Chapter 35 When You're Gone

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

The Creepypasta household was oddly silent.

The vast corridors of the old, but still majestic, house were submerged in total silence, allowing the cold wind to be heard coming from the raging blizzard that continued for weeks now to pound mercilessly on the old and rusty windows of the house. Still, there was no one there to close the shutters or make sure that the windows where properly shut. Because the huge manor was completely empty. There were no happy or even irritated voices coming from anywhere inside the house, nor the heavy pounding of footsteps landing against the floor was heard. And that was because most of the household residents were not in the house. No, they were outside, fighting against the blizzard and scanning the whole forest inch by inch and trail by trail, trying desperately to find the only thing that had been missing for quite some time now. One of their companions. One of their family members. You.

Even the household master was out looking for you himself, his own patience and controlled emotions running thin with the passing weeks. It was preposterous! Why couldn't they find you? Why was no one able to even feel your presence anywhere near them? Where were you? Where have they taken you?

It had been nearly one month that you were kidnapped.

They had no clue on whether or not you were still alive, or where your whereabouts might be. It was as if earth had opened up and swallowed you alive, causing you to completely disappear within it. Still, they would not give up until they find you. Not before you are either safe, or they have collected your remains. Because you were family. And family is not left behind.

But the house wasn't completely empty.

Ben and Sally were in the kitchen, messing around with the various kitchen supplies and trying their best to cheer themselves up and make something to eat, chatting calmly among themselves, trying no to disturb Jeff.

Jeff on the other hand, was sitting in his usual armchair near the window, his never-blinking gaze pinned on the blizzard that raged outside, while he threw his knife up and down in the air, catching it mindlessly with his right hand, paying no attention to the subconscious habit of his, but nonetheless, never failing to catch the knife. His mind was wandering off to a certain smiling girl, her beautiful figure engraved within his insane mind.

From the moment they had found out that she was taken away, Jeff felt the same paroxysm that poisoned him the very first day that he was plunged into insanity and made him kill his own family, rise up once again inside of him. He did not care for anything. He obeyed no one. The only thing that was on his mind was to find her. To retrieve her and close her up somewhere where not even the sun would reach her, in fear that he would take her away from him again. One week, two weeks, three weeks, four weeks, he was constantly out, bringing himself to the very edge of his own body limits, pushing himself again and again to search for her. Her fleeting image almost danced in front of him, inside the thick snow, making him scream in total insanity and anger that he could not reach her. But still, there she was, just standing right in front of him and smiling brightly at him, her (h/l) (h/c) hair waving serenely around her face, her giggle ringing in his ears.

Slenderman had found the smiling killer curled up in a ball against a tree trunk and with a waterfall of tears streaming down his face, calling her name again and again and screaming loudly, his hands covered in his own blood and the tree behind him having suffered most of the angry blasts the killer had graced it with, using his very own fists. He had taken him back and ordered him not to go outside for the rest of the week, ordering him to rest and eat well to regain his power and self control. It was one of those rare moments that Slenderman acted like a real father to the deranged killer.

But pulling himself together was an order that Jeff couldn't obey this time around.

Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. Not without her here.

'Jeff?'

The killer caught the knife once again, but this time didn't throw it again, but neither did he turn to see who addressed him.

Sally walked up to him hesitantly, a small smile gracing her beautiful little face, as she carried a bowl of soup to Jeff, while Ben watched closely behind her.

'You haven't eaten anything for four weeks, so we made you some of Ben's amazing soup.' The little girl cooed, smiling brightly, watching as the smiling killer still didn't turn towards her.

Then, just in the blink of the eye, Jeff was standing up, his face averted on every other surface but the little girl's face. He turned around, passing by Sally and messing her hair lightly, continuing to walk out of the living room. He couldn't look at Sally without being reminded of her.

'We miss her too Jeff.' Ben spoke up.

Jeff suddenly stopped, his tall figure coming to a sudden stop at his friend's words, but instead of answering, after a brief moment of complete silence, he continued on his path, out of the living room and up the stairs, walking towards his room without a single word. He just didn't have the f*cking nerves to f*ck with anyone right now. He just wanted to be f*cking damn alone. Why can't they f*cking get it? Pieces of sh!t.

As he rose his hand to turn the doorknob of his room, his unblinking eyes fell of _'s door. Surprisingly, it was half opened, but as soon as expectation filled the killer's heart, waiting to see her coming out with a big smile gracing her face, the feeling soon faded and crushed into tiny pieces, as no sound came from within.

