In those few moments when he lifted his head away, there was no one more uncomfortable than him. He just then comes to realize what I said.
"No." He says disapprovingly. "You're not a replacement. Elizabeth..." He starts. "Elizabeth has nothing to do with this."
"How do I know that?"
"I just told you." After he says this we just stare at each other in silence. The only noise that could be heard was the rain pouring and the slight yelling in the background.
"Sure, whatever." I brush his hand away and start to take his jacket off which had still been wrapped around my shoulders. But just as I'm about to Slenderman puts his hands over mine forcing me to keep it on. He hovers his head just above my shoulder.
"Don't..." My eyes start to widen. "Go." This side of him, I recognize right away. This version he showed me the first time he appeared in my room. Things a young inexperienced teen would say. And the one thing I can't keep myself from forgetting: How stupid of me. No one could ever love me. Why does him telling me not to leave remind me of those few sad words? I'm really not sure what to do. This doesn't feel right.
One moment ago I didn't want to leave his side, but now... I just want time to think. Ha... and if I didn't suddenly feel this way- Slenderman wouldn't have to be showing this side of him. He didn't have to admit to wanting my stay because I was going to either way. And he knew this. But now it's not that simple. He's got some explaining to do.
His childhood, Elizabeth, sparring my family and I, my face. Don't joke around. It makes too much since for it not to be true. I bring my attention back to him.
"Lying won't do you any good." I tease directing it towards his previous statement, ready to uphold the consequences.
"It's not a lie Blaye!" He grabs me by both of my arms while making me face him. I ticked him off. "You. Are. Not. A replacement!" The level of frustration in him was at a different level. I want to believe him but now that such a realization has come to me, I just can't. I don't say anything right away and lower my head down as far as I can.
"I know, and I'm probably not. But right now I just want to think."
"Then you'll think in the forest." He grabs my wrist and starts to haul me down the path.
"What!? No! Let go of me!" He turns and brings his face close to mine.
"You are not going back into that hell whole you call a home and listen to those two idiots! I won't let you." He states aggressively and goes back to dragging deeper into the forest. What!? You've got to be kidding me!
But it wasn't any sort of joke. In fact, Slenderman couldn't be anymore genuine with how he felt about the situation. He dragged me all the way back to the fenced area. Half way there I even asked him if he could slow down because I was having a trouble keeping up with his fast pace. In which he did so a few moments after without saying a word. His hand around my wrist never changed throughout the forceful walk. I guess I got what I wanted but it's not how I expected it to be at all. At the fence he finally lets go of my wrist only to carry me over. Once I was, he simply commands with a harsh tone: "Follow me." And starts to walk in a questioning direction.
A minute or two we're there and I immediately ask: "The truck?" He goes around it to the passenger side and opens the door. Turning to me he picks me up and throws me inside slamming the door. "Hey!" I yell when the sound of something locking goes off and I'm unable to open either door. I groan loudly for him to hear but he doesn't seem to care. Instead he just walks over to the front of the hood and sits down while also lowering his head. The rain, still soaking the single white lair he wore.
I then see something move in the corner of my eye when a knob turns by itself. Immediately, warm air is distributed though out the car.
Slenderman shows kindness in a weird way. But he's still selfish. "It's not like I'm gonna get hungry or anything." I say sarcastically while taking his jacket off and throwing it in the driver's seat. A click goes off and the glove compartment falls open startling me. And array of chips sat inside.
He's such a jerk. The desire of wanting to cry nudged at me. What a huge jerk. But they weren't sad tears. Slenderman's a jerk. He's an old childish jerk. He put these in here didn't he? When I fell asleep in the tunnel. He put these in here thinking about me and me only. That's what was supposed to happen. I was supposed to not want to go back home. We were supposed to walk back together. And I was supposed to find these here, as a pleasant surprise. What a- No... He's not a jerk. He's just silently misunderstood for the worst. One minute... he's my age, the next... he's this wise creature who won't go above or below a moderate tone. And then on bad occasions, he's a monster. What are you Slenderman? Who are you? And how did you get here?
And I'm sure to whatever the answer is; you wanted to stay that way. After all, it's my fault really. I'm the one making you feel all these things. I'm the one doing this all to you. And I'm sure you wouldn't know how to respond to such a question:
Am I a replacement?
Because in yourself you don't even know this. You weren't even thinking about this. Before, I was only making you feel, but now I'm even making you think. I must be a handful. I smile within the cramped area of the truck. A smile not even Slenderman can see right now.
I start to listen to the muffled sound of rain hitting the glass in front and around me.
I'm sorry; I've made it awkward between us. It was going so smoothly but... was it really? Could it ever really go so smoothly the way we'd hope for it to? Because there's always going to be some sort of question to wonder or negative feeling to express. I once thought to myself that Slenderman isn't some teenage boy... but, now I realize I may be wrong about that. Slenders as inexperienced with emotions as I am. Having his childhood stolen by bullies and deciding to reject all human emotion to pursue a sad desire to kill. Which means there was one time he killed and felt guilty for it? How long did it take for him to kill and feel nothing? How long did it take for him to get rid of those emotions which he felt burdened him? Did he fight the feeling of emotion for years? The feeling of being human... Is his human and monster side always at a constant battle...?
How human is he...? And how monster is he...? And... How much does he detest his human side?
Does Slenderman prefer to be a monster?
I raise my head up to see that he hadn't moved from his spot. Readjusting the levers on the seat for it to fall back I put my hood over my head despite how cold and uncomfortable it is. Laying back in the seat my eyes relax on the image of Slender's soaking wet shirt. He really can't feel the cold... Closing my eyes I look up at the ceiling instead. I'm supposed to think about it aren't I? That was the whole point of dragging me down here. Will he be satisfied if I believe him that I'm not a replacement? But I think he also just doesn't want me around my parents while they argue. He must really hate it when I listen to them. But is he really worried about me? Or just the possibility of keeping Elizabeth from suffering long after her passing?