Chapter 9

It had taken a few tries, but I was finally able to pick myself up. Now I just wanted to lay back down and go to sleep again. Maybe this time I wouldn't wake back up. I shook those thoughts from my head as I inched to the door. I had to find Aaron first. I had to find him before the cannibal did. Then we had to leave before Eyeless Jack or Aaron's dad noticed. I had one hand pressed on my side trying to help the bandage that had been haphazardly placed a bit of support in stopping the bleeding; even if it was a waste of effort. I needed a doctor, and I needed stitches, and maybe some antibiotics. That was going to suck. A tetanus shot was in my future when we got out of this.

Alarms were going off and that just brought on a headache that I just didn't need right now. My muscles and joints ached, I felt nauseous and that just brought on stomach pains. The sight of my own blood wasn't helping, but I could ignore all that until I could find Aaron.

Damn when did, I start becoming so single-minded. Who was I kidding? I have always liked him: Although I would never admit it out loud. I was sick with something. I have been for years. And I am almost positive that I am dying slowly from it. If the reaction from the creeps we've been running into can be taken seriously then I was walking a fine line with death, and you know something, I was okay with that, if I could get Aaron out of this shithole. He didn't deserve to be hunted. He was a good guy. He has the potential to make something good out of himself. Unlike me.

"Damn it, Aaron." I grunted. "You better be in one piece, you idiot." I pulled at the door. After a few tugs it didn't open. I made one more attempt to before I just couldn't stand up any more and my body crumpled to the floor.

"I'm such a useless bastard." I groaned.

As much as I didn't care about dying. I couldn't go yet. I had to stay for Aaron. At least until I knew he was safe. I had to make sure that Aaron was safe. That's all that mattered right now. I wasn't going to let my friends down. I wasn't going to let my body stop me. I had to get up!

I just have to get up! I tried to push myself back up, and failing. I almost didn't notice when the door re-opened revealing Aaron's dad stomping in, until he grabbed the back of my shirt and began dragging me from the room. "L-Let go…." I groaned, trying to reach for his hand that had a tight grip on my clothes.

"I've had enough of all of this shit. First you take my son. You twist him inside and out to where he wants nothing but you! Ignoring me his father. You take my son to the heart of the beast and put him in danger, when the only thing you had to do was die in his place." The man snarled, dragging me from a room and down an unidentifiable hallway. "Well, I got news for you, I will not have let you have him, I will not let you continue to turn my son into a pansy. If these freaks won't kill you, then I will. I will slice and dice you and serve you to that eyeless freak just to bait him."

"You got this all wrong." I coughed, stumbling as I tried to get my feet under me. This was a turn after the day I've had. I knew Aaron's parents hated me, but I wasn't expecting his dad to be the one to have tried to sacrifice me to Eyeless Jack, much less ready to kill me. The monsters wanted Aaron life, and apparently Aaron's dad wanted mine. If only the bastard knew I would give my life for Aaron's its what I been doing this whole time.

"Shut up! Fucking fairy ass bastard." The man growled, as we came to some stairs and pushing me down them.

I felt the feeble little bandage on my side give and the blood flowing freely unobstructed now. I felt when my head cracked against a step and my rids snap on another on my way down. I couldn't help the whimper that escaped me, but I refused to let tears run down my face. I wouldn't give life much less this bastard the satisfaction to see me break. As Aaron's dad calmly walk down the stairs, as if he hadn't just pushed a living person down them, I tried again to get up. My mind going now to what the bastard did with Aaron. The man was crazy, but surely he wouldn't hurt his own son, right? I couldn't take that chance. I readied myself for when I was pulled to my feet, by a hand yanking at the roots of my hair. Letting the bastard stand me up, I pulled for all the strength I had, ignoring all the pain in my body and punched with an uppercut to the jaw knocking him to the floor, his grip falling away in my hair as he went, leaving my wobbling on unsteady legs.

"Thanks for the escort. I can manage from here." I panted, as a wrapped an arm around my chest where is felt like my ribs were just free floating. I had to take a few breaths before I attempted to walk, looking around as I did so to try and figure out which direction I should go, to find Aaron. "Aaron?" I called. It looked like I was on an abandoned floor level, everything was covered in a plants and mold and some parts of the wall crumbling.

