The hard concrete tunnel against my back didn't compare to Slender's stiff shoulder. I let his last words replay in my head almost giving me comfort. My eyes droop slightly while I press my legs against his. He doesn't mind.
"It's okay..." I eventually reply while shutting my eyes.
I don't care. I don't care about that house. I don't care about my parents. I don't care about what happens. If Slenderman's there... I think I can make it through. I open my eyes back up. But something's different. In fact, everything is a bit different.
The sunlight coming through the tunnel is gone. Slenderman isn't next to me anymore and it's far colder than before. I hear rain. A deja vu hits me when I notice Slenderman's jacket on me as I sat up. Even with my own jacket on it was still freezing. That must have been what woke me up. From where I was you could barely hear the rain, but it was there. I head over to the opening of the tunnel with his jacket. The sound of rain growing louder as I strolled closer. It's almost like Slenderman knew it was going to rain with the way he lead me here, kind of in a hurry. Stopping in front of the entrance we came from I immediately spot him standing out in the rain a few feet away. His back facing me you could plainly see how soaked his clothes were. He was looking straight up at the evening sky which was now covered in light gray clouds, where not a single trace of sun could find it's way through.
At that point all I could do was watch him. His height as usual was mesmerizing. It must be easy looking up at pouring rain without a face. Nothing gets in your eyes.
Ugh, I'm so embarrassed. Falling asleep like that so easily, so carelessly. And why didn't he stop me? Or at least wake me up? I've never fallen asleep that quickly. Now that I think about it, I can't even believe that I did fall asleep in the first place.
No wait, when I think about it... I might know why. It was because of those last few thoughts I had, wasn't it? It's because I'm no where near my parents right now... I squint my eyes. Unbelievable. I'm more comfortable with someone I only met than with my own parents. For some reason, that makes me really, angry.
Tightly, I start to grip Slenderman's jacket with both hands. "Slenderman..." I mumble out waiting for his response. I wonder if he can even hear me over the sound of the pouring rain? "Slenderman." I say again in an oddly monotone voice. Slowly, I see him look away from the sky and stare straight for a bit before turning around to look at me. And at that moment he just eyes at me, for the rain was the only thing separating our beings. I tighten my hands around the jacket more, probably on the verge of wrinkling it. "Come over here." I command slyly. He immediately without hesitation starts to walk over in my direction, stopping right in front of me.
"Yes?" His voice almost makes me shudder. What was I going to ask again?
"U-" I start but, stop realizing I really didn't have anything to ask or say in the first place. I refresh my memory of my surroundings. "Oh- your jacket." I hand him the black fabric that had still been under my grip. Oddly, the complete opposite thing happens when he takes it from me. Instead of swinging it over his shoulders he swung it over mine.
"You don't mind getting your hair wet do you?" He asks tightening it around me. "The rain will be getting worse soon, we should get you home."
"How do you know?" I ask while he turns around and kneels implying that he's going to carry me on his back. Or in other words, give me a piggy back ride.
"I just know."
And he was right; The longer we walked the harder the rain came down on us. The louder it came down on us. My fingertips, shoulders were on the verge of becoming numb. His jacket just barely helped cover me from the pouring rain; the only other shield was the leaves above us. And to top it off, every step he took made me more and more dizzy. With my wet hair dripping down my back, I could practicality feel myself getting sick.
"Why were you standing out in the rain?" I ask a quarter ways up the path. He doesn't answer. "I know, I know-" I start as though he had answered. "You can't get sick but, don't you at least get cold?" Wait, that's a dumb question. "Or are you cold-blooded...? Or something." Like a reptile.
"Maybe." Oh, that's right. Not even he knows.
"Also," I keep on with a complaint. "-we wouldn't be walking in this rain if you had woken me up earlier."
"... But you looked so peaceful." I give out a sigh mixed with annoyance but overall embarrassment. I can't respond to this. I lay my head against his back searching for warmth only to find more cold. My hands had only been gripping onto his shoulders until now as I wrapped them around his neck and shoulders. "Tired?"
"No." We walked quite a bit more up the path when I found something else to say. "Thanks for carrying me home." It was only when I said that did I remember the last time he carried me had also been in the rain. But not as heavy as this rain of course.
"Shouldn't you say that when we get there?"
"Sorry."
"Silly." He readjusts me slightly by jolting me up farther on his back. "Don't apologize." I can't help it though. Even if I did the slightest thing wrong I feel the obligation to apologize. I don't want to be hated or disliked in anyway. And that's someone who's never made a friend saying that. Yet I think... that statement may be false now.
My forehead pressed against his back and my arms being wrapped around him was terribly comfortable. I don't want to leave. "Blaye." I bring my head up from suddenly hearing my name. "We're here." I can't help but be a little upset when he says this. No matter how cold or soaked I'd get, no matter how sick I'd become. I wouldn't mind walking around this forest some more with him.
Kneeling down he lets me off his back. I can see my bedroom window from here. Mocking me. And there it was, A loud crash from inside the house making me jump. Their still fighting. "Blaye." He immediately takes notice of my discomfort. "Are you okay?" Slenderman knows more than anyone how I feel about their fighting.
"Yeah... I'm fine." The atmosphere changes when I say this.
"Lying won't do you any good."
"Does it matter?"
"Blaye." He says sternly. "Do you really plan to go in there?" He practically read my mind. All I can think right now is what I'm going to do once I get into my room. I was planning on changing, putting in my earphones and most likely locking my door. But truthfully I don't want to be in my warm room listening to them. I want to stay out in the cold, with Slenderman.
"I don't want to..." After hearing this he places his large hand on my shoulder. From my left to my right shoulder he traces his hand across my back. A sad thought passes my mind leaving me thinking. I look at him. With his other hand he cups my face the way he's done only a few times before. Captivating, almost enchanting it was in those few seconds before his face reached mine. Before his 'lips' reached mine. But it wasn't him kissing me. No, It was me kissing him.
It was him wanting my skin to touch his.
Where his lips would be if he were revealing them. Where his lips would be if he had them. It's sad.
Why was Slenderman doing this right now? Right in front of my house. Right in front of the forest. Like a scene from a movie. And just like that scene from a movie he'd eventually have to move his 'lips' away. But when he moves away he doesn't retreat completely. He keeps his face close. And with a single, sad expression on my face-
"Am I a replacement Slender?"