Slender Man
Chapter 8: Epilogue – The finale
Summary: When Naru accepted the case located in the middle of nowhere, he never expected to have anything more than a prankster at work. Maybe even a playful poltergeist. But he was wrong. Very wrong.
A/N: I'm sorry it took so long but the final chapter is here. I had a long struggle on whether to finish it or how so, to do it. But here it is. I suggest you listen to "Slender man Song – Horror Theme Tune / Slender & Haunting Music" on Lloyd Mitchell on YouTube. It really sets the pace.
~And so it continues~
The scream bubbled in her chest, the page held tight in her hand. She could feel the bones pop as the cracked with tension, the fear coursing through her veins. The spirits around her held her fear in place, forming a transparent pink shield- before her just as tentacles came flying at her from the horrible faceless monster. They yelled at her to run. To get away before her found a way through their barrier. But she was terrified; worried the spirits would be injured and eternally trapped in the place of nightmares.
"Mai! Come on!" Monk yelled, the wind itself seemed to have picked up, excited by the confrontation between supernatural and human.
Her legs twitched before she bolted past the creature, the tentacles flying after her. Her vision started swimming, the pull of unconsciousness tugging harder and harder with every step she took. It felt as though the earth itself was shaking under her, the primal need to escape dominating her senses.
The spirits seemed to understand her desire as the shield seemed to expand, taking over the two males in a soft pink glow as they joined the brunette in her escape. The hair raised on the back of their necks as the tentacles whizzed past them, inhuman screams echoing from them as they hit the ground and shattered. Specks of what seemed like black blood sprayed their clothes under the volley of piercing strikes, the force of their impact rebounding from the barrier jarring their very bones as they kept running.
They could hear the screams growing fainter, the attacks lessening as the creature slowly gave up. But they knew it was far from over, feeling the very forest itself shiver as the creature seemed to vanish from existence, just like it did every other time it appeared.
The trio finally stopped on the edge of another clearing, panting hard as they struggled to catch their breath, hackles raised as fear of attack still ran high.
"What the hell is in this place?" Monk yelled, punching a nearby tree in frustration. He ignored the pain the flared through his hand as the impact, shaking it out as he stood upright once more. The torch in his hand shook with the adrenaline that coursed through his veins, muscles shaking with built up tension, ready to run at any second.
"It's worse than a demon." Mai's voice was quiet, but strong. A strong sense of foreboding emanating from her hunched body as she unfurled the crushed page from between her fingers, "It is a creation of the mind that has used countless spirits to manifest itself in our plane of existence. I think John used the term, Tupla effect. Where so many people think of the same thing that it becomes reality. And then... the more people that believe in it... The stronger it gets."
Her voice was lifeless to them, cold and unfeeling as she tried to suppress her emotions on the situation. She could feel the spirits of the children that were tethered to the pages she held. They blanketed her like a veil, making her see more of the other side than she ever had before. Everything took on a hue of silver, outlining everything in a haze.
She could see small footprints in the ground, tinged pink for the spirit that she was about to follow. The next page was close, and she was determined to solve the Tupla problem the camping grounds were having.
"Well, how do we deal with it then Mai? How are you learning all this?" Naru was genuinely curious and anxious to solve the case before someone he knew was hurt. Or worse...
"We have to free all the children. And then... Then he will be weak enough to destroy." She paused, eyes closed as she inhaled before looking at Naru, reading the question in his eyes before he even spoke, "That on the other hand, is to be decided later..."
It was with cold determination that she finally managed to look at the paper that had been crumpled in her hand since the incident at the cross walls. It was hard to make out, even with the torches shining down on the yellow page, but the thick scratched lines marred every inch of the page. But there was one symbol on it that definitely stood out amongst the darkness. A tall creature, featureless head and tentacle like limbs… The spirit that had died with the page had gotten a chilling sketch down before the poor child lost its' life.
Mai could feel her hands shake as her vision swam, her conscious fading as the spirit tried to draw her into the past. To witness how the child's life had come to such a horrifying end. It was only when she started to fall did she feel that arms that wrapped around her, holding her close as she faded into the darkness…
'Scratch, scratch.'
The sound grated on her ears and she winced, pulling herself up from the ground. The sun was barely peeking out from the top of the trees, sinking deeper into the horizon as the stars started to show in the sky. She shivered, feeling the chill of night draw closer.
Pushing it all aside, she tried to take in where she was, noticing that the barely there light of day illuminated what she had seen in the darkness… The cross-walls. The structure was tall, but it seemed as though any plans for it had been abandoned, leaving what was made of it to the effects of weather and time. Moss and vines grew all over its surface, bits of brick that had been worn down by time becoming tangled in the weeds.
