A/N:

There's a lot to come in the next set of chapters, trust me. I'm talking... Well I would tell you what I'm talking about but that would be giving away spoilers now wouldn't it XD Also, someone a while ago asked me how old Ben was compared to Sally in this story. I can't remember who said it but I thought I'd say here in hopes they see it. Ben is actually about 19 in this story whereas Sally is only about 8. I know so many people in the fanbase make them around the same age, and that's cool, it's open to interpretation. This is just my interpretation of it where he's older. And for the record, yes Sally will be showing up at some point in later chapters!

Onwards readers! XD

Kate took a long breath and continued on her search. Time felt different to her when she ventured away from the hideout. Especially when she was here. Out in the long stretch of desert that had not only once been a thriving lake, but had also once been her home. But the sweltering heat had dried it out a long time ago, and no life could last here. Only the desperate flies that occasionally buzzed past, and the deceivingly dangerous lizards that scuttled into hiding at the sign of a stranger. Time stood still here. Because nothing ever changed.

She couldn't even count herself as a sole survivor, being a ghost of what she had once been. But among all the misery that this place would have originally brought, this was her place. And nothing was going to change that. She had come here after days of searching for a sign of the missing proxies. Word of mouth by Shad dropping in on her for progress updates had informed her of the sudden appearance of Jane and her attack on Jeff, along with the choice Slender had made to stop feeding in order to protect the others. And as what was likewise with the others, it unsettled her. Not scared, but unsettled. And if anything, it only made her more determined to find Jack. She had never been completely on board with someone so young being brought into this, but she could at least recognise the difference between being a killer but safe, and being made to kill and in danger. And Jack didn't deserve either.

Travelling and searching had brought her here. To her place. To think. In the middle of the dusty landscape , she found the true survivor of the area. An old, overturned, wooden boat that had once belonged to... to someone she missed. A lot. She exhaled slowly, her breath cold compared to the humidity around her. Her hand extended and softly ran her fingers over the wooden boat.

"Things are getting worse here, Sam..." Kate whispered, shaking her head, "And I have no idea how to stop it. That little'un is still with that bastard, and here we are playing hide-and-seek. And... I'm so sick of playing." Her golden, lizard-like eyes were hard and stern, "Slender gonna last long at this rate, and he ain't listening to anyone. It's just working against a clock now..." She sighed, tracing the groves of the wood with her fingertip, "Just gotta keep trying to fix that... Huh Sam?"

Silence was the reply. It was always the reply. It would be a lie to say it didn't affect her anymore, after so many years of silence. But, she'd learned to be numb to it. Kate patted the boat fondly, and straightened up in preparation to start on her travels again. To the top of the mountain in the distance, where the thin air laced with the scent of wild vegetation helped her think. However, she hadn't even made two steps when the silence was shattered by the sound of sobbing.

She had turned around and raised her gun from her holster faster than a reptile would bare its fangs when threatened. Her voice barely more than a snarl, "Don't think I won't shoot a crier..."

"P-Please... Help me..."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the figure that stood before her. It was small, about the size of a teenager that was a little short for his age, dressed in a black hoody. Despite the heat, his young face was practically blue from cold. He shivered, empty, blind eyes trickling with back ooze down his cheeks.

"Jack?"

"Help me, Kate..."

The southerner lowered her gun, but didn't return it to her holster just yet. Instead she kept it firm in her hand, something didn't feel right here. She stepped closer to the boy, slow and steady, "I'm right here, little'un... How... How'd you get here, huh? What's been happening to you?"

She had to keep him talking. To focus or to distract him, she wasn't sure. But Jack seemed too far lost in his own world, trembling and afraid, "I-I'm only allowed out... to feed... I-I don't like it... I don't like it I don't like it I don't like it I-!"

Kate had to grab him by the shoulders and shake him to get him to stop screaming, "Whoa now, Jack, Kate's here, it's alright! He's not gonna take ya again, ya here?"

He shook his head fiercely, "No... No! Don't make me hurt her! P-Please I don't like this!"

It was as if he wasn't even aware of her anymore. Like he had someone else that only he could hear whispering in his ear, "Jack! Come on, little'un, wake up now." Her voice was struggling to remain calm, but it had to be, if she started shouting then who knows what it would do to his little heart.

In a movement that was far too quick and violent for someone of his age and stature, his frost-skinned fingers slashed forward, gripping her shirt and tugging desperately, as if she were her last life line, "Kill me! Please, before he makes me kill you!"

