A week passes by in a flash. EJ finally allowed me out of bed, but placed my arm in a sling first, and gave me a crutch to help with walking. During that time, Hoodie and Toby had shown up to visit me, and the woman I met at the start of the week volunteered to help me with bathing and dressing myself. I learned her name was Clockwork. Masky was nowhere to be seen, and when I asked Hoodie about him, he said that he had gone on a hunting spree with Ben and LJ. I could guess what he meant by hunting. Sally once dragged Jeff up to visit me as well, though that conversation felt rather forced and uncomfortable to me. Clockwork was right about Toby being stressed, as during the first visit, he had almost thrown himself on top of me, smothering me in a hug. It surprised me at first and I shrunk back a little, but soon just started rubbing his back awkwardly with one hand in an attempt to make him feel better.

I had also met two of Slenderman's brothers during this time. Splendorman and Trenderman, I believe their names were. Splendorman seemed to be the friendliest of the three, and Trenderman was very polite. They mentioned a fourth brother, though they seemed to dislike him, and didn't say much of him when I asked. They simply told me to stay away from him and, if that's not possible, never accept a rose from him. They seemed... really serious about that.

"How about you, (Y/N)? Do you like anyone?" Sally asks, bringing me back to the present. She had roped me into a tea party with Clockwork and another lady named Jane, who was wearing a mask. She had brought real tea instead of Sally's pretend tea this time, and I take a careful sip from my cup.

"No, I don't have anyone special in mind." I say. She pouts.

"That's so boring though! What about Hoodie? Or Masky? Or Toby? Or EJ? You don't like any of them?" She asks. I laugh in surprise, not sure how to respond to her.

"Well, that's alright. You've only been here for about a week, and most of that was spent in bed. I'm sure someone will eventually catch your eye." Clockwork says, winking at me. I snort at her and take another sip of tea.

"It's... sort of strange to be here with you all." I say. I was still adjusting to seeing these people as killers, and not just weirdos hanging out together in a creepy mansion in the woods. It was easier to see some of them as murderers, such as Jeff and LJ, but the others? I struggled to make the connection. Jane nods in understanding.

"I'm sure you'll fit in soon enough. The boys are difficult at times but that's just because they haven't been laid in-"

"Jane!" Clockwork gasps, covering Sally's ears. I snicker and drain the rest of my cup, reaching for a biscuit on a plate in the centre of the table.

"How old are you, anyway, (Y/N)?" Jane asks.

"I'm nineteen. Turning twenty in three months." I say, unsure why she was asking this question. She reaches into her pocket and holds something out for me to take underneath the table, out of Sally's eyesight. I glance down and splutter in surprise, pushing the condom back towards her.

"No thanks, I don't think I'll need one of those." I say slightly sarcastically.

"It's always better to be safe than sorry. Take it."

"I CAN TELL WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GIVE HER JANE AND PLEASE TRY TO REMEMBER THERE IS A CHILD HERE!!" Clockwork shouts. I laugh as Sally just looks confused. Jane tosses the rubber onto my lap, giving a more suggestive wink I was comfortable with. I thank her for the tea and stand up with a bit of difficulty, reaching for my crutch.

"What, leaving so soon?" Sally asks, slightly disappointed.

"Yeah, sorry Sally. I'm just going to go find Hoods or something." I say, limping out of the room. The stairs posed a small challenge but I managed to descend them without falling, thankfully. When I walk into the common room, a man I hadn't seen before looks up. He had a trench coat on and a red tie, though he wore no shirt. On his head he wore a fedora. He had no eyes, but a mouth filled with sharp teeth took up the lower half of his face.

"My, my, who's this young lady?" He asks, standing up and walking towards me, procuring a rose from somewhere in his coat and offering it towards me. I reach for it, slightly surprised.

"Touch her and you'll wake up impaled on a tree, Offender. (Y/N), don't take the rose." Hoodie says, not looking away from the TV screen. I pull my hand back, remembering the Slender bros' words. Offender sighs, tucking the rose back into his pocket.

