I march into the woods, as confident as I can be. I’m not in very deep before the woods begin to get very dark, only moonlight guiding my path. I wonder if it will be darker in the shadow world, because at least there I have light radiating from my own body, although it grows dim very quickly when Slender has me.
As I find my way up the first slope I hear something in the distance. It’s a scream. There’s a girl screaming in pain. I shudder, and move on. I almost want to close my eyes but I won’t be able to find my way to the tree if I do.
I hear another scream, it’s coming from far behind me now. It’s male this time, but I still don’t recognize who it belongs to. Slender is trying to drop my morale. I won’t let him. As I hear a third scream, this one ahead of me, I pull my guitar from my back. I have to walk more carefully as to not hit it against the trees, but it’s worth it.
I pick a scale and repeat it. It’s more of a string skipping exercise, but it keeps music in the air, and I don’t have to worry too much about messing up the tab from a song. I keep playing the notes and then I hear another scream. I have to close my eyes for a few seconds at this one. It’s so long and drawn out that I find myself playing random notes on all strings in order to drown it out. Lionel’s cries of agony ring out. Slender knows this one is bothering the most, so he keeps playing it.
I have to play a song now, a happy one. I try to think of most of the music I listen to, but a particularly happy song seems to escape my mind at every corner. I flip through bands in my head. Chevelle? No. Avril Lavigne? No. Paramore? I can’t find one. I know so many cheerful songs, but they seem to be blocked from my memory. It’s as if he’s in my head, making sure there’s no joy. I’ll fight it. I begin playing a random riff. I don’t know if it’s one I’m pulling from one of the forgotten songs lost in my subconscious, or if I’m making it up as I go along. All I know is it’s a mellow, soft-acoustic song, and as I play it, I can barely hear the screams.
The screams play louder, no they’re closer. Now it’s both Lindsay and Lionel- brother and sister, screaming. I wonder if he’s hurting them together. Does Lindsay have to watch her brother writhe in pain? I shake the thought by playing more loudly. I’m almost there, I tell myself in my mind, even though I’ve just barely crossed the halfway point. The screams are louder and more frequent, and it’s as if I hear the screams of every child I’ve known him to take - excluding Shana and Adam.
Leanne and Jason ring out, followed by someone I don’t recognize, followed by Lionel. Now he’s so loud he is drowning out my guitar. I won’t let him. I pluck the strings loudly and off-key, not with the intent of the song I’m playing, but just to mask the cries.
I reach the final slope, and the cries are cut off all at once. It’s as if someone abruptly hit pause on a simultaneous screaming track. I don’t hesitate, although I’m progressing slowly. I don’t fully know what to expect, but as the tree comes into view, my heart fills with dread. I do the best I can to pull up anger, but I just don’t have enough of it in my system. No! I need joy, I have to be joyous.
I reach the top of the hill. The tree has gotten much taller. It must be twenty-five feet in height, and not half a foot wide. I get where the term Slender originates. It still has those two low hanging branches that are almost as tall as the tree alone; the arms, and then the rest of the branches, all stemming from the back and all pointed up. There are more of these than there ever were before. I know that we are right-the branches are somehow representative of the children he takes, and Slender has been busy. I count fifteen branches now, not including the fallen one next to the axe on the ground.
I feel a continuous stream of static. With the static comes numbness, but slowly. I feel goose-bumps as shivers run through my body, but I pretend to not notice. I walk up to the tree, face to face, and I am about to play the guitar when I think of the boldest thing possible. I turn around with my eyes closed, and lean with my back against the tree. “Time to be happy Adam, I hope you’re listening,” I say.
I take a deep breath and force a smile, and then I begin playing the tab for Adon Olam. As I play I feel the static get closer. It’s not necessarily stronger than before, but it feels closer. All of my muscles tense involuntarily. Is he right here? I slink down into a sitting position, still leaning on the tree. I feel something touch my arm. It’s feels like a hand with long, slender fingers. It’s coming from behind me. I shiver. I’m practically vibrating by this point, but I continue.
I begin singing in a tremulous voice.
“Adon… Olam…” I feel heavy fluid trickle down my nose. “…asher malach,” I continue, but my body is starting to go numb. I feel another hand grab me gently, as if just to tease me, and the way the static is slowly pulsing, it’s almost as if it’s breathing down my neck instead of laughing. I take another breath, trying not to hyperventilate.
“b’terem kol… y’tzir nivra…” I mutter, but my voice cracks. Stop being afraid. Don’t be afraid damnit! I keep playing,
“…L’et na’asah, v’cheftzo kol…” I feel unbearably drowsy as Slender’s static aura engulfs me, pulling me through, burning.
“…azai melech, sh’mo nikra…” and I fall over… limp.
20: The Slender Man
Bump, bump, bump. I can hear my heartbeat. I can feel it. With each beat it gets heavier. I’m not dead, I know that much. He’s sucked me in. I feel numbness penetrate my body and shudder in response, but it’s no time to be scared. That’s what he wants, but I came here expecting this. I already know what it’s like in this shadow world. I hold myself still, waiting for Slender’s screaming laughter, or the jagged pain, but neither come. I only hear my heartbeat, and static. What’s happening?
I open my eyes, it’s very dark, but the light coming from me is brighter than before. I still can’t see anything outside of the clearing though. I see no sign of Adam, or the Slender Man. I lean forward, balancing my- my guitar! I still have it. Apparently I can bring things through. If only I smuggled Dad’s shotgun in. If only a shotgun would work on this fiend.
I slowly make it to my feet, stumbling as I get used to the numbness. This has already happened to me twice before, you’d think I’d adjust more quickly by now, but it’s like dipping into cold water; no matter how many times you experience it, you’re never really prepared for the sensation.
I turn around to look at the tree. It’s moving, but not contorting, and there’s no black vortex-vein connecting me to it. Slender really must have special plans for me, but what does he want me to do? I take a few steps, unsure of which direction to turn. I’m starting to feel anxious, trying to anticipate what’s going to happen next. He’s going to jump out at me, or grab me suddenly. No, he must be expecting me to wander off with no guidance, to try and escape, and eventually fall into his trap, if I’m not trapped already.
“Adam!” I call, but my voice is muffled, as if this is a dream. I can still hear my voice. It just won’t project into a shout. Is he blocking the sound then? I strum a chord on my guitar to see what’s going on. I feel the vibrations pass through my body, and the sound of the guitar resonates for a while, but it’s very discordant.