After hoping to find a good story with Slendy in it and a potential love interest and coming up empty handed this story came to me on a whim. I would hope to write more since I'm enjoying writing it thus far but I do believe it is up to my readers to decide, enjoy!

Worth, I have none

.:1:.

I stabbed at the keys furiously.

I was hoping to finish the article before the day was over, but I didn't reach my goal. I was still quite a few sentences away from completing this week's news wrap up. I managed to make one last adjustment before Tom finally got pissed and started to kick me out.

"Ok alright I'm going!" I said while holding my hands up in defense. I grabbed my purse and my coat out of the closet and stuck my hat on my head. It sat lopsided and Tom reached up to fix it.

"You work too hard Keira," he sent me a soft, sad smile.

I shrugged and looked out at the world beyond the glass door. Thick snow rained down and there was dense fog settling over the ground. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before saying, "I know."

Tom waved me goodnight and I threw on my thick winter jacket before heading out into the frozen tundra of Rhode Island. The sound of fresh snow crunched underfoot and I shivered as some of the miniature flakes slipped past the barrier of my scarf and down the back of my coat and chilling my spine. How do they always manage to do that?

I tightened my hold on my scarf as the wind blew and I flagged down a slow moving taxi. I hopped into the backseat and let out a breath as I told the driver my address.

When I finally reached home I relaxed under the warmth and comfort of my bed sheets. The rest only lasted for about ten minutes before I got a call. I picked it up with still numb hands, "Hello?"

"Afternoon Keira," said a cheerful voice, I felt a tired smile crawl up my face.

"Hello Theresa. It's nighttime. What can I do for you?" whenever Theresa called, work needed to be done. Either that or she wanted a round of drinks.

"I was wondering if you'd do a favor for a fellow journalist. Or a best friend maybe?" There was a pause, "some strange things have been going on in Black Hills national forest over in South Dakota."

I quirked an eyebrow and started chewing on my lip. It was a habit of mine when I start getting interested, "What's going on?"

"Well, for starters, people have been disappearing as of late. At first it was just a coincidence what with some new paths found and forgotten but now it's beginning to become a real problem. They're saying a serial killer might be hiding in the woods because he only attacks from dusk until dawn. Of course there isn't ever much evidence, however, with you by my side I bet we could find out what's really going on."

Theresa finished excitedly, except the story no longer held my attention, "So... why should I help you?" I drawled out lazily.

I could practically see the pout on her face from her voice, "Because I'm your best friend?"

"You're one of my only friends," I countered.

Theresa huffed, "Alright you got me. Normally a story like this doesn't sound worth checking into but get this: one witness claims that he did in fact see something in those woods."

Interest piqued, I bit my lip again, "What did said witness claim to encounter?"

"A person for sure, the guy said he was positive it was a male, and that he was tall and wore a black suit and a red tie. Pretty formal for death huh?"

"Hmm," I rubbed my chin in thought, "how strange."

"Strange indeed, what intrigues me most is that killer is wearing a suit. According to the witness he either had no facial features from what he could see or it was a very white mask that he wore."

"Faceless, suit, tall… wait a second, are you trying to piss me off? That sounds like that dumb internet meme Slenderman."

"That's why I'm so interested Keira! Think about it, what kind of mind must this guy have to copy something as commonly known as Slenderman? This could make a great story."

I sighed, "Or a super lame story that'll get us demoted. Do know how dangerous this could be? For both our lives and careers?"

Theresa sighed on the other end of the line, "I know, but this could be worth checking into. Please Keira? Please go with me? If you don't want the story then don't take it, I would just really appreciate it if a friend came along to help me out and keep me company."

I rolled my eyes even though no one was around to see, "You mean someone to help carry all of your supplies?"

"Maybe," I let out a light chuckle, "and besides," she continued, "you love travelling."

I nodded to myself despite being the only one in the house. It was true, I do love to go to new places and meet new people. With a heavy sigh I answered Theresa's standing question with another, "When do we go?"

There was the unmistakable squeal of my best friend's excitement on the other end in which I had to hold the phone away from my ear, "Tuesday! I'll book our flight, be ready by 11:00AM!"

Theresa hung up and I lay back down in my bed, the covers no longer feeling so soft.

Before long Tuesday rolled around and my luggage was packed. I was pretty sure that I was prepared for anything, and at eight a taxi rolled up and beeped its horn.

Theresa was already waiting inside for me and I slid into the seat next to her easily.

"Any other members coming to crash the party?" she smiled at me.

Shaking her head she answered, "Nope. It's just going to be you me and the great outdoors for several weeks."

"Oh joy. Wait we're not actually going to go camp out right?"

She started to shake her head but stopped, "Well, we could but it might not be the smartest – or safest – idea. I do have a couple of police friends, if they happen to go on a night sweep I could probably convince Jack to let us come along."

I shrugged, "Isn't Jack that guy we met a few years ago at the crime scene in Maine?"

