I was running. Jennifer was gone, Chris was gone...everyone had just gone. I'd woken up in my room but everything was covered in blood. So I did the first thing anybody would do, I got up, got dressed and ran. Sure it was a long drop from my window but I didn't land in glass, so everything was ok. Shit. I'm going to die aren't I. That was the only thing my mind could process. Maybe if I hid my identity from him, he wouldn't be able to follow me.

I saw that my mask had fallen from my window along with me, so I put it on and pulled my hoodie up so that it covered my hair .I looked like an entirely different person (which was my intention) and I would have some sort of chance. I picked up a shard of glass and ran towards the forest, soon consumed by darkness.

My torch flickered when I tried to turn it on, so I discarded it and lit a small branch, creating a more reliable, if not shorter in lifespan, torch that would aid my vision. I just had to be careful to avoid setting myself or everything around me on fire. It was when I was thinking that I could feel something tentacle-like slime across my shoulder, making me shiver. The wind blew the flaming torch out and suddenly everything was dark again.

I blinked. My breaths echoed on the inside of the mask. Whoever it was, whatever it was, it knew I was here. Despite being shrouded and covered up, I could still hear chuckling. Maybe it was him...the thing from those made up stories. "Slenderman" I stuttered, watching as the burning branch went out from a gust of wind. "Shit"

When I looked through the trees, squinting through the fog, I could see him as clear as day now. If he had a face he would be laughing at my attempts to get out now (little did I know that the forest was never ending, or at least it seemed like it) and he would just stand there until I begged for him to end it all. But no, he simply tilted his head to the side as if in thought and moved with every blink. I scrunched up my eyes and when I opened them, he was directly in front of me.

Towering above me I could now feel my heart pound against my ribs as I looked up at him. He seemed taller than I expected and more menacing. My breaths were echoed back at me against the mask and I knew that I had no chance. He carefully picked the mask from my face and examined it, stroking over the black details by the eyes with one of his tentacles.

"You think hiding behind this is going to help? Maybe you would be useful..."

I thought I'd imagined him saying that to me but he was talking. Whereas he had no features before, the skin had torn open to reveal a large mouth that took up the lower part of his face, the teeth extremely long and perfect for grinding and chewing skin. Then everything went black, and all I could hear was crunching.

I sat up in bed covered in sweat and shaking. Rushing to my window, it was still locked like the night before. I sighed in relief, even though his appearance still haunted me wherever I looked. My mask was missing though, with a note left in its place.

Macey,

It was nice watching you run around screaming. However, after talking to you for a while I believe that I could use your help. I liked your mask as well, very good work. I thought of a little nickname for you...masky. If you don't come to the forest at midnight tonight then don't think your friends will make it till morning.

-S