A painful scream echoed through the walls. The sound coming down the next stair way, which meant more stairs. Taking a few more breaths I carefully tried to walk without jostling my injuries. Stepping carefully down the stairs. I picked up the pace when I heard Aaron's dad start to groan and move, waking up from my punch. "Shit!" I growled out.

I picked up the pace moving away from the psycho that was Aaron's dad and toward the scream that I had heard.

"I'm coming….*huff*, I'm coming. Hold on Aaron….." I grunted as I took my first painful step down the stairs.

Eyeless Jack POV:

I had my prey in a corner. Having wipe out the pests that had positioned themselves in the building. It was so thrilling to see it's breathing speed up rapidly, as it faced my blade. Too bad Takeout wasn't able to be here to stop me this time. Although I had expected to see him stumbling through the decrepit and blood covered halls to try and stop me from making a meal out of the body in front of me. After all, he was fighting so hard before to save it.

"Where's you rot smelling hero now, my little prey?" I teased.

"I-I-i…." It stuttered.

I tilted my head to expressed my amusement of the situation. If Takeout was here this exchange would be going far more in an exciting direction. But I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the fear and dread rolling off my prey.

"Speak up now, we don't want to waste too much time." I smiled, knowing full well that any second Takeout would pop up any second to save my prey, who stood shaking in fear before me.

"I don't know." My dinner stuttered. "I-I was...- We-we were..."

"Yes, yes. Separated. Of course following previous patterns I would say not for long wouldn't you." I tsked, a bit bored. Really the fun of this chase had been Takeout, and his persistence presence. I did wait a bit just to see if Takeout would show himself. After all, I didn't stop to say 'Hi,' to him first just so he wouldn't show up. Besides, I planned on wine and dining him on his friend here. Takeout could turn into a decent Proxy, or worshiper be it to me or Slendy, but mostly me. However, maybe he was finally down, after the fall. Or my prey's, pest of a father had did what he had wanted me to do. Had killed Takeout. If the pest had I would simply take out all aggression on my prey and the pest. "But then maybe Takeout as has been detained by you pest you call a father. After all, he was to to try and give Takeout to me, so you would be spared." I chuckled as I advanced a step.

That seemed to loosen my preys tongue a bit, gave him a bit of worthless courage. "He wouldn't do that! Not to Virgil and not to me!" He defended, but even then it was very weak.

There was a sudden commotion from the stairs that had our attention focused on it. We both watched as Takeout tumbled from the stairs, groaning and trying to pick himself up, his back to us as he watched the person responsible for his fall descend. "You're going to regret every setting eyes on my boy. Your going to wish that monster killed you the first time you were offered." The pest growled.

My prey looked shocked to see his own father come into view. I grabbed my prey by the arm and pulled him in front of me, twisting his arm behind his back and my blade to his neck. Now we both had a front row seat.

"Virgil! Dad?!" My prey gasped, seeming to not even care that I now had my knife at his throat.

"Aaron..." Takeout grunted, as his arms gave out on him.

It did not escape my notice that Takeout was bleeding profusely from the wound in his side. It seemed the pest hadn't cared for the injury. A great example of humanity and what driven most of us Proxies to Slenderman. Yet, Takeout didn't seem to resent humanity; and that made him interesting. He did not fear his death and he did not run from his fears. A perfect plaything in this dull life.

"Son?!" The pest seemed shocked. "I told you to stay in that room!"

"I was trying to fine Virgil." Aaron argued.

"This!" The man grabbed Virgil by the hair for emphasis. "This is who you are worried about? Not the cannibal that has a knife at you throat?! But this scumbag!" A kick as given to Takeout's abdomen, sending back to the floor when the grip on his hair was released.

"Dad!" My prey sounded hurt and horrified by his own fathers actions.

"Well, isn't this just an interesting turn out. I'm a bit surprised Takeout." I said, with a smile slipping behind my mask.

TBC

A/N: We aree getting really close to the end here. Let me know what you think so far by leaving some KUDOS, BOOKMARK, AND/OR REVIEW! I love hearing you all have to say.