Chapter 4- No Escape

It's been days since I was put in this cold imprisonment. I was told by Kate that the police were reported to my apartment. An investigation is going around to find me or something of me. I was a bit shock to learn this but that wasn't the only thing. Kate also told me that she had to kill a couple people because they found evidence that I have left nearby this place. It's true, I have made some small tools to get a message out there but I guess none of that is going to save me anymore. I sat again alone in the corner wondering when I will soon start the horrible transformation. That's when Charlie stood in front of me crouch down. He pointed a finger at my stomach and I was curious on what was he doing. He then whispered.

"It's…in…there."

"What's in where?"

"The disease…its blood. Follow it…and you are…free."

Then Charlie left me alone and I was too curious to understand what he meant. So I looked around and found a cracked mirror. I set it up and I start to remove my shirt. I start examining my body to see if there was something. I couldn't make up anything until I saw it. I looked closely at my stomach region and there I see a black outline. Then a line was forming from the outline all the way to my chest. My heart. Does Charlie mean that the disease is within my heart? Well I guess I only have one choice to do. I searched the area I was in for some kind of sharp object but it was no good. But something tugged on my pants and I look down to see Charlie holding a big piece of glass. I thanked him and took it. I look at myself in the mirror and gave some deep breaths. I cut pieces of my clothing and bit down on it. Then next was very agonizing pain.

I stabbed the piece of glass deep where my heart was. I had to be careful to not go too deep or else it'll probably kill me. I kept digging it in while I scream in pain inside my head. Tears were falling down from my face. But I know I had to keep going until something shows up. Blood began to flow out a lot as well. I kept going deeper until the black outline around my stomach began acting strange. I move the glass around a bit and I was for sure at the sweet spot. I looked at Charlie who then gave me my last instructions.

"Cut…the…connections."

I felt around with the glass and whatever the connection was, it made the black outline around my body shake. So I cut them off and soon one by one each connection was finished. Once I got the last one, the outline disappeared from my body and I dig my finger inside. There I felt something and I grabbed it with my fingertips. I would have thought it was bigger but it was pretty small. I threw it to the ground and step on it. Whatever that was is dead and now I am relieve to be alive. I laid back on the wall and rested my eyes. It was a very exhausting and painful thing to do. Though when I awoke from my short slumber, my wound was patched up. I look to see Charlie sitting next to me. Surprise that a kid like him can do this. But then reality hit me. If it finds out that I removed its curse, what will it do to me now? I started to panic a bit but Charlie tapped my shoulder and pointed out something.

"Escape…is there."

He pointed to a shallow hole in the darkness and I looked inside. I squinted my eyes and from the far end I can make up some light. I thank Charlie one last time but before I left he shook his head.

"Can't leave…must deal…with Kate."

He was right. Kate would be able to trace me easily and what's worse is that now she has every right to kill me as she pleased. So I sat down and waited for Kate's return home. I only waited for about an hour or so but eventually I heard the door open upstairs. I held the glass piece behind me and waited. She started walking down the stairs and also began speaking some nonsense.

"Well how is my 'friend' doing?"

"Friend? Thought I was your prisoner?"

"You're mostly its prisoner but you can view it however you like."

She set down a bag of food.

"Here's your lunch for today. You should be glad that I am doing this for you."

"Yes I am most grateful."

I lunged at her and pinned her to the ground instantly. She wasn't ready but she held my hand that had the glass piece away. She then noticed the blood stain on my shirt and on the broken glass. She realized what I have done.

"You broke the curse! How was this possible!?"

I didn't say much but she figured it out on her own.

"Damn it Charlie!"

Her body then began changing into her true self. There she had the advantage and soon I was pinned to the ground. I dropped the glass and now I was struggling to break free from her hold.

"You really screwed up now Elena! Hahaha, now I'll be the one to-"

A sound of an object penetrating something went out. Kate fell to her side and what I saw was the glass that stood out on her back. Behind her was Charlie. I got up and stepped back from this situation. Charlie pulled the glass out of Kate and she looked over to Charlie. She said.

"So you really…weren't all corrupted…like me?"

He nodded his head.

"Hmm…that's good. Nice one…Charlie."