Theresa nodded, "Yeah I'm surprised you remember. He was promoted and now he's stationed in South Dakota. He says he likes it there, we still keep in touch every now and then..." I noticed her ears were burning red from slight embarrassment.

I was about to say something, but I let it go. Instead I just smiled coyly like friends do.

Arriving at the airport, I was pleased to see we were still way ahead of schedule. I prefer being early too late. When we boarded the plane a sudden sense of foreboding washed down upon me. It was like a shiver, starting at the top of my head then going down my neck and shoulders, sprinting down my spine, and crawling its way through my legs before clawing outwards into the open air.

I let out a light gasp and Theresa nudged me onwards since I had stopped moving. Once I was seated comfortably in the middle seat with a glass of wine in hand I began to relax from my sudden moment of insanity.

I stole a glance out the window at the clouds when we were at cruising altitude and I breathed out a sigh of relief. I didn't like heights much, but I'm pretty sure that's not where that feeling came from. Since I had nothing else to worry about though, I stuck with my height insecurities.

As the plane moved forward, bucking to and fro, I wasn't sure if it was the glasses of wine or the jerky movements but I was beginning to feel nauseous. I set my glass down in the cup holder and brushed back my red hair with my fingers.

My mind was slightly intoxicated, and I began thinking the thoughts that had been plaguing me all week. Why was I doing this? What was I doing here in this plane, what story was I even looking for? This was a pointless waste of time wasn't it?

I groaned before taking those thoughts and shoving them back down my throat before I voiced them. I didn't want to hurt Theresa, besides... this would be fun, right?

I knew I was over analyzing too much, so I went to the bathroom and freshened up before sitting back down and taking a nice long nap.

When I awoke it was to Theresa's voice, "We're here sleepy head wake up!"

My mind didn't comprehend what was happening as I was being ushered out the door but by the time I stepped foot on the solid ground of the airport did it finally hit me that I was in South Dakota.

We grabbed a ride to the hotel we were staying in and as I crashed down into the bed my thoughts returned.

Slenderman, how ridiculous.

Theresa left to go get something for us to eat and I started to flip through the channels out of boredom. My interest, naturally, landed on the news station.

A lady with a sad expression and a little too much makeup was telling this week's current situation, "This week we witness the tragic disappearance of five teenagers, three girls and two boys all around the ages of sixteen and nineteen.

"A camping trip turned savage for these five teens as the numerous attacks of the Blacks Hills killer strikes once again. This time a hiker stumbled upon the morning scene which he describes as 'gruesome and hard to understand why someone would do such a thing.'"

The camera view switched to an interview of the aforementioned hiker, "I was walking up this trail and when I came by I saw tents and I thought some people must have spent the night. When I came closer I thought it was strange that not even one person was standing guard or anything. So, you know, I took a closer look to see if they were okay. There was blood on the inside of one of the tents and the sleeping bags were all ripped up, like they had been pierced with spears because there were a ton of holes in the fabric."

They switched to a rather graphic clip of the carnage while the voice over played, "I found a dead body not far from the camp and that's when I knew I needed to get out of this forest and find help."

I took in the panoramic of the site. A photo flashed of the inside of a tent and it was coated in thick, and from the look of it still wet, blood. I l squinted my eyes out of disgust but didn't look away.

"Did you see anything else? No trails leading off the path or anything of the like?" the reporter asked.

The hiker shook his head but then held up his finger as an afterthought, "Well I did, on the way back, see something."

The reporter women cocked her head, "What might that be sir?"

"I don't exactly remember, but I think it was tall, and I believe he or she was wearing a suit or something –" I turned off the T.V, and just as I did Theresa walked in with the long awaited food.

"About time," I complained as she handed me whatever she had gotten.

"What are you complaining about? I had to wait in this long as hell line behind this little boy who wouldn't stop trying to see what was in my purse."

I smiled before starting to eat, "Sounds like fun."

"And you sound crazy? Anyway, what have you been doing all this time?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, "I was just watching the news." I avoided mentioning what the news was about. I wasn't sure if I believed in this whole Slenderman thing, but I avoided going down that route as I saw Theresa happily chewing away at her food. I was glad she didn't bother to question what was on.

I was tempted to turn on the T.V again so I could get their overall conclusion of the whole ordeal, but I didn't want to egg Theresa on any more than she already was. After some time, we decided to go to sleep.

Well into the night I woke up in a cold sweat. I didn't understand why I was so on edge, earlier I was willing to blame it on the plane ride, then the wine, now I'm blaming it on being in a new state, but I know that isn't the case.

Quickly, I sat up and stole a glance at Theresa sleeping form in the other bed. I turned on the T.V and muted the volume. The subtitles popping up automatically, I searched around for the news but the only thing I could get as late night The Doctor reruns. I didn't admit defeat, but put the remote down nonetheless.

Slenderman, a serial killer, and perhaps our own insanity were up for grabs.

Tomorrow, the hunt would begin.