Mistakes

Yes it took 21 chapters for their romance to actually begin, but it was worth it. I wanted it too seem like a normal relationship in progress so now it will progress faster...trust me ;) No Slender rights.

The hour following my return too the cabin was awkward and irritating in all honesty, I tried not too make any eye contact with John but I could practically feel him staring at me from across the room. Charlie had no clue about what had happened so she just looked between us as if she missed something entirely, "Uh...you two ok?" I kept a straight face while I nodded and John did so as well, "Yeah, we're fine..." I finally looked over too John and we held each others stare for a moment, hope and care in his eyes while I assumed mine were filled with rejection and a stony neutrality. I tried to feel like I shouldn't blame him but for some reason I still did, I mean, he knew better than too pull a stunt like that, especially at night in the damned woods. After what seemed like forever he finally looked away, a slightly dejected tone creeping into his voice as he stood, "Well, I'm going too go check on Issac and make sure our stuff is packed for tomorrow. I think he should be fine by then too head back."

I watched as he walked a bit stiffly from the room, my eyes noticing how his shoulders were a bit slumped and he didn't even bother too wipe some of the dirt from his clothes. After he had left the room Charlie turned towards me with a questionable stare, "Ok what the hell is going on? You guys leave as friends and come back acting like one of you committed so horrible crime or something." My stare never wavered as I looked over too her and I felt slight irritation at her nosiness, but then again I would probably have been just as curious. I folded my arms over my chest in a move of embarrassment and looked too the floor as I told her what happened, remembering too leave out the part with Slender...she didn't need something else too tease him or me about. "So he pretty much attacked your face?" I scoffed at her blunt tone and shook my head, "No, but it was unexpected and it surprised the hell out of me...but then I had too tell him that I didn't think I felt the same way. It kind of hurt him I think." She nodded and gestured to where John had been a few minutes ago with a 'duh' expression, "Ya think, he looked more dejected than a kicked puppy."

"Thanks for making me feel better about it." She nodded and hopped up before grabbing Bongo and heading off to her room that had finally been set up, leaving me with my thoughts and the soft glow of candlelight around the room. Maybe I did feel something for John...but why would It have felt wrong when we were together? We had know each other for about 8 years now and I felt closer too him than anyone, but at the same time, I felt a pull from somewhere...someone...else. I groaned in frustration and placed my head in my hands with an exhausted sigh, just wanting all the problems too stop, as if I didn't have enough right now. While my mind was caving in on itself I neglected to notice the thud of footsteps and by the time they stopped and I looked up I found a face a mere foot from mine, eyebrows scrunched in worry. I jumped back and was halfway up the couch, heart pounding and gasping for breath as I tried to get a hold of my nerves, "Shit! What the hell is wrong with you?!" His look of concern turned too one of irritation and he backed away quickly while clenching his jaw, "Sorry I felt a bit of concern for you, I'll just go too bed." "John wait...I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry." I knew he was just hurt from what I had said and done earlier and withing a few minutes his expression relaxed and he sighed as he sat in the chair across from me, rubbing his hair with his hand while he thought of what too say.

"I know...and I'm sorry too. I just...I'm just hurt you know? I thought that after these past few years that you had been feeling the same as me, but it was stupid of me too assume." I crossed my legs and shook my head as I listened to my friend beat himself up, "No, it wasn't stupid...because I did feel like that, but I don't know what changed. Maybe being alone had just made me different from who I used too be, and that change includes my feelings." He seemed to think about what I had said, his forehead wrinkling a bit as he thought it over, and then looked up too me with a searching expression...unanswered questions lingering in his eyes like unshed tears. "...Is it him?" "I don't under-" "Slender man, do you really belong too him? Is what he said true?" At first I thought he would sound angry but all I heard in his voice was a desperate need too know the answer, to have a closure too what could have been but could never be. "I...I don't know..." "You have too know...do you care for him?" "Like I had known him all my life." "...And does he care for you?" "...yes, more than anything..." He gave a half hearted smile as he heard me seal the truth on what he had already suspected, but he winced as if he was being burned. I hated too see him like this, vulnerable, but right now all I saw was a man that would always have to see something he could never have...even if I wanted too give it too him. I opened my mouth too speak, I wanted too console him, but before I could utter a word he had held up his hand and looked at me with grief and understanding, something that surprised me too no end. "Than that's all that I needed too hear, I may not be able to have you by my side but I want you too be happy...no matter who it's with." I felt my eyes sting with the oncoming tears but I steeled myself and swallowed the sadness and happiness that threatened too overflow, he had no idea how much this meant too me.