"(Y/N) is such a lovely name, perfectly fit for such a lovely face. I must ask, though, who was so corrupt they brought harm to your beautiful form?" He asks, glancing at my sling and crutch. I take a small step back, creeped out by his behaviour.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Offender. You're a bit late for vengeance though, they're all dead." Jeff says in a monotone. Offender's face splits into a grin.

"Are you here to stay then? I'd hate to see you leave." He says, stepping closer, invading my personal space.

"U-Uh..." I stutter, staring up at him, too flustered to do anything.

"Oh, (Y/N), what are you- Oh. Hi Offender." Toby monotones, entering the room. I quickly retreat to the couch, curling up on the edge, watching Hoodie and Jeff play Rocket League. Offender follows me, though there were no open spaces left for him to take, so he had to sit on a different couch. I feel his eyes on me, a cold chill running up my spine.

"Y'know, (Y/N), I could heal those wounds for you." He murmurs, running his tongue over his lips suggestively. I shuffle a bit closer to Hoodie, trying to put more distance between us.

"Stop harassing the chick, asshole." Jeff says, surprising me slightly. The others must really not like him if he was defending me.

"I wasn't talking to you, you mental patient." Offender returns. Jeff growls, tearing his eyes off the screen and staring with a look that could kill at him. Offender clears his throat and looks away first, adjusting his tie slightly. At that moment, Slenderman walks into the room, his gaze lingering on Offender for a moment before turning to us.

"I'm going to have to ask you all to put the games on pause for now. A large group of people have entered the forest. I suspect they are looking for Toby and (Y/N), due to what happened last week." He announces. Jeff immediately shuts off the game, standing up and walking upstairs, most likely to fetch his weapon. Whatever that was.

"Any idea how many to expect?" Hoodie asks. Slenderman nods.

"Around thirty or so. A large event like three policemen being murdered in a missing person's house is not very common, and a large cause for concern. They seem to have split up into groups of five, however. You will each be assigned a group to take out."

I look at the floor, not sure what to do with myself as the others stand up and prepare themselves to head out. Slenderman notices me sitting there not moving and motions for me to stand up.

"I believe Trenderman has something for you. Due to being unable to retrieve your dagger, he has designed a new weapon and commissioned it for you. It was delivered just this morning." He says when I limp over to him, "You'll find him by the garden out back, I believe."

I nod and thank him, limping out of the room and finding my way to the back door. It was already slightly open, making it easier for me to nudge it open enough for me to slip through. A beautiful, well-tended garden comes into view, enclosed in a wooden fence. Though the ground outside the fence was covered in dead leaves and fallen branches, it was as though the garden was in a separate plane of existence. Trenderman was sitting on a wooden bench nearby, gazing out at the forest. He was wearing his signature brown sweater vest and white undershirt, with stylish grey jeans and shoes. I clear my throat, making him aware of my presence.

"Ah, (Y/N), perfect timing. I was just about to go find you." He says, standing up and approaching me.

"I heard from Slenderman that you had designed a new weapon for me?" I ask, though I was slightly uncomfortable now that my mind was on the weapon instead of the search party in the woods. I didn't need nor want a weapon, as it meant Slenderman eventually expected me to fight – and maybe kill – another human. Trenderman notices my discomfort and quickly assures me.

"It's not for the activities we perform. It's simply so you can defend yourself in case the need arises." He says, guiding me back into the house, slowing his steps so I can keep up easier. I'm secretly grateful for this, as the walking had begun to hurt. He guides me all the way to the third floor, then asks me to wait at the stairwell as he goes up to the fourth floor and retrieves the weapon. He comes back down again carefully holding a large object wrapped in a white cloth, and a sheath for it. When he unwraps the top, it seemed to be a staff of sorts, though it had large blades on either end. It was also rather thin, obviously favouring speed over weight.

"This can be used as a staff, or it can be split at the middle to become two blades. Watch closely, please." He says, placing the cloth on the ground and separating the two blades, showing me the mechanics used and how to split them. He also handed one to me to demonstrate how much it weighed. It was even lighter than it looked, and I found I could easily swing it through the air. I hand it back and he reattaches them, wrapping it up in the cloth once more. As we walk back to my room, he explains how to dismantle and reassemble it, how to clean it properly, and how to make sure it doesn't rust. I thank him once more as he places it against my bedside table.

