Tyler Mackenzie has always had a love-hate relationship with his father. They never managed to get along very well, and it was all because of the fact that Bernard Mackenzie, his supposed father, wasn't actually his dad. Tyler was adopted.
With his mother, Tyler was more peaceful. She was a concerned mom and very undemanding when it came to perfection. However, none of this stopped her from argue with her son. Just like right now, the current situation:
—Why are your eyes so red?
— My eyes are... Normal?
—What is this smell?!
— I didn't take a shower?
They were both silent for a really long time.
— Go take a shower then. We'll talk later.
Tyler's pov:
"Fuck."
"What will I do?! I'm fucking fucked!!!"
Tyler off:
He then proceeded to break the door out of pure anger. After the damage, he just quietly waited hoping that no one would notice.
While taking a shower, he carefully looked down his body, noticing every recent detail. He dreamed of the image he wanted to have, but never achieved. He hated himself. He hated himself so much, he couldn't feel alive anymore. It really messed up with his head making him have several mental illnesses. He couldn't smile, he almost couldn't even express happiness.
He got out of the shower, already dry and clean, looking in the mirror. His eyes had already cleared and the smell had already disappeared.
Still a little dazed, he grabbed the door handle while avoiding worsening the damage. He was ready for the talk.
The father and mother, arms crossed and eyebrows drawn, looked at their son. Tyler looked at the corner of the table and there was his half-open backpack. They had searched.
— What is this?— the mom asked.— Me and your father looked through your backpack.
Tyler rolled his eyes out of pure stress and boredom.
— Why on earth is there a lighter in there?— Yelled the father.
— It's my friend's.
— Yeah? Your friends smoke?!
Tyler stayed quiet looking at his dad.
— Are you done yelling? It's not mine, come on!
They approached their son with sudden speed. Bernard was screaming at his son, Tyler just held his urges to scream back in despair.
— You fucking idiot. That fucking shitty smell from earlier were from tobacco, wasn't it?!— The older man threw the lighter to the ground with such aggression that it broke into two pieces.— You are grounded. No more skating.
— wait what?!— the mother looked at the husband shocked with the sudden answer.— but it's the only thing keeping our son from going crazy!! Even his therapist said so!
— I guess cigarettes and, uh...— Bernard stuttered— and weed are better mechanisms for him now!— Grins in anger— a fucking teenager, crackhead... Fucking mentally ill fucke...
He was suddenly interrupted by an aggressive reaction from his son, a punch between the teeth. The father fell to the ground with his mouth bleeding as he looked down at his son.
— Get out off the house.
Jennet Mackenzie looked at them both with tears. Unable to bear the scenario, she runs desperately to her room. It was clear that she agreed with the expulsion in a certain way, but didn't want to admit it.
Bernard stood up, a little dazed, with one hand on the back of his head and the other stopping the blood from flowing. He gave up on his son. The older man now walked to the cellar without remorse and resentment.
— Pack your things. Tell me when you're ready to go.
He warned as he slowly disappeared through the door.
Like his father, Tyler gave up on himself too. He didn't even try to change his mind, as he didn't believe a miracle would happen. However, Tyler saw this as an opportunity to finally escape from the past. He had nothing left to lose.
Why do I cry, a song from Margo Guryan played on a vinyl in his room.
Tyler always loved old music, after all... It was the 90s but he always felt in the 60s.
As he packed his clothes, first aid equipment, a blade and blankets into a single red backpack, he cried to the melody of the song.
Why did he cry? It was his fault.
Finally out of the house, Tyler looked at the full moon, looked at his parents, and back at the full moon. Inside the door came a crisp yellow light, he always hated yellow.
— What are you doing?
Tyler searched his pocket.
— What are you doing I said!!
He kept searching.
Finally he took out a cigarette and smoked a little, releasing the smoke directly at his parents.
— You couldn't be more careless, could you?— the dad asked.
Tyler Mackenzie left without answering his questions.
He was spending the night in a treehouse he and his friends built back in middle school, "que nostalgia..."
The night was cold and dark, the crickets, owls, everything animalistic and loud could be heard perfectly. He would freeze to death in just one night. But he held on.
During the morning he did part time, which was already a regular part of his daily routine. A little-known little cafe, but it paid enough to survive.