I moved towards him and he pulled me onto his lap as an older brother would his sister, coming to terms with how it would be from now on. I buried my face into his neck comfortingly and I felt him do the same, the gesture nothing but innocent and caring, as one friend would love another too the end. "I'm sorry things aren't different John but I- it just doesn't feel right. I couldn't just be with you out of pity...please understand." "It's alright Ella, I may be a little hurt but wounds heal...some just take longer than others. But don't feel sorry for having feelings for someone else...just be careful please." I nodded as we continued too sit like that, him shielding me from the outside as I slowly but surely drifted off into the dark world of sleep where all my troubles seemed to stay by my side...

(Next afternoon) The mood felt almost normal as John, and I loaded his things into the car so they would be ready too leave later on. "Issac's sickness is gone and he's been itching too get outside and move, we should get him outside a bit so he can play. You mind?" I smiled and shook my head as we walked back too the cabin, the chill in the air making me breath into my hands and I rubbed my covered arms for a bit more warmth, "Sounds good, maybe it'll start snowing today. It's certainly cold enough for it." He squinted as he looked into the sky, gray clouds covering it and making it shady all around, "I suppose, but would snow really be the best thing right now?" I knew he was right, snow could prove too be just as dangerous as the dead and it was not something too be taken lightly, I had even made sure John and Issac had enough clothes for themselves so they didn't freeze. I noticed the cabin ahead but I stopped walking, my hands in my pockets and my head tilted slightly downwards. John halted and looked over too me in question, seeing as I wasn't even looking at him, "Why don't you stay John? I have room in the cabin and It wouldn't be a problem-" "We already talked about this Orella, I don't trust...him...around my brother. No matter how much you know him, I don't. Besides, I saw an abandoned place up the road a bit that we're going too be using for shelter. We should be fine." I grimaced at his tone as he talked about Slender, but I suppose it wasn't all his fault...I would probably feel the same way if our roles were reversed.

Not able too come up with a response I looked back up towards the sky but only to be hit in the eye with something, "What the..." "Shit..." It had started too snow...but it had also started to hail as well. "C'mon lets get back inside, hopefully it'll let up before we leave in a bit." He didn't seem as sure but followed me as I entered the cabin and shook off my cloak before plopping down on the couch tiredly, I just remembered that I hadn't eaten yet. "I'll get you something too eat." John must have noticed my expression and left too go fix some breakfast for me while I lounged a bit, not really feeling up too moving right at the moment. I turned my attention towards the window as a slight clinking sounded against it and I noticed that the hail and snow had picked up, it was already cold enough for it too stick so I was skeptical about driving later, but I was pulled from my thoughts as a bowl of soup was pushed into my face, the smell making my mouth water.

He chuckled as I took it from him and spooned it into my mouth eagerly, not paying any mind too how it burned a trail of lava down my throat, and he sat next too me gently. "I assume that it tastes good?" "Mmmhmm." As I continued too eat Issac came running into the room followed by Charlie and Bongo, the dog was practically spring loaded as he played with the child and Charlie smiled as she watched the two rough house. "He really likes Issac you know, he wouldn't leave him alone when it came too sleeping with him." "Huh, automatic best friends. How about that." The three of us watched the two play, remembering what it was once like before innocence had become a weakness for us, before the word family was a rare thing too hear or say. My spoon stopped moving as I thought back to my family and I felt sick too my stomach as Issac's image flashed too that of my sister. I put the bowl aside and looked away from the scene in anger at what my life had become, it made me wonder how I was still human after what the gods themselves had went through just to stop me where I stand.

(At the car) "But I don't want too leave them!" "Issac we have too go, I'm sorry. We'll see them again I promise." John put a crying Issac into the backseat and scooted in as we prepared to leave, a chilly wind still in the air and a slight snowfall going on. The gravel path was nothing but white now and I was afraid of what the road was going too be like, but I know John would just keep persisting until I gave in. "So which way do I go?" "Just back the way we came, there's an abandoned place that I've been cleaning out and scoping for the winter. It's already been boarded up and nothing but us can get in." I nodded and drove off the path slowly, the tires spinning a bit in the snow and gravel mix, but I managed to get on the road and drove on. Nothing was heard but Issac's slight sniffling as I drove and I saw only a few dead littering the side of the road, most of them probably congregated in certain areas for now, but my attention was pulled away as I heard Charlie sneeze.

