I watched them run from the clearing and prodded the burnt log curiously. Hunched over I picked up one of the candy wrappers and sniffed it, then threw it onto the remains of the source of light, warmth and comfort. Halloween was a feeble and weak thing, dressing up to scare people out of their generosity of sweet things. The wrapper contorted over the remaining heat and I watched, sitting on the floor with my legs crossed.

My extra limbs were hidden; nobody would venture into the woods on Halloween except those brave enough, but I had already missed my chance. Usually I wouldn't follow people unless I had the intention of watching their mind fear itself, to make them question their sanity and look everywhere to make their mind rest. I brushed the ashes from my suit and sketched with a piece of the burnt wood onto some dropped notebook paper.

Branches creaked. Without thinking I appeared in the middle of some trees with a better view at what had caused the sudden noise. Standing half behind a tree, I saw one of the girls I had observed as being in the clearing. I believe her name was Jennifer. I'd followed her when she was a child along with her other friend, but that soon stopped when she had to take medication. She forgot all about me.

I could sense her fear and oh how it smelled so tempting. But no, I'd have some fun with her for the years I missed out. She was still unsettled though, as if the memories that had been buried were telling her to stay away because of the danger. Her torch flickered in my direction and I disappeared. "Who's there?" she asked, yelling out at the forest now shaking like a leaf. "This isn't funny"

It's not meant to be, I thought. I would make her truly scared, and then I could take what should've been mine all those years ago. I don't like it when people get away, but then again, it isn't a regular occurrence. Ever since that website outed me, people just laugh when they hear my name. This girl however had obviously not, and she looked like she was about to cry. Good.

I felt my appendages burst from my back. I flickered in her view every time she turned her back, getting closer and closer each time, so close I could taste the fear radiating off of her. I remembered however that I couldn't kill her, not just yet. I wanted to send a warning to people so that they will fear me again.

Still appearing in her vision, I followed her home. Her parents were strange people, they reminded me of myself in a way, constantly asking her if she was ok or if she was eating enough. I remained careful to only show myself to her, her parents would recognise me from her childhood. "Slenderman...he's following me again" she sobbed. Her parents laughed as if she was a lunatic.

"Sure...maybe we should have enrolled you in that clinic after all. Or maybe we can put you on more medication. It's those friends of yours, they're a bad influence" her dad replied, only briefly looking up from his newspaper. "You're just going to go more insane if you hang around with them"

"Shut up George. She can make her own decisions. She's not a child anymore" her mother defended, hitting her husband around the ear. I never did understand the humans, they would hit each other but still claim to feel such things as love or compassion. They were a truly vile race if ever I saw one...that would be if I had eyes. I can still see though, just in my genes I assume.

Whilst they were arguing, they failed to see that Jennifer had ran upstairs to her room. No matter. I watched her from her open doorway, letting her know that a presence was there at the least. She kept shivering and checking the window for me. She had searched a website on her computer and was looking through it, when the phone rang. It made her jump.

"Mace! You scared me!" She screamed down the phone, to which her friend chuckled. The weird girl I thought. "Look Macey, I'm really scared. Remember that story I wrote about that creature, it's true ok. It happened to me when I was a child. He's after me again" she shook, then began to cough violently. I caused it. The humans had called it slender-sickness, caused by my presence.

They talked for a long time, discussing Jennifer's apparent sightings of me. I pushed her door open gently so I could get a better look and watched as she stared at me in shock. "I-I have to go" she stuttered, hanging up quickly. She would be easy to have fun with, and hopefully it would restore my fear amongst the humans.

Towering at my full height I appeared outside the weird girl's house. I looked through her window as she also searched the website for more clues. I ducked before she could see me, but I knew that she knew I was there. Her name was Macey. She liked rock music from the posters that covered every inch of her walls. She didn't seem as fragile as her friend. There was also a guy with them when they sat in the clearing. I would have to track him too.

She comforted Jennifer over a chat on the internet. But even Macey seemed shaken, and so she should be. If only she knew how they would find each body, mutilated and gutted and impaled on a tree as a warning. My source of entertainment. Macey had fashioned a type of costume mask with painted black lips and black around the eye holes, with tiny drawn on eyebrows. Her work was exquisite, to say the least.

"Coughing, paranoia...Jennifer must be pulling a prank" Macey mumbled to herself, munching on more candies. "Seriously, does she actually believe in this guy?"

She has good reason to believe in me. I smiled, showing long sharp teeth that were covered with blood. Then she looked over, and the phone dropped from her hand before she had chance to call her friend. It hit the ground with a crack.