"Fear the Darkness, Fear the 'King of the Woods'."

Slenderman / O.C.

Summary: When a prank goes wrong Skylar, a geeky seventeen-year-old boy, finds himself in the midst of it all. Allies are there to help him in the darkest of times. Allies Skylar wouldn't even think them to be.

Warning: Mild language, possible sexual content, angst.


The deep woods echoed with the laughter of the group of teenage boys.

It was the beginning of October; the leaves crisping into an array of reds, yellows, and orange hues. It was also the tell-tale time for pranks and trickery. The teenagers trampled through the woods pushing and shoving and laughing along. One seemed out on odds end from the rest. He had shaggy black hair, sported thick-rimmed glasses, and struggled to keep up with the three other boys.

"Guys...wait!" He cried out as he dodged and jumped over rotten tree branches. The others ignored the plea and moved even faster though the forestry. The shaggy-haired teen was panting hard, trying to keep up as best as he could. Soon the group of boys slowed and came to a hault, the odd one finally catching up. "So what-...is this last test again?..." The three boys didn't speak but only took in the large oak tree infront of them; the diameter having to have had reach the size of a small car. Though it was large with many branches it supported no shade. It's limbs were bare of leaves, sticking out from the mass of colored trees around it.

They took a glance at each other and grinned mischievously. The blonde in the middle turned around, obviously the leader of the band of teens, with his fists on his sides and looked at the gimpy geek. "It's simple." The other two turned as well, grins still showing. "We're going to call upon the ALMIGHTY KING OF THE WOODS!" The blonde threw his hands up in the air dramatically, as if praising a deity. The black-haired boy scrunched up his face in confusion. "Huh?" The other three boys groaned and sighed. "Really Sky-Fart, you're so dense." "Skylar.", the black-haired boy corrected. "Whatever. Look, we're going to call upon this awesome 'King of the Woods' and you're going to be the bait." The blonde grinned and the other two boys chuckled to each other. Skylar swallowed, unsure about the whole ordeal now. I mean yeah, he thought these guys were cool and all and wanted to be their friend, but now the initiation tests were becoming ridiculous. "Bait? Me? What is it that we're even calling out to?" He shook his head. Maybe he should go home before it was too late. I twas already seven and the sky was getting dimmer by the moment. The blonde leaned in and looked left then right before whispering,"The Slenderman."

Skylar's heart dropped to his toes when he registered the name of the 'King of the Woods.' He didn't really believe in Slenderman, but all the pictures and stories still creeped him out. He even managed to lose some sleep one time over scaring himself so bad with it all. He decided to keep away from all the creepy stories all-in-all, and he was doing fine now. "What?" Skylar managed to squeak out. The blonde eyed him. "What? Scaaaarreedd? Scared the tall, face-less, freak is gonna come out and rip your guts out?" He pushed the geek and chuckled. "Pussy." Skylar stumbled but regained his footing, straightening his glasses out. "N-No! I'm not! I don't even believe in Slender-..whatever." The blonde crossed his arms. "Then prove it. Do this, and you're in." The other boys nodded in mock agreement. Skylar eyed them then sighed after a moment.

"Last one?"

"Last one."

"Then I'm in?"

"Then you're in."

He paused, and then nodded. "Alright, I'll do it." The blonde clapped his hands together. "Great. Start taking off your shirt and pants. You can keep your underpants on though, no body wants to see your pee-sized penis. Not even Slendy." The three howled in laughter. Skylar blushed in embarrassment, but did was he was told. Once he was done and standing in his plaid boxers the three had already rigged up a rope restraint around the large tree. Skylar was getting more nervous. "What's that for?" The blonde looked back to him. "Oh, this is part of it all. It makes you more approachable." A wolfish grin was splain across the blonde teen's face. "Come on!" Skylar jerked into motion at the command. His back was against the rough bark as they bounded his wrists with rope and made it that he had his arms out. Then they proceeded to wrap the rest around his chest and mid-section.

Admiring their handi-work, the three grabbed up Skylar's clothing and started to make their way from him. "Hey! Wait!" Skylar strained against the tight binding. "Where are you going?!" "Oh don't worry!" The blonde called back. "We'll be behind these bushes!" The three went behind some shrubbery and knelt down and out of sight. Then the blonde popped back up. "You know the Slenderman Song?!", he called to Skylar. The bound geek nodded. "Yeah! Why?!", he called back. "Sing it!" With that, the blonde disappeared back behind the bush. Skylar bit on his botton lip, trying to remember the lyrics to the creepy song.

"S-Slenderman, Slenderman..."

Unbeknownst to him, one of the boys were taping the whole thing.