Cursing heavily under his breath, he walked up to the door, intending to close it and be done with it, when his stare fell on something under _'s bed, near the door.

For the first time after so many weeks, the killer felt something else than just pure rage and heartbreak fill his cold and empty heart. It was a peculiar feeling; one he hadn't felt in quite a while, even if it used to be a rather common one. Curiosity.

Opening the rest of the door, he was really careful not to allow his stare to stray anywhere else inside her room, in case he would be totally consumed by her lingering presence, her body aroma that was coming from every possible little thing that she touched inside her room, as well as the pure sunlight that was coming through the windows and illuminated her room gracefully. He just could not look at her room and realize her absence. Maybe if he didn't acknowledge it, she would come back one day.

Bending down, he snatched the two pieces of paper fast and coming out of her room, closed the door behind him heavily.

He exhaled.

He never even knew he was holding his breath in the first place.

Bringing the two pieces of paper close for examination, it was evident that someone had torn the paper violently, dividing it into two pieces.

From the logo in the back, it was evident that it was a picture. But whose picture?

Turning it curiously and connecting the pieces, Jeff found himself gazing upon a human girl.

She was really a beautiful girl, even if she was just a human. Her (s/c) skin contrasted harmoniously with her (h/l) (h/c) hair that framed her beautiful face, falling heavily around her, but only adding to her beauty. Her (e/c) orbs where focused on the camera lens and she was smiling with the most bright smile the smiling killer had ever seen, while holding a handful of surprise lilies. She was dressed in a white summer dress and behind her, a field of surprise lilies could be clearly seen.

It took Jeff a good five minutes to realize who he was looking at.

It was her.

If Jeff could frown, he would already have, but instead, the smiling killer pressed his lips hard together and clenched his jaw firmly. That simple little piece of f*cking paper was enough to bring back the strong current or remorse and heartbreak the killer felt. It was his fault. It was entirely his fault. He should have been the one in her shoes. He should have been the one to suffer.

His brother will pay.

His brother this time will f*cking die for good.

And she'll be back in his arms.

Whatever the cost.

EJ was standing inside the complete darkness.

There deafening lack of any sound or the complete lack of any given light or color would be unsettling for everybody else, but not for the eyeless killer. He was existing inside that complete darkness, having sat on the floor and hugging himself protectively, he had hidden his face in his hands, taking deep, ever-so-light breaths to calm himself down and try to think rationally. The darkness around him not only wasn't unsettling or even strange, but it was a real refuge that he killer found himself wandering inside these last few weeks, far too many times. There was something welcoming and settling inside this darkness, that provided the eyeless man with safety. He remembered this darkness; it was there, his personal and private shelter from the massive world around him since the moment he first remembered himself. It was the only place where he could relax and be himself. Still, he had many months to visit it. Why?

Oh, yes…..

It was because of her.

Since the very first day she arrived in his life, Jack had left behind him this dark refuge, only to find himself dreaming dreams like any other person. The darkness was no longer there; she had come in and took it away, breaking him free from the coldness and sorrow the darkness provided him with. So it was only natural to the rational mind of the killer to find himself back there since she was gone. It was a nice break from his frantic thoughts; it provided him with peace and quiet…

'Jack'

EJ's head perked up immediately, as if a strong electric current had gone through him the moment the voice was heard, reverberating inside the thick darkness. But it wasn't just any voice….it was her voice…

'Jack where are you?!' her voice was frantic; scared. It shook the level-headed killer and made him jump up immediately, his empty eyes sockets scanning the whole place up in search for her.

'_?! _ where are you?!' his voice boomed inside the silence of the darkness.

Nothing.

He stayed quiet, trying to hear any little whisper, pick up any little indication as to where she was. She was there though, he was sure about it! He just had to find her!

'_!' this time, he was yelling even more loudly.

Instead of a response all he received was a bloodcurdling scream.

'JACK! JACK WHERE ARE YOU?! JACK!' the voice was coming from straight ahead of him.

'I'M COMING _!' he screamed, the exact same time that his feet moved on their own, ejecting him with all the power his immortal body could provide him with forward, racing inside the darkness and against time to get to her immediately.

Her voice was repeating over and over again inside his mind, her fear and desperate screams fueling the killer to run even faster and get to her before it was too late. His breath was coming out fast, but the blue mask only strained it, so with one swift move, he took it off, throwing it somewhere behind him.

'Jack I'm scared! I'm so, so scared!' her voice ringed in his ears once again.

'I'M COMING _! HOLD ON, I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!'his body was pushed to the limits; he knew she was right ahead.

Suddenly, the darkness was no longer never-ending.

