Chapter One

Author’s Note

A few things you need to know. Yes, this is based off the Slender Man. Not the monster created at SomethingAwful forums. I got this from some stories from German Folklore, where they told stories of a seven foot man, with no face at all, who could grow extra tendrils, and kidnapped children, adults, or anyone. Nobody knows what he does to him. This is from that, not SomethingAwful forums.

 

 

Chapter One

Josh ran as fast as he could, breaths turned into heavy coughs, which eventually turned into horrible sounding gasps, he felt agony each time he took one. He couldn't take it any more.

But there was nothing there. Why was he running? Josh stopped and looked around.

There was nothing there. Was this all just an illusion? He was now stuck in an enigma.

He walked with the flashlight shining in front of him, which would lead him to his house.

The sound of howling wolves chased him through his brain. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

But… he could just not forsake the thoughts of what he thought was chasing him.

Even if something WERE chasing Josh, he would not be able to fight back �" as he had no knife, gun, or whatever with him.

The only weapon he could use would have to be a stick or perhaps a rock.

Josh looked down as he saw mice scatter across the forest floor, as if they were running from an owl.

Oh, how that reminded of how he raced to get away from that thing that was chasing him.

Josh looked back time-to-time to see if anything was there.

He looked forward again as the stars from the night sky gazed at him… just like that monster had done to him.

Josh shook his head. Where were these thoughts coming from? God only knows, he thought and kept walking.

He pushed the negative thoughts aside and waited until he could spot his home.

And as fast as he thought about his home, is as about as fast as he saw it.

Josh felt relieved, but he could not run. He did not want to run out of breath, not at a time like this.

He watched as he came closer to the stone structure. It was true that Josh had lived in the first all alone, but he did have friends.

Josh smiled as his body hit the back door. “Home sweet freaking home.” He said and entered the key, then twisted it.

He opened the door, then quickly locked it. “Thank God.” Josh said, taking another breath.

Josh stumbled inside the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of cold water out of the fridge.

He fell onto a nearby couch in the next room as cold water flowed into his throat, some coming out the sides of his lips.

His eyes weakened and the water bottle fell out of his shaking hand and onto the ground, spilling fresh water onto the carpet.

Josh did not notice, as he had fallen asleep with his legs hanging out.

 

The next morning, Josh was freezing… was it because he was already cold in the first place or he had no covers on?

He had to push the questions away and get on with his life.

Josh pulled himself up then yanked the water bottle off the floor and tossed it in the trash can.

He turned on the TV and fell back on the chair.

“After what seems like days, the missing children could not be found,” the reporter on the news said, “When asked to describe the one responsible for these kidnappings, they only described him as wearing a black suit.”

Josh shook his head. Was this just a stupid coincidence? It had to be. Before they could say any more, he shut the TV off.

He needed help. Josh knew that.

He looked over at the phone.

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Sapphire took out her cell phone as the ring tone blasted into her ears. “Hello?” She asked.

“Hey, Sapph’? Do you mind coming over sometime this afternoon or evening? And bring Colton and Lexi?” It was Josh.

“What for?” Sapphire said.

“Don’t ask me so many damn questions, just do it.” Josh said rudely.

“… What the hell is wrong with you?” Sapphire asked, raising her voice.

“Ask questions when you get to my place, okay?”

“But-“

“Just do it!”

“Don’t tell me what to do- you just hung up didn’t you?”

Sapphire sighed and slid it back into her pocket.

“Paranoid freak.” She said and kept driving down the empty road, “Might as well go to Lexi’s place.”

 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lexi heard a car door shut, then a knock on the door. “I’m coming,” She said and opened up the door for Sapphire.

“What’s up, Sapph’?” Lexi asked.

“I think something is wrong with Josh.” Sapphire said.

“Well, we all know that something is wrong with that guy…”

“No, I mean,” She said, “He called me, he sounded so damn paranoid, and he told me to come get you and Colton.”

“What for…?” Lexi wondered.

“No idea. He just sounded so strange.” Sapphire said, and then looked down.

“Should we go get Colton?”

“I… guess.”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Josh wondered through the house, “What the hell did I see?” He kept asking himself over and over. It was a matter of minutes before those guys arrived.