Once Skylar was done singing, silence filled the air. Then it was pierced with the harsh cry of laughter emanating from the shrubbery. The three boys bolted from their hiding place, taking off into the woods along with Skylar's clothing. Skylar stared in horror. They were going to leave him out here. In the middle of the woods. Bounded to a tree. Naked. "Hey! Wait! No! What're you doing?!" The only response he got was a faded "loser" as they made their was deeper into the woods. Skylar yelled after them and pleaded form them to come back. Hot tears ran down his cheeks, clouding his vision. He couldn't see them anymore. Only dense trees. Trees that became more darker and menacing every passing moment.

Skylar was afraid.

Afraid and alone.

He never outgrew his fear of the dark.

The unknown scared him more than anything.

Anything..

He pulled and struggled against his restraints non-stop. He was on the brink of a panic attack; screaming, pleading, crying, his heart hammering against his bare chest and blood racing though his veins. Soon the sun set and only left a dim glow barely enough to see twenty feet infront. There were no lights of street lamps and homes. No, he was far away from civilization. There would be no one to hear him or spot him. Would his parents notice he was late for dinner? Would they search for him? How long would it be? Days? Or would he rot here on this tree in the middle of the wilderness? Maybe a wild animal would find him and eat him? "Or maybe..."

Or maybe Slenderman would find him.

Skylar's wails turned into sobs which turned into chocked hiccups. How long had he been here now? A few minutes? Hours? Luckily there was a half-full moon tonight. It somewhat illuminated things for him. A lot of it though was left to imagination and tricks of the eye. Ever sound, every creak, ever snap made Skylar jump in terror. This was torture, hell. He'd rather scare himself with stories online and be in the comfort of his bed than this. Anything besides this.

He went into fits of screaming, silence, and crying periodically. Always trying his hardest to loosen and break his binds but to no avail. He was as good as a fly stuck to a spider's web. What seemed like hours passed. Skylar was starting to drift in and out of consciousness. He was so exhausted from struggling and crying. He was physically and emotionally drained. "This is it.." Skylar whispered to himself, his voice cracking. "I'm going to die here." He couldn't bring himself to cry anymore. Thoughts of his parents went though his mind, how much he would miss them. How he would never be able to graduate high school and achieve his goals in life. How he would never kiss a girl and lose his virginity. No more of those things. Then the thought of his beloved rabbit, Jerome, crossed his thoughts. His heart ached. Would his parents take care of Jerome for him? He hoped so.

Then Skylar noticed something bizarre. The chirping crickets and occasional frog croaking seemed to suddenly cease. In fact, there seemed to be no sound at all. The silence pierced him, ringing in his ears. Skylar's heart rate picked up. A chilling and heavy feeling filled the area. Don't look up. Something unconsciously told Skylar. Whatever you do, do not look up.. His beating pulse pounded in his ears. Like always, he betrayed his instincts and raised his head up slowly. At first he saw nothing, which scared him. Once his eyes adjusted though, he was much..much more scared. What seemed to be a white orb of pale light quickly turned into what looked like a human head. Except...there were no eyes. No nose or nostrils. No line to indicate a mouth. Blank. Bare. But still staring directly at Skylar somehow. His breathing was strangled in his throat. His eyes took in more after adjusting to the darkness, making the head have shoulders, torso, arms, and legs. It was kneeling a bit, silently staring at him. It wore a dark suit buttoned up and at the neck it showed a dark, perfectly knotted tie.

Slenderman...

Slenderman...

Skylar knew this was it. He knew he could do nothing to stop the being from impaling him on a tree and ripping his intestines out while he bled out and died slowly. But knowing this Skylar still squeezed his eyes shut and screamed as hard and loud as he could, thrashing about as he did. He fought. Fought for his life. He fought as if he did have a sliver of hope left that he would make it out alive. He was like a maddened, cornered, desperate animal. He didn't give up until his muscles screamed in protest to moving and he could taste a metallic tang from screaming so hard. Then he slumped his head down, eyes still shut. Awaiting.

When nothing happened for a long time he threw his head up and opened his eyes, crying. "WHAT?! WHAT'RE YOU WAITING FOR?! KILL ME! KILL ME NOW!" Skylar was no longer afraid, only distraught. The thing being seemed to have had moved a bit closer to the boy, his head cocked to the side. There was silence between the two. Skylar maintained an uneasy 'eye-contact' with he being. Then the pale face seemed to shift, almost as if it was rolling it's jaw like a human would.

"Why...would I kill you?"

A serrated, crackly voice spoke.

I have nothing..to gain from your death.."


"End; Chapter One."

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