Eight

Once the four of us were in the forest, I knew that something peculiar was going on in the forest. It was darker in the forest than it should be. I visit the forest regularly, but I don't even recognise it right now. For what I can see, it looks like we're trapped in a bubble, as behind the trees is darkness. And even more darkness.

I cleared my throat, looking over to Jeff. "Is this even Sunny Hills forest anymore?" I questioned, making both Jeff and Liu look at me in surprise. "What?" I muttered, looking down in confusion.

"No, it's not," Jeff replied, a smirk upon his lips, "This is the forest that connects all forests to Slenderman's realm."

"What." Keith said, staring at Jeff in shock. "We're going to a different realm? Cool." Keith grinned, looking around.

"That's why it's so dark." Liu explained, making Keith and I nod in understanding.

We walked on for a short time longer before we were walking in full darkness. I can't even see the trees anymore.

"Are we nearly there?" Keith asked, bored.

Jeff nodded, a small smile on his face. Now that we were nearly there, something finally occurred to me.

"Wait. Do you two live with Slenderman alone, or are there others?" I asked, stopping in place to look at my brothers.

Jeff looked over to Liu, as in telling him to explain.

"Well, you see, we live with quite a few people actually…." Liu mumbled, making me raise an eyebrow. "There's BEN Drowned, Eyeless Jack, Laughing Jack, Ticci-Toby, Masky, Hoodie, Clockwork, Sally, Jane the Killer, and Nina the Killer. As well as Slenderman and the two of us. Like us, they're all killers- beside Sally- and I think you two shouldn't try to mess with them, okay?" Liu explained, making both Keith and I nod, getting the information.

"Also," Jeff chimed in, "some of them don't look exactly normal. Don't question their appearance unless you're asking a completely genuine question." He finished, pointedly looking at me.

"Are you giving me permission to ask them purely medical and scientific questions?" I asked, grinning hopefully.

Jeff gave a slight nod. "Only if they allow it, okay?" I nodded, knowing not to invade their privacy.

"By the way, EJ is a cannibal, don't trust anything LJ gives you, and I believe you really need to speak with Jane and Nina some point soon." Liu chided. I raised an eyebrow at the last part of his sentence.

"Why do I need to talk to Jane and Nina?" I wondered, looking between Jeff and Liu. Neither answered.

"Sorry to interrupt, guys, but my legs are killing. Can we please hurry this up?" Keith dramatically exclaimed, making me shake my head in disappointment. But I was smiling anyway.

The boys nodded, continuing to walk ahead. We walked in silence for a matter of minutes. I focused on our surroundings- specifically how as we walked on it somehow got darker, even though we've been walking through pitch darkness.

After a short time longer in the dark forest, I could see a light not so far in front of us.

"Is that the end?!" Keith cried out, grinning happily.

"Yup." Jeff nodded, making Keith immediately start walking faster. "Wait, Keith!" Jeff shouted, alarmed, making Keith stop in place, turning back to look at Jeff.

"What?" Keith asked, confused.

Jeff let out a chuckle. "Don't you think that we should go first?" He questioned, "They do actually know us, after all."

"By all means, go ahead." Keith stepped back, holding his arm out so that Jeff and Liu go first.

They went ahead into the light, disappearing when they did so. Keith and I were standing in front of the light, waiting. I looked over to Keith, before holding out my open palm.

"Together?" I asked, as Keith grabbed my hand, holding it tight.

"Together." He nodded, as we ran into the light.

When we entered the light, a weird sensation fell over me. It wasn't hostile, but it wasn't welcoming either. I knew that Keith felt this too, so I pushed us through the light, as we re-appeared on the other side.

We disconnected hands, stumbling out of the light. I fell harshly to my knees, my chest feeling compressed, my throat burning. I gasped for air, clawing at my throat. "I can't breathe…" I mumbled as I began to cough, chocking for air. I looked up to Jeff and Liu, who exchanged a look with each other before yelling out:

"Slenderman!" As they shouted for the being, he appeared. He's bloody terrifying. I looked up to the faceless creature in a business suit with lidded eyes, as the static and the pain got worse. Slenderman pulled two things out of one of his pockets: a bottle of pills and a bottle of water.

Keith helped me up as Jeff and Liu went over to Slenderman, getting the pills and the water.

"You'll be okay." A voice whispered into my head as my brothers handed me a pill and the water. I took the pill, swallowing it down with the water.

Immediately after, things began to clear up. My chest was fine, my throat was fine, as was my head. I stared up at Slenderman, a thankful smile upon my face.

"Thank you, Slenderman…. uh, sir?" I awkwardly thanked the being, making my brothers laugh behind me.

"Call me Slender, and there's no need for formalities, child." The voice whispered in my head once more, making me realise it was Slender.

"I have a question." I stated, making Keith groan from behind me. "If you can talk to us in our minds, how do you eat?" I wondered, making both Jeff and Liu burst into laughter.

"It's complicated." Slenderman replied in my head, making me nod in understanding.

"I have another question. Do I have a room in there?" I asked them, pointing to a large wooden mansion that stood in the distance.

Slenderman nodded, as Jeff came up to me and said: "Of course you do! Me and Liu kept two free rooms between ours for you two during our eleven years of begging for you two to stay."

"You mean, "Liu and I", Jeff." I corrected my brother, making him shake his head in exasperation.

"I tell you that you have a room beside mine and all you do is correct my grammar?!" Jeff complained, as I nodded proudly.

"Thanks for saving rooms for us, though." I thanked both my brothers and Slender.

"Can I just say that I'm pretty out of the loop right now? Like, how did I not have the same reaction as Mellie?" Keith asked Slender, staring into his faceless features.

"Well, it shouldn't have happened to her in the first place. I granted permission for both of you to be here, but Melanie is still suffering the Slender sickness. That only happens if I haven't given a person permission to be here." Slenderman explained, making the boys nod, but I only looked at him incredulously.

"Will I have to keep taking these pills?" I asked the being, as I held up the bottle of pills that he gave me. He nodded.

"When you run out, come to me and I'll give you some more." He said. I gave him a nod, before turning around to look at my brothers.

"Is it just me, or do you guys want to get to the mansion?" I asked them excitedly.

They nodded, Keith about to speak before he was cut off before he even said anything. The light that we entered the realm through appeared once more, temporarily blinding us as three figures emerged from the light.