??, ??, 2017
Seated at the kitchen table in the mansion, I found myself in the company of both Dark Link and Jeff. The atmosphere in the room was laden with a sense of uncertainty and unease, much like the rest of this mysterious place.
With the weight of questions pressing upon me, I couldn't help but bring up the topic that had been gnawing at my mind. "So, what brought you both here?" I inquired, glancing at each of them in turn.
"well food obviously" jeff stated as he pointed to the bowl of cereal in front of him, all i could do was glare at him until he took the hint.
Dark Link, his crimson eyes locked onto mine, remained stoic for a moment before answering. "I am but a shadow, an entity born from the darkest corners of the human heart. I have no past, no memories, only the purpose I serve."
Jeff, leaning back in his chair, offered a knowing grin. "As for me, I came here chasing chaos, reveling in the thrill of the hunt. A life of adrenaline-fueled excitement led me here, and I haven't looked back."
Curiosity tugged at my insides as I pressed further. "Would you be willing to share more about your pasts?" I asked Dark Link and Jeff, wondering if there were deeper layers to their stories.
Dark Link inclined his head, acknowledging my request. "I come from a world of forgotten tales, abandoned games where shadows thrived. In a place where time seemed to stand still, I was born as the embodiment of Link's inner demons, a reflection of his inner darkness. My existence is a constant battle between light and shadow, one I've grown to embrace."
Jeff's grin, while unsettling, didn't falter. "My story is one painted with madness and murder. I was an embodiment of the dark side of human nature. The choices I made led me down a path of relentless violence and chaos. But here, in the mansion, it's as if I've found a twisted camaraderie with the others."
"I was just your typical suburban teen until fate twisted my path. A sinister impulse, dormant within me, awakened and led me down a dark road. I became a serial killer, and the name 'Jeff the Killer' was bestowed upon me."
The room grew colder, and I couldn't help but shiver as Jeff continued his tale. "I thrived on chaos and fear. My face, forever altered in a violent incident, mirrored the monstrous soul I had become. People say I'm insane, but here in this mansion, my insanity is not a curse but rather a twisted blessing."
His story left me with more questions than answers. What was it that had brought him here? Was there something more to the Operator's plan? I couldn't help but feel that there were layers of darkness I had yet to uncover.
i laughed nervously, understanding Jeff's unpredictable nature. It was best to avoid provoking him, so she quickly changed the topic.
i was intrigued by dark links revelation. "So, you're linked to a video game character? That's... different."
Dark Link nodded. "Indeed, it is. But the mirror's curse binds me here, in this mansion, where I have found others like me, tormented by their own twisted tales."
The room fell into a contemplative silence as i tried to process the surreal nature of their stories. The mansion seemed like a gathering place for those who existed on the fringes of reality, each with their own dark narrative. It was both fascinating and terrifying.
Dark Link's question about her past sent a shiver down my spine. Memories of my home life, with my mother's unpredictable outbursts, my distant father, and my innocent yet troubled younger sister, came flooding back. i spoke softly, my gaze distant as i recalled, "I lived at home with my family, but it wasn't... ideal."
Jeff, intrigued, chimed in, "What about school? Friends, hobbies, all that fun stuff?"
Yi hesitated for a moment. School had been a lonely place, filled with isolation and a sense of not belonging. "School... well, I didn't have many friends, if any. I was more of a loner, and I didn't do much. I guess you could say I was invisible."
Jeff leaned forward, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. "So, y/n, what's your family like?"
i sighed softly, my gaze distant. "My family... well, it's complicated. I live with my mom, my dad, and my younger sister, Lily. My dad's always working, so he's hardly around, and my mom... she's not easy to deal with."
Dark Link nodded in understanding, while Jeff's curiosity got the better of him. "What's your dad do for work?"
"He's an engineer, or something like that," i replied, struggling to explain a job i didn't fully understand. "He's always focused on it, though. I don't blame him; it's just... lonely, you know?"
"Lonely, huh?" Jeff mused, his eyes locking onto mine. "You ever get into trouble at home, kiddo?"
The question caught me off guard, and i hesitated before answering. "Yeah, sometimes. My mom can be... harsh."
Dark Link nodded, offering his silent support, while Jeff leaned back with a thoughtful expression. "Home can be a real pain, huh? But at least you got a sister. What's she like?"
My face brightened a bit. "Lily's great. She's young, so she doesn't fully understand everything yet, but she's so full of life, and she always puts a smile on my face...sally reminds me of her"
Toby entered the room, his characteristic grin stretching from ear to ear, but his curiosity was piqued. "H-hey what's all the c-ch-chit-chat about?" he asked, leaning against the wall with an air of nonchalance. "I h-hope I didn't miss any j-j-juicy details." ticking every so often.
Dark Link responded, "We're sharing stories from our pasts. You know, the good ol' days."
Jeff chimed in, "And debating who had the worst past. Hint, it was me."
Laughter echoed in the room, a rare moment of camaraderie in the twisted world they inhabited.
Toby leaned forward, his eyes taking on a somber, distant look as he began to share his own story. "I wasn't always Ticci Toby, you know," he murmured, almost lost in thought. "B-Before all this, I was just a regular kid, living with m-my m-m-mom. Life was... tough, but we managed."
He recounted tales of a childhood filled with the harsh reality of poverty, struggles to make ends meet, and the unyielding presence of his mother, who was both his guardian and tormentor. "S-Sh-She wasn't a good mom," he admitted, his voice laden with pain. "B-But sh-she was all I had."
Toby's story took a darker turn as he spoke of the breaking point, the night he was driven to commit an unthinkable act to escape his oppressive circumstances, especially with his father. The room fell silent as the weight of his confession hung heavily in the air.
