As Toby led me through the halls, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched. There are more residents to this manor, that's for damn certain. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a very thin woman in a bloodstained white hoodie, tattered mask resembling a Dementor, and a light grey beanie rocking back and forth in the corner.
"Has no eyes but always watching... has no eyes but always watching..." She muttered.
"Is this what I'll end up as if I piss the boss off? Let's stay on his good side, then."T-through he-here." Toby stutters, pointing at large double doors.

"Outside of the door are two figures, one looked kind of like a pale, malnourished and hairless dog. The other looked like a thirteen year old boy that had been zombified, its skin is ash grey and it's hard to tell if it has eyes or not. The two stared at me, studying me. Despite how scrawny they are, I still have a feeling in my gut that actually fighting these things would be a Grade A pain in the ass.

"Now or never..." I mumbled to myself.

Toby left me to whatever was inside. The room seemed very alike to a home office, the ceiling looked as if it reached for miles, probably just a design illusion. The room had this color scheme of various shades of red with Blackwood... everything. Drawers, bookshelves, a desk, the chairs were black leather recliners. It had this comfortable, but at the same time, foreboding air about it.

"Welcome." A voice said.

It sounded like it came from behind, I quickly turned with my blade drawn, only for my arm to be held back by a slick black tendril. Seen enough hentai to know where this is going.

"Please, no need for violence. I am only here to welcome you to your new home."

I looked up, the figure... I doubt it's even human, like the hairless dog creature in front of the door. It looked like a person, an eight foot tall person, wearing a black suit with a white undershirt and red tie. The arms on this thing nearly reached the floor, and its face... could I even say it had one? It's completely featureless, like a store mannequin.
"I take it my appearance unsettles you?"

"Yeah, just a bit."

"It freed my arm, I rubbed my shoulder. The grip on those things...

"Who are you?" I asked.
"You humans call me many things... the Germans call me Der Großmann, my collective calls me The Keeper, Kralie called me Operator... but most just know me as The Slender Man."
I've heard of you... some idiot middle schoolers stabbed their friend because of you...
"Yes... those two were a thorn to acknowledge, however, we have looked past that." His voice, something about it just calms me. It's almost as if I can hear it in my head.
"How did you do that?!" I yelled.

"Read your thoughts? You gave them to me." He raised his arm and snapped his fingers.

"Alice... please come to my office."

Alice's POV

The boss's voice echoed in my head, I'm guessing it's about the new guy. I stood up from my bed and went upstairs, trying my damndest not to make eye contact with the freaks. I open the door and see Adrian and the boss talking, I'm guessing he's choosing to keep the telepathy between the two of them. When they noticed me, boss's voice extended to me.

"Alice, I would appreciate if you could escort mister Cipher to his room."

I nodded my head and beckoned for Adrian to follow. He stayed a few paces behind me, I hope he enjoyed the view.

"So it's kind of like a college dorm?" He asked.

"Something like that, but instead of studying for exams, we kill people." I replied.

"Sarcasm is hardly becoming of you." He mumbled.

He opened the door I led him to and let himself in.

Adrian's POV

The room seems rather barren, a dresser, bed, and a desk are the only things in here.

"Throw in a poster, at least!" I said, arms spread wide.

I'll need to get my stuff as soon as possible, I'll put my TV on the desk, pack together my clothes. Yeah, I can make this work.

"You had a place to stay before coming here, right?" Alice asked.

I nodded, there's no way I'm moving here until I have my Metro books, still haven't finished 2034... but that one isn't related to the 2033 and 2035, despite the main character having the same name, are there really that many Russian guys named Artyom?

"How would you feel about going on a little trip?"

Alice tilted her head to the side before widening her eyes, she knows what's up.

"We should've gotten your shit first." She mumbles, "We did know where you live, after all."

I leaned in close, trying my best to test her proximity limit. Alice leaned back a bit, but wore a constant smirk on her face. She's enjoying this, I can tell. With that, Alice went and grabbed a backpack from her room, we crammed four granola bars, two water bottles, and at least one music player with the entirety of DragonForce's career on it.

"W-where are y-y-you going?" Toby asked, stopping us at the door.

"I want to get some things from my home, something you and Helen should've covered when you went to retrieve me." I pushed Toby out of the way and breathed in deeply.

"So, to Chicago?" Alice paced to the garage.

"I've been meaning to ask, but where exactly is this place?"

Seems we'll never get an answer to that, because we stare at the ground and get into a black unmarked van. Thank god that it wasn't white, otherwise I'd paint 'free candy' on the side and wait to hear the loss of innocence as parents yank their children away. After four minutes of driving, we end up in the woods near my slaughter cabin.

"We might want to burn that down soon, don't want the cops after you." Alice points, leaning closer to me and giving a lovely view down her shirt.

I looked away, "Cops are after me anyway, and I wear gloves whenever I go in there. They can't find me, I'm called a ghost for a reason."

I'll still burn it down anyway, it's no longer needed. We headed to The Woodlands on Green Bay, rooms were nice and the tenants minded their own business. It was paradise, until I came to the mansion, obviously.

"Guess you don't need to clean up that often." Alice commented.

"I'm barely here, so it's not an issue."

After packing an extra pair of clothes, my hygiene supplies, a toothbrush, and entertainment, we left after burning the murder shack down. After picking up some snacks, we headed back into the woods and went straight to my room. Alice volunteered to help decorate it, we set the books into a bookcase, stapled my posters on the walls, plugged in the TV and game consoles and set them on the desk. The room looks halfway livin-able... That's a fun word, livin-able, livin-able, livin-able, liv-... Sorry.