She didn't bother to remind him that she was already dead. When it came to dealing with Zalgo, being a ghost didn't matter. But Kate found that she wasn't thinking about either of those topics, she found herself focussing on her anger. Anger than a child was being manipulated and made to feel like this, made to beg for his own death or cause another's. It made the venom in her veins boil, "I aint gonna kill you, Jack, you're gonna come home with me and we'll get y'all fixed up, understand?"

The empty darkness of his eyes met hers, black-liquid sickness flooding from them as he sobbed. One had released her, shaking with strain as he unwillingly placed it in his pocket, and pulled out a scalpel, "...I'm s-sorry... Kate... I-I tried..."

Ben drummed his fingers against the keyboard of his laptop. It seemed to sense his irritation and the screen reacted to his static charge, sparking or glitching occasionally. This was a waste of time and they all knew it. But really, what choice did they have? None. That's what. But still, he supposed he could have worse company for this.

Sitting at the opposite end of the table to him, Trixie was pouring herself over another drawing. This time, it was one that was designed for Slender to sort later. And thankfully not another forced image from Zalgo. She kept glancing up whenever she heard a spark. She was used to it by now, but it still made her jump now and then if she wasn't too lost in her zone. After the umpteenth crackle of static, Trixie put her pencil down and removed the band from her hair, letting the blonde bangs flop over one eye ass seemed to be its natural position.

She looked at the ghost cautiously, not wanting to pick a fight, "Ben? Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" He looked up, scarlet pupils dimmer than usual, "Yeah, fine, tired..."

"But... you don't sleep."

At that, he cracked a small smile, "Overworked then. On pointless work at that. What does Slendy hope to achieve with this?"

Honestly, she didn't have an definite answer, "I think, he thinks if we're constantly on watch like this, then we'll be able to keep an eye on the others. Make sure no one else gets hurt."

"I know that. But why bother making all these jobs known and organised if he's too paranoid to send anyone out? If they're not allowed out, then this is pointless. Not to mention, he's not feeding. All of this is like taking a hungover wrestler to a steak-house."

Trixie wasn't sure if she found that joke funny or not, or even if it was a joke. He had a good point, all of these jobs that she drew or Ben located... They were all sources of food for Slender, food that he was depriving himself of, "He's trying to keep us safe. And, lets face it, we've all gone out without permission at some point" She braved giving him a look, "Some under peer pressure I might add."

Ben winked at her slyly, "I can't help it if you find me so impressionable."

"Not the word I'd use."

"Then what word would you use?"

She thought that manipulative was too strong, no matter how true, so she shrugged and said instead, "Devious."

"Compliments? Oh you shouldn't have." He grinned.

Trixie rolled her eyes, fiving a half smile before returning to her work. She didn't understand it herself, but she seemed to be more willing to speak her mind when there were fewer of them around. For example, just her and Ben sitting in the kitchen and working together, it felt no different from when she and her friends from her old life would hang out during exam revision period. It was the same if she was with just Toby, or Shad. It seemed that when there were more people around, or rather more threatening people around, she tended to shrink back. It wasn't a matter of being scared or reserved, it was a matter of picking a way to survive. Obviously she was aware that proxies were forbidden to kill one another, but lately everyone had been so on edge she just didn't want to push anyone.

"Hey, Trix?" Ben said all of a sudden, looking up at her smugly, "Say 'Boo'..."

She blinked, confused, "Um... Boo?"

"So you can literally say boo to a ghost but you can't tell Jeff to piss off?"

So that's where he was going with this. Trixie glanced up for a moment before looking back at the paper, "You told me to say it. And it's not worth getting Jeff more angry than he already is. The odd empty threat doesn't bother me."

"What about that time he put a knife to your throat because you went into his room to deliver a job."

"I shouldn't have picked up his knife. I would feel just as angry if someone came into my room and touched..." She trailed off, feeling dread growing under the curious glint in his eyes. She cleared her throat, "If someone touched my things."

His gaze didn't waver, "What things would that be? Care to share?"

"No I don't." She said, tone harsher than intended, but it was the only way to get through to him, "Just like you don't care to talk about your past or what you keep hold of, if anything. Neither of us care, so lets just leave it, alright?"

Ben blinked, slowly. He wasn't intimidated, or even surprised. If anything, he was impressed. It was rare the newbie got to snap like that. Even if it was just a small one, but still, it was good to see. In a way, he found it entertaining. He liked seeing just what buttons he could push. Not just with her but with everyone, and pushing buttons in both literal and figurative senses were what he did best. And apparently, it had paid off today.

