The doorbell rang, awakening me from my peaceful slumber.
"What the..." I quickly shook off my blankets, and dressed myself hastily, yawning all the while. I wondered who this stranger at my door was... and why on earth they were up so early...
The doorbell rang again, more urgently this time.
"Just a sec!" The ringing continued, dinging at a constant, fast-paced rate.
I opened the door just as my pants zipper was zipped all the way. A chill of cold morning air whooshed into the house.
"What the heck do... you... want..." My jaw dropped.
There was a tall man outside. And when I say tall, I mean tall. He had to bend himself in half just to look into my face. And he was wearing a suit. Dark shaded glasses covered his eyes, and a scarf was around his lower face. An overused fedora covered his pale, pale head.
I gulped. "Sir, I don't know who you are, or why you're here-"
"Rent," Was all the stranger said.
"Huh?" I glanced at the 'For rent' sign in my window.
"I will pay double what you ask for."
"Who are you, exactly? I can't just let some random person into my house!"
"Not a... person."
"Excuse me?"
"I am Slen... Slenderman..."
It took me a few moments to process this. "Slenderman?" I had to admit, the name fit, and sounded familiar... but I just couldn't put my finger on why... It was probably some sort of street or performing name or something. I didn't feel that comfortable letting this freak of nature into my house...
But he did say that he would pay double what I asked for...
"Come in... We can negotiate later. You live in the basement." I led the stranger into my house, against my better judgment. "Remember, the instant something goes awry, you're outta here." Fortunately for him, my ceilings were pretty high, so he didn't have to bend down so much.
He was sitting on the basement couch, creating quite a sight, what with his long legs and such.
"Bathroom's over there, bedroom's down the hall to the left... hey mister, would you like me to take your hat and scarf for you?"
"No!" He said suddenly. "I mean... no thank you. The light... damages my skin."
"...Okay, sorry." I yawned. "Sorry, I really got to get back to bed. I'm not nocturnal, ya know."
I chuckled, and he chuckled nervously with me.
I lumbered back upstairs, into my waiting bedroom. I promptly fell asleep, wrinkling my hastily adorned clothes.
The next day, the sun burnt my eyes when I opened them. "Gah!"
Blinking away the concealing spots of color in my vision, I stretched and yawned mightily. I felt groggy, since I hadn't changed my clothes... Why was I wearing clothes again?
The memories of last night flashed back to me. Oh well, at-least I finally got a renter... strange as he was, he was still a renter.
I walked out into my kitchen, stomach leading the way. I quickly engorged myself with sugary cereal, knowing full well that I would regret it later.
Suddenly my pocket buzzed, making me choke.
Realizing it was just my phone, I took it out, flipped it open, and read the message.
Hey gurl! Hows it goin 4 u?
-ike
I quickly answered my cousin's text message.
Pretty gud. just got a renter! I'm pumped... sorta. Dude's sorta a creep. Lawl! XD how creepy? never takes of sunglasses, scarf, wears a fedora, and tuxedo... super tall. O.o he is creepy. Lol, sounds like slenderman incognito! XD
-olive
-ike
-olive
-ike
My heart stopped. How did Ike know his name?
U there? yeah... who's slenderman? how do u not know Slenderman!? Scariest. Game. Ever. lots of internet fandom. super tall, faceless, eats people, wears a tux... sometimes he has tentacles coming from his back... super creepy. that's weird. Well gotta go. seeya l8r. bye! C:
-ike
-olive
-ike
-olive
-ike
I shivered as I put my phone away. This was getting weird. I shook my head. I needed the money desperately, though, so I decided to not think about it. Not a good start to a renter-owner relationship.
After finishing my cereal of sugar explosions, I brushed my teeth and flossed. After doing so, I locked the door, switched on the fan, and turned on the shower.
I washed the groggy feeling down the drain, and just sort of stood there for awhile, soap suds running from my jet-black hair.
I nearly fell asleep when I suddenly heard the shower curtain rustle. I opened my tired eyes, and peeked cautiously past the shower curtain.
I screamed.
Slenderman was there, looking at himself in the mirror. At the sound of my scream, his face whirled in my direction. He was still wearing the glasses and the scarf, but he had gotten rid of the fedora.
"What the heck are you doing!" I screeched, holding the shower curtain against my body.
"I... uhm... I was just uh..."
"Out! Get out of here! Get out of my house!"
"No, please, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were in here! Don't kick me out! I don't have anywhere else to go! Please!" He begged.
"Out!... We'll talk later," I added, feeling a small amount of pity for this strange person, but mostly thinking about the money he wouldn't pay me if he was gone.
I dried my hair angrily, and walked out into my living room. Slenderman was standing by the stairs nervously.
"Alright... Mister, you've got a problem. How did you even get into my bathroom?"
"Uhm... well... are you sure you locked it?"
"I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure."
"But you're not one hundred percent sure... right?"
I sighed. "Never mind that. I locked it. Okay?"
He nodded.
"...Why didn't you use the bathroom downstairs?"
"Er... it was too bright."
"Couldn't you just use the mirror in the hallway downstairs?"
"...There's a mirror in the hallway?"
"Yes, there is!"
"Oh. Sorry."
I massaged my temples trying to calm myself down.
"Alright... house rules- no coming into my bathroom, especially when I'm using it; no using any facilities up here without my permission; uhm... and basically just no coming up here."
He nodded sullenly. "I'm really sorry."
"Yeah, yeah. Go back to whatever you were doing."
He went downstairs, looking somewhat relieved.
"Hey Olive! Over here!" My crazy, raven-haired cousin called from across the bakery.
I hurried over so he wouldn't cause anymore ruckus with just his voice.
"Hey, Ike. How've you been?"
"Not bad, not bad." He sipped from his paper coffee cup. "Though, it hasn't been all that good either. My gf just broke up with me yesterday."
"Aw. Too bad. She seemed nice."
"Yeah... Oh, well. Just means I'm on the market again."
We laughed softly.
"What about you, Olive? How's mister 'slender man' doin' for ya?"
"Don't get me started."
"That bad?"
"Mph. Worse. The only reason I'm letting him stay's because he's paying double what I asked for."
"Wow. That's generosity for ya."
I snorted. "Sometimes 'generosity' comes at a price. He walked in on me taking a shower. I don't think he had any bad 'ideas'... he's sort of like a little kid... but not at the same time. Really weird."
"Woah, talk about invading personal space. But, yeah, I get what you mean. Reminds me of my roommate... Jonathan. You remember him right?"
"Oh, yeah. He was almost creepier than my renter."
"Lol. Oh well. At-least your's is paying. Double."
My phone rang. "Sorry, got to take this."
"Hello?"
"Where do you keep lunchmeat?"
"What? Who is this?"
"Slendy. Is the lunchmeat in the fridge?"
"Yeah... woah, woah, woah, hold on a sec. You're eating my food?"
"...Am I not allowed to?"
"My fridge counts as a 'facility'! So, yeah, you aren't allowed to! Go get your own food at the grocery store or something."
"You know I can't do that. People... would stare at me."
"Alright, what am I supposed to do about it?"
"I'll pay you back if you let me eat some lunchmeat just this once. I can buy my own stuff tonight. Sorry."
I sighed. "Fine. But I better have five dollars on the counter when I get back."
"Okay." He hung up.
Ike looked at me curiously. "Who was that?"
"Slendy."
"Ah... the infamous Slenderman. He wanted your food?"
"All he wanted was some lunchmeat."
"Oh."
"Well, I got to get to work now. Ms. Grams doesn't like it when I'm late."
"'Kay. Seeya next week!"