Tyler did not have any financial support and his current situation was not updated with the government. Every now and then, his co-workers would feel a strange smell coming from Tyler and they asked if he needed help, but he always invented a different story to cover the reality.
This has become his life. A whole week passed and he didn't have any hygiene care, he couldn't see a doctor either as he didn't have enough money.
One fateful night, he encounter an intruder who appeared to be rummaging through the treehouse. Tyler screamed in fear, grabbing a blade and started trying to cut the enemy.
It was no use, as the creature was agile and too fast for simple human vision to process.
He suddenly appeared right behind Tyler with a aggressive speed making him (Tyler) fall.
Lying on the ground trapped by the neck with a butterfly knife, the boy decides to give in.
— You know what? Just kill me already!!
They both stayed silent as soon as the intruder purposely drops the knife to deliver something, prozac.
To be more specific, 3 pills of that certain substance.
Mouth open and speechless, Tyler remains in his place taking what is offered.
The man disappeared into pure vapor, without any sound, the knife did as well.
From all the pressure, shock and panic, Tyler passes out.
As soon as he woke up, he felt like he was in someone's arms. A tall, skinny, well dressed figure held him tightly.
He wasn't scared this time, a lot of things have happened in the last week, he was expecting everything.
— What is this? Who are you?!
...
— answer me!!
...
— fuck...
...
He gave up again. He was waiting for the senseless death to take his so "precious" life and end his suffering.
— just kill me already.
A bunch of black tentacles appeared behind the figure and a Machiavellian smile appeared on the face that was previously completely empty.
Now, you must think he was going to kill him. You are right! But, for now... The only thing this new creature did was to draw symbols with his tentacles on both Tyler's wrists.
Those symbols were some kind of contract, but he didn't know. He then looked at the creature with a plain expression, what was this?
A telepathic message was embedded in the teenager's subconscious. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to help you. But for that, you will work for me."
He has nothing left to loose, except his soul.
— I don't care, whatever. Just make me feel alive again!
"For that, you'll have to die."
"For that you'll be a proxy."
"For that you'll have to take the prozac pills and see what happens."
The pills! Oh my god, he had the pills. He took the antidepressants without much expectation. But as soon as the effect hit, his mind had collapsed. He was now in the treehouse, with the illusion that it had been a dream. But would that really be it?
No, it was not a dream. In fact, he was now controlled by the Slenderman. Tyler didn't knew that, but he felt like something was off. His veins were darker, his skin was paller and his eye bags were more noticeable.
He also got better at speed, fights and didn't care at all about his past anymore. He actually was living with his co-worker Norman.
Everything was going fine until one afternoon. His dad found the small apartment were Tyler Mackenzie lived and knocked at the door. When their eyes met, both started to talk. At first glance, it was a normal civilised conversation, but you couldn't tell they were related anymore.
— Son, I'm not sorry. But I think we should forgive each other.
— I get what you're saying. Excuse me for a moment, please.
In the bathroom, Tyler had a panic attack. All of his veins seemed to hurt and chronic pain wouldn't leave him alone. "All because of my father's unexpected visit" he said.
Suddenly, a static buzzing sound appeared, and it was so irritating and painful that Tyler's ears began to bleed.
He looked at the blade on the sink with a relieved expression. Sometimes, Tyler would cut himself off to alleviate these frequent episodes.
This time he felt a sudden energy and pure adrenaline that wouldn't leave his body. Tyler took the blade and cut a smile onto his cheeks. He smiled in pure joy and now he feels alive again.
He took a sewing kit and stitched the wound so it wouldn't bleed. He had never felt so pure and free from pain. He was alive!!
Tyler came out of the bathroom and his father watched him in shock and horror.
— See, dad? I'm alive again!
The father tried to run away to call for help but ended up being killed with the same blade that cut his son's face.
Pleasure and relief surrounded Tyler's joyful expression. How beautiful was death! Death made him alive.
He went to the balcony to watch the beautiful sunset while smoking a cigarette. The yellow color was now satisfying to see, he wanted to feel every little bit of it.
Every now and then, Tyler Mackenzie takes orders from Slenderman at the sunset. He is now known as the Sunset Killer.
So, be careful when you're enjoying the sunset... He might be watching you!