"It's no problem. I would rather you have a weapon and spend a little money to make one for you, as opposed to you being defenseless." He says. I smile and nod.

"How much did this cost, anyway?" I ask, gently placing my hand against the white cloth covering the weapon. It was beautifully made, and I doubted something so masterful would be cheap.

"That doesn't matter. Now, if there's nothing you need, I have to go help my brother and his proxies in pushing back the search party."

"Proxies?" I ask, unfamiliar with the term. He tilts his head slightly.

"Hmm... How to explain this... They're people that Slenderman has, let's say, claimed. His proxies serve and protect him, and in return, he provides them with shelter and all their needs for survival. For example, Jeff the killer is his proxy. Jeff protects and serves my brother, and he in turn provides him with all he needs for a healthy lifestyle. Or, as healthy as he can be." He explains. I nod.

"Is everyone that lives here Slenderman's proxy?"

"Most of them are. My brothers and I aren't, and that's simply because we're immortal."

He heads for the door. I speak up one more time before he leaves.

"Hey, Trender? Be careful out there." I say. He glances back in surprise but nods.

"We'll be fine. It's not the first time this has happened. Just rest." He replies. Leaving the room. I shuffle my way onto my bed, laying back and staring at the roof for a few moments before reaching across and running my hand over the wrapped weapon again. The cold metal beneath the cloth comforted me, strangely. After another few minutes of trying and failing to sleep, I swing my legs over the edge of my bed. A cold feeling suddenly settles over me and I glance around the room, searching for the source. Leaning against the opposite wall of my room, his foot up against the wall and his hands stuffed deep in his pockets, was Offender. A toothy grin was on his face, reminding me of a shark. I screech in surprise, pulling my legs up again, scrambling backwards until my back is pressed to the wall.

"Well, that's not a nice welcome, sweetheart." He purrs, pushing himself off the wall and stalking towards me. My eyes dart to the weapon still laying against my bedside table and back to him just as quickly, realising I couldn't take off the cloth and separate the blades before he reached me.

"W-Well, I didn't give you any welcome." I say, my body starting to harden unexpectedly as I prepared to fight. My mind starts going blank, though I could feel my pulse in my neck and hear my heart pounding in my ears. He chuckles warmly, though it sounded much more sinister to my ears.

"Don't worry, I'm just here to speed up your healing. It must be infuriating, not being able to go out hunting. Though, by the looks of you, you've never been hunting before, have you?" He smirks, crawling onto my bed. I feel paralysed, terrified of what he might do to me. He cocks his head slightly, a sly grin still on his face.

"This will be easier if you were unconscious. Don't need you screaming and letting everyone know what I'm about to do, do we?" He asks. I felt like slapping myself.

'Of course. Why didn't I think of that sooner?'

I open my mouth to scream for help but before I can make a sound, Offender chops his hand sharply against my neck, knocking me out cold.

~

I wake up in a rush, cold sweat dripping down my neck and spine. Sitting up, I look around my room, searching for any sign of an unwelcome intruder. My memories from before I fell asleep were hazy, though I knew someone had entered and done... something to me. I strain my mind to remember but no details show themselves. Groaning in frustration, I lay back down, freezing suddenly as I realise my arm was no longer in a sling. I tilt my head to look at it, realising with surprise that my sleeve had been torn away and my wound entirely healed. When I move it around to test it, no rush of pain shot up my shoulder. Throwing off my sheets, I realise the same had been done to my calf. Somehow, miraculously, I was entirely healed. A strange, clear substance covered the area around my wounds, however. I wipe some off onto the tip of my finger and inspect it. It was cold and looked like water. I wipe it off on my sheets and stand up, quickly changing into clothes that didn't have parts torn off and leaving my room, carrying my crutch with me. My first stop was EJ's room, where I left the crutch leaning against the wall next to his door.

