A/N: This introduces one of my favorite chapters in the world. I love it so maybe you people will too~!
I was running, as fast as I could go. But it was catching up to me. Its tentacles extended to me and caught me by the throat. I couldn't breathe. I was struggling for air. I could smell the destruction it brings with it. My lungs were desperate for air, crying in pain to have a lifesaving breath. I was clawing at the tentacles holding my throat. I was desperate for a breath I pried one loose and sunk my teeth into it. It dropped me and disappeared.
I shot up. I was gasping for air, something had been smothering me. I could still feel the tentacles on my throat. I lifted my hands to it protectively and tried to reign in my breathing. I guess that even when I am close to Sve, it still comes after me. But why did I have that lovely dream when he held me? I turned back to look at Sve, Tino was there now, looking at me.
"Tea, are you alright? You were cloaked by a figure in entire black." Tino said looking at me with a terrified expression.
"I think I will be alright. You do realize that figure was not just any figure?" I asked looking closely at him. He nodded. I sighed.
"Will you be alright? You look very pale." Tino said. I stood up.
"Actually, Tino, I think I will go for a walk to clear my mind. Go ahead and go back to sleep, you look like you last had a good sleep in the 16th century." I said taking my bag into the bathroom. I changed quickly and came back out. Tino had fallen back asleep. I put my bag down and pulled my sling purse out. I put it on and made sure I had sufficient cash and everything else I needed. It was chilly so I grabbed my jacket and a scarf.
Before I left I walked over to Sweden and Finland. They were very sweet. Even Sweden who was the most terrifying person I had ever met when I first met him.
"This is the home that your late parents decided you would live until you are ready to leave." The social worker said with a fake smile. I looked out the window. We had been driving through the pine forest for ages now. I was watching the trees blur as the moved faster and faster. Eventually I thought I saw a tall man in a black suit running through the trees at the same speed of the car. He had no face when he turned his head to look at me. I gasped and sunk into the seat. I curled into a ball and closed my eyes. I stayed like that until we got to the house.
"Come on dear. We are here. Time to meet your new family." She said with her fake smile. I got out and walked to the front of the car. I leaned against it, while the social worker retrieved the people. I slowly slid to the ground and pulled my knees to my chest. I put my head down and just sat there. Maybe they wouldn't want me. Maybe they would think that an orphan who has a history like mine would not be worth the trouble. I silently began to cry. Just letting the tears well up and roll. I was used to things like that. I sat like that until the tears no longer came. I was alone, there was nothing around me. I had nothing and no one.
I suddenly felt a hand on my back, then more. I looked up in surprise. To my left there was a young man wearing a cream and brown argyle sweater vest, a white shirt, a black tie, tan pants, and a white cap on his head, knelt down next to me with one hand on my back. To my other side there was a man in a light grey suit with a black shirt and red tie, he also had a hand on my back. Next to him was a man in a blue and white striped shirt, a red tie, and blue pants. There were two more figures in front of me. One was much taller than the other. I slowly stood up and looked around. The social worker was there with her fake smile.
"These are your gaurdians. They are Mathias Køhler , Tino Väinämöinen , Emil Steilsson , Lukas Bondevik, and Berwald Oxenstierna ." She said gesturing to each of them in order of their names.
"I would love to stay, but I have things to do and such. Ta ta!" She said getting in her car and leaving. I looked after her. I had not spoken.
"So you are the girl that we were phoned about. I am pleased to meet you." Tino said extending his hand. I just looked at him. I felt numb. Like there was no point in living. I had tried to end it at the orphanage, but I failed. Now, I wanted to die, I did not want to do anything but rest for an eternity, in a box.
"Are you alright? You haven't said a word." Mathias asked. I just looked at him as well.
"Perhaps she has been traumatized. It will take time." Lukas said.
"Let's go in then. Get her settled." Tino said. He looked around.
"Do you not have any bags? Nothing?" He asked me. I shook my head. The fire destroyed everything.
"You will need to go and get a few things then won't you?" Berwald said. Appearing out of nowhere. I stiffened. He was so tall! He looked like that figure… the one that was in the fire. They all looked at me nut my gaze never left Berwald. I was terrified of him, even though I had never met him before.
It had taken several weeks to get accustom to all of my guardians. I found out they were countries within the first week and spent several months calling them by their country names. I have now been living with the five Nordic countries for almost eight years, ever since I was ten. They had given me the very best of everything. I never needed anything nor wanted for anything. I never needed to say anything aloud either.
