It was August 3rd, 1996, and several families were taking advantage of a beautiful summer afternoon by relaxing at one of Oakside Lake's many beaches. There wasn't a cloud in sight in the bright skies above, and the refreshing breeze coming off the water helped to keep the beach-goers cool. Everyone there had their own way of enjoying the warm weather; some swam in the calm water, some lounged in beach chairs, and some made sand castles, as well as taking part in numerous other activities. Several sailboats could be seen off in the distance, trailing lazily through the water while seagulls flew overhead, cawing loudly and swooping down in search of food.
A man and a woman sat in front of a small cabin atop a grassy hill, preparing a picnic and discussing their lives as their six-year-old son built sand castles near the water. He had several toys scattered about, including his beloved teddy bear, which was propped up against a large rock beside him. The boy's parents, Charles and Diane Matheson, were discussing a wide variety of topics; including Charles' recent promotion at the Kullman Mines, Diane's newfound pregnancy, and even simple things like the beautiful weather. To top it all off, today was their son's sixth birthday, and they could think of no better way to celebrate than by having a family picnic at the beach, which they were just about to sit down to. Diane cheerily called out to her son while spreading a blanket; "Charlie, lunch in five!"
Charlie stood up, brushing his hands off on his bathing suit. "Okay mommy!" he responded. The boy surveyed the toys he had out in the sand, quickly coming to the conclusion that he didn't want to clean them up, as he intended on returning after lunch was over. Just as he started heading toward his parents, he caught a bright glint of light out of the corner of his eye. A short distance down the beach, near an old rowboat, something shiny was half-buried in the sand. "What is that?" he wondered, walking toward the mysterious object. As he neared the light's source, Charlie was surprised to discover that it was a section of his toy train that had gone missing a few days prior. Confused, he picked the toy up and looked it over, but almost immediately noticed a second glint of light coming from further down the beach.
"Be careful near the water, Charlie!" his mother called out, unaware that her child was getting further and further away from his parents. As Charlie made his way across the beach, the nearby trees to his right were quickly replaced with a large outcrop of stone. The crystal clear water of Oakside Lake rested to the left, creating a small, sandy trail. The train segment was located at its center, at the top of a small rocky ledge. Charlie pocketed the object, only to be met with the sight of another train piece sparkling in the sunlight, further down the beach. This one was placed so close to the water that he was afraid it would be swept away by the waves. As he gathered the third train segment, Charlie thought hard about this bizarre series of events, trying to understand what was going on. Then, the boy grew excited as he realized what was happening; Mr. Slim had set up a scavenger hunt for him. This wasn't the first time his tall friend had done something like this, and Charlie loved playing his games. His parents thought that Mr. Slim was imaginary, but Charlie knew better. Mr. Slim was his friend, and he was as real as anyone else.
"Charlie, lunch!" his mom called, but he paid no attention to her and eagerly continued down the sandy path, over another rock ledge. It was here that the boy reached the end of the beach, finding that there was little more than mounds of stones ahead, and to his right was a sandy hill leading up and into the forest. The fourth train piece was half-buried at the hill's base and was easily retrieved by Charlie, who stuffed it into his pocket with the others. Suddenly, he heard the concerned voices of his parents calling out to him; "Charlie…? Do you know where he is?" Diane asked her husband.
"He's fine, he's down on the beach," Charles replied.
"Where did he go?" Diane wondered aloud.
"Where is he?" Charles asked, realizing that Charlie was nowhere to be found.
"Where are you? Charlie, where'd you go?" Diane called out, growing fearful.
"Charlie?" his father called out.
"Where are you, Charlie?" Diane yelled, frantic with worry.
Charlie knew he wasn't supposed to be out this far, and felt bad for making his parents worry so much, so he decided to retrieve the fifth and final piece of his train, say hello to Mr. Slim, and head back to his family. After all, it's not like he could get in too much trouble on his birthday. Realizing that the only place left to look was in the forest, Charlie made his way to the top of the hill, discovering that the forest floor was far below. The other side of the hill was too steep and rocky to climb back up, but he knew that Mr. Slim would surely give him a lift if he asked for one, so he wasn't worried.
However, there was something about the forest that gave Charlie a feeling of uneasiness. An eerie fog snaked through the trees, and there was no animal life to be found, not even a single bird. Against his better judgment, he jumped down to the forest floor, feeling the long grass tickle his bare feet. He discovered that the final segment of his train had been placed atop a large rock, and even though he collected it, he was far more concerned with his current surroundings. The strange mist had become unnaturally thick, covering the blue sky in a smoky white sheet. The light wind barely managed to rustle the grass and trees, and Charlie could've sworn he was hearing an odd, creepy ambiance and the occasional, distorted sound of wind chimes. He felt stupid for entering the forest wearing only his bathing suit, as the twigs and pebbles on the ground hurt his feet. The air had also become unnaturally cold, chilling him to the bone and making his skin crawl.
Charlie felt a deep sense of dread creeping up on him. He shivered violently as he walked through the trees, waiting for his faceless friend to show up and ease his fears. "Mr. Slim?" he whimpered, hoping for a response. The only answer he received was the faint sound of drumbeats ringing in his ears. The child's heart was filled with fear, and as he fearfully crept through the area, he was struck with the realization that there was no exit no matter where he looked, only walls of stone. His parents were practically screaming for him now, and Charlie knew he was going to be in a lot of trouble once he got back to them, but surely Mr. Slim would do his best to help him out. Maybe he would even explain the situation to his parents? Unfortunately, Charlie knew things weren't going down that way as soon as he saw the tall man standing menacingly in the fog.
He should've felt comforted… this was his friend, right? No, Mr. Slim no longer looked friendly at all… he was terrifying. He loomed over the poor child, enjoying his victim's terror as a swarm of black tentacles erupted from his back and snaked towards the boy. Charlie screamed as loud as he could and ran back in the direction he'd come from. "Mommy, Daddy! Help me!" he called out, charging through the forest. His parents had always told him not to talk to strangers… and he should have listened.
When Charlie finally reached the rocky hill he'd entered the forest from, he began clawing at it, doing everything in his power to bypass the obstacle, but it was to no avail. Soon enough, his struggling form was ensnared by the tall man's tentacles. They began wrapping him up in a cocoon of darkness, quickly encasing the child. As Charlie used his last breath to let out a strangled cry for help, he dimly heard his father desperately screaming his name as the tentacles wrapped around his head. Then, his world went dark and he knew no more.