I assume the others were still out, as the mansion was quiet. Even Sally had disappeared. I head back up to my room and unwrap my weapon, sheathing it and slinging it over my back. The handle was within easy reach, and fit perfectly to my body. I suspect Trender had taken some measurements secretly while I was sleeping.

Walking back down to the front door, I suddenly hear loud shouting, followed by gunshots. I throw myself to the ground beneath a window as it shatters, bullets tearing through the fragile glass. My heart rate accelerates instantly as I unsheathe my weapon, clutching the staff in sweaty hands, as familiar voices reach my ears.

"Shit! They followed us!" Masky shouts. My heart leaps as more bullets shriek over my head and the front door slams open, Masky staggering inside with a wounded Jeff slung over his shoulder. Hoodie leaps through after them and shoves them aside as another round chases them through. He spins on his heel and slams the door closed, quickly locking and barricading it with whatever he could move.

"That was... way more... than thirty!" Jeff pants. He looks across and our eyes lock for a moment, his widening in surprise.

"(Y/N)! Are you okay?" Masky asks, quickly joining my side and checking me for injuries as whoever was outside starts barging at the door, trying to force it open. Thankfully, the windows were almost all boarded up, so they couldn't get in through those. I nod, looking at him in concern. He was bleeding badly and had a white mask with black eyes and lips covering his face. Blood drips from the bottom of it, forming a small puddle on the floor. Hoodie wasn't in much better shape, but at least neither of them were as bad as Jeff. He looked like he had been put through a meat grinder.

While I was distracted, I failed to notice the door buckling. It splinters loudly, drawing my attention. My eyes widen as I take in the state of it and quickly leap to my feet, tackling Hoodie to the side as the door snaps off its hinges, slamming down where he stood seconds earlier. People storm inside, firing shots at random as I roll off the top of Hoodie, charging at the group blindly. There were five of them, two adjusting their aim to point towards me. I jump to the side, avoiding the two shots, dust swirling around my feet. Once I reach the first person, I bring my blades up and drive them into their stomach. Blood sprays over my body, flecking my face with red and staining my clothes. I plant my foot against their body and yank the blades outwards, turning to the second and throwing the blade – straight and true – directly through their skull. The sword point sticks out the back of their head as they fall backwards. I turn to the third person, my eyes wide and crazed, slashing back and forth with my remaining sword.

Two more people fall before I take a hit. The last person fires at close range, though they were so scared their aim was way off and the bullet only grazed my arm. It was still enough to bring me back to myself and I flinch back, hesitating. They quickly seize the opportunity, pointing the gun at my forehead and pulling the trigger. I stumble back, watching death approach in slow motion, when a hatchet flies across my vision. It blocks the bullet and ricochets off course deeper into the mansion as a second hatchet swings towards the last person, burying itself in his neck. His eyes roll back into his head and he crumples to the floor. I drop my sword with a clatter, falling to my knees, staring down at my bloodstained hands in shock.

'I... I killed..."

Bile rises in my throat and I cup a hand over my mouth, standing quickly and dashing towards the bathroom. I skid on my knees towards the toilet, heaving into it, my eyes feeling like they were locked open. All I could see was the dead, staring eyes of the people I killed.

"(Y/N)! (Y/N)!" A voice calls, though it sounded distant and ethereal. I finally manage to throw up what I ate today, screwing my eyes shut tight. Tears leak out of them and I clutch the sides of the toilet tighter, red streaks forming on the porcelain from the blood on my fingertips, clenching my jaw. I dry heave a few more times before feeling someone's hand come down upon my back, rubbing it soothingly.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. You saved the others. Shh..." They murmur. I was too wracked with panic to identify them, but they stayed beside me until I could breathe again, providing comfort as I calm down. My vision goes blurry as I look at my hands, though I had started feeling numb. The person beside me stands up, offering their hand to help me up. Their hand had blood on it as well, and when I glance up, I recognise Toby's mask and goggles. He had his hood pulled up and blood flecked his face, though I could assume I didn't look much better. I take his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet and guide me back to the common rooms. I walk in a trance, staring down at our boots. Voices slowly get louder as we get closer, and I could soon make out arguing.

"She killed four of them! FOUR!! I just sat there and watched her!" Jeff was shouting, though I could hear him wince halfway through his sentence.