He just knew he was on the brink of insanity, unless his friends could help him.

Someone opened the door, which caused Josh to nearly scream. But… why would he do that?
He saw Lexi, holding a tape recorder. There was also Sapphire and Colton.

Sapphire could be nice, of course Lexi was. But, Colton looked like a complete jerk.

“Okay man let’s get this over with,” He said then, whispered to Sapphire, “When can we leave the insane guy here?”

“Shut up Colton, this is serious!”

“Oh, fine…”

“We’re recording now,” Lexi said, “So, Josh? Tell us what you saw. And what is making you so paranoid?”

“I… I was coming back from a fishing trip at the lake back in the forest… and,” Josh stopped to take a breath, “I heard some rustling in the bushes. I looked, nothing there. I looked in front of me, and about ten feet away…” Josh felt like his heart was about to stop.

“Please continue, Josh,” Sapphire said, trying to calm him a little.

“It… it was about seven foot two, its arms were almost to the damn ground… it was wearing a black suit, and… its face… it had no ears… no eyes… no mouth… what the god-forsaken hell did I see?”

“Josh, calm down.” Sapphire said.

“… And it was chasing you?” Colton asked.

“With eight limbs.”

“… What kind of medicine are you on, boy?”

Josh sighed and grabbed whatever he could �" the cover of the chair �" and wiped the sweat from his brow.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Josh lay there in his bed. Sweating horribly. And not knowing if anyone or anything was watching him.

But no. No footsteps. No shadow.

Only the sound of the whistling wind greeted him.

Maybe this was just all just in his head. He tried to forget what he had seen.

But it was nearly impossible. He could not sleep, no matter how hard he tried.

How long would this insomnia haunt him? It did not the other night, probably because of exhaustion.

The wind stopped. So he just laid there in silence, waiting for sleep to conquer him.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Lexi walked back and forth between the couch Sapphire was on, and the chair. “I don’t know what to do. I’m lost.”

"... And you're afraid because?" She asks dryly, sensing fear in Lexi's voice. "Is there a monster in your closet?"

Lexi looks up at Nero, with a "what-are-you-on" look. "... Something like that."

“Why are you so freaking worried about him in the first place? It’s not like he hasn’t always been like this.”

Lexi looked… scared, for a minute.

“I know, but this is really scaring me. You could feel the fear, like it was coming from his body. Colton didn’t exactly help.” Lexi said.

“Colton can be a big jerk sometimes.” Sapphire replied.

“But that’s no excuse to try to make things worse,” Lexi said, with a little anger in her voice.

“I know, I know…” Sapphire mumbled.

“We can’t just dilly dally, and let Josh go insane. If he gets so depressed, he could hurt himself, don’t you care about your friends?” Lexi said.

“Whatever you say.”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Colton had just received a text from one of his friends about fifteen minutes ago. His name was Muji, no one really knew much about him except Sapphire and Colton.

He looked around his front yard, and then rang the doorbell.

The man who answered was a bit shorter than Colton. “Oh hi.” He said, “Come in.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Colton said, entering the tiny house, “How’s the family doing?”

“What family, Colton?” Muji asked jokingly, managing to hold a small chuckle in.

And with that, Muji shut the door and let Colton in.

 

About thirty minutes later, they had begun talking about Josh.

“What’s new with that guy?” Muji asked, his voice low.

“We’ll all know when hell freezes over,” Colton chuckled a bit, “He’s going inane. Saying something is watching him. If you ask me, he’s been on some pretty serious dope.”

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

Josh woke up in the middle of the night, and was looking out the window. There was nothing there. Or maybe he was just being insane.

He was sure he saw something move or run or had made a movement in the corner of his eye.

Josh shook his head and sat down on the edge of his bed.

“My friends think I’m insane. I got no family to talk to at the moment… what am I going to do?” He wondered as he fell flat on his bed.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lexi was driving through the streets after she had left Sapphire’s house. “Hope he’s okay.” She said to herself.

“I need to stop worrying, it’s giving me a headache…”

As she looked forward she thought that there was a man in the road.

No. He wasn’t there any more. Must have moved. But in a split second?

Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.

But that was what Josh had thought-

No, she could not let this get to her as well.

And with that, Lexi drove home.