"What kind of sneeze was that?" "A normal sneeze thank you very much." "No, that was like a mutated mouse sneeze." John laughed as he listened to me laugh and Charlie huffed as she argued with me, the air lighting and relaxing a bit. I slowed as I made a slight turn and I squinted a bit as the snow fell a bit heavier, making me a bit nervous and uncertain, "John maybe we should go back for now, it's getting dangerous out here." "We'll be fine, it's just a few more minutes up here." "But John I can't se-" "Orella swerve!" I screamed as a few deer flew out in front of the car and I pulled the wheel to the opposite direction only to hit a slick part of the road that had wetened down snow stuck too it. I heard John and Charlie yell as the car spun and I tried too brake, making the car jolt and flip too the side, and my vision went black. (When she awoke) I heard the beating of my heart in my ears as I opened my eyes, my blurry and darkened vision making it difficult too see around me but I managed. I felt around and was confused for a moment as I felt a seat belt and steering wheel, then it hit me...the crash. I panicked a bit more and wriggled around too try and spot the others but all I heard was wind blowing around the car, "Charlie, John, Issac?!" "Are you guys ok?" I heard no response as I started to cut myself out with my knife and I groaned in pain as I hit the roof of the flipped car, making my way slowly out the shattered window. "Charlie! Issac! John!" I yelled their names as I looked around but still no reply, and they weren't in the car, where the hell could they have gone?

I winced as the wind bit my face but I began to walk around side of the car, hoping too find my friends alive. I saw nothing as I looked around the snow but all of a sudden I saw something dark against the white snow...it was a jacket! I limped over to where it was and I nearly cried in relief as I saw Charlie, but upon closer inspection I saw the spots of blood around where her head was resting and I saw that her breathing was labored. "Shit Charlie..." I bent over and pulled her over a bit so I could heft her up, luckily she was light, and I managed to get her about halfway slumped over me so I could carry her. I knew that in our condition that we probably wouldn't make it far but I had too try, I had too try and find John and Issac. As I slowly made my way down the road I cursed at myself for having tried and make it through the first storm of the winter, it was just a stupid idea from the start. I felt my teeth chatter as the cold went straight too my bones, my eyes scanning every which way for some sign of the others. "Gotta be somewhere...there!" I saw another jacket covered body a bit in front of me, there were slightly labored tracks in the snow showing that they had tried to get away but they eventually collapsed. I heard Charlie groan as I hefted her up a bit more and I made my way over to the body, setting Charlie down against a rusted car so I could get a closer look...but I wish I never had. It was Issac.

"Issac?! Issac c'mon!" I rolled over the small body and wiped some of the blood from off his head, feeling the tears fall from my eyes as I saw the gash on the side, still oozing blood. "Okay, I can get you both back.." I lifted Issac's limp body into my arms and I moved over towards Charlie as she started too move, "Wha...? What the hell?" "Charlie? Oh thank god! We were in an accident and Issac is hurt...he's hurt really badly Charlie.." She nodded slowly and I helped her stand shakily, we leaned against each other as we walked. "How far is the cabin?" "We had only drove for a few minutes so it can't be that far..." I knew she could hear the doubt in my voice as I tried to console her, I knew that we wouldn't make it, it was too much.

We had only been walking for 5 minutes when Charlie gave a small cry and fell too her knees before falling too the side, unable to hold herself up any longer. I was panting with exhaustion but I knelt down beside her, Issac still heavy in my arms, and I tried too shake her awake. "C'mon, we can make it. It's not far a swear!" But she wouldn't move, the only way I knew she was still alive was because I saw her slightly labored breathing move her jacket. I knew she didn't have the energy too stay awake so I looked down too Issac, hoping that he was okay. I pulled his jacket around him too keep out the wind and I shook him a bit, trying to get him too stir just the slightest...just a hoping for a sign. But it was only after a few shakes that I realized his slight breathing had stopped, "Issac...Issac!" I put my fingers too his neck and tried too find a pulse but there was nothing...all the life, all the joy, that had once been in this child was gone...all because I wouldn't listen to my gut feeling. I didn't know what too say, didn't know what too do...so I did the only thing I could...I buried my face in his stone cold body and I cried. I cried so hard that I thought my lungs would burst, I cried because his own brother didn't even know where we were and here I was with his dead brother...he would hate me. Probably want too kill me...and right now, I wouldn't make the move too stop him.

Oh no what is this?! A tragedy! A missing John! A close too death Charlie! Intense stuff here, but John probably won't appear again until either the end or the sequel...yes there's going too be a sequel. Please review for me I love the support and I love reading them! :)