I loved all of my guardians and I knew they loved me, in one way or another had their own way of showing it. Tino was caring and he gave off an almost motherly aura. Mathias has always been a comical relief almost especially when I fight with Emil or Lukas. Lukas had allowed me to watch him summon, and I can see the fairies and other creatures, they are so adorable. Emil always stares at me like he is working a puzzle, he has only engaged me in conversation about three times, but is almost always enjoyable, even if it ends with a fight. And Berwald, I always felt like he had something to say and never did, but I always felt a protective, fatherly aura from him.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts and turned to the bed again. I bent over them both and kissed their foreheads. I slipped out of the room and into the elevator. I walked through the lobby briefly stopping to explain the recent events to the manager who was concerned about me. He was relieved and thanked me for explaining. I hurried to the street and started to walk. I came to a bridge, it was a nice day and I loved the feel of the crisp wind on my face. I walked on to the bride and about half way down I saw a crowd of people. There was a girl over the railing, about to jump. I hurried over to her. I climbed over regardless of the officer's protest.
"Stay back! I won't be talked down again! I will die on my own terms! Not when he kills me!" She yelled at me. I stopped approaching her.
"Him? Him who?"
"The Slender Man. He has been following me for weeks." She said. I started to walk towards her again.
"I said stay back!" She yelled at me.
"It's okay. I know what you are going through."
"No you don't. Don't try that on me! It won't work!" She yelled moving to the edge.
"You see him everywhere, you have horrible nightmares, you get evil messages in your books and on other pieces of paper or on walls, you feel like nowhere is safe." I gushed out getting within grabbing distance of her. She couldn't have been older than twelve of fourteen.
"You know this? How?" She asked with tears in her eyes.
"Because I am going through it too. Don't jump. That is what he wants. And you won't die. He won't let you." I said getting even closer.
"How do you know?" She asked looking at me nervously.
"Because I tried. More than once." I said pulling off my gloves and showing her my wrists. I had a thin line along both of them.
"When I was your age I tried to slit my wrist. I failed, he wouldn't let me die. I tried again, I wandered into the forest and I found a deep spring. I can't swim. So I wadded out to the deepest part and let myself sink. But I was pulled out. He wants to end this himself. Don't let him win. Come with me. Okay? Come one." I said holding my arms out to her. She ran into them and wrapped her arms around me. She was sobbing.
"I thought I was all alone! Please don't leave me!" She bawled into my chest. I laid one hand on the back of her head and the other against her back.
"Shhh. It will be alright now. Hush, it will be okay. Come with me alright." I told her helping her over the rail. The officers wanted to get to her, but she was clinging to me.
"Mam, what made you go over the edge and risk your life?" One reporter asked me.
"No comment."
"Do you know this girl?"
"No."
"Will you give a personal interview?"
"No."
I hurried out of the throng of people and we went to the nearest café.
"No, why don't you tell me your name?" I asked her after I made her order something to eat and drink.
"I am Natali." She said, glancing at the table.
"Natali huh? Well Natali, I am going to call a friend of mine. He is quite the fellow, but he is incredibly sweet in his own way. I said pulling out my cell phone.
"Hello? Ivan? It's Tea how are you? I'm good. I was wondering if you were still in the city. Oh you are! That is excellent. Can you meet me at the Riverside Café? That is great. Okay I will see you in a bit. Bye." I hung up my phone and put it away.
"So your friend, what is he like?" Natali asked.
"Well, he is tall, he has blonde hair, and purple-blue eyes. He can be childishly cruel, but he does not mean to. He has had a hard life. And I think you will be able to brighten his life." I said watching her face as I described Russia. She smiled.
"He sounds nice. Why did you call him here though?" She asked eyeing me.
"Well, I thought you could live with him." I said.
"No! I don't want to leave you!" She fussed.
"Hush, you will not be far away. I live right next door to him. I will see you quite often." I said reaching across the table to touch her hand. The food came and we both began to eat. It was a few moments later I heard Ivan walk in.
"Hello~! Tea, how are you?" He called across the restaurant.
"Ivan! How are you?" I asked walking to meet him. I walked with him to the table and he sat down between me and Natali. The waitress took his order and I introduced Ivan to Natali.
"So, you are the person she called. I didn't think she meant you were that tall." Natali said observing that his head was dangerously close to the open umbrella.
"Da. I am over six feet tall. But that is not why you called me here, is it Tea?" He asked me looking at me with the 'Russia Look'.
