A/N: I am in the writing mood today!
Chapter 18: A Bargain With A Spirit...
Prudence was astonished to see that they were standing in front of a large mansion. It looked to be abandoned, but regardless... It was a beautiful mansion at that. Her eyes were glued to the exterior. The color of the mansion was a light tan color. There appeared to be three stories, the windows had red shutters. The yard was surprisingly kept clean and trimmed. Slenderman gently tugged at her hand, indicating it was time to keep moving.
"Where are we?" Prudence asked as they reached the front door.
"This is the Proxy Mansion... So they call it now. It was originally haled by a very rich man and his wife who died after giving birth to their premature child. Who soon died from influenza. The man committed suicide several hundred years ago... I remember... I followed him... He wanted me to save his wife and daughter... But I refused... I was a lot more... What's the word... Unkind back then... He only committed suicide because I drove him insane. No one would believe him... That I was real... Though... I was around for thousands of years... And things change..." Slenderman explained. He was very shy about this, Prudence could tell it hurt him to tell her... But he need to let it out some time... She knew he was a murderous monster back then... Maybe even now.. But to Prudence... He was the most gentle creäture she has ever met. (Not like she's met many creatures... But you get the idea.)
The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. It also was kept quite clean. "I want to show you something..." Slenderman insisted, gesturing to the long spiral staircase that actually went all the way tot he attic. The mansion was huger on the inside then on the outside. Prudence followed Slenderman, paying close attention to all the paintings that aligned the wall. One caught her attention the most. It was a painting of the man Slender mention... He was standing in a pose with a sword in hand. His leg rested on a rock. In the background there was a storm painted... And beyond the storm was a forests that consisted of darkness... In that darkness... Stood Slenderman...
They finally reached the room Slenderman wanted to show her. It was pretty much just an empty room. A very large room at that. The ceiling was leaning and on the ceiling was an extremely big window. It let in a lot of light in one area of the room. Near that window was a black piano. The wood shined against the sun's light, it's rays rubbing against the fine wood of it. Some dust particles sparkled against the light, making it seem even more mystifying then it already was. Prudence looked up at Slenderman. He walked over to the piano and sat himself down, turning his head towards Prudence and making a gesture for her to sit next to him. She obeyed and sprinted her way over. She sat herself down to the left of Slenderman on the piano bench.
"This was that man's wife's piano. He mentioned that she would often play it all day when she was sad..." Slenderman said. Prudence looked down at the shiny keys. It was so clean as if it hasn't been touched for decades.
Slenderman gave off a pleasant aura as he touched his fingers to the black and white keys. Prudence was beginning to lose her breath. Was he going to play for her? As if on cue, Slenderman started to hit a few notes... Within a minute he began playing. As he got into it his tentacles came out, supporting him as he played. Some went behind Prudence's back, lifting her arms to the keys. She didn't know what to think, but she couldn't ignore their offer. She began watching Slender's hands as he played such a beautiful tune... But oddly familiar. She watched the tentacles as they pointed to the right keys she was supposed to hit. She bit her tongue and began playing. She stopped playing as Slenderman began getting really into it, swaying along with the beat. That's when she recognized what song he was playing. She sort of laughed on the inside... Moe of a respectable laugh. The song that he was playing was Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites by Skrillx. A pretty hardcore song... But played on the piano it was gorgeous. The song suited Slenderman and Prudence... She loved every minute of this moment. She looked up at Slenderman... She knew she loved him... But now... She realize it was more then love... It was a whole different feeling that could not be explained... She wanted to be so close to him at this moment... As the music began to slow down to a quiet shimmer. Her eyes still locked on Slenderman... The last few notes seemed to pan out. In that moment Slender turned to face Prudence he grabbed each side of her head and pulled her closer to his face. Her face flushed and her heart quickened as a face appeared once again. A more secretive face, the same as she seen before.. But it was there. His lips crease in a smile and he pressed them against her.
If this kiss was the most passionate of all the kisses she has ever received from anyone. And she couldn't be anymore satisfied then she was at this moment in her life. She just wished she could stay this way forever... Knowing she was safe against him. Knowing that she was the only person he has ever felt so passionately for in all the thousands of years he's been alive.
As the day progressed into night, Slenderman allowed Prudence to retreat to a secluded room all to herself. The room was big and the design was beautiful. The bed was a canopy. Prudence soon discovered that the room use to be owned by the man's wife. She became curious and investigated the room. Knowing she had the mansion all to herself for the night. The proxies that inhabited it were out on their missions to keep Prudence and Slenderman under wraps and as well as Jeff. Slenderman promised to be back by dawn. He went out to also destroy any technology that has him recorded.
Prudence discovered many interesting things. Like the women's diary. She only read the first few pages. Feeling it was kind of rude to read such a secretive journal. She discovered the woman's name was Scarlet. Her husband who commited suicide was David. Scarlet seemed to love flowers and plants. She had several poems about lilies, roses, and any other kind of flower. She also found she loved keeping track of her dreams. Being engrossed with curiosity... She decided to continue reading her diary... The woman was dead, it will do no harm now. She read a very interesting dream Scarlet had.