But right before her, kneeling in the junction of two walls, was a young boy, his features ragged as he watched the sun fade. His body was tense and then she noticed that his arm was moving. His hand being drawn roughly over a scrap of white, which she realised was a page.
She dared not step closer, just in case the creature that was stalking her in reality could harm her in her dreams.
It was only once the final bit of light was gone that the horror began. She watched as the child kept his vigil from his corner, the page held tight in his hands as he waited. She could feel the apprehension roll off him in waves, and she felt the ball of fear weigh heavily in her gut.
There was nothing she could do for the child now. But the thought of having to watch what happened driving ice through her veins none the less.
And that's when she saw it. The flicker of the horrible creature at the other end of the field, slowly making its way over to the wall, disappearing behind the edge closest to the little boy.
She watched the child physically stop breathing as he tensed, fear radiating around him as he waited, praying that what was about to happen wasn't real.
Mai couldn't contain the scream that tore from her throat and razor sharp tentacles pierced the boy's body through the wall, pinning him and his note to the opposite wall. And as the light faded in his eyes, he looked at her.
He mouthed words to her that she couldn't make out, but what terrified her most, was how the creature turned to look at her.
The men watched as the brunette jolted awake, catapulting herself out of Naru's arms. She stood, panting as she turned this way and that, eyes darting to look at every dark corner there was. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as the familiar chill swept itself down her spine and she groaned, grabbing her head in frustration.
"Mai?" Monk asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, her eyes haunted as she waited, "What now?" His voice was quiet, stead. Almost as if he were afraid he would spook her with his voice and she would run away from them.
She took a moment to collect her thoughts before shoving the page in her hand into her pocket, resting it against the others she had placed there. Her expression was set in one of determination as she looked at them, taking in their looks of concern and agitation. She was just as fed up with the predicament they were in and she was ready to put an end to it all.
"We find the rest of the pages. We trap that monster and we send it back to the depths of hell where it came from!" Her voice was full of malice, and not completely her own either they noticed. A faint glow took over her skin, casting an eerie hue to her skin. The other spirits were just as ready to put an end to their own misery just as much as she was.
With a firm nod from Naru and a nervous sigh from Monk, they took off through the woods again, eyes peeled for any sign of the horrid creature. It was already well into the night and the creatures of Nadoru camping ground were deathly quiet, as if they themselves were afraid to come out of hiding, of what would happen if they were found.
The wind was chilling and clouds had begun to cover the sky, blocking out the main source of light the trio had been using. They walked for a long time, none of them having any notion as to what point in the night it actually was. But it was only when they stumbled upon a strange field filled with old water tanks. The barrels were supported off the ground and rusted after being exposed to the elements. They stood, row upon row, like a graveyard.
And from what Mai could see with the pale pink footprints in front of her, a sight gifted to her by the spirits, it was a graveyard.
"This way…" She whispered, ducking down a little so follow the steps more closely. It wasn't long before she stopped, jolting the males from their watch of the surroundings.
With a shaky breathe, Mai poked her head around the side of the end of the row they had followed, making sure there was no sign of the creature before she stepped in the open path between the container drums. She glanced around before taking a few steps to another rusted drum and pulled something from its surface. And it wasn't long before Mai realised it was a page. She could see a faint pink glow around it.
'You must hurry. He will come for you soon.' A young female spoke in her mind, warning her of the impending danger seconds before the creature appeared. It was fast, rushing past the rows of containers, moving so quickly that it seemed as though it was floating. Despite not having a face, they could feel its rage. Angry that they had released so many trapped spirits.
"Run!" Naru yelled, darting forward and grabbing Mai's hand. They took off as fast as they could in the opposite direction, Monk chanting as he ran behind the two, forming a barrier around them just as they entered the tree line, narrowly avoiding being skewered by the sharp tentacle like appendages.
They continued to run, not stopping till there was absolutely no sounds coming from behind them. They staggered through the underbrush, afraid to stop, afraid to be caught off guard… Knowing that should that happen, it would be that last thing they ever did.
It was only when they found a large half cylindrical tunnel that they stopped. They staggered inside and slumped to the ground. Mai struggled for air as she knelt on her hands and knees. Drawing in ragged breathes.
Monk wiped his sleeve across his face, sweat dampening the material and making the action useless. He frowned at the sight of the young brunette beside him, the whole case having turned their lives upside down in a matter of hours. He hoped she wouldn't suffer for it after they were done with the case.
"Mai?" Naru gently rubbed her back as she gasped, seemingly unable to take in enough oxygen. In the light of the torch, they could see small drops of clear liquid fall to the ground under her and they could only watch as she shook so violently her whole body jerked.