She stared at him, eyes quivering slightly despite determination, "Can you do that? Can you let this drop?"

"It was just a question, Trix," He cocked an eyebrow, closing his laptop and folding his arms atop it, contemplating her, "Alright, I'll let it drop for now, if you answer me just one little question and do me a favour."

It didn't seem fair to her, but anything for some peace at this point, "I'm listening."

"Well first of all, the favour is for you to try and use some of this attitude when the others push you around, you'll get much further in life. And the question is this; when was the last time you drew something that was just for fun? No jobs or dead people, just... fun."

That was an excellent question. And one that took her totally by surprise. She had expected him to repeat the question about what was so important to her in her room. In a way she was grateful. In others, she really wasn't. Her throat felt dry and she was almost ashamed of herself, "I... Haven't. Not since I came here."

"Christ..." he scoffed, "So you've been drawing nothing but future dead people for-"

"Pretty much." She felt ill, "Well it's not like you-"

"Hey I mix my business and pleasure all the time. How else do you think I'd stay sane here?" He winked knowingly, "Give it a try sometime."

She sighed. Honestly, it did depress her that something she once enjoyed to no end was now something that caused others pain and contained her. The pencil in her hand felt... lighter. Less of a struggle. But she was confused as to why he was even encouraging her. Not that she was turning it away, things were too stressful at the moment not to. She smiled, "Yeah. I think I might. Right now though, I need to deliver these two Slender to sort though." The papers gathered in her hand as she stood up, "Want me to take your flash drive too?"

"Nah, still got some more to do. Much appreciated though." He nodded at her to back up his words before his he opened the laptop again, "Good luck out there, Trix."

"Thanks," she smiled, "You too."

A set of long, black clawed hands ran through the patch of mussed brown hair on the boys head before him. A cruel scowl was etched on the demons face, like he was disappointed. And he was. And Zalgo did not like to be disappointed.

"Oh Jack... You could have done so well today. But instead, you defy me."

Jane giggled at her rulers side, pulling at her jet hair excitably, "Let me go in his place next time, Daddy, I was a good girl, wasn't I? I did just what you asked and-"

"Silence!" he spat, venom lacing his tone, "I'm speaking to Jack."

The boy trembled, head bowed down and praying for a quick end, "Please... You said you would help me. You promised!"

Zalgo bared his uneven, sharp teeth, eyes glowing with the fires of hell itself, "I am helping you, my boy, I am helping you become what you were meant to be. A true proxy. A killer. Mind, body and soul. It's a wonderful life to lead, Jack."

"It's the best." Jane sighed dreamily, "But I'm more than just your proxy, right Daddy? Tell me I'm right, Daddy?"

He almost regretted having her around. Her mind was far too broken for him to tolerate longer than necessary. A child had more function to the brain than she did. However, she was obedient and acted mostly on primal instinct which is exactly what he wanted. The demon nodded, "Very much so, child..."

Jack shivered, "Don't make me... D-Don't make me hurt them again..."

"Oh my boy," The demons calm, slow tone vanished and was instead disfigured into a threatening snarl that even the greatest of predator would whimper at. A talon lashed out from the shadows of dust and Sickness, gripping Jack's throat and forcing him to breathe in the Sickness, "That is exactly what you're going to do."

Jack yelped in fear as the dark, gritty dust of Sickness flowed down his gullet. Ooze-like years poured down his cheeks. It would have been pitiful or even distressing to watch such suffering. If it didn't stop as quickly as it started. Within seconds, the boy fell still. Breathing steadily, calmly. His blind eyes stopped leaking and he may as well have been a statue for all the movement he made. Zalgo released him, and smirked in pride at himself. He turned away and started striding across the vast gloomy wasteland. Jane quickly tottering behind.

"Can I go out again, Daddy? I'll even kill one this time if you like. They're all just... so much fun up there..."

"Patience, child, you'll see them again soon. But now, it's time to give someone else a turn to make it fair. And I think my old friend has been meaning to catch up with these two for a very long time..."

He stopped in front of two more motionless figures. Long since healed of their many fights with one another to entertain their ruler. Now, they looked like soldiers prepared for the front line. If the soldiers had been robbed of a soul of course.

"You were once so strong. So proud to go by such infantile names of Masky and Hoody. But how the mighty have fallen..." Zalgo sighed, a laugh tainting it, "Make others fall before me. Bring them to me!"

A/N:

So a lot happening in this one, and a lot to be happening in the future chapters, I promise that XD Let me know what you think!