"Just shut up, okay?! You're dying and yet you're complaining she 'stole your kills'?" EJ returns.

"No, no! I'm not saying she stole them! I'm saying that she-"

"Guys, shut it! She's back!" Hoodie shouts, standing up and limping to Toby and I. I look him over and realise, when I tackled him to the side, I had managed to twist his ankle. Other than that, his wounds weren't that bad.

"Are you okay? 'Cause... Wow." He says in amazement. I look away, my mouth twisting into a frown.

"Hey, give her some space for now, okay? A lot has happened." Toby says gently. Hoodie nods and backs off, hobbling back to the others. I feel their eyes on me as Toby guides me to Slenderman.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, everyone. There were two groups. One distracted me while the other snuck up on us." He announces.

"Yeah, no shit!" Jeff calls, wincing again. Slenderman just nods, then notices us standing behind him and turns around.

"Oh, (Y/N)! Are you okay? You're covered in blood!" He says, kneeling in front of me and checking for injuries.

"S-Slendy, it's... it's not her blood." Toby explains. Slenderman freezes in surprise, staring at Toby.

"Are you saying she killed someone?" He asks. I twitch, stepping back, my expression dead still.

"Y-Yes sir. Four of the people who b-broke in before everyone else got back was k-killed by her." He says. I remove my hand from his and step back, feeling my stomach turning again.

"I-I didn't mean to. They were- They were going to hurt the others!" I cry, bending at the waist and holding my head between my hands, clawing at my hair. Slenderman quickly grabs hold of my wrists, pulling me upright again.

"(Y/N), I need you to calm down and listen to me. You did the right thing. If you hadn't killed them, they would have killed you, and Jeff, and Masky, and Hoodie. Most likely set a trap for us as we returned, as well. You saved us. You did good." He says, though I barely understand a word of it. I did good? By killing four people? How was that supposed to be good?

"Hey. (Y/N)." EJ calls, prompting me to look over at him. "That scratch on your arm, want me to look at it?"

The offer surprises me. A quick glance around, however, shows that he had already finished stitching up everyone else, including himself. I nod, walking over to him and waiting patiently as he gently grasps my arm and sterilises the cut, deftly bandaging it up.

"There. All better." He says, and I could hear a smile in his tone. I nod and thank him, moving to stand up, but he grabs my arm and stops me.

"D-Do you need something?" I ask, eager to take a shower and wash off the evidence of my crime.

"Your shoulder and leg. They were still healing when we left. How did you heal so fast?" He asks, nodding towards my shoulder. I shake my head.

"I have no idea. I had a nap and when I woke up, they were all healed up. Though, there was some kind of liquid on the area, and my clothes had been torn off near there." I say, realising just how suspicious it was now that EJ had mentioned it. Again, I cursed my inability to remember the details of before I went to sleep. EJ stiffens for a moment but nods, releasing me.

"Go clean up and have another rest. We'll handle the bodies." He says. I nod and thank him again before heading upstairs, grabbing a change of clothes and making my way to the bathroom. Once the door is closed and locked, I waste no time stripping off every item of clothing and throwing them on a heap on the ground. The hot water running over my body does little to soothe me, though it does wash away the blood caked on my face and arms. I let out a weary sigh, closing my eyes against the water, scrubbing away every trace of red. Afterwards, I clip my nails short and find a bag to put my bloodstained clothes into, holding it away from my body. Once I re-wrap the bandage around my open cut, I open the door and promptly find a garbage bin to throw my clothes into. A figure approaches me from behind and I whirl around, startled. Jeff raises a hand in peace, his other one holding his crutches.

"Hey, (Y/N). Look, um... nice job. With... you know." He says awkwardly, not meeting my eyes. I'm stunned into silence. All I can do is stare at him as he shuffles uncomfortably.

"N-No problem, I guess." I finally say. He nods once.

"W-Well, that's all I came to say. Don't ask me to ever repeat it, and if anyone asks, I didn't say shit." He says gruffly, turning around and limping away. I stare after him in shock, my mouth hanging slightly open.

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.