I listened intently, my heart aching for Ticci Toby and the hardships he had endured. It was a stark reminder that each of us had our own demons to wrestle with, our pasts forever shaping our twisted present in the world of creepy pastas. "Toby," I whispered softly, "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that."
He managed a faint, wistful smile, his eyes finally meeting mine. "T-Thanks, Y/n. I'm j-j-just glad I'm not alone h-here anymore."
"what about him" i pointed to the floor, meaning the basement "ben..."
A curious hush had fallen over the room as my question about Ben's past hung in the air. It seemed that something about this topic made everyone uneasy. The atmosphere grew tense, and I couldn't ignore the lingering mystery surrounding Ben's history.
My gaze naturally turned toward Dark Link, who had taken on a significant role in narrating their pasts. His hesitation was apparent, and the glances exchanged between him and the others only fueled my curiosity.
"Why is it so quiet all of a sudden?" I wondered aloud. The weight of their unspoken thoughts was becoming increasingly evident, and it was clear that there was more to Ben's story than they were willing to share.
With a sense of curiosity, I turned my attention to Dark Link, wondering why the room had suddenly grown so quiet. Their expressions conveyed a mix of hesitation and reluctance, and it left me with the distinct feeling that there was something more to Ben's past.
The silence continued, becoming more palpable by the second, and I couldn't help but feel that there was an unspoken truth lingering in the air. Dark Link's gaze, once steady, began to falter under the weight of our collective curiosity.
I pressed on, my voice soft but resolute. "Dark Link, is there something you're not telling me about Ben's past?"
Toby and Jeff exchanged uncertain glances before turning their attention to Dark Link, who remained silent and pensive. It was clear that they had assumed Dark Link, with his close connection to Ben, would have knowledge of Ben's past.
Toby spoke first, his voice tinged with confusion. "We d-don't really know about B-Ben's past, y-y-y'know. W-We thought maybe D-D-Dark Link might have an idea since t-th-they seem... alike, I g-guess."
Jeff nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Dark Link's like Ben's shadow or something. We figured they'd share the same messed-up history."
The revelation that they were just as clueless as I was about Ben's past was both surprising and puzzling. It made me wonder just how deeply Ben's secrets were buried and how his relationship with Dark Link played into all of it.
Dark Link leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on a distant point as he began to explain. "You see, there are two entities known as Ben. The first, the child, was put to rest many years ago. He was just an innocent kid who suffered a tragic fate caused by our ben."
He continued, delving into the unsettling lore surrounding the other Ben, the one locked in the basement. "The second Ben, though, is something entirely different. He's not like us. He's more like an entity, a force of chaos and darkness." The room grew colder as he spoke, and his voice took on an eerie quality.
I couldn't help but think of the infamous Ben Drowned story, the cursed video game cartridge, and the eerie and malevolent presence of the so-called "Ben Drowned." It was as if the very mention of his name cast a shadow over the room.
Dark Link explained further, "Ben Drowned is a n entity, a tale that has transcended our realm and entered the world of the living.."
Dark Link's question drew my attention, and I met his crimson eyes with a hint of uncertainty. His gloved hand patting my shoulder felt oddly reassuring in the midst of the chilling tales I'd just heard.
"What brought on the sudden urge to know about everyone's past?" he inquired, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
I hesitated for a moment before answering, my gaze dropping to the tabletop. "Hoodie... Hoodie revealed his past to me, and it made me realize that you're all more than just killers." The words were a confession, a reflection of the empathy I felt for these characters who had been cast as monsters.
Dark Link nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's a part of the story that often remains untold. Each of us carries our own burdens, our own reasons for being here. Some of us have lost our way, while others have never known a different path."
Toby's wide-eyed expression was a testament to his surprise at Hoodie's willingness to share his past with me. He leaned forward, his voice filled with curiosity. "Hoodie, t-t-told YOU about his p-past?"
i nodded solemnly, a rare moment of vulnerability that had left Toby, and probably others, taken aback.
Toby seemed genuinely puzzled as he continued to question me. "He t-talked t-t-to you? I mean, it's n-not like h-him to h-have conversations, especially w-w-with newcomers."
The peculiar dynamics within the mansion were becoming more evident with each revelation. Slenderman's main proxies, including Toby, Masky, Hoodie, and Dark Link, were regarded with a mix of reverence and mystery by the other inhabitants. Hoodie's unexpected sharing of his past was a departure from the norm, and it had clearly piqued Toby's interest.
I tried to downplay the situation, my expression growing a bit sheepish. "Oh, well, I probably shouldn't have made a big deal about it. Hoodie just...opened up, I guess."
I shifted the conversation away from Hoodie's past, realizing that perhaps it was better to leave the proxies' stories behind closed doors. The delicate balance within the mansion had been disrupted for a moment, and I didn't want to push it any further.
In the quiet hours of the evening, Dark Link stood up from his seat and extended his hand towards me "It's getting late," he said softly, his crimson eyes showing a glimmer of concern. "You should rest."
I took his hand, appreciating the gentle gesture. As he led me to my makeshift bed, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in his presence. Despite the eerie circumstances that brought them together, I had started to form a bond with these enigmatic figures, and Dark Link's silent support was a reassurance I had come to rely on.
As I settled into my bed, I glanced up at Dark Link. His presence alone seemed to bring a sense of security, and I offered a small, grateful smile. In return, he nodded, his expression softening ever so slightly.
With a final glance, Dark Link left my room, disappearing into the shadows of the mansion. As I closed my eyes, I contemplated the bizarre connections I had formed in this nightmarish world. In the midst of the horrors, I had found solace in the most unexpected of places, and for now, it was enough to keep me going.