Chapter 10

Katie disappeared a few weeks later.

I'd started to hang out with Marcus and his friends more often, learning as much about Slenderman as I could and helping out any way possible. I could tell Katie and the others were a little disappointed, but they never said anything; maybe they could tell how serious this was and didn't want to bother me? I don't know. I told them every detail of every dream I had about Slenderman. They weren't really that frequent now; maybe one every…eight or nine days.

When Katie was reported missing, just last night, I didn't really know what to say or do; I could only sit and stare at the police officer blankly, as I tried to process what the hell he'd just said. When it hit me, I just…freaked out. I yelled at him to look harder, look everywhere, tell me anything, but they couldn't. I knew where she was; I knew HE took her. But who could I tell? The police? Like they'd believe me.

Now, sitting at home on the couch with my mom, we watched the news report come on about Katie.

"…No signs of fourteen year old Katherine Mugeir, reported missing just last night. Police are looking for any evidence of her disappearance, but so far have only found a trail of footprints leading into the forest and disappearing. There are no clues as to say who those footprints belonged to, and Police are trying hard to follow the trail. As of last night's late snowfall, though, it's proving to be tough. If you know anything, please call the number below."

I nestled closer to mom, and she wrapped her arm around me and shut the TV off. We sat in silence for a long time, just sitting in each others company, before finally mom stood up and stretched. She bent down and kissed my forehead, murmuring, "They'll find her, I know it. Just have faith," before heading into her room.

I stood up and locked all the doors and windows before sitting back down, and staring at the wall. I sat there for about an hour before turning onto my side and pulling my knees up to my chest and sitting there. First Eliza, now Katie. Who would be next? Me? I shuddered at the thought. Katie had absolutely nothing to do with Slenderman, and if she did she would've TOLD me. Why did he go after her?

I jolted up into a sitting position to see cold sunlight filtering in through the windows, and I blinked. Had I fallen asleep? This was the first time I'd had a dreamless night. I stood up and went into the bathroom, glancing at myself in the mirror. My hair was in a low, sloppy ponytail and, if I could've, I probably would've laughed. I pulled it out and brushed my hair before turning and settling myself on the couch again.

Again, I sat there and stared at the wall for a few hours, doing nothing. I jumped slightly when mom came out of her room, fully dressed for work. She hugged me tightly and kissed my forehead again, before leaving. And I was alone. For a good hour and a half, I watched the TV blankly. It was Saturday, and I didn't want to go anywhere.

I guess somewhere along the line I dozed off, because I jerked back up into a sitting position with my eyes wide. Without thinking, I ran upstairs and got dressed before running out of the house and going to Marcus'. I knocked on the door, tapping my hand on my thigh nervously. Come on, he HAD to be here! He had-

Relief flooded through me as he opened the door, and I hugged him. "Sierra, are you alright?" He asked. I shook my head, feeling close to tears again. God damn it, I don't WANT to cry again.

"He took Katie." I managed to say, my voice catching in my throat.

"How do you know?" He asked, blinking.

"I-I don't know. I just do. He took her, but he hasn't killed her yet." I said, blinking. Marcus stared at me for a few moments before nodding slowly.

"I…guess that makes sense…"

"No, it doesn't!" I said. I cringed at the whine I heard in my voice, but I continued anyways. "Katie has nothing to do with Slenderman; she's never seen him, or had dreams about him, or anything!"

"Then why do you think she was taken?" Marcus asked, looking confused.

"I don't know…it's just…I know. I don't know how, I just do." I bit my bottom lip and sniffled a little, feeling childish. "I just…she's gone, but she's not dead. I can tell…"

I blinked and watched Marcus leave the door, and stood there for a moment. What the hell was he doing? I thought of following him inside and yelling 'what the fuck', but he returned a moment later with a few Kleenex's in his hands. He handed them to me, and I brought one up to my nose, surprised as I saw blood on it when I pulled it back.

"Nosebleed." Marcus said, motioning me to follow him inside. I put the Kleenex's up to my nose and followed him, closing the door behind me. He led me through a neat looking living room and up a staircase to his room. He had a lot of movie posters plastered all over the walls, as well as pictures and newspaper clippings consisting missing children reports and strange murders.

He opened his laptop and went to the news feed, pulling up a report about Katie. We both read it over a few times, and again, I got the feeling that she had been taken by HIM. Marcus was a little more skeptical, but he believed me; pulling out a cellphone, he left the room for a moment and called Sarah, telling her and the others to come over.

I threw my bloody Kleenex's in the trash can and grabbed a few more, looking around the room again. One picture caught my eye, and I walked over to it to get a better look. It was a very crudely drawn man next to a few trees. I guess it was Slenderman because the man was as tall as the trees. In sloppy hand writing, the words reading, 'Always Watching'.

"Sadie drew that." I turned and looked up at Marcus, who was leaning against the doorway. He walked forward and looked at the picture as well. "I showed her a picture of one of the papers in the Slender game, and asked her to draw it. She did a pretty good job copying it if you ask me."

