it was a almost time for school to end and four teenagers were standing in the courtyard talking about their plans for the weekend. Their names were Zach, Jeff, Bethany, and Ashley. They pondered on what would be a fun and interesting way to spend the weekend. Today in history class they had learned about the mystery of Slender woods and all of the disappearances that had occurred there. Apparently a slender, ghost-like figure was damned to spend the rest of eternity in the woods. His name was Slenderman. He could never escape and so he fed on the bodies of people who walked through the woods. No one had ever returned from these woods and no one knows where these people have gone. They just disappeared without a trace. None of them were ever found. It seemed to be and old myth made up by someone to keep people off of their property

Zach had an idea to spend the night in Slender woods. The four teens each put fifty dollars in a sock and made a bet. Whoever could remain in Slender woods until daylight would get their money back. If someone left the woods before daybreak they lost their money and it was split between whoever lasted the night there. They all thought it would be easy as pie.

That night they made the one hour drive to Slender woods and parked in an empty space hidden by the tress. A metal gate stretched for miles around the forest. "Who are they trying to keep out? Maybe they are hiding something,"said Bethany.

Jeff replied, " What makes you so sure they are keeping people out? What if they are keeping something in." Then Zach crept up behind the girls and shouted, "Boo!" The girls jumped as they were startled. Ashley smacked Zach on the head and said, "That's not funny Zach, you goober. Let's get going before someone sees us wondering around the gate."

The group of four grabbed their flashlights and cell phones. Little did they know they had no cell phone reception in this dense wooded area. They came up with a game plan. They two girls would stick together and the two boys would stick together. Then they all climbed the gate. Ashley became hesitant when she saw the endless darkness among the trees. "I'm thinking this may be a bad idea. I have a bad feeling about this place. What if there are dangerous animals in here? We don't have any weapons to defend ourselves with," she ranted on. Zach replied, "Fine then. Wait in the car and consider your fifty bucks gone. We had a deal, remember?"

"Fine, I'm in," she said.

The groups of two split up and went in different directions. They began seeing numerous warning pages nailed to the trees; some of them saying things like "Black suited devil ahead", "Beware of Slenderman", and "Point of no return up ahead."

"These pages are stupid bullshit," said the fearless and cocky Zach. "But they are somewhat useful," he added. Zach ripped some of the warning pages down and made paper airplanes. Without any regard to their messages, he threw the pages out in the darkness.

Meanwhile Ashley, who was scared to death, began reminding Bethany of the story of the Slenderman. She hoped Bethany would just turn around with her and leave. She no longer cared about the money. She just wanted to turn back and was too scared to go alone. "You know the Slenderman feeds on people don't you? And he isn't mortal, so there is no way to kill him if we need to defend ourselves," Ashley explained.

"Ashley, will you chill out? You're getting on my nerves jibber jabbering about the Slenderman. He isn't real. Besides, don't you remember he doesn't feed on children? He only feeds on adults who are no longer pure like us. Even if he was real he wouldn't hurt us," said Bethany.

"You don't know that for sure. Stories that we hear have been passed down and twisted with every generation. And besides, why do you think you are pure? Didn't you get caught smoking marijuana with Jessa the other day?" Ashley asked.

Bethany interrupted Ashley's rant, "Shhhhh! Did you hear that?" They heard footsteps walking through the leaves but when they looked around they saw nothing. "It is probably the boys trying to scare us again," said Bethany. "I say we ignore it. Don't let them know we are bothered by their stupid games."

On the other side of the woods the boys were sitting on a dead log drinking liquor from the flask that Zach had snuck in his pocket. They were laughing and talking about girls; who was hot/ who was not.
"I've got to pee so bad. I'll be right back," said Jeff. "Wait, I'll come with you. I've got to pee too," replied Zach.

"Gay much?" asked Jeff. Zach replied "Shut up man. You face one way and I'll face the…"
They were interrupted by the same sound of leaves being crunched by footsteps.

They quickly pulled up their pants and hid by a tree. Suddenly a voice sounded," GET OUT!" It was a loud, deep, and demonic voice and it seemed to rattle their bones. Zach stepped out and embraced their new visitor. He smiled and said, "Nice try, Bethany. Is that some sort of voice warping app on your phone?" he asked while looking around for the girls. "We aren't scared. We know it is you," he added.

