Hunting Slenderman

[dont_turn_around]

In the mist and fog and silence, there is a cave. There is darkness within darkness there and nothing more and the faint whiff of something ... not right.

But there's a drawing stuck to the rocks that frame the opening, a childish grouping of trees and a tall, thin man, with the words TAMAN SHUD.

Here is the end.

"I think we should go here," says Jack.

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Of course we do," Steve mutters and unclips the holster strapped to his thigh so he can reach his pistol easily. His shield is already on his arm.

[mix_it_up]

Asami didn't bring a weapon, but she did ask the bar for a flashlight. Knowledge, it seems, has been her best defense so far.

But as she shines the light along the drawing: "I think I'm glad I can't read that."

[ambriel]

"I can." Ambriel doesn't look very pleased about it, though.

"Jack, are you going first?"

Ambriel is carefully positioned at the back of the party, intent on making sure nothing sneaks up on them from behind. Slenderman's tactics do not even have a passing acquaintance with 'honorable'.

[jack_inthegreen]

Jack has no weapon to draw nor even a flashlight to shine. Oddly, he doesn't really need either.

"Yes. I'll go first."

He steps into the cave.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve wants to tell him to be careful, but does a god really need to be careful?

Ordinary humans do. Which is why Steve follows close on Jack's heels, his shield at the ready.

[dont_turn_around]

A voice, low and growling, sing-songs,

John Smith got his forest burned down. 
That's why he planted new trees. 
A lot, a whole lot, and a lot more... 
A lot, a whole lot, and a lot more... 
A lot, a whole lot, and a lot more...

[ambriel]

"I must admit," Ambriel says, ducking to clear the cave entrance, "I did not expect singing."

The ground seems solid enough underfoot, though covered in shifting loam. The walls are cold and damp. Ambriel trails a hand along them carefully. The last thing they need is a cave-in.

[mix_it_up]

"I understand it," she mutters, "but I don't know what it's supposed to mean."

And while it brings with it a now familiar stab of fear, Asami stays steady, even resisting the urge to flicker the flashlight around to try to find the source of the singing. Moving into the cave, she shifts the light mostly along the walls, as it's unhelpful and a little unsettling to shine it straight into the darkness.

[jack_inthegreen]

"It's meant to frighten us, that's all," says Jack as he walks along, fingers of one hand trailing along the cave wall. "This creature feeds on fear, it would seem."

[ami_imperfect]

The natural light of her ghost form lights the immediate area of fog and mist around Dani, and not much else.

As she walks suddenly a plume of cold air escapes from her mouth, and she draws up short.

"Enzo, I think we may be on something here..."

[a1enzo]

Enzo halts and scans their surroundings. "I wish I knew exactly what we're looking for..."

[ami_imperfect]

"You're not the only one," she agrees. "If this were something like Megabyte or the Fruit Loop, at least we'd know what to expect."

[a1enzo]

"But if we're close..."

He charges up one gauntlet to add what he can to the light, and scans again.

"Hey! There's a cave!"

[ami_imperfect]

Dani bites her tongue hard enough to draw blood, just so that she doesn't say 'Yeah, but close to what?"

When Enzo points out the cave she lifts one hand up, her fist glowing with green ecto-energy. "How much do you want to bet that's where Skinnyguy's hiding out?"

[a1enzo]

"No bet. You ready?"

[ami_imperfect]

"Not really, but do we have a choice?"

[a1enzo]

"Nope. Stay frosty..." They approach the entrance.

"Okay," he declares, pointing to the drawing, "that's kind of a dead giveaway."

[nerves_of_ice]

All is quiet in the halls of the dead.

Or those who are the nearest thing to it in this place, anyway.

[dont_turn_around]

What's this? What's this?

Something is waiting for him.

Something young and tender.

[nerves_of_ice]

Something sealed, coffin-like, within a human-sized solid bar ...

... of chocolate.

(Bucky Barnes has never heard of carbonite, and wouldn't know who Han Solo was if you asked him, but it doesn't matter. His kidnappers are perfectly well aware of such things, and long ago made their own arrangements for such matters.)

[dont_turn_around]

Oh. Oh. The joy. The hunger that gnaws.

This is like the days of old. Always the best. Always the strongest. Always the most cherished.

He is nearly dancing with anticipation at such a feast.

[nerves_of_ice]

As with any gift, of course, this one is well-wrapped.

(STRENGTH. PROTECTION. BENEDICTION.)

Maybe more so than most of those that have been presented to this creature in days of yore.

[dont_turn_around]

What's this? What's this?

Drawing closer, touching the encasement with his fingers, with his tentacles, with his vision.

What's this? What's this?

[v_knidh8er]

There's a quiet, well oiled, click of metal on metal from behind where Slenderman has manifested himself.

"There ain't no rest for the wicked
Money don't grow on trees
We got bills to pay
We got Mouths to feed
And there ain't nothin' in this world for free."

His voice is thinner than normal, and there's a reedy quality that isn't usually there. Probably due to what ever caused the little orange man's arm to be in a sling.

Whatever it is, it doesn't stop him from using that very same shoulder to prop up the butt of a rifle, it's muzzle trained on Slenderman's center of mass.

"We know we can't slow down,
We can't hold back,
Though you know, I wish we could.
No there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Until we close our eyes for good."

[dont_turn_around]

Turning.

Gazing.

There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction they are going!
There's no knowing where they're rowing,
Or which way they river's flowing!
Not a speck of light is showing,
So the danger must be growing,
For the rowers keep on rowing,
And they're certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing...

Ring any bells?