I nodded slowly, feeling a sudden wave of apprehension wash over me. I don't know why, but I looked out the window at the forest…and saw someone.

She was staring directly at Marcus' window, at me. I dropped the bloody Kleenex and stared back, the breath catching in my throat. I blinked, and she'd turned around to leave.

"Katie." Sudden realization hit my as I whispered her name, and before Marcus could ask I was already bolting out of his room, down the stairs, and out the door with him in pursuit.

"Sierra, wait!" I heard him yell as I burst out his front door. I almost ran into Marissa and the others as I ran, but I ignored them; I ran right past them, across the street, and headed towards the forest. I could hear them screaming my name and heard them following me, but I didn't care; I saw Katie, which meant she was still alive and there was a chance of saving her.

I could feel one of them try to grab the back of my shirt, but I reached the forest and pelted into the trees. Sarah shrieked my name, but I kept going, going deeper and deeper into the darkness. "KATIE!" I screamed, skidding to a stop and looking around wildly. I saw her; I knew she was here…but where?

"KATIE!" I screamed again, desperate now. I ran on, gasping for air now. I could hear footsteps somewhere around me, but I couldn't tell which direction they were coming from or who they belonged to. I ran for what seemed like an hour before stopping, looking around nervously. It was dark, despite it being very sunny when I entered. The trees grew close together, and the undergrowth was thick here.

I panted and looked around again, stiffening slightly; I moved closer to the tree beside me, and my eyes widened. A smeared, bloody handprint was on the tree. "Katie!" I yelled again, my voice hoarse from screaming and running.

"Hello Sierra." I stiffened as a quiet voice came from behind me, and turned around.

And there she stood.

Katie's hair was a tangled mess of twigs and leaves, her eyes wide and bright. Her clothes were torn and tattered, and blood smeared her arms, legs, and face, as well as staining her shirt. I sucked in a breath and took a step back; she had a small smile on her face, and her hands were behind her back.

"K-Katie!" I managed to say, my voice cracking. "Oh my god you're okay! Come on, we have to get back to town, before-"

"I can't go back."

"Why not?" Katie's smile widened slightly, and she cocked her head.

"Because. I found him. He told me things. He told me the truth." I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Wh-who's he?" I asked shakily.

"The Slenderman."

"Th-that doesn't matter! Come on, we can go back together, and you can get cleaned up, and-"

"I can't." Her smile disappeared for a heartbeat before reappearing, bigger than before.

"Then let me go back, I can get help!"

"I can't do that, either." The way her smile widened again made me sick, and I took a step back.

"Wh-why not…?"

"Because. I just can't." She unfolded her arms from behind her back, and revealed a large knife in one hand. I sucked in another breath as she took a step closer again, her head cocked to the side, smile widening. "Come here." She said, her voice calm and quiet. Without hesitating, I turned on my heel and ran, which was probably a bad idea.

Katie shrieked with what I guessed was anger and charged after me. I was already tired from running through the forest the first time; now, with adrenaline pumping through me, I moved faster, jumping over a fallen tree and charging on. I don't know what was wrong with Katie…all I knew was that she was gone. Mentally, she was unstable now; apparently, because she was screaming and charging after me with a knife in hand.

I heard her catching up, and I screamed as loud as I could; probably a bad idea, but in any case, it helped I guess. My throat burned as I ran but I kept going. "YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE!" Katie shrieked.

My foot caught on something and I tripped, stumbling forward and falling. Before I could get up, Katie was in front of my, smiling psychotically. I scooted backwards, eyes widening as my back hit a tree. Katie moved closer, holding the knife up.

"Goodbye, Sierra." She said, her voice taking on a sing-song type of tone. In one last attempt I screamed as loudly as possible and jerked to the side as Katie lunged forward with the knife. Pain seared through my arm as I felt the knife make contact, and I shrieked louder as blood began to pour down my arm.

"You're only delaying the inevitable!" Katie taunted, jerking backwards. I wailed again, tears spilling out of my eyes as I grabbed my arm. "Goodbye." She said again, pulling her arm back. I shut my eyes and held my good arm up to my face, shielding it from the blow.

Gunshots fired, and I jumped, uncovering my eyes again.

Katie looked as surprised as me; for a moment, I saw her sanity come back, and she looked horrified at what she'd done. Looking down at her shirt, a bloodstain was forming, growing bigger and bigger quickly. She looked back at me and gasped; her eyelids grew heavy a moment later, and she fell backwards, the knife dropping onto the forest floor.

I could only sit and stare at Katie's body as it twitched, and she stopped breathing altogether, staring up at the treetops. I heard people moving through the forest behind me, but I didn't really notice; finally, my brain caught up with me, and I screamed again.

Katie tried to kill me.

And now she was dead.

A police officer appeared from behind me and knelt down beside me. He was saying something to me, but I could only hear the blood roaring in my ears. Without thinking I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around his neck, forgetting for a moment that I was bleeding heavily from my left one, and cried.