkness than I had ever imagined.
The guilt I felt weighed on my conscience like an anchor. I couldn't help but wonder if my presence here, my abduction, had somehow led to Masky's disappearance. The idea that my ordeal might have inadvertently caused harm to someone who had tried to protect me was unbearable. "do you think it's my fault?" it was as if every wrong turn in my life had led me to this point, and now I feared it might have dire consequences for Masky.
Sally's comforting touch provided a brief respite from the storm of guilt swirling within me. "no y/n, it's not your fault! he might just be sleeping!" Her reassurance was like a lifeline, pulling me back from the abyss of self-blame. I nodded slowly, taking in her words, though the unease still clung to me like a stubborn shadow. Her kindness was a soothing balm, but it couldn't erase the gnawing worry.
"yeah maybe he sacrificed himself for you in the basement. real hero stuff" Toby's sarcastic tone grated on my nerves, intensifying the turmoil within me. It was a cruel reminder that not everyone here offered the same empathy as Sally. Toby's words stoked the flames of guilt, suggesting that Masky might have put himself in danger for my sake. I bit my lip to keep from responding to his taunt, recognizing that it wouldn't lead to anything productive.
Hoodie's entrance into the room was a glimmer of hope, a chance for answers. "hoodie, have you seen masky?" My eyes fixed on him, pleading for any information about Masky's whereabouts. The anxiety I felt was reflected in the tremor of my voice as I voiced my concerns. Hoodie's response held a fragile promise of reassurance, but beneath it lay a veil of secrecy. It was clear that something was amiss, and I couldn't help but fear the worst.
The guilt I felt weighed on my conscience like an anchor. "Do you think it's my fault?" I whispered, my voice trembling, as I looked down at my untouched meal. The weight of everything that had transpired pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.
Sally, ever empathetic, reached across the table to gently touch my hand. "No, Y/n, it's not your fault. These things happen sometimes. We don't always understand why."
But Toby, with a smirk on his face, couldn't resist adding to my unease. "Yeah, maybe he sacrificed himself for you in the basement. Real hero stuff."
Hoodie glanced at me, his expression hidden behind his signature mask. He didn't respond immediately, and the silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, he spoke in his usual monotone voice, "why don't you ask the operator" His words were vague and did little to ease my anxiety.
I shook my head immediately and looked back down at my food, regretting that I had even asked the masked male about his companion's location. The atmosphere had taken a dark turn, and I could sense the undercurrent of tension in the room.
Sally's giggles continued, and she ruffled my hair affectionately, as if I were a child to her. "Ah, c'mon, Y/n, Mister Boss wouldn't kill him! He couldn't if he even wanted to," she insisted, laughter carrying an eerie undertone. It was a stark reminder that despite her innocent appearance, she was just as much a part of this dark world as the others.
"Or would he?" a chilling voice whispered in my ear, causing me to jump in my seat. My initial reaction was to swat at the person who had startled me. Jeff stood behind me, his smirk never fading, his fingers releasing their grip on my arm. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's downstairs with Ben, in all honesty. That fuckhead shouldn't have been in my house," he remarked before finally letting go.
"Well, it's not your house anymore, silly!" Sally chimed in with her giggles. Her lightheartedness, however, earned her a menacing glare from the raven-haired man. The tension in the room lingered, and I couldn't help but wonder about Masky's fate, my appetite all but forgotten. Had he truly sacrificed himself for me in the basement, or was there something more sinister at play? The uncertainty gnawed at me, casting a dark shadow over every moment spent in this house of horrors.
The tension in the room seemed to thicken with each passing second. I couldn't shake the feeling of unease, and the laughter that had filled the air moments ago now seemed like a distant memory. Sally's giggles faded into nervous silence, and Jeff's presence behind me felt more imposing than ever.
I took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "ah i hate you all," I muttered softly, more to myself than anyone else at the table. The uncertainty regarding Masky's whereabouts and well-being weighed heavily on my mind.
Sally, ever the empathetic one, reached out and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Y/n. Masky's tough. He can handle himself."
Toby, on the other hand, couldn't resist adding his own touch of sarcasm. "Yeah, he's probably having a grand old time in the basement, playing cards with Ben or something."
I shot Toby a glare but decided not to engage further. The last thing I needed was more sarcasm or unsettling remarks.
Hoodie, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. "I'll go check on him later," he said, his voice calm and measured. His words offered a glimmer of hope, and I appreciated his willingness to help.
Despite the reassurances, I couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was lurking beneath the surface of this seemingly ordinary dinner conversation.