Suddenly, little drops of light started appearing all around him, illuminating the place and the killer's steps, forming flowers made of pure white energy. The lilies of the valley bloomed all around him, gracefully shedding their light to the teenager's path, making him see where he was going for the very first time. The lilliputian flowers seemed to lead to her, and to the man's absolute happiness, the girl's figure started appearing in the distant horizon.

Never again in his life, had EJ felt that sheer amount of pure happiness spreading inside of him.

The figure of the girl was coming running towards him, only that she was slightly different; she was exactly like he remembered her, only that her whole existence was made from pure white energy. Tears where flowing from her beautiful eyes, her hair whipped backwards around her face, as she made her way towards him.

'_!' EJ screamed her name.

Only ten meters divided them. EJ forced his hand forward, trying to reach her one second earlier.

Eight meters.

Three.

Two.

With tears still streaming down her face, _ stretches her hands towards him, a light smile gracing her beautiful face. Her fingers slowly touch the cold cheeks of the killer, that are now filled with the same black goo that fell from his eyes. She barely touches him, yet shivers go down EJ's spine. He has almost got her.

Before the fearful stare of the eyeless man, her figure freezes and suddenly disintegrates, turning into white dust, starting from the edges and proceeding all the way to her heart, with the dust dancing around the broken-hearted man, that had barely touched his dream.

EJ's empty eyes flash open.

For a moment or two, he had no idea where he was, but as his surroundings settled in, he found himself in his very own lab, leaning his head against the hospital bed. He had taken a really small break from cleaning the whole place up, and dared to sit down in a chair and lean his head against the comfortable surface, leading him in no time to fall asleep, before he even realized it. He had come back home for the first time in four weeks only this morning. After Masky and Hoody found him sleeping in the front porch of _'s previous home, completely exhausted from the lack of sleep in four weeks and the constant searching around the town, they insisted for him to come back and rest even for just today. After half an hour or so of them arguing, EJ finally backed out and returned home. Still, he found himself restless, so he set his mind on a simple thing: it was sure that when they would find _, she would be wounded and in need of immediate medical care, so he decided that instead of sleeping, he should prepare his lab.

Making the place completely spotless, he had decided to take a small break, before he cleared the fridge from his organ supplies and fill it with blood, but, he fell asleep faster than he thought. So now, growling annoyed, he made his way to the fridge and started preparing it.

He had tried to focus his attention solely on finding her. Keeping his thoughts and heart under control, he made his goal to find her no matter the cost, bottling up his own emotions, in case they blinded his ability to decide. So for the past four weeks, he had been searching the whole town, bit by bit and inch by inch to find you, not even thinking about stopping to catch his breath, eat or even sleep, in case that consumed precious time. He had to find you. And he genuinely tried. He pulled his tracker abilities to their limits, trying to pick your scent up, but with the passing days and the continuous blizzard, it was hard even for him. How he led himself in your doorstep, it was a question that lingered still in his mind. The only thing he knew, was that your scent was still coming off the walls of the abandoned house and it only served as a calming factor on him.

Reaching inside his fridge to get a few other jars, his gaze falls curiously on a jar that had a little note on it.

Tilting his head to the side, he takes both the jar and the note in his hand, raising himself up and opening the note almost immediately.

Inside, there were a few words written in a neat handwriting.

I mostly took the kidneys from the hospital supplies, since I know they're your favorite. Thanks for taking care of me EJ.
_.

There was a moment of total silence.

The organ-filled jar smashed hard against the opposite wall, shuttering into million pieces, followed by a hellish scream.

Next in line where all the jars that had filled the counter beside the fridge, others by falling down and shattering on the floor, the others being ejected against any possible hard surface. The hospital bed was thrown against the stairs with a single move, the medical supplies and equipment thrown down and stumbled on, with a lot of screams, curses, tears and hellish growls resonating hard around the room, but all over the first floor of the house as well.

Something inside EJ had finally snapped.

All the bottled emotions not only had resurfaced, but overwhelmed the killer, throwing him into an insanity fit, that was so rare and so against his calm and collected character. He screamed, yelled, cursed, growled like a wild animal, but in the end, he broke down calling your name again and again.

He fell on his knees, black tears falling freely on his cheeks, pounding the floor hard with his fists, an act of pain and broken heartedness.

Where were you?

Why couldn't he find you?

You were in pain and waiting for him and he was unable to find you.

He was the one who failed you.

A/N: Hey guys, I just wanted to thank you so much for reading my story so far, I really really apreciate it! Don't forget that reviews are always welcomed! ^_^