On the release of more levels. (Canon is Slender.)

[endlos]

...You shouldn't be sitting in the dark, mun. Please. Turn the light back on. The woods were bad enough. But these new places are worse. Much worse.

Comments

It's a challenging read, but I like how it makes you feel like you're going crazy with the character

[ex_justforkicks664]

[He has; and he wants Alan's. But don't look at him like that. Stop it. D:]

Scary stuff you have here. I like how into this you are. Really makes me feel as though I've been pulled into the center of the story.

[Of course he knows you're scared of something, but he's totally playing along with the spectator. Now, what would happen if he took you away from this Slender Man? Would that lure him out of his hiding spot? He hopes so.]

Looks like I have a trip to the library in my future, then. :)

[endlos]

[Sad face.]

I don't want what happened to those others to happen to me. It's been following me. Lurking out in the woods. And I don't want to... [She gulps, then continues in a tiny voice, shaking with fear.]

I don't want to die.

You won't be disappointed :)

[ex_justforkicks664]

Is that all that happens when it catches you? You die? That's pretty boring. You want to know what really works, what shocks most people, is when they come back. The look on people's faces. Priceless.

[Yeah, he's unsympathetic over your terror right now. He's not sorry.]

[endlos]

[Boy, there's a scary thought: coming back wrong. (But it's happened. Tim. Zero. Rika.) She shudders at the thought.]

Why would you even say such a thing?! How would you even know what faces people would make?

[ex_justforkicks664]

[Smiles. Just smiles.]

I might just know a thing or two on the matter. Could say it's one of my specialties. Favorites, really.

[endlos]

... [Now she's starting to get an inkling of what he is. She takes one tiny step backwards. It's more of a shuffle, really.]

Then you're no different than it is. Are you?

[ex_justforkicks664]

[That'a girl. Though she steps back, Mr. Scratch stands still. He won't move in on her yet.]

Don't compare us just yet. I've yet to meet this fellow. Then we'll see.

For one, I have a face. [A rather nice one don't you think?] Our mutual love of suits, the dark, and the woods is too little of detail to make assumptions.

[endlos]

[It's a very handsome face. But then again, Alan wears it so much better. There's no malice twinkling in his eyes. She isn't running, though. Must be too scared to move now.]

Too little. You're right. But you... you feel wrong. It's like... I look at you and you're hazy. Clouded over. Like a smokescreen. [Like fog.]

[ex_justforkicks664]

[True, the mun did fall for the original wearer of this face, but the influences of Scratch have taken over Oh g-- hel- m-... for the time being. Besides, it's so much fun being the new, the improved, Alan. While the mun thinks she's pulling the strings, it's actually quite the opposite.]

Is that so? [Now he approaches her. But it's slow, almost cautious-like.] Seems to be the popular choice of words to describe me these days.

Does your faceless tall man come off like this too? Or am I the only one?

[endlos]

[She stands there. She crosses her arms in front of her like it's going to shield her. She looks very small now. Small and out of her element.]

No. With that thing, it feels worse. It feels like- like there's a gaping hole in reality. I can't really explain it. But... I-I think it's probably some kind of primal reaction.

You're different. But it's still a bad feeling.

[ex_justforkicks664]

[We all know that method of defense is useless.]

Good. I was beginning to worry that someone might've stepped out of line. But now all this talk of holes in reality has really got me excited. [He's continuing to reach closer. Almost to the point of reaching out and Touching her.]

[endlos]

[That snaps her out of the daze she's been in. -Only instead of running, she's fallen to her knees with her hands over her head.]

S... stop! Don't get any closer!

[ex_justforkicks664]

[You're making this too easy for him. He'd preferred if she'd given chase, but oh well. This'll do.

So he advances, leaning over, palm reaching out, fingers inches from her head. Closer, closer. What mark has been left on her, he wonders.]

[endlos]

[It's not much of a chance. Even against the Slender Man, it doesn't do anything. But Mr. Scratch has eyes. He can see. And if he can see...]

[She pulls a flashlight from her hip, turns it on, and aims it right into Mr. Scratch's face. If it blinds him, she's making a break for it. But if it doesn't work... if it doesn't faze him, then she's sunk.]

[ex_justforkicks664]

[And here he'd thought she'd given up so easily. Nope.

Luckily for her, the light IS blinding to Mr. Scratch and he recoils back, pain registering, hands shielding the face that masks his true identity. But beneath his protected face, hands blocking out all light, is laughter. Sure it hurt like hell, but she put up a fight. And he couldn't be happier for her. For himself.]

You had me going there for a second.

[endlos]

[It worked? ...It worked. She climbs to her feet, mouth set in a thin flat line and flashlight still pointed right at Mr. Scratch. It doesn't have much juice left, sure, but it's enough to cause him pain.]

[Small wonders.]

...So you aren't human after all. You're probably not even this Alan Wake guy, are you?

[ex_justforkicks664]

[It surely has enough power to keep him at bay too. Well, for the time being. Those flashlights, the batteries sure die quickly on them don't they?

His hands go down to his side and a sheepish smile spreads across his face. Guilty.]

Oh no, I am Alan Wake.

I am now.

[endlos]

..."Now"? [That's more ominous than anything he's said up to now.]

[The light flickers, fading. She turns the flashlight off. (Click.) And with one movement, she turns on her heel to run for her life. (She couldn't outrun the Slender Man when it had her cornered in the woods. She won't be able to outrun Mr. Scratch, either.)]

[ex_justforkicks664]

[Probably unwise to turn off the flashlight. But then again, with little power left in it, you have to conserve what you have..]

Where are you going? We still have so much to talk about. [With his humanity now quickly unraveling, Mr. Scratch gives chase, but all around him small bouts of smoke disperse from his body.]

[endlos]

[She takes one glance over her shoulder at him. But the strangled little surprised noise she makes is proof enough that this is way out of her league. So she runs blindly ahead.]

[Rage might be one hell of an anesthetic, but unreasoning panic is apparently an even better motivator when it comes to running for your life.]

Stay away from me!

[ex_justforkicks664]

[Keep looking over your shoulder and soon you'll find he's no longer there. Disappeared into the darkness that surrounds them. But he'll appear again shortly, but not now. Instead, he'll keep hidden and only speak; taunting her.]

But there's so much I have yet to learn about you. About your mysterious tall man.

[endlos]

[Where's he gone? Where is he? She looks everywhere, trying to catch a glimpse of him in the dark. But she can't see him. And her flashlight is probably too low on power to cut through even this. She swallows loudly.]

Y-you don't want to run into it. Look, just... just let me go. Okay? I-I promise, I'll keep my mouth shut. Please. Don't hurt me!

[ex_justforkicks664]

[Oh, he's around. Just look in the shadows; you'll see him eventually. Or maybe you won't and it's your mind playing tricks on you.]

Hurt you? What gave you that impression? [While he sounds insulted, his voice is actually very sarcastic.] And I'm sure little ol' me can handle this boogeyman of yours. Let him come.

[endlos]

[In this light, it's hard to say what's real and what's just the eyes playing tricks on the mind. The flashlight comes back on, its light guttering weakly with every passing second. She shines it this way and that, trying to cut through the gloom.]

...nngh. I... I-I...

[And the flashlight dies completely after one last desperate pass around the area.]

[ex_justforkicks664]

I, I, I. [He repeats her words with a mocking tone.]

Maybe I'm worse than this faceless man. Hmm, ever think that? He's not the only one who can alter reality. My words [Alan's words you impostor] have a- great influence over things.

[The flashlight is dead and at that very moment, Mr. Scratch makes his grand appearance again.]