"Why?" Her voice was broken, a mere whisper in the night, "Why did they have to suffer? Why did it do this to them?" She cried, her shoulders heaving, "Why us now? Why did it choose us? Will we even make it?"
Her words began to slur from hysteria. To Monk's surprise, it was Naru that bundled her up and pulled her into his lap. She struggled in vain to push away from him, mumbling about messing up his suit even though her cheeks had flared to a rosy blush colour. With a solid hand on her head, Naru pressed her head into his shoulder, her body stiffening slightly before she let her relax, tears falling freely and unchecked down her face on onto his suit jacket. She let a small giggle slip past her lips in mirth.
"And what's so funny?" The narcissist asked, feeling her shoulders shake for a whole other reason as she started to laugh. The men shared a look, visible only from the way the light of their torches bounced off the rounded cement walls. They waited until she calmed down, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she looked at them.
"It's just funny, ya know? Here we are; being chased by a monster, trapped in what seems to be a never ending forest, I have little spirits clinging to me and expanding my abilities as a psychic and I'm worried about ruining Naru's suit." Her voice was back to its bubbly self and the men could only blink and the turn around. But it was only when Monk released a chuckle that the mood lightened, even momentarily. Naru even let a small smile flutter across his face briefly before let his usual smirk light his features.
Though the movement did not go unnoticed.
It was in this moment of peace between the three that Mai noticed the piece of white paper fluttering above them and looked down into her hand where the last page had been kept.
'Take it.' The young spirit from the container graveyard spoke up in her mind again, the page above them lighting up briefly in pink before it faded.
Mai pushed against Naru, waiting for him to release her, before she got up and grabbed the page. Naru having still held onto her as she stood, felt the world tilt. The last thing they heard was Monk yelling out to them.
They were back in the rows of containers, the sun once again sitting low on the horizon. Mai blinked lazily as she rolled over and tried to push herself up, only to realise one of her hands was in the possession of another. She turned, wide eyes as she took in the curious scowl on the man next to her.
"Naru?" She whispered, unsure of how he was here with her in the astral plane.
"It seems your abilities truly have grown stronger." He groaned, his head heavy due to the sudden pull on his spirit. He had never before travelled to the astral plane, and never did he imagine he would end up here before his time either. And yet, that is how the fates had played it out to be. Or so he would have said if he wasn't who he was.
"Naru. I'm so sorry." She said, her hunched as she looked down at her hands, which she quickly pulled from his own.
He raised an elegant eye brow at her and waited, curious as to why she would apologise.
"I don't want you seeing how they died…" The sincerity in her voice, her want to protect his psyche from the trauma of the visions floored him. Not only had she been through numerous other visions, but she would wish to bear the burden alone, if only to spare him.
Gentle, Naru cupped her cheek in his hand, waiting until she looked up before he spoke, his voice gentle as he whispered, "We're in this together Mai. Monk and I both knew what we were getting ourselves into when we ran out of base. If there is anything I can do Mai, I will do it."
Even though his words were stiff and seemingly innocent, they meant more to Mai than he would have ever realised. But her chance to respond was cut short when a scream echoed, the only sign that the young girl from before had been attacked was the spray of blood that splattered across the ground. Mai covered her mouth to stop the scream that threatened to escape her throat. There were sounds of a struggle and the young girl bolted past the corridor of containers and Naru took that as their cue to leave too. The brunette next to him was all too happy to follow as he grabbed her by the hand.
They ran after the girl. Past the containers and into the thickets of the forest. It was déjà vu for the pair but they brushed it aside, doing their best to ignore the horribly familiar chill that shot down their spine as they heard the near silent footsteps following them.
By the time they had reached the tunnel, they sprang under the lip of the concrete pipe, watching as the injured girl stuck the page to the wall and, to their surprise, turned to them.
"You mustn't dally any more. He will come for you and you have come too far to be killed now. The last page is back from whence you came. Return to the containers and enter the bathroom. You have the strength, together, to put an end to our misery and to rescue those still alive."
Just as she finished speaking, a tentacle shot through her and she crumpled to the ground, a smile on her face as the world shifted.
"Get up got damn it!" Monk's voice called them back to the realm of the living just as horribly disembodied voices cried out. It was then that Mai bolted upright, Naru a second behind her as they turned to look at the end of the tunnel. The end where the tentacle had torn into the girl in the vision. Monk had raised a barrier while they were in the astral plane, but the hits it was taking was taking its toll.
"We have to run. Back towards the tankers!" Mai yelled over the screams, wincing as more and more echoed through the tunnel.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Monk asked, his muscles tensing in preparation to run, "Let's go!"
With a firm nod from Naru, Mai took one look at the horrible creature before bolting out of the tunnel, her feet pounding against the dirt with Naru and Monk right behind her. The barrier extended to follow them, giving them some leeway to escape. But it wouldn't last long.