He lodge the glass into her right eye and there Kate was finished. I notice a tear drop from Kate's left eye. Maybe she was still human underneath her monstrous self. I refocused soon on my escape. I got to the hole and looked back at Charlie. He was just sitting there looking at Kate's lifeless body. I called out to him.

"Charlie…you can come with me if you want?"

"No…it will be…back soon."

"It'll kill you?"

"Dying isn't…all bad Elena."

Charlie gave a gentle smile and I did so too. I went into the hole of my escape and gave one last look at Charlie. He waved his last good bye and I did so as well. I start navigating my way down the tunnel and I was about halfway till the ground started to shake. It knows that I have escaped and worse, I have freed myself from its curse. I kept going through until a strange noise inside the tunnel caught my attention. I turn to see multiple black tentacles were crawling towards me. I gotten scared and started rushing my way towards the exit. I see the light and I have finally made it outside until I was grabbed by the leg. I was then getting pulled back into the exit and I looked around and found a big rock. It was big enough for me smash it onto the tentacle that was wrapped around my leg. It let go and I started running through the unknown forest that is before me.

-Hours Later-

I continued on walking around this forest aimlessly on where to go. I was getting exhausted and I just couldn't figure which way to go. Though I thought about it for a moment and realized where would I go? Slender knows where I could be in an instant and I don't have long till night falls. My head hurts already and I decided to sit down for a bit to rest myself. I looked around my area and found some berries. I picked some off and made sure that they weren't poisonous or rotten. They were good and I munched some down. That's when something whispered out to me. I turn and saw nothing. I called out.

"Hello? Is someone out there?"

No response and so my curiosity got the best of me and I went to check who's out there. I walked around for a bit with no luck of the weird noise I heard. That's when a creepy voice called out.

"My, it's nice to see a familiar face."

I looked around but no one was in sight.

"I see that you have broken the curse. Yet he is still after you?"

I continue looking at every direction till I tripped over a branch. I got up and right in front of me was a hooded figured. She remove the hood and I recognize who it was.

"Wait…you're the homeless lady that told me about my mark."

"I'm glad that you didn't forget about me. Come with me. My home isn't too far."

She began walking and so I followed behind. It wasn't a long walk but the sun was beginning to set. I was getting worried but we arrived. I went inside first while the lady got some powder and spread it in the front of her home. Finally she went inside and locked the door. She also closed every window in the room. I was curious on what she did so I asked.

"What did you put out there?"

"It's a powder I mixed up to keep our scent away from it. Though keep the windows shut or it'll know where we are."

"Okay. So you are more than just a normal person?"

"I am about as old as you can be. I've been around since that thing first made contact on this world."

"Gosh that is pretty old."

"Yup, now I am a part of a witch cult that was form to handle the supernatural. This Slenderman has been on our list to track for many generations. Yet it's too smart but now it's too old. Which is good but even in death, it can still be reborn."

"What do you mean?"

"Once it dies, a part of his remains is left behind to take control of anyone that comes near it. Though it seems to be desperate now since it manually put the curse on you. Lucky you to break the curse though, how were you able to do it?"

"I had help from the inside."

"Ah, probably little Charlie. May god rest his sweet little soul."

Just then the ground began to shake and the witch hushed my mouth. She turned off the lantern she had and we sat there quiet. It was near us and I can hear it sniffing us out. Though it seems to not pick up our location and so it went on to a different spot. We both let out a deep breath and the witch turn the lantern back on.

"Man that was too close I'll say."

"It can breathe?"

"Well yeah duh. How else is it supposed to survive?"

"Oh uh sorry."

"I'm kidding. Like I said, I am here to end it."

"But how can you kill something like that?"

She smiled and pulled out a canister. She opened it and within it was radio box and a cross. This pop some thought into my head.

"The cross I get but what is the radio box for?"

"If I set the frequency to a good pitch level. It'll mess up its head and it'll lose focus. After that I'll use the sacred call to banish it from where it came."

"I see but what do I do?"

"I'm sorry to say this but I'm going to need you to be the bait."

"What!?"

"Quiet down or it'll hear us. Listen now, I have to outline the drawing for the ritual. It won't take long but you'll just have to distract him. Can you do that for all the lives that were lost by him?"

I begin thinking about it and yeah a lot of my friends had to die because of it. I didn't mean for them to get killed like that but I am willing to avenge them and many others that fell. I nodded to the witch and she let out some air.

"Then let us begin."