"Well, I thought that you would like to adopt Natali. I know that you know what has been going on with me, and she has the same thing going on with her. I thought you two would be good for each other. It seems like you get along just fine. And I just talked her down from a suicide attempt." I said looking between Russia and Natali.
"Really? I do want to help. If you would like Natali, my home, is your home." He said turning to her. They had already connected, even though they had just met a few moments ago. After another half hour Ivan and I paid for the meal and we started back to the hotel.
"I didn't know that you had a room in our hotel." I said as we approached.
"Da, I had them placed on the second floor, I suppose you can sleep in my room Natali. All of the other rooms have everyone in them." Ivan said looking at the girl who nodded and smiled. A drastic change from the girl she was an hour ago. It turned out that Natali's orphanage was a block away from the hotel. It took about twenty minutes for Ivan to become Natali's adoptive father.
"I can have a family now!" She cried as she ran out of the orphanage with a small canvas bag.
"Yes, now you can meet the rest of Ivan'f family." I said walking next to her. Ivan nodded on the other side.
"Cool!" She exclaimed, she was incredibly happy.
"If you like we can all go shopping tomorrow, or back home." Ivan said picking Natali up and hoisting her to his shoulders. She giggled and nodded.
"Hey, Tea?" She asked from almost seven or eight feet.
"Yes?" I asked craning my neck to look at her.
"Can I call you Big Sis? You were the first person to understand me, and I want to recognize you for it please?" She pleaded. I laughed. She was so funny when she was happy.
"Sure. You can call me Sis, Big Sis, or Sissy. Whatever you want Natali. But you have to promise me, no more bad thoughts." I said looking at her the best I could. She nodded and started to laugh. There were funny looks from either side of the street of the large Russian carrying the little girl on his shoulders. I stopped at a small kiosk and bought a pad of white paper, some tape, and a black marker. I wrote in big letters a sign and tapped it to Natali's back. It read:
Just Adopted~!
After I did that as Ivan carried her down the street and we were laughing people were applauding as they saw the sign. We got back to the hotel and Ivan put Natali down. She held onto his hand as we walked in. In the lobby people burst into applause when they saw Natali's sign. I smiled and walked into the elevator and pushed the two buttons. Ivan and Natali were in the elevator after two minutes. The elevator stopped on the second floor and let them off.
"Bye big sis Tea! See you later!" Natali called as the door closed. I smiled and lifted my hand. After the door shut my face dropped. I loved the girl and Russia was awesome too, but I had a bad feeling in my gut.
The door opened on the fourth floor and I went to my room. I opened my door and found that Sweden and Finland were no longer there. I examined my room. There was nothing there that I could see, no note, nothing. Maybe I was being paranoid. I opened my privet journal that Sve had read and I recorded the day's events. I sat in the quiet room for a while.
Then I became aware of an odd sound. Then I realized that it was coming from one of the adjoining rooms. Since the manager had told me that Mathias, Lukas, and Emil were still gone I figured that it was coming from Berwald and Tino's room. Then I figured out what was going on and I felt the blood rush to my face. I grabbed my iPod and cranked up the volume. I could not believe that it took me that long to figure it out. I was embarrassed that I even heard any of it. I lied back on my bed and fell asleep. Why not? It was the least I could do right now.
I screamed in my sleep and shot straight up. I was gasping for air again. I heard the door bang open and two people run in.
"Tea! What happened are you alright?" Tino asked hovering around me. I was still trying to catch my breath. I could feel both Tino and Sve pace. I managed to finally catch my breath.
"Alright, Thea, tell us what happened." Sve told me. I nodded and took a deep breath.
"I came back and fell asleep while listening to my music, the nightmare was worse than ever. That thing was chasing me, and after so long it caught me again and began to strangle me. The longer it had a hold of me the more I saw the gruesome images from the pictures come to life. All of you, even the people that it has not threatened were all hanging from the trees and there was blood everywhere. And… and…and I was so frightened. It strangled me into darkness where those images got even worse and I just screamed and work up. I—I didn't know what to do. I can't take thin much longer. I might go insane." I cried.
I kept crying. I felt the bed move on either side of me and both of the countries wrap their arms around me. I placed my hands over theirs. I felt either of their heads on my shoulders. But I could not stop crying. Tino began to stroke my hair. I began to cry harder. All of my emotions were messed up. My heart was beating very fast. It felt like it was going to burst. I could feel the blackness rise and they knew that I was about to pass out again. I was pulled against one of them and I finally blacked out. I was still crying.
A/N: Sorry it was so sad at the end~!