(A/N: Hello everybody! Welcome to the first chapter of protecther! This fic is mostly a challenge I set for myself. I challenged myself to write a fanfiction for Marble Hornets that doesn't entirely suck, since I watched the series to the end for the second time and I was inspired by some other great MH fanfictions to write my own! This will be a test of my own writing abilities, so reviews are highly recommended. I'm trying to improve, so if you think this story needs some touching up then please leave some constructive criticism in the reviews! Thanks, and now without further ado, let's begin!)

Prologue: Two Years Later

It had been two years since he had packed what little belongings he still had and left his old hometown for good. Two years since he had thrown that pale white face in the trash can behind that service station. Two years since Jay's death and Alex's murder. Two years since he had pushed Brian off that ledge at Benedict Hall.

After leaving, Timothy Wright had settled down in a small town in Florida. He found steady work, made a few acquaintances, and had started going to a therapist. He was determined to leave his past back in Alabama and move on as a new man. Of course, the process of doing so had its ups and downs. Nightmares plagued him like a disease, and he still found himself looking over his shoulder when he was alone. Whenever he went somewhere, something would always remind him of Jay, or Brian, or even Alex. It was unnerving, and he hated it.

The night he got the phone call, he was up late watching re-runs of Friends. It was almost 11pm, and the last thing he was expecting was for his mobile to ring. When it started to vibrate in his pocket, he flinched before pulling it out and answering it.

"Hello?"

Silence.

Tim frowned. "Hello?"

"Outside." Static crackled through the receiver.

"Who is this?"

"Outside," the person repeated. Their voice was too monotone for Tim to assign a gender to, and the way they spoke was enough to give him goosebumps.

Without even realising what he was doing, Tim got up and walked over to the window. The phone was still pressed against his ear, but the person on the other end hadn't spoken again. Carefully, Tim parted the curtains and stared out onto the street. When he saw what was out there, he immediately wished he hadn't.

He was no more than a few yards away, standing just before the curb on the edge of the front lawn. He wore that same signature outfit, the one that Tim and Jay had begun to fear during their time working together. Yellow hoodie, blue jeans, black sneakers and gloves. The black and red cloth that was his mask hung limply from his belt, and his pale face was pinched and tight. Hollow eye sockets housed nothing but white, and his broken neck barely supported his head. The two men locked eyes from opposite sides of the yard, and Tim watched as Brian's blue lips mouthed one single word that echoed through the receiver and into Tim's ear.

"Ark."

"So, your friend was standing outside your house?" Angie asked him for confirmation.

Tim fidgeted with his hands. "Yeah. He called me and told me to look outside, and he was standing on my front lawn."

Angie nodded and wrote something down on the form attached to her clipboard. She was in her mid-forties, with greying brown hair and thin lips. She was the senior psychologist at Tim's clinic. Angie had been taking Tim's therapy sessions ever since he moved here, so she had a pretty good idea what he had been through - minus a few major details.

"So, this was Brian, correct?" she asked. "The one who died in the construction accident?"

"Yeah, he fell from a crane." The same old lie seemed to be doing its job still.

"And you haven't seen him before? He hasn't appeared to you since you moved?"

"No … I have nightmares about him, though. I've told you about those already, haven't I?" Mostly lies, again.

"Yes, I have them in your files." Angie sighed and took off her glasses. "I wouldn't usually recommend this treatment to a patient, but I think it's best if you just ignore it."

Tim took a minute to process what his counsellor had said. "Ignore it."

"Let me explain. You haven't been getting enough sleep, and your medication has side effects. It's simply a trick of your mind, nothing more. Your subconscious is making these hallucinations stronger because the anniversary of Brian's death is drawing closer." Angie smiled a weak smile. "The human mind is a strange thing, Timothy. Now, I think you should go home and rest, and if these apparitions return then please come back and see me." She stood and gathered her equipment. Tim stood as well, and they both shook hands before parting ways.