Slender Man's Story

by LifelessLil

Though out the years there have been many Slender Men. All lost souls who have answered Darkness' call. But who would have suspected that that call would be to protect. To hide the weak from those wanting to take advantage. The only question left is whether you are one of the few brave (or desperate) enough to answer? Slender Man, Origin Story,Trigger Warning: Abuse, Death

TW: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death

I just saw this picture and had to write it down. Don't read if above is a Trigger for you. Warnings have been applied.

Before Slender Man was Slender Man he was just a man. A man with a family. A horrible family. Through out his teen years he did his best to coup with the shitty existence some god had thought it funny to give him. For years he tried to act like he lived a normal life at school and his job (which he took to help support his mother and little brother because his dad was a drunk), but all the while he couldn't hide the physical marks his life (and father) had given him. At home he spent his time taking care of the house and his brother and his mother, doing all he could to protect them from the wrath of his father. When his father got into one of his 'moods' he would usher his brother into his room and guard that door. On one particular night as this man lay bloodied and broken in against this door, listening to the soft music that he always played to muffle the sounds outside he looked up at his mother, whom had tears in her eyes because she could do nothing to help her son. His father, clearly done with this broken figure before him followed his sight. This man, whom had done everything in his power to protect his brother and his mother, could do nothing as his father raised his fist and brought it down on the frail form of someone he wanted nothing more than to protect. He tried desperately to move to reach out, but all he managed was a strangled cry, gargled by the blood filling his mouth.

His father must have been in a worse mood than usual, because he did not stop his beating until long after his mother had stopped fighting back to which his father only rose and walked away like nothing. It was and hour, maybe more before the man found enough strength to crawl towards his mother's figure. He confirmed what he already knew deep down. She was gone, he had failed her. He took comfort only in the thought that at least she no longer had to deal with this life. The man stood, painfully and started walking, he paused at his brother's door, the only thing that made him second guess the action he was about to take, but still he left. He regretted it, but he left.

The woods behind his house gave the perfect cover that night as he ran at a limping pace towards the sheltering darkness. He ran well-known paths that he had taken many times before. It was not until he came to a clearing, far from anything that he finally found some rest. He sat at the base of the tree. He could still go back, doubtless that his father had even noticed his absence yet. He could still protect his brother... or could he? What power did he have?

Is it power you want?

The man startled. "Who's there?" he called, searching the darkness for something, anything.

I am the power you seek, if you would except it.

A broken man is many things and desperate is one of them. When a hope is dangled in front of the hopeless like a rope to a drowning man, sometimes they forget to look at who's holding the other end. And just like that, with only thought of the mother he couldn't protect and his brother alone against a threat he himself couldn't face, he except the darkness' offer. "I except."

Now only this young man could have told you what happened next. How it felt, what he saw, what he learned, All that can be said is that he was not the first to except such and offer from such darkness. There were others before him, just as there will be others after that have excepted it's offer for various reasons. The only thing that is known is that the next thing this man did was walk back in the direction of the house where his brother remained. (The journey taking much less time with his much longer legs.) He went into the house, past the small man in a drunken slumber in the living room, and up into the room where the little boy still sat, huddled on his bed, listening to the music, until his big brother would come in again to tell him everything would be alright. The door creaked open as the Slender Man walked in. The little boy froze and looked into where his eye should be and saw nothing but a blank, white mask instead.

Your brother is safe now. Would you like to see? The Darkness around them seemed to ask, though no noise was made.

The boy simply nodded. The Slender Man held out a hand, an offer, to the boy. The boy took it, a small smile on his face.

I would like to tell you a story on the way? Would you like that? asked the Darkness once again without so much as a whisper and again the boy nodded.

This story starts at the beginning, when darkness was all there was. People did not fear the darkness for it was all they knew. Then one day, the Light came and all of man kind flocked to it. The darkness too tired to befriend the Light, but they were too different. People began to bask in the Light, for it hid nothing from them, but in turn they feared the dark, because of what it hid. But sometimes, things needed to be hidden and man did not understand this. A few did. A few who knew that not all man did was good and that the Darkness was only trying to protect them from this. So, the Darkness decided to help Man remember this. Darkness found a man who still remembered, that understood the faults of man and took kindly to the Darkness' offer to hide it. To this man, Darkness offered a bit of it's power. Protect them. The Darkness asked of him. But they do not wish to be protected. said the man. Of course they don't, but they need to be. The man did not understand the compassion the Darkness held for the rest of Man, whom had turned their back on it, but he agreed and through out time the Darkness picked one man to continue his duties. On man to protect those whom do not want protecting because this is what they need.

When the Slender Man finished his story, the two were far into the woods. The boy looked up at him. His eight-year-old brain trying to find meaning in the Darkness' words. "Why have you brought me here?" he asked in a small voice.

So that you can be taken care of. You need no longer fear, the Darkness will care for you and one day soon there will be others, like you, in need of protecting. You will need to tell them the story.

"But my brother? You said I would see him. You said he is safe." Panic pushed through his voice slightly as his words came. What of his brother who had always been there to protect him.

He is here, with me. responded the Darkness. He will be the new protector. I will make sure to keep him safe. You need not fear. You will never be alone, just as he never was. You will always have the darkness.