A second chance

Introducing a new character this chapter, but how will Slender react to this newcomer? Let's find out, I don't own Slender.

'It's hard for me too believe that it's been two months since I first me the Slender man, two months since I began to fix my mistakes. I can't change the past but I can change the future, and that's what I intend to do...make it better for me and anyone else I come across. But getting back on topic, It's now halfway through October and I feel pretty smart for keeping track of the dates because it's going to be Halloween time soon...it used to be my favorite holiday as a kid besides Thanksgiving. I wonder if Slender will want to do anything to celebrate? We've warmed up to each other in the past month and even if he still doesn't trust me, I know that I trust him...how can I not?' I dated the entry and closed my new journal easily, my old one had started to wear too much and I had filled it up to the last page so I decided to continue on in a new one, storing the old one under my mattress. It felt nice to be doing things that I considered normal, I had begun to recover from my breakdown in the past and I saw life differently, with more meaning than survival. I thought back to a few days ago when Slender had questioned why I see it this way now, 'Life is survival though.' 'I know but for some people to survive they have to have companionship, care, love, a sanctuary. Without those things life seems pointless to most people.' He seemed to take in that information with some difficulty but he did not question it nor did he bring it up again. I've been trying to show him life from my perspective, as hard as it seems, and sometimes it only frustrated him further, but other times he seemed curious when I gave him new information. I smiled at how he would sometimes worry when I wouldn't respond on a supply run or when I was hunting, he wouldn't let on but I think he was actually beginning to care about my being...why would that make me smile? I shook it off and decided to go on a walk since I had stocked up enough in the past few days, I would have to make a larger trip soon and I had actually found a working vehicle a few days ago. I had been over joyed and I made sure to collect as much gas as I could and filled it up, made sure it ran, and even fixed up the outside and washed it off. Slender had questioned why this was such a big deal and I let him know it made it safe enough for me to try and get to another town past Winterport, I would be needing better supplies for the winter. Before I left I grabbed my rifle and machete and made sure I had a few snacks and enough water in case I got slowed down, and my journal in case I decided to stop for a break. I was about to say goodbye to Slender but he was off somewhere a ways away to hunt today so I didn't want to disturb him. I began to walk the opposite way from what I usually walked and I began to hum a bit as I did, it kept the mood light.

The day was seeming to be a fairly nice one, the sky was a bit sunny but clouded so it was cooler than most days and I had to be a bit more careful because lately there had been more dead around, but nothing to worry too much about. I had even thought about trying to get fencing while I was out so I could put it around my house for a bit more protection, especially from living people. I continued my humming quietly as I thought about how my trip was going to go, sure I was excited but I was also afraid, going into a possibly bigger and farther away town could hold new dangers and you can never tell whether it's worth it or not until you get there. People may have already picked the place clean and all they left you with is the scraps, this has happened to me on occasion and it made me quite frustrated especially when I needed something urgent. By this time I had stopped humming and I was pulled from my thoughts as I heard...panting? Yes, it was panting and rapid steps of some animal headed my way, fairly quick too. I pulled my pistol out and stopped walking, turning slightly to the side in the direction of the noise, but what I didn't expect was to see a dog jump up from behind a car and barrel towards me. I backed away in surprise and was about to shoot but then I saw he didn't look like he was going to hurt me...he looked like he wanted to lick me. I lowered my gun a bit and just as I thought the tall german shepard skidded to a stop right before me, tongue hanging out and tail waving sporadically in happiness. I knelt down slowly towards the dog and stuck my hand out warily for him to sniff, he looked at my hand for a moment and then began to lick it. I smiled and pet the dog as he panted happily and moved closer, obviously loving the attention. Then a thought popped into my head and I began to thoroughly check the dog for any wounds while he tried to lick all over my face, I breathed in relief as I saw none and I pet the dog one last time before standing back up and looking around. "What are you doing running around out here boy huh? Are you alone too?" He tilted his head and looked at me with happy eyes, of course he wasn't going to respond.

I continued to walk along the road looking for any sign of an owner, the whole time the dog followed behind diligently. It was about 2:00 and I was going to need to head back soon, "Well, I guess your-" but I stopped mid sentence as I heard the distinct plodding footsteps of a person, too fast to be one of the dead. I pulled out a weapon and stood ready to fight, but to my surprise the dog beside me perked up a bit and barked softly, making me wonder if maybe this was his owner. After another minute of waiting a woman, probably 18 by the looks of it, slowed to a walk and stopped when she saw me with the gun in hand. She pulled out one of her own and pointed it shakily at me as well, "Give me my dog back, I will shoot you." I held up my hands in surrender, not wanting to frighten her anymore and make a problem, and I placed my gun back in the holster. I knew it was a risky move but either I stood my ground and showed I wasn't a threat or we had a shoot out, and I didn't want to put her down just for being wary or vise verse. "Hey, your dog found me I didn't take him. You can have him back." She didn't take her eyes off of me but she whistled to the dog and he trotted over and sat beside her diligently, "Who are you?" "Well, I'm Orella and I'm immune to the infection. I was taking a walk when your dog here bounded up to me and stuck to my side like glue. I'm assuming you lost him?" She nodded slowly but kept her gun pointed at me without wavering.

"If you put your gun down could we talk normally?"

"How do I know you won't attack me?"

"Do I look that stupid kid?"