But even in the dark, Mai could make out the tankers in the next field opening, a brief vision of the young girl getting attacked flashed through her mind and she felt her blood boil in rage. Her powers, never before harnessed in any form of physical manifestation, bubbled just under the surface. It sent fire through her veins and she didn't hesitate when the spirits led her into a bathroom complex.
The tiles were cracked, blood splattered on the walls and the floor at random intervals. But Mai didn't pay any attention to that. She focused on finding that last page, trying to ignore the yelp from Monk as he barely avoided being stabbed by a stray tentacle. It didn't even occur to her the danger she was in when they hit a dead end. All she could focus on was the page that sat on the wall before her.
She grabbed it, feeling the spirit of the last child fuse with her. In unison, all seven children screamed out, yelling at her to turn around.
A second later, she lit up blue, the spirit of the first child protecting her as a tentacle shattered against the transparent barrier. She could feel their anxiety as the creature turned the corner, its featureless face unnervingly staring at them.
"Mai? You got any ideas?" Monk asked, his fear heavy in the air as he took in the one glaring fact before them; they were trapped.
With a grim not, Mai looked on. The power of the children's' spirits swelled and she could feel Naru come up behind her while the first child protected them. The dark haired man took hold of her shoulders and leaned in close, his own PK rising to the surface as he watched, sensing the spirits reaction to him. The air suddenly lifted, as if their hope was a tangible force.
"Breath Mai. Focus. Think about what you want and draw on their power. You have the strength, the PK in you is there. Let them be your guide. Let them draw it out." His words let her mind go blank, her body calming itself as she opened herself to the spirits will. She could feel them, mingling with her own spirit. There was only one thing that they wanted. And that was freedom.
Mai could feel her muscles tense, power rippling to the surface with such force that she glowed a transparent fusion of blue and pink. The children were the driving force as the power flew towards the creature, engulfing it in a mirage of colours. Screams, of trapped spirits, as well as the trio of paranormal hunters.
And just like that, their night of terror was over. The children that had been trapped giggled, their spirit gently brushing against the three living individuals before departing the realm of the living. Moving on like they should have so long ago.
It was oddly still and Mai let out a shaky breath, "Is it over?"
"For now, I believe so. For good? Who can tell…" Naru's words left a very sombre air around them before Monk stood, his head tilted as he listened.
"Do you hear that?" At the pairs quizzical looks, the bassist shook his head, "Listen… It sounds like… scratching?"
The three listened, focusing on their surroundings before the blonde walked over to a wall and knocked. A resulting, a sudden knock back was all it took for the three to grab whatever they could and hit the wall with all they had. Once a small hole was created, an arm shot out, scrapping at the old plaster with desperation. With combined effort, they tore the wall down, coughing as plaster dust filled the air.
Cries could be heard from within the wall and Mai pointed a torch into the opening.
Shocked was an understatement as Mai, Monk and Naru stared.
There, covered in dust, dirt and blood, was Detective Dazo, Yumi, and a number of children that had been reported missing.
"Yumi!" Mai yelled, reaching forward and pulling the young woman from the pile of rubble. Once the young camp ground owner was out, they helped Dazo from the ground before gathering the children together. It was then that they heard someone clear their throat and the trio turned to look at Dazo, who had the decency to look a little ashamed.
"I would… like to apologise. To you three, for my behaviour. If it weren't for you, I would have never seen my fiancé again." As he spoke, he looked at Yumi, who he held to his chest.
Mai could only scratch her head, the pair odd and yet, slightly charming to her.
"Well, that's our job. Now I think we should get these kids back to their parents, don't ya recon?" Her question was left unanswered as she called the children to her, those that had been crying focusing on the brunette, "So who wants to see their mummies and daddies?"
The resulting cheer was their only answer as she raced out of the bathroom with them.
Monk and Naru followed at a more docile pace, allowing the young brunette to race off towards what they could now see as the entrance to the park as the sun barely peeked over the tree tops.
"Hey… Naru?" Monk asked, his worried eyes following the youngest member of SPR, "You don't think it's over, do you?"
The dark haired man next to him remained quiet for a long time, his eyes landing on the rest of the SPR team, police and over-joyed parents that raced out of the inn, "No Takigawa. I don't believe it's over. And I fear that Mai, and the rest of us, have not heard the last of the Slender Man…"
~X-x-X~
The end!
I just wanted to say a huge, huge thank you to everyone for their continued support and encouragement for this story. I know it's been a long time, but 18,000 something words later, and it's finally over. Mai's horror filled night is over… Or is it?
Let me know what you thought and let me know if you want a sequel!
I wanted to thank everyone that review, the list is below! If I left anyone out, let me know!
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