Disclaimer: Of course I don't own this... jeez

Chapter VI- Don't Mess with Ouija Boards

Ava's POV

It was cold, not like a bone chilling freeze that filled the air, but more like the coolness of an early morning when the dew just starts to dot the soft green grass.

I was running, everything felt hazy and unrealistic, almost dream-like. I didn't know why I was running but I felt like there was somewhere I had to be. I was late... late?

My breaths were short and raspy. Why was I running? I couldn't see in front in me, it was like it was an endless tunnel of darkness with just the dullest light shining in the distance. I could hear something that sounded like running water.

Where am I? Why can't I think straight? It feels like I've been running for so long- like I can never reach that oh-so-distance reality that just keeps slipping from my grip. I can't breathe, why can't I breathe?

I just keep worrying about what's behind me instead of what's in front. Please, please listen. I've been waiting for so long, please help me wake up.

Wake me up.

I awoke gasping for my breath, glancing around at an unfamiliar room. The curtains were a deep purple and drawn tightly to lock out the outer world, there was little furniture in the Victorian styled bedroom but it was quite gothic and artistic.

There was a small lamp with a silver shade sitting on the night stand on my side, I reached across and pull the cord allowing the pale light to flood the dark room. Where was I?

I sat there thinking, gripping the thick comforter that covered me. Was I still in Slender Mansion? Something caught my eye and as I climbed out of the warm bed into the cold air, I struggled to make out the details.

Part of one wall was covered in what looked like newspaper clippings; as I stared, I soon realized that they were all stories about murders. Murders about all of the house's members. I went through them and gasped at the sight of Levi's name.

What is this? Does Jack keep track of all of his victims?

There came a knock at the door and it slowly opened. "Miss Ava, breakfast is ready."

"Hmm?" I turned to see little Sally standing shy of the door, looking up at me with her bright green eyes big and curious. "Alright, thanks; and Sally?" She looked up at me as if I had candy. "What can you tell me about these?" I motioned to the wall of newspaper clippings.

"Well this is Jack's room, you're staying here till Slendy gets your room finished."

So this is Jack's room huh? "Thanks Sally. And one last thing, please tell me breakfast doesn't consist of organs and wine glasses of blood right?"

She giggled, "Slendy made BLTs."

BLTs? Maybe it won't be so bad here after all...

...

The sight before me was one to truly remember. Slenderman stood at the head of the table wearing his usual black suit and a frilly pink apron that said "kiss the cook" and looking quite angry pointing a wooden spoon with scrambled eggs slowly falling off of it at the end of the table. Ben and Jack sat in between smacking their heads at the rest of the family's stupidity in which Sally and Jeff sat at the other end progressively arguing.

Slenderman started yelling, attempting to break the two up. He seemed to stop when he noticed me standing there quite awkwardly. "Uh, Avaline Jackson, please come and sit down. We have a variety of human food for you here."

Jeff and Sally calmed down and faced away from each other pouting. I slowly sat down next to Sally, the room started to get quieter and it was easy to guess why. I wasn't welcomed here, I'm different than them, I'm not really what they're used too.

Jeff cleared his throat, "So, uh, Ava, do you wanna go shopping with me today?"

I wouldn't have ever guessed Jeff would be the one to break the silence. "Uh, sure Jeff."

We finished eating in silence, Jeff took my plate and led me back to my room. "Uh, Ava?" Jeff leaned in the door frame crossing his arms with the hood of his white jacket up and his long black hair covering one eye, "Do you feel comfortable here?"

"I guess, I don't know any of you guys really except for what I hear on the news and I am staying in the room of the man who ate my brother alive so that's something."

He smirked, "Yeah, we all have our problems with one another but we're still family. Just like any other, we fight, we play, we laugh and cry."

"Define 'play'."

"One time we played Wii together."

"Hmm, interesting."

He walked towards me, helping me unpack my bag. "Yeah, it's not like all we ever think about is shanking the next victim, we can be normal."

I couldn't help but laugh; there was a moment of silence before Jeff cleared his throat. "Ava, can I ask you something?" I gave him a look that suggested that he could continue, "Do you ever, you know?"

"Think about killing someone?"

He nodded, "Yeah, that."

I took a deep breath setting down my bag and turning to face him. "Yeah. A lot."

He raised a brow, "You serious?" My silence gave him his answer. I looked away, not sure of what he was thinking; would he find it amusing? Adorable? How the hell was I supposed to know?

And the truth was that I do. I think about what it would be like to kill a person. To be honest, I love my mum but if she died today I don't think that I would feel anything. I'd be numb, or just carry on.

He became hysterical, laughing madly to the point where he was on his knees. "Jeff?"

He finally calmed down, wiping a single tear from his gray eyes. "Well, I'll just have to bring your dark side out then."

There was a knock on the door and we turned to see Jack standing there observing. "I needed to get something, but it appears the two of you are bonding."

My cheeks felt hot, "Uh, no, let's go Jeff."

Jeff was still giggling for god only knows why as we passed Jack and left to go get the few groceries Slenderman wanted us to pick up for him.

"So let's say I might go out tonight for a quicky. Would you come."

I grunted, "Is that all you think about Jeff," I teased, remembering his comment from before as he stated "It's not like all we ever think about is shanking the next victim, we can be normal."

"But would you?"

"I'll think about it." We filled up a shopping cart, getting ready to leave. In the corner of my eye, I saw just the slightest hint of a missing persons poster.

...

Sally sat down next to me on the front porch of the mansion. The sun was going down and I knew that Jeff was going to want to leave soon. "Word is my new big sister has an appetite."

"Who told you?" it had to either have been Jeff or Jack.

"Jeff, said that he thought it was adorable that his new friend and him could bond over putting someone to sleep."

"And those were his exact words?" I questioned. She nodded; huh, so now I'm adorable and his friend?

The old spring of the porch door squeaked as the wooden frame swung open then quickly closed. Jeff sat down in the large steps with us popping his back and stretching."You going to go Ave?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Ah, come on don't be like that, you just need to get into the mood."

I raised a brow, "And what would the mood be?"

He shrugged, "What ever gets you in the mood to murder?"

I turned to the little girl next to me, "Well Sally, what makes you want to stab someone?"

She squinted her eyes at Jeff, "When someone cuts the heads off of my dolls then lights them on fire."

Is it sad if that was really cute?

Jeff laughed, "You had it coming twit."

"If it makes you happy, I will go I guess. BUT, do not expect me to be un-aliving people tonight. I think I'll just watch."

Jeff smirked, grabbing my wrist he drug me along with him through the forest. We came upon a small cabin, a small candle light could be seen flickering in the single window of the back. Jeff licked his lips, a dazed look in his eyes, "This is going to be good."