They both waited for a reply but there was no answer. "Jeff, hand me the big flash light in my back pack," said Zach. Jeff retrieved it, turned it on, and began to scan the surrounding forest for the girls. Though neither of them wanted to admit it, they were terrified. Suddenly the flash light passed by a thin black figure about a hundred feet away. It swiftly moved among the trees faster than the light could focus on it. At this point both of them realized that the voice they heard didn't belong to Bethany or Ashley. It belonged to Slender man.

"He is real. Slenderman is real! Run!" Zach shouted while sprinting away.
"Where do we go? Which direction is the car?" shrieked Jeff in a state of panic.
"I don't know. Just keep running. We'll run into the gate soon!" shouted Zach.

They ran for what seemed like 10 minutes. "Shouldn't we have come to the gate yet?" asked Jeff panting. "I can't go anymore," he added. Jeff bent over and took off his pack which was weighing him now. He gasped for air and fell to his knees.

"We don't have time to rest, Jeff. Get your ass up and let's go!"
Jeff replied, "Leave then! I can't run anymore. You carry the damn back pack!"
Zach returned to Jeff's side, sat down, and turned off the flashlights. "I guess we will be okay for minute. Maybe we out ran him. Maybe he can't see us with our lights off," said Zach.

They waited stilly for about three minutes, and stayed as quiet as possible to perhaps throw off their new found predator.
"Are you ready?" Zach quietly whispered.
"Yeah, I'm good. Let's go," replied Jeff.
"Remember, as soon as I turn on the flashlight run towards the light and don't look back," said Zach.

The boys slowly stood up together and aimed their flashlights ahead of them. As soon as they turned them on the Slender man stood just feet away in front of them. They were horrified. Without thinking they both ran in different directions, and lost each other. Jeff dropped his flashlight. He ran the best he could by the little bit of moonlight that shined through the trees. There was no way he was going to turn back to get it.

Suddenly Jeff walked blindly into a hollow pit. His fell on his right leg which turned out to be broken. He could feel his shin bone poking through his flesh. Jeff wept as he no knew that he was almost completely immobilized. The best he could do was try to crawl but he knew he would never be able to out run the Slender man in this condition.

He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He turned it on in hopes of using the white screen as a source of light. He scanned his surroundings to see where he was. To his left dozens of human skeletons layed in a pile. Some of them had not yet decayed completely and so their carcusses were now feed for maggots. The smell was outrageous.

Mortified, Jeff covered his mouth so to muffle his screams. His leg continued to bleed and he became more and more weak.

Meanwhile, the girls had heard the commotion of the boys and also thought that it was merely the boys trying to trick them. Bethany laughed and stepped on the paper airplane that Zach had made earlier. Soon they too heard the deep, demonic voice, "Get out!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ashley shrieked and latched on to Bethany's back pack. Bethany and Ashley saw the thin, black figure walking towards them. Instead of toying with them, this time the Slenderman went straight towards them.

The girls ran together. They ran and ran but there seemed to be no end to the forest. They were also growing tired. Suddenly Zach and Ashley ran into each other. They both fell backwords on their butts. Ashley hugged Zach, "You're okay! Are you hurt? Did you find a way out of this place?"
"No, I haven't. I've been running for thirty minutes in every direction. I can't find the damn gate. It's like this keeps going and going and never ends," replied Zach. He hugged Ashley back and held her in his arms as she shivered and cried. He kissed her forehead. For a short moment he realized how much he liked her. She was so gentle and beautiful.

"Where is Jeff?" asked Bethany?
"I don't know. Whatever that thing was it crept up on us and we got separated," he replied.
"You dumbass! Why did you do that? You NEVER lose track of your partner. You always keep them close!" Bethany shouted back.

"Well excuse me, Bethany, the girl with endless knowledge. I did my best. You have that thing a foot away from your face and see how collected and gathered you are. It was a damn accident," Zach mocked.

"Stop fighting you guys! That isn't going to help. We have to find Jeff and get the hell out of here!" shouted Ashley. She added, "Hold hands. We will stay together this way."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ashley shrieked and latched on to Bethany's back pack. Bethany and Ashley saw the thin, black figure walking towards them. Instead of toying with them, this time the Slenderman went straight towards them. He was getting a little annoyed at their shrilling screams which rattled his ears.