Oh, my lovely journal. To whom I pour so much of my beloved secrets to... I had yet another fascinating dream last night. I was sitting in a meadow... But... I was ten and very still. Butterflies surround me and I could sense every animal, insect, and flower that surrounded me. I could hear them. They spoke to me, telling me to follow the darkness. I didn't understand this, but I proceeded to do so. When suddenly I seen an odd figure ahead of me. It was the shape of a fox... Except... The fox was standing on its hind legs. I asked the silly fox why on earth was it standing like a whom replied. "I am only doing what is in my nature. I am not a fox dear... I am a witch..." I felt very confused, but proceeded to ask questions like the silly curious girl I was.
"What do you mean you are a witch?" I asked it. That is when it began to grow. It's back curled in a way an old woman would. Her eyes a gentle grey.
"But you once were a fox... How did you do that?" I asked. She replied.
"Only to get your attention my dear... But I must warn you... Which is why I am here now... My darling Scarlet... A child is to be born from your stature very soon... This child must not be born... She will be taken from the Tree Man..." She warned... I was confused and scared. But I did not question her judgement.
"The... Tree Man. Like the one my parents told me about... The one who steals children and turns them into his slaves?" I asked. She nodded. My heart was beating at a seemingly high rate.
"How can I stop tis from happening?" I asked... Feeling stupid and scared.
"You must kill the baby... Before he kills your husband..." She said. I didn't understand.. He was going to kill my husband? "Go find my physical body before your baby is due... Or The Tree Man will come..." That was the end of my dream before I awoke...
As Prudence read that entry of the diary, her heart began to ache... Slenderman was the Tree Man. This was no surprise to Prudence, she knew Slenderman was infamous in the olden days... She suddenly felt an odd feeling... Like someone was watching her. She placed the book down back onto the dresser to which she found it.
"Why must you go through my belongings... Dear child?" The voice was faint, but it as there... And Prudence could hear it. She turned to face a ghostly figure behind her, resembling a very beautiful young woman...
"Sc-Scarlet?" Prudence stuttered, rubbing her eyes making sure she wasn't just tired and seeing things.
"Yes... Are you another one of those awful mask men that plague my home?" She asked Prudence... She shook her head.
"Yes... But I am not like the rest..."
"I can tell... You have an odd aura about you... What is your name?" She asked Prudence. Prudence was hesitant... Still a bit shaken from this ghostly encounter.
"My name is Prudence. Prudence Lynn..." The entity approached her closer. Her eyes clearly blue, her body a mist... A cold one at that.
"Hello, Prudence... You must be with the Tree Man then... I sense there is danger coming to him and you, no?" She said. Prudence shrugged.
"When isn't there?" She said sarcastically, but cleared her throat and continued talking... "How can you tell?"
"The Tree Man wants to stay a secret... But he can't stay a secret with you at his side... They will hunt him down. They will ask you questions... One of you is bound to die..." She explained. Prudence was confused.
"But Slenderman can't die... Can he?" Prudence asked.
"Oh, but he can... He may be immortal... But he has a weakness... His heart... He can be hurt... And killed... It just takes a lot more than a regular human being..."
"But I will never let anyone kill Slenderman... I love him too much to let that happen..." She was quiet, but she meant it.
The spirit of Scarlet hovered above Prudence, who sat think of what to do...
"How can I protect him?" She asked Scarlet.
"You must kill yourself, Prudence... If you die... They will no longer search for the Tree Man... That is the only reason why they want to find him anyway..." Scarlet was persistent. Prudence's eyes went wide from the shock of her reply. But what if Scarlet was right? If Prudence dies... Slenderman will no longer be hunted... He will be safe and they will soon forget about his existence all together...
"How will I do this? When should I?" Prudence asked. Scarlet went still, but soon began to quiver. Lights flickered as she has an idea.
"Kill yourself the way I did... I was given a poison by a witch who warned me about the Tree Man... She was right... The Tree Man was a monster... But I soon found out that he ony took children who need a better home. He followed the bad men who hurt their children or who were criminals. My husband killed a man I cheated on him with... I did not hate my husband... I loved him more than life itself. The witch told me to kill myself so the Tree Man would not punish my husband... So I did... I still have a flask of that poison in a secret place in the closet behind the wardrobe...Drink that poison and in a matter of sixty minutes you will be dead..." Scarlet explained. Prudence nodded and ran towards the closet. She found the wardrobe Scarlet mentioned and opened it. There was a little crease that had a string and she pulled it. To her surprise she seen the flask of poison. The succulent color it produced shined a bright blue-green. She didn't ask what it contained. She just went with the spirit's word that it was poison.
"So I am really going to kill myself..." Prudence said to herself... The spirit of Scarlet touched her back.
"Listen to me, Prudence... You are a very different girl... You have an ability like no other. Do you think it is normal for a humans to talk to spirit's like me? Listen.. This poison I have given you won't always work. The witch mentioned something about the poison only working for NORMAL humans... It is rare... But sometimes after a week of 'death'... A person will awake... Half alive... And half dead... I wasn't sure what she meant by it... But Prudence you must be brave... Good luck to you..." Said Scarlet and soon began to fade away.
Prudence was confused and in denial of this whole thing. She had to keep pinching herself to reassure that she wasn't asleep... She looked down at the poison in her hand... Her thoughts were crossing with many conclusions about her situation. She still wasn't sure... but she kept the poison for when...
Little did she know... That this was not the solution to her problem.
She lied herself down in the bed... And fell asleep in a restless slumber...