~Hoodie's POV~

I didn't realize he would try to kill the boy.

I should've tried to stop him, but I just stood aside. I will remember that for the rest of my life, knowing it was my fault that those kids were dragged into this world. They are still alive, sure, but they'll never be the same. The crying boy in my arms wouldn't calm until I literally threatened him. I told him he and Sam would be fine and together soon enough, but he was scared of me now.

The boy eventually fell asleep in my arms, though, since I was told I had to walk home as punishment for my actions. If the children prove useful, though, he won't punish me further. The boy in my arms shifted slightly in his sleep as the wind blew against his face.

"Sandra..." he mumbled in his sleep. Perhaps his sister? Then why is her nickname Sam?

"Y-you'll see h-her soon."

I continued in with the boy in my arms, curious as to how long he has been going without enough food. He was so light...

~Sam's POV~

I woke on a table, my arms tied down with somebody wrapping my head.

"I see you're awake. Great."

The doctor came into view, but I still didn't see him because he was just going through a drawer. He turned to me, showing the blue mask he wore. He was wearing a doctor's mask over it, though, which looked a little ridiculous. The thing that worried me the most was the needle in his hand.

"What's that?" I asked, eyeing it.

"It'll dull the pain, unless you don't want it?"

"I don't like needles."

"Without it, you'll probably collapse the first time you try to walk."

"I bet you I won't."

"FIne." He set the needle on his table and began untying me. When he was done, I rubbed my wrists as I stood up, smiling at him. Before he could react, I ran to and out the door. I grabbed that needle on his table on the way out, just in case.

"Hey! Get back here!"

I didn't return, I just kept running. I found some stairs eventually, running down before he could, only to be tackled at the last step. He was gentle, careful not to harm me anymore than I already was.

"Who are you!? Get off!" I kicked him in the gut, standing and running off again. I entered an area I assume was a living room, only for a boy to stand in my way. Before he could do anything with that knife in his hand, I stabbed him in the chest with the needle I stole and ran past him. I heard him drop as the medicine kicked in.

Suddenly, just before I reached the door, somebody grabbed me and dragged me back. The boy seemed to be a link look-alike.

"Where you going, darling?" He smirked at me as he dragged me back away from the door, not even fazed by my struggling. I screamed at him to let me go.

"What the hell's going on out here?" The voice was slightly familiar. I froze immediately, along with everyone else, as the slender man appeared in the room. I stared at him as he knelt beside me. "Ben, let go of her."

He dropped me on my feet immediately.

"S-sir." I said as I stared at my feet. I had to behave for this man, at least until I knew my boy was safe. I couldn't let anything happen to him, especially if it's because I was being disobedient and caused it.

"It's Slenderman, and your name?" Slenderman, huh? Yeah, the name suits him.

"Sandra, or Sam."

"Nice to meet you. Now, would you mind telling me what's going on."

"He's creepy." I pointed to the blue masked boy while he knelt beside the boy I'd stabbed. He looked up at me, looking back and forth between Slenderman and I.

"Oh, I see, so he scared you?"

"What? No...maybe. Okay, yeah, kinda. It's not everyday you wake up tied to a bed with someone telling you he's gonna give you a shot."

"I told you it would ease the pain!"

"I have never been to a hospital before!"

Thank god for distractions, because that's when that hooded man entered, my boy in his arms. I looked at Slenderman with a pleading face, and he returned it with a nod.

"Joshy! Give him to me." I slid my arms under my boy, replacing the man's. Josh woke up, smiling when he saw me.

"Sammy! I was worried about you!" He slipped to the floor, only to wrap his arms around me. I was worried about you, my boy.

"Are you alright? I whispered into his ear as I ignored the many eyes that stared at us.

"I'm fine, Hoodie took care of me!"

"Hoodie...?" I turned to the man as he walked past us. I just hugged my brother tighter.

~Josh's POV~

I was too excited for anything to hurt. As the doctor, Eyeless Jack, unwrapped my head bandage, I asked sister what all she could remember. She seemed downcast despite the fact that we were still alive and together.

"What's wrong Sammy?"

"I've failed you." She stared at her feet as she spoke. I heard EJ on the other side of me scoff.

"If you've failed, then what have you lost? You've got your brother, you've got your life, you've got a roof over your head, and, judging by how Slenderman spoke to you, you've got his favor as well." EJ was nearly finished with my head as I stared at sister, unsure of why she was so sad. EJ was right, we were fine.

"But I failed to protect him from harm. I dragged him away from home, from father, from school, and nearly gotten him killed on several occasions."

"None of that was your fault! You tried your hardest!"

"And my hardest wasn't good enough!"

"You always do this Sandra! Every time something's wrong, you make it all your problem. All those years with the bully's and father's beatings! I didn't even last a month with him, yet you took the beatings for years! You should've told me what was going on, we could've gone through it together. You don't let yourself relax, and one of these days it'll get you killed!"

~Eyeless Jack's POV~

I didn't know what to think about these kids. On one hand there was this little boy, innocent yet beaten and bruised. It looked like he hadn't had enough food to eat in his entire life, yet he was smiling at his downcast sister. His head was bruised and he had a large cut in his scalp, yet he didn't seem to feel it. Perhaps they're like Toby? He did flinch a few times, though.

Then there was that Sandra girl. She seemed to blame herself for everything. She twiddled her thumbs as she spoke, though you could tell she didn't realize she was doing it. Her injury is so bad, I'm surprised she's made it this long and still alive, let alone standing and running the entire time. She should have died, yet here she sits, still saying she hadn't done enough.

Then the boy starts talking about their father and how not only had she taken his beatings for him, but she also kept it a secret what their father had been doing to her.

I don't understand these kids, and perhaps I never will. But I don't need to understand them, I just have to patch them up for Slenderman.