The girls ran together. They ran and ran but there seemed to be no end to the forest. They were also growing tired. Suddenly Zach and Ashley ran into each other. They both fell backwords on their butts. They got up and wiped the dirt off their pants. Ashley hugged Zach, "Zach! You're okay! Are you hurt? Did you find a way out of this place?"
"No, I haven't. I've been running for thirty minutes in every direction. I can't find the damn gate. It's like this keeps going and going and never ends," he replied. He hugged Ashley back and held her in his arms as she shivered and cried. He kissed her forehead. For a short moment he realized how much he liked her. She was so gentle and beautiful.

"Where is Jeff?" asked Bethany?
"I don't know. Whatever that thing was crept up on us and we got separated," he replied.
"You dumbass! Why did you do that? You NEVER lose track of your partner. You always keep them close!" Bethany shouted back.

"Well excuse me, Bethany, the girl with endless knowledge. You have that thing a foot away from your face and see how collected and gathered you are. It was a damn accident," Zach mocked.

"Stop fighting you guys! That isn't going to help. We have to find Jeff and get the hell out of here!" shouted Ashley. She added, "Hold hands. We will stay together this way."

They agreed and all held hands together. "Whatever happens let's stay together. We know that thing is around here close. He is probably watching us now. But maybe since we are in numbers he won't be so fast to attack us. There is three of us and one of him...I hope.," Zach explained.

"Oh yeah, Zach. The supernatural being is going to be so afraid of a group of unarmed teenagers holding hands. Is holding hands some sort of magical bond that makes us stronger than him. You don't know anything about Slender man. I bet you didn't even pay attention to the story in class because all you do is secretly chew your tobacco and text on your phone. Do you even know what our teacher's name is? You act like you are some bold, brave, all knowing man with the right answer for everything but to the world all you are is a big freaking idiot!"

"BETHANY, SHUT THE FUCK UP! Your constant nagging and bitching isn't going to get you out of this situation. As much as you like doing it, it isn't going to get you your way this time. If you have a better idea then by all means tell us because all you are doing right now is holding us back, you self-absorbed narsicistic bitch!"

Then there was silence. No one knew what to say. They were scared, cold, and angry. Silently they nodded and took each others hands. It was a silent agreement. They walked for hours. There was no sign of Slenderman but that didn't put them at ease. They had been in the forest well past daylight but the sun never rose. It was an endless night time in slender woods.

"We've been walking for hours an haven't gotten anywhere. Either we are going in circles or this place doesn't end. It's cursed! It has got to be cursed," said Zach.

"I know, Zach. I am really tired. When will we get to sleep?" asked Ashley. "We can sleep in shifts. That way someone can keep a watch out at all times," said Bethany.

"That is good thinking, Bethany," Zach added. Since their steamy rant Zach and Bethany seemed to be getting along better.

"Okay, let's sleep here then. Who is keeping watch out first?" asked Bethany.
"I will," said Zach.
"Ashley interrupted, "Let go of my hand Zach."
"I don't have your hand, Ashley," he replied.
"Fine, Bethany, let go. I'm too tired for this," said Ashley.
"Ashley, I don't have your hand either," said Bethany confused.

"Then who has..?" Zach turned on the last flashlight they had with a little bit of charge left. The light revealed an extremely pale looking hand that had no blood flow. He pointed the the flashlight beside of Ashley and behold. There was a tall, thin, figure in a black tuxedo that had its head turned away from them. It was Slender man.

They were stunned, both terrified and too tired to flee. "Hello?" said Bethany in a hesitant voice.

Slowly his head turned to their voices. It was a man with eyes that had been stitched together shut. "I'm..s..sorry but we got lost here. We didn't mean to invade your forest," said Zach softly. Slender man tilted his head to the side as if understanding and accepting their words. Then suddenly his mouth opened wide and revealed dozens of sharp teeth that grew as if on a conveyer belt. Slender man screamed in his demonic voice. It was so loud that their hair blew and the bats scattered in from the nearby trees.

It didn't take them long to realize Slender man wasn't their friend. They grabbed their back packs and jolted away from Slender man as fast as they could.