Her eyes narrowed a bit but she complied and lowered her weapon but didn't holster it, smart move. "Alright then, I'm Charlie Daye. Like you I am also immune but I got separated from my parents when all this started." I lowered my hands and gave her a sincere condolence, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I know how you feel...trust me." She nodded and her eyes seemed to lose some of their coldness, "So where are you headed Charlie?" She shrugged and holstered her gun, seeming to feel a bit more comfortable, "Just trying to find shelter for the night at the moment." I nodded and began to walk the other way, knowing she would follow, "I have shelter a little ways up the road if you need to stay for the night. And your dog can stay inside too." This made her smile a bit and she nodded slowly before looking over to me with a bit of concern in her eyes, "How can I trust you though?" "Because if I was going to kill you I would have done it back there." We both smiled a bit and talked as we headed down the road back to my home, things were looking up for me it seemed.

(Back at home) As we neared the shack I pointed it out to Charlie as we snacked on some deer jerky and drank water, "There it is, better than nothing I suppose." I saw her smirk and nod before giving the last piece of food to Bongo and we walked over, but I stopped her as I saw two dead walking in front of the house. "We can easily take them out but I'd rather not use bullets, do you have-" She cleared her throat as she pulled out a machete similar to mine and I nodded at her in approval, she told Bongo to stay as we strode over to the dead and each one of us decapitated one with a swing of our blades. She whistled to Bongo and we moved the bodies further out so it would repel other dead then I walked up to the front door. I was about to open the door but all of a sudden I heard Charlie scream accompanied by a static sound resonating through my head, I turned around in horror to see Slender standing in front of her with his tentacles raised threateningly. "Slender stop! She's a friend!" but he acted as if he never heard me and advanced on the frightened girl, making her back away and trip over a root. Before he had a chance to do anything I ran and stood in front of Charlie, growling at Slender, "Stop, she's not here to hurt me." "She's a threat, she could take you out in your sleep." I looked back at Charlie's pleading eyes for a moment before looking back Slender with a trusting stare, "No, she isn't like that. I know it, I can see it." He growled lowly before retracting his tentacles, but he didn't move nor did he calm the dangerous aura he had pulsing around him from his anger. "And stop that damn noise your hurting her." He said nothing but I helped Charlie up as she wiped her face off and hid slightly behind me, "What the hell is that thing? You called him Slender, as in Slender man right? Oh shit oh shit-" "Charlie stop! Yes, he's the Slender man. But he won't hurt you...so long as I don't let him." She paled a bit but nodded and tried to stop her shaking, "Why don't you go inside and I'll be in in a minute? There's some more water in the small fridge and food in the cabinets." She looked at me for a moment before nodding slowly and calling Bongo in with her, I watched them go then I looked to Slender with a blank expression, I knew he was angry with me...I could feel it. "What are you thinking Orella?! After what happened your going to let a stranger in your home? How do you know she's not really going to try and kill you, and don't say you can just feel it." "The decisions I make are my own, I want to try and change the way I see other people...I don't want to be afraid of everyone anymore." I looked to the ground as I heard him sigh and I knew he wasn't as angry any more, he was just frustrated. "Sometimes it's better to be afraid and cautious...but then again you do hang around with me." I smiled a bit and I knew he was giving me that irresistible wolfish smile of his, even if I could see his sharp dangerous teeth it still made me smile.

"Do you want to come in?" "No, I'd better not. It would probably make a problem...and I don't play well with others." I nodded in understanding and he disappeared without another word, though I knew he was watching me more closely than most days because of the newcomer, oh well. I opened the door to my house now that the problem was resolved for now and I looked over to see Bongo on my bed and Charlie seated in a chair, smiling sheepishly at me. "Sorry, once got up there I couldn't get him down." I shrugged it off and sat on the bed beside the large dog, scratching his ears a bit as Charlie looked down for a moment then questioned me, "So why the hell is the Slender man here? I thought he was only a myth?" I shook my head and laughed a bit at how weird this was, "No, actually believe it or not he was going to kill me about a month back. But for some reason he changed his mind and we're kind of friends." She looked at me like I was a bit crazy but nodded none the less, "So he's not going to kill me?" "Not if he knows whats best for him, and he wouldn't do something like that to me." Again she didn't seem to believe this all the way but she nodded and drank a bit of water from the bottle she held, "So, this is a pretty neat home you've got here. Build it yourself?" I chuckled and shook my head, "Na, a while back I found it and just fixed it up to where it was liveable, then I just stocked it up and voila, a home." She seemed a bit impressed and took a bite of an energy bar she had found, "So not to seem needy and what not but do you have a place where I can take a shower or something? By the looks of it you seem to be pretty clean and I feel disgusting."

I nodded and laughed, grabbing some clothes for her and motioning for her to follow me outside, she did so and looked around nervously before trotting after me, Bongo on her heels. I saw Slender on the edge of the forest but I didn't say anything to Charlie for fear of her freaking out so I just continued to bring her to the creek without a word, but I did speak to him mentally, "Why are you following us?" "I don't trust her Orella." "We're going to bathe." "I am not going to watch you if that is what you are thinking, but I will be listening for trouble." I rolled my eyes and made sure she was still following, by the time we got there it was about 4:00 so we had about an hour before we should get inside. "Alright, it's shallow towards this end and gets deeper the further you go out, I brought shampoo and conditioner and I have more at the house to feel free to use it as you please." She looked utterly happy and as we both stripped down and hopped in I smiled, loving the feel of having another human being to share the burden with, even if she only stayed for a day.

So do you guys like the new character? I will describe her more in detail in the next